On this episode of The Knocking Rod podcast, I chat with Cousin Todd who is also known as Uncle Todd in our household. Turns out, Todd and I come from a long line of car guys, starting with Grandpa Smiley who passed his car-loving ways to his sons, who in turn brought the next generation into the fold.

Todd has many good stories, like the 1965 Cutlass his dad used as a parts car that became Todd’s first car. I remember this classic Olds from that time a surfboard flew off the roof while driving through Seaside Park, NJ. Todd recalls its unpleasant Mint Green finish that he swapped for Midnight Blue courtesy of an Earl Scheib $99 special.

There is the 1992 Jetta - also Mint Green - that carried Todd and his buddy Dennis cross-country from NJ to CA courtesy of a wheezing 100-horsepower four-pot.

Once he arrived in Hermosa Beach, Todd found himself with a handsome Coca-Cola van that was a perk of a new job selling Coke machines. It was also the vehicle he took his future wife, Kellie, on a date in. One that left her wondering where he’d parked his actual car (he didn’t have one).

There was the 1995 Wrangler that I got to ride in and experience the SoCal lifestyle for the first time. Which has transitioned into a series of SUVs, including a sweet Eddie Bauer Explorer and the current ride - a Yukon XL that carried a large crew of us to the Malibu triathlon with ease.

Were Todd to hit the lottery tomorrow, his dream garage would include a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing like the one his neighbor has and a 600+ horsepower Lamborghini Urus. Love it!

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender

Warlock is a word that conjures images of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Wizards & Warriors video game, and the “Adult Toys” collection of Dodge trucks and SUVs from the ‘70s with heavy levels of gold trim. Given my appreciation of all these things, I was pleased to see Ram (formerly Dodge) resurrect the Warlock moniker for its modern-day 1500 pickup. Getting behind the wheel of a 2026 Ram 1500 Warlock left me doubly pleased. After a full week of testing, here’s what the 2026 Ram 1500 Warlock gets right — and where it falls short.

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Ram’s Reasonably Priced Off-Roader

Peruse the Ram lineup, and you’ll see the entry-level Tradesman trim for about $44,000 (with destination charges) and the Tungsten at the top for slightly more, $91,395 to be exact. In between, I count 8 additional models, including the Warlock that comes in at $55,460. A relative bargain in this context, Warlocks start with the bones of a Tradesman and are transformed into factory off-roaders for an extra 11 grand.

That transformation consists of a 1” suspension lift for 10.1” of clearance, upgraded Bilstein dampers, a smattering of skid plates, Ram’s eLocker rear axle, and chunky 33” Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain rubber with raised white lettering. The aesthetics consist of a matte black vibe, applied to the front end, wheels, and badging. Setting it all off is a rear quarter panel Warlock decal that seems a bit small. But you know what? I dig it. Brawny, understated, and packing enough hardware to get loose in the wild, this Warlock is one good-looking pickup truck.

Driving it, I felt as though I owned the road, such is the height and broad-shouldered breadth of this Ram. Really, with that ample ground clearance and those meaty tires, you kind of do, as there’s not much that will stand in your way. Especially when your foot finds the go pedal.

Skip The Hemi, Get The Hurricane

Two years ago, Ram canned the famed Hemi V8 in favor of its new twin-turbo Hurricane straight-6. Why? Because the Hurricane makes more power, tows more stuff, and guzzles less fuel. But for 2026, the Hemi is back by popular demand. With the Warlock, that means you have a choice to make. Spend $2,895 for the V8 or $1,695 for the Hurricane. I mean, technically, you don’t have to pay for either of these motors as the Pentastar V6 is included. But then you don’t get massive power and cool badges.

The example I drove came equipped with the Hurricane, and I’m glad it did. Making 420 horsepower and 469 lb-ft of torque, this truck can RIP. Stand on the gas, wait a tick for the turbos to spool, and you’re off. Car and Driver says it’ll go 0-60 in 5.2 seconds, and I’m inclined to believe them. Punch it entering the highway and you’ll be wanting those hands at 10 and 2. Sure, the Hemi makes better noises, but the Hurricane adds faster to the list of reasons why it’s a better bet.

What Sarah Says

My wife, Sarah, is the polar opposite of a car person. Look to this section for her unfiltered thoughts on the car of the day.

A Quiet And Comfy Cabin

While you’re at it, bask in the remarkably quiet cabin - I measured the same level of noise at 65 as a Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy - and the simplicity of a cloth-covered front bench seat. Once de rigueur in pickup trucks, the bench setup has largely been relegated to worksite-oriented models. But it’s an underrated feature.

For one, you can seat 6. That came in handy with our family of 5, though the central first-row position is not ideal for long trips or long-legged passengers.

For two, you don’t have to worry about dropping all the things between your seat and the center console. Plus, in the Warlock, the backrest of that middle seat folds down to create a giant armrest replete with cupholders and storage space. All that said, none of these cushions are heated in the Warlock, which is a bummer on brisk New England mornings. Such is the price of saving a buck these days.

The No-Frills Truck

Other things missing from the no-frills Warlock include Ram’s giant-sized touchscreen and automatic climate control. It still has a plenty-big 8.4” central display and wireless smartphone mirroring, so no big loss on the screen size measuring competition. But boy, you can get spoiled in a car with automatic climate control. Having to constantly fiddle with the fan speed and blend of blue-red HVAC lines is for the birds.

Anyone occupying the rear seats of a Ram Warlock ought to be thrilled. It’s positively cavernous back there with huge legroom and space to spread out. Giant windows add to the sense of airiness, as does the power-sliding rear window. See? Ram didn’t ditch ALL the frills.

Falling Out Of The Warlock

Two things you’ll want to plan ahead for, should a Warlock be in your future, are egress and K-turns. Ingress is reasonably easy for all statures thanks to grab handles screwed into the cabin pillars. Fairly universal across the automotive landscape, but perhaps not heavily utilized in the crossover space, you will absolutely be stress-testing these hinged plastic assistants in the Warlock.

@theknockingrod2026 Ram 1500 Warlock — You Might Need a Step Ladder! #ram1500 #ramwarlock #trucktok #pickuptruck #trucklife

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I’m 6 feet tall and getting into this Ram requires a solid step up. Ground clearance may come in at only 10”, but the door sill rises 24” off the ground. As for exits, my wife Sarah, who is 5’ 7”, described the maneuver as “falling out”. Moral of the story? Find yourself a good set of side steps.

Playing Austin Powers

On the subject of K-turns: Should you find yourself in a parking lot, like say, the University of New Hampshire field house…in the dead of winter…with huge snow drifts…and no way out aside from turning around - forget 3-point turns. The Warlock is a behemoth.

My daily driver, a 2016 Mazda 6, is 16 feet long and 6 feet wide. Ram pegs the Warlock at nearly 19 ½ feet long with an extra 10 inches left-to-right versus the Mazda. Great for going up, over, and through things, these dimensions do not make for great parking lot maneuverability. Needless to say, I made Austin Powers proud in that Field House parking lot.

One upside to driving a land yacht such as the Warlock is that tailgaters disappear. I forgot to measure the height from the ground to the top of the closed tailgate, but it is surely many feet. Cars that didn’t like my pokey around-town driving were akin to gnats on the rump of a rhino, out of sight and out of mind. As for getting off-road, my opportunities to do so were limited, but I can tell you that 4-wheel high combined with those fat all-terrain tires makes light work of snow and mud.

Is This Budget-Oriented 2026 Ram 1500 Worth A Look?

I like the Ram 1500 Warlock. It’s not a vehicle I have a real need for, but that doesn’t negate its want factor. Little details like including old school cruise control alongside the adaptive variety, and regular buttons and dials instead of a haptic-controlled everything approach are a nice analog touch. Really, the Warlock manages to straddle the divide between the cutting-edge techno-wizard trucks of today and relatively simple trucks of the past. The fact that it’s packing a spectacular twin-turbo engine and serious off-road chops is pretty nice too.

Check out the debrief on the TKR Podcast!

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender

Tires are the red-headed stepchild of the modern car. Largely ignored, definitely mistreated, and given the potentially high cost, sometimes unwanted. Which is a shame, as the technology baked into car tires is fairly staggering. And of course, there’s the fact that those circles of rubber are the last line of defense when it comes to keeping your car stuck to the road. As I learned earlier this winter in our 2019 Ford Explorer.

Transparency Note

Some products featured in this article were provided by the manufacturer for evaluation. This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The manufacturer had no input on the editorial content.

Serious Winter Requires Serious Tires

A lovely SUV, the Explorer in our driveway has many systems in place designed to keep traction at a maximum. AdvanceTrac, Roll Stability Control, and Curve Control, to name a few. The AWD system - which Ford calls “Intelligent 4WD” - and Terrain Management System offer multiple drive modes, including Snow. All of which can do next to nothing when the roads are covered in a wintry mess, and your tires are not up to the task.

That’s where I found myself last December. Winter hit hard and early this year in New Hampshire. As I shared in Part 1 of this Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 review, the first round of snow and frigid temps had me out on the road for sledding adventures. Which led to a discovery: The tires that came with the Explorer were not going to cut it for a full winter season. From the all-weather category of vehicle tires, I learned that even with all those traction aids, AWD, and a dedicated drive mode, the Explorer was like an elephant on roller skates in the slick stuff.

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When All-Weather Tires Won’t Cut It

This isn’t surprising from an objective perspective, but it’s always startling (exciting?) to find yourself sliding sideways down the road. Shocked at how poorly the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady all-weather rubber was comporting itself, I headed for Tire Rack. I should note that the Goodyears may have already seen 50,000 miles of continual use, which could help explain the lack of snow and ice traction. But, no matter the case, after learning about the compromises of an all-weather vs. winter tire, it was time for a change.

With its Blizzak snow tires, Bridgestone has managed the rare feat of creating a brand-name product that is interchangeable with the common name. Like calling every type of soda Coke, it’s not unusual among the winter tire adherents - an admittedly smaller contingent than people who drink soda - to assume your winter tires are Blizzaks. I would say it’s all in the branding. Blizzak just sort of sounds like a winter tire.

Nearly 40 Years Of Blizzak Technology

Anyway, that’s how I found myself browsing the Blizzak selection on Tire Rack. I’m familiar with the brand, have had many Blizzaks over the years, and it was one of the few tires offered in the giant 20” size required for the Explorer. Specifically, the DM-V2 variant. The Blizzak lineup dates to 1988, when the Japanese tire maker invented its patented MultiCell technology. According to Bridgestone, this tech centers around tiny bubbles embedded in the tire’s tread with the purpose of wicking away the thin film of water encountered on ice. Move that water out of the way, and you have increased rubber on the road and better grip.

Per Ian McKenney, Senior Product Manager, Bridgestone Americas, you can actually see these bubbles under a magnifying glass. I cannot tell you how badly I want a magnifying glass to see this for myself, but alas, I can’t find one anywhere. Going deeper, he shared a bit of tire insight that helped me better understand a key differentiator between the two types of tires I was working with…

I was unaware of the Glass Transition Temperature, and it certainly helps explain some of what I experienced with my Explorer’s all-weather setup. Though I did ask Bridgestone for specific testing data on how the Blizzak DM-V2 traction performance changes as the tires wear, that information is understandably not for public consumption. However, McKenney did share how the company compares fresh tires against “buffed” or worn versions in controlled ice and snow environments.

Real-World Blizzak DM-V2 Testing

My testing of the DM-V2 was certainly less controlled, but always safe! It involved putting the Blizzak-shod 2019 Ford Explorer through the winter. And what a winter it was. Bone-chilling temperatures. Huge amounts of snow. And lots of driving. To the ski slopes, to swim meets in Vermont, and all over the New Hampshire seacoast. When the whole family was in the car, testing was merely ensuring the Explorer could accelerate, corner, and brake confidently. Largely driven by my wife, I am happy to report the Blizzak DM-V2s performed as expected. She felt safe doing the family things in all conditions, which left me feeling relieved. Especially after my experience with those worn all-weathers.

On that note, McKenney also said,

That’s good to hear from both a safe driving and budgetary perspective, because a full set of 20” Blizzaks is not cheap.

As for my testing protocol, opportunities to investigate how the Blizzaks performed in heavy winter conditions were plentiful this year. In the name of journalistic rigor - and to have fun blasting around in the snow - I took every opportunity I could find to go for a spin in the slick stuff. Standing on the gas, standing on the brakes, and slinging the Explorer across empty snow-covered parking lots left me impressed. Grip was strong, ice braking was confidence-inspiring, and even when I could break the Ford loose, the DM-V2s felt eager to rein things back in.

A Snow Tire Worth A Look

I can’t say that my local backroad testing was on par with, say, flinging vehicles around the winter wonderland of Circuit Mécaglisse up in Canada. But I can say that after nearly 40 years of Blizzak development and my time spent thus far with the DM-V2 version, Bridgestone clearly knows how to engineer snow tires. I’d happily recommend them to anyone.

You can check out Blizzak DM-V2 tires at Tire Rack. I bought mine here, and they’ll ship them right to your front door. Though you may want to tip the UPS guy, as it’s kind of a big package :)

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

Big, three-row SUVs are a dime-a-dozen these days, with automakers clamoring to capitalize on this seemingly insatiable segment. Some look good and some look mediocre. But Hyundai has one that’s rocking a monochromatic finish, sweet 21” rims, miles of gadgetry, and a subtly luxurious vibe that belies its mainstream positioning. That being the all-new Palisade dolled up in Calligraphy trim. It’s a looker, which the tremendous-as-always shots taken by my brother, Tyler Stender, make obvious. After a full week of testing, here’s what the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy gets right — and where it falls short.

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How The Palisade Calligraphy Stacks Up

This is the Korean automaker’s biggest, most expensive gas-powered vehicle, and based on my time running around with it, I’d say they’ve got a winner. Sitting atop the Palisade trim ladder, Calligraphy’s start at a shade over $56,000. But specced with Creamy White Pearl paint and AWD, like the version I had, you’re looking at just under $59,000. This is a lot of money, yes, but not in the context of the Palisade’s competition. A top-line Mazda CX-90 comes in just over the 59 large mark.

So what’d you get for such an outlay? Many things. Creature comforts run the gamut from Nappa leather hides to massaging front seats, climate-controlled middle seats, and heated wayback seats - all of which are power adjustable. A panoramic moonroof comes standard, as does a heated steering wheel, a second-row HVAC control panel, a Relaxation mode that transforms your throne into a La-Z-Boy, and really nice ambient light.

I’m not one to gush about colored cabin lighting, but dang, when the sun goes down, the recessed illumination inside the Calligraphy cabin is *chef’s kiss. There’s legroom aplenty, even in the third row, thanks to a power-sliding second-row, and serious cargo flexibility. Also, you can stuff 5 carry-on bags behind those rearmost seats when raised.

A Bonanza Of Automotive Technology

So yes, comfort and cargo are covered in this top-spec Hyundai Palisade. However, it is in the technology department where this three-row SUV really shines. There’s not enough room on my digital paper to get deep on every single system Hyundai brings to bear with the Calligraphy. So, some highlights:

Digital Rearview Mirror

Flip the little nighttime anti-glare toggle under what appears to be a regular old rearview mirror, and the glass surface will render a live video stream of what’s happening behind your Palisade. The view is high-res, though a bit strange at first as your normally static mirror is now a wide-angle lens on everything moving around out back. Get used to it though, and you might appreciate the ability to actually see out there when your seats are filled with people and stuff.

Head-Up Display

The head-up display, HUD for short, is nothing new in autodom. But Hyundai’s HUD takes this windshield projection tech to a new level. Beyond current speed, you can set it - or not - to show turn-by-turn navigation instructions, ADAS alerts, and info on who’s calling. To be clear, the Palisade Calligraphy is an absolute riot of technology with screens and information all over the place.

So while one more digital display may seem like overkill, I came to like having that info in my periphery, as it limits the need to glance down at the dash. The full-color HUD was easy to read in all conditions, except when wearing polarized sunglasses. In that scenario, the digits are legible, just a bit on the dim side.

Highway Driving Assist 2

Okay, so I like analog cars sans giant touchscreens and driver aids squawking at me unexpectedly. That fussy mentality extends to all the high-tech systems trying to help you drive. Like Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist (HDA) 2. In standard form, HDA blends adaptive cruise control with lane-following and centering. But HDA 2, only included on the Calligraphy, brings an automatic lane-change assist feature. If the idea of a car effectively driving for me was met with a furrowed brow, the concept of doing so AND changing lanes on its own was met with colorful language.

And yet, HDA 2 works incredibly well. Uncannily well even. Simply flick the turn signal stalk and let Hyundai’s computers take over. The system determines if a lane change is safe and then goes for it. Shifting lanes at highway speeds with my hands loosely hovering on the steering wheel - while it moves of its own accord - had those hands sweating. But I have to say, it was smooth, and the maneuver was executed flawlessly.

There’s so much more to the 2026 Palisade Calligraphy’s tech-forward intent, but my fingers can’t handle all the keyboard strokes required to get into the nuts and bolts of each. So instead, a quick hit of the best stuff.

Blind-Spot View Monitor

Displays a live feed of your blind spot in the gauge cluster when you trip the turn signal.

Dashcams

Front and rear integrated units with crisp resolution and parking surveillance.

Remote Smart Parking Assist

This key fob-operated trick won’t parallel or perpendicular park for you, but it can roll your Palisade - forward or back - out of tight parking lot jams.

@theknockingrod@Hyundai USA Remote Smart Parking Assist Review on the 2026 Palisade. #hyundai #hyundaipalisade #carreview #cartips #carsoftiktok

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UV Sterilization

The center console bin, with its clamshell-style lid, doubles as a UV sterilization chamber. Look closely and you’ll see little UV emitters in there. Set your no-doubt filthy device within, close it, press the UV button, and 10 minutes later you’ve got a very germophobe-friendly smartphone.

Driving The Palisade Calligraphy

So, what’s the Palisade Calligraphy like behind the wheel? Smooth, hushed around town, and comfy. The steering is a little sleepy, but if you want to carve corners on the way to the grocery store, get an Elantra N. Road impacts are what you’d expect of a shiny, new family SUV - soft, rounded, and not likely to bother occupants. When pushed hard, the Palisade feels poised, and the naturally aspirated 287-horse V6 under the hood pulls strongly. It also drinks strongly; I registered just 14 mpg around town.

That’s not great, but much like Hyundai makes cars for corner-carving, it offers the Palisade in hybrid flavor for those looking to stretch a gallon of gas. The cabin felt quiet at low speed, but was boomier than expected on the highway. That sense wasn’t too far off reality. Using the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app, I measured 66 dBA of cabin noise at 65 mph, the same as a Ram 1500 Warlock with big off-road tires. I realize an iPhone app isn’t exactly the sensor of choice for lab-coated scientists, but using that same sensor across multiple vehicles does give a relative reading, one that was louder than I would’ve guessed.

The Palisade Isn’t Perfect

I was impressed with the Palisade, but no car is perfect. Admittedly, my asterisks are just minor annoyances. Like trying to access the storage area positioned on the first-row floor in front of the center console. A console that extends so far as to make reaching down tricky. Trying to come at it from the sides doesn’t help since you can’t see what you’re fumbling around for. A guaranteed collector of forgotten doo-dads, it would appear.

Also, the power-operated second-row seats take quite a while to get out of the way. I found myself wishing for a simple manual lever to make it move. And can we ease up on the aggressiveness of the various alert systems? When my daughter didn’t get her door closed fully, the Palisade waited for me to back out of the driveway before lighting up the IP with red flashing lights, accompanied by stick-your-finger-in-an-outlet levels of shock from the piercing auditory alert. Because the door wasn’t fully closed. Sometimes, you can go too far with technology.

Is This Range-Topping 2026 Palisade Worth A Look?

My time with the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy has come to a close, but I enjoyed it while it lasted. Exuding Range Rover vibes from the outside and coddling with creature comforts galore on the inside, it’s one nice SUV. The technology left me wildly impressed - except for that door ajar tantrum - and really, in the grand scheme of what this $59,000 Hyundai offers, that’s not a big deal. For the family ISO a vehicle that steps up the luxury digs a notch, the Palisade Calligraphy is worth a look.

Be sure to check out our quick debrief on the Palisade Calligraphy with The Knocking Rod podcast!

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

It’s been cold in New Hampshire this winter, with many a single-digit thermometer morning. Go about 75 miles north of Montreal, however, and words like bitter, frigid, and bone-chilling come to mind. It is here that the Circuit Mécaglisse is located, a winter wonderland of ice-covered tracks and deeply snowed forest trails. Just the place to put winter tires to the test, which I recently did with Michelin and its new X-Ice Snow+, a tire that features not just the 3PMSF designation, but the perhaps lesser-known Ice Braking icon.

Winter Tires > All-Seasons + AWD In The Snow

Once you experience the difference between all-season tires and dedicated winter rubber - with the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) sidewall icon - on your car during a snow storm, it’s hard to argue with the benefits. That little mountain logo with a snowflake indicates the tire has passed the ASTM F1905 test, a standardized protocol that means it has better acceleration on the white stuff than a typical all-season tire.

In a conversation I had on-site with David Griese, Michelin Product Category Manager, Winter, we discussed how the prevalence of AWD crossovers has perhaps boosted consumer confidence while driving in the snow. But the reality is, no matter how much torque your car’s drivetrain can route to a wheel and no matter how sophisticated that delivery system is, there’s nothing to be done if the tire can’t get a grip.

Listen To The Interview With David On Spotify

Over the years, I’ve watched endless all- and four-wheel drive vehicles flounder in winter weather, while I powered through in a front- or rear-wheel drive car fitted with snows. Our Ford Transit Connect, which I recently gushed about as the perfect family ski vehicle, capably ran the Monarch Pass in Colorado…in the dead of winter…on snowy roads…with winter tires and FWD. Point is, I’m in the Winter Tire Fan Club, so I jumped at the chance to put Michelin’s latest compound through its paces.

The X-Ice Snow+ Is Arriving Shortly

Arriving in early summer 2026, the X-Ice Snow (XIS)+ will replace the X-Ice Snow that debuted 6 years ago. Per Michelin, this version has 26% longer tread life and 34% better fuel efficiency than 3 leading competitors from Bridgestone, Continental, and Nokian. I can’t speak directly to those metrics, but I can confirm the XIS+ left a positive seat-of-the-pants impression at the Mecaglisse.

Eagle-eyed winter tire nerds may notice that the XIS+ has the same tread pattern as the previous XIS. This is deliberate, as Michelin found the mechanical grip - tread blocks, sipes, and grooves - needed no improvements for the XIS+. Changes were made to the chemical grip side of the equation as part of the new Flex Ice 3.0 tread compound. Michelin understandably won’t share the specifics of what it did to alter the chemical recipe, as this is the proprietary secret sauce. They did, however, give me some insight as to what make the XIS+ different.

The elastomer forms the foundation of the tire’s rubber compound and is typically made up of Natural Rubber, Butadiene Rubber, and Styrene-Butadeine Rubber, or a combination thereof. In the X-Ice Snow+, Michelin has created a new, next-generation elastomer. The same is true of the tire’s plasticizers, which improve processability and flexibility at cold temperatures. However, the fillers that help adjust performance metrics like traction, wear, and rolling resistance - and usually consist of carbon black and silica - have simply been fine-tuned.

Driving Michelin’s New Winter Tire On The Ice And In The Snow

Based on back-to-back comparison tests of the Michelin XIS+ versus a variety of other major brands, these updates clearly make an impact among the competitive set. In one test, I drove Chevy Equinox EVs fitted with the Michelin tire, followed by the same vehicle with Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 EV rubber, and then a third identical Equinox running Continental VikingContact 8 winter tires. The run was a tight, twisty setup with a bit of elevation and plenty of cones to try and avoid. As the name implied, this ice handling course was a literal sheet of ice with just a dusting of snow on top.

However, once I got going, that snow was quickly banished, allowing the ice beneath to become increasingly polished. For me, it was tough to discern a major difference between the 3 tires in this scenario. This could be partly chalked up to how the course became progressively more slick as the ice received a deeper polish over consecutive runs. The Continentals did seem to lose lateral grip more quickly, but only slightly so. Under hard panic stops, all three setups felt admirably strong given the conditions.

Over in the deep snow arena, results were different. First, I ran a Toyota Corolla on the Michelin X-Ice Snow+ setup, but after being shaved to 4/32” tread depth as a way to simulate worn tires. Against identical Corollas with equally trimmed Bridgestone Blizzak WS90s, I was left impressed with how well the Michelins got through the deep stuff with better traction than the Blizzaks. All the more impressive considering how much tread had been removed, but doubly so when brought to a dead stop on an icy incline. Starting back up, the XIS+ Corolla easily crept up and over the hill, while the car with the Blizzaks put on a fishtailing show before getting moving.

Finally, I drove through even deeper snow in a Toyota RAV4 with brand-new Michelins, followed by a matching setup with the Continental VikingContact8. In this portion, the snow was deep and soft enough that the only way through was steady accelerator pressure and constant steering wheel sawing to sling the SUV back, forth, and forward. With the Continentals, the RAV4 was trying to tramline through the deep ruts, while the Michelins felt comfortable cutting their own path across those grooves.

Reducing Road Noise With Piano Acoustic Tuning

It’s not just upgraded chemical grip that Michelin points to as why the X-Ice Snow+ marks such a major improvement over its predecessor. Winter tires tend to be noisier on the road than their all-season sisters. To counter this, the XIS+ features “Piano Acoustic Tuning” technology, which is effectively computerized frequency tuning. When features of a tire - like tread blocks and sipes - are equally spaced around the circumference, you can get repetitive high and low frequency vibrations that have a tendency to create unwanted road noise.

With Piano Acoustic Tuning, Michelin can create a non-repetitive tread block-width and sipe-spacing design to break up this noise and deliver a quieter ride. Given my focus (read: excitement) at running the XIS+ through the various testing protocols, I can’t say I noticed a difference in noise against the competition, but the science behind it certainly makes sense.

Key Visual Aspects Of The Michelin X-Ice Snow+

Two notable aspects of the Michelin X-Ice Snow+ are what you’ll see, and won’t see, on the sidewall. What’s missing are any letters suggesting this tire is made for electric vehicles (EV). A tire like the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 EV, that I drove on the Chevy Equinox EV is different from the regular Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 tire as it is aimed at the electric market. The XIS+, according to Michelin, was designed to work on all vehicle types - ICE, hybrid, and EV - as a way to reduce consumer confusion.

There is no international standard for the EV lettering on a tires sidewall, so it is ultimately a marketing move. Given the relative complexity of the tire market for the average consumer - all-season vs. all-weather vs. winter - this seems like a good way to encourage winter tire adoption across the customer spectrum.

Though the previous generation XIS tire was rated for Ice Braking, the icon that designates this was not included on the sidewall. Like the 3PMSF logo, the Ice Braking logo - a single-peaked mountain - certifies a tire has met standardized testing performance on a polished ice surface, per the ISO 19447 standard. Not every winter tire offers this level of winter performance and based on how the test is structured, it’s more representative of how a car would perform in real-world conditions.

For the 3PMSF test, only 1 rear wheel of the test vehicle needs to be fitted with the tire under evaluation. But for Ice Braking, all 4 wheels must be fitted as such. As David Griese noted in our discussion, the Ice Braking designator is challenging to pass and puts a tire in the elite level of winter performance. In conversations with Canadian tire dealers, some of whom are located in provinces that mandate tires with the 3PMSF symbol between December and March, Michelin has learned that this symbol on its own is not all that helpful aside from meeting the letter of the law.

The Winter vs. All-Weather Tire Question

Credit: Michelin

That jives with all-weather tires, which are are a 4-season winter tire compromise. This category of rubber, which slots between all-season and dedicated winter, comes with the 3-Peak icon. That means it’s technically passed the snow traction test, but these particular tires are designed for use all year at the same time. Certainly there are regions where such a setup would work.

However, for anyone living in areas with heavy winter weather, it’s probably not the best choice. For those folks, you would ideally strap your ride with true snow tires. And if that’s the case, go beyond just the 3PMSF logo and find something with the Ice Braking indicator as well. The Michelin X-Ice Snow+ is one such tire, and I can tell you that I’ll be giving them a strong look when it comes time to replace my current winter tires.

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the launch of Michelin’s new X-Ice Snow+ winter tire. It was an incredibly interesting event, with time spent behind the wheel getting a feel for how the new rubber performs in its natural setting - the frozen and snow-covered Mecaglisse proving grounds deep in the Canadian wilderness.

A highlight was sitting down with Michelin’s David Griese, who is the Product Category Manager, Winter, for a podcast chat. His background includes 11 years of designing tires at Michelin, so having him on hand to dive into the details of the X-Ice Snow+ was hugely beneficial.

We discussed the engineering that enables the new the new tire to perform the way it does, the important Ice Braking designation that comes with the X-Ice Snow+, the fact that it is suitable for all vehicle types - including EVs - and how the proliferation of AWD crossovers may be leading to driver overconfidence in the white stuff.

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

A funny thing happened while recently driving a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe - that my brother Tyler recently purchased…it drove itself. Our goal was to take the Santa Fe out and walk through how to use the adaptive cruise control (ACC). Having little experience with this system, I was immediately impressed - and a little unnerved - by how well ACC kept the Hyundai between the lane lines.

Much like bumper bowling, but far smoother and less embarrassing, it gently moves the steering wheel to ensure you stay in your lane, bro. But driving with my hands in my lap?! Hyundai says that’s not how this system is supposed to work, and yet, we have the video to prove it. A video that also dives deeper into the Hyundai SmartSense suite of advanced driver-assistance aids (ADAS).

Really, anyone buying a new Santa Fe ought to spend some time familiarizing themselves with the ADAS roster, as it is vast, with 20 distinct systems. I love cars and like to imagine I’m well-read on the subject, but man, there is a lot here. Just within the context of adaptive cruise control, there is a fair bit to understand. For starters, there is no old-school cruise control.

Tyler and I did attempt the Hyundai equivalent of a Contra up-up-down-down cheat code to enable classic cruise control. Per official internet forum directions, it involved putting ACC into standby mode and then holding the Distance Control button for 3 seconds. But nothing happened. So, it’s adaptive cruise control or nothing. Here’s how Hyundai breaks it down in the 2026 Santa Fe.

Smart Cruise Control

This is the basic version of Hyundai’s ACC. It comes standard on the new Santa Fe and works to maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead, while keeping the same speed. It includes a Stop-and-Go feature, which is handy for heavy traffic. If you switch on Lane Following Assist (LFA), it will work to keep you centered in your lane.

I will say, having limited experience with Hyundai’s ACC and LFA, it’s initially unsettling having the big SUV steer itself. But the movements are smooth, which is nice. That said, you can quickly get lulled into a sense of complacency, which is less nice. Particularly once you go further down the ACC rabbit hole.

Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control with Curve Control

This upgraded version of ACC pulls info from the vehicle’s navigation system to guide the Santa Fe through curves all by itself. It comes standard on the Limited model, which is what we were driving, and does in fact manage highway curves weirdly well.

Highway Driving Assist

This system, HDA for short, blends ACC with LFA and Curve Control into one full-time highway helper. It’s included on Limited trim lines and is supposed to work only if you keep your hands on the steering wheel. More on that in a moment.

Highway Driving Assist 2

This system only comes with the 2026 Santa Fe in range-topping Calligraphy spec, so we couldn’t test it. The main change with HDA 2 over regular HDA is the ability for the car to change lanes on its own. Apparently, you need only signal your desire to do so and, if the Santa Fe deems the maneuver safe, it’ll move over for you. Makes me sweat just thinking about it AND I’d love to test it out.

According to the owner’s manual section about using Highway Driving Assist, “If the driver takes their hands off the steering wheel for several seconds, a Keep hands on steering wheel’ warning message will appear and an audible warning will sound in stages.”

If you continue to ignore the warnings, the Emergency Stop should trigger and HDA should deactivate. But, as you can see in the video, I drove for about 30 seconds with my hands completely off the steering wheel and the Santa Fe drove itself. No warnings popped up, and I was free to kick back and let Hyundai take the wheel.

As a newbie, I found this to be exceedingly bizarre and put my hands back on the wheel. However, I could imagine getting accustomed to this capability in the Santa Fe and relying on it for highway commutes or long drives. Which doesn’t seem like a good thing from a driver complacency perspective.

Hyundai Puts The Advanced In ADAS

To be clear, Hyundai’s SmartSense suite of ADAS is remarkably smooth, at least within the context of smart cruise control. Anyone commuting into a traffic war zone like, say, Boston, could likely benefit from having the car manage traffic jams. But there is A LOT to learn if you want to operate these systems properly, so get yourself familiar with how all these gizmos work before testing them out on the road.

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

Based on marketing efforts and ski slope parking lots, you might think that a big SUV is the perfect family ski vehicle. But you would be wrong. As evidence, I present the Ford Transit Connect minivan. It’s narrow outside, huge inside, and - when properly outfitted - absolutely kills it on the family ski vehicle front.

Transparency Note
Some products featured in this article were provided by the manufacturer for evaluation. This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The manufacturer had no input on the editorial content.

Ford discontinued the Transit Connect a couple years ago. There are many reasons for this, but in my opinion, they boned the marketing behind what is an excellent vehicle and as a result, consumers didn’t know what it was. Fortunately, the used market is awash in reasonably priced Transits - the passenger version of course, not the florist delivery vans - and for the family that likes to ski, you should consider one.

Even without aftermarket ski-friendly add-ons, the Transit Connect stands tall in the ski vehicle hierarchy. Actually, narrow, as in a roughly 6” tidier width versus the likes of a Toyota Sienna. So, when you’re tucking into a jammed ski resort parking lot that is likely loaded with lumbering land barges, you’ll find ample space to maneuver.

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Factor in the sliding doors, and you’ll find a remarkably easy ski slope arrival process. Anyone who has taken a family with little kids skiing knows the mental madness that often accompanies such an endeavor. On these adventures, it’s the little things that count, like being able to open your doors without fuss.

That said, our little kids are now teenagers, all 3 of them. And while the Transit Connect is slim left-to-right, it’s tall top-to-bottom, meaning the overhead cabin space is surprisingly huge. With 3 rows of seating, the 5 of us can spread out, and thanks to this unusual packaging format, we’re all quite comfortable.

The powertrain is a dog, the ride is a bit flinty, and the frills are few and far between. BUT, this little Ford van makes up for those challenges with tremendous interior flexibility and crisp carlike handling. All of which translates to a solid family ski vehicle. Especially when properly equipped.

Thule Rooftop Cargo Box

Rooftop cargo boxes are invaluable for any family activity, but uniquely so when it comes to skiing. We have the Thule Force XT XXL, a relative god in the universe of cargo carriers. Volume measures 22 cubic feet. That’s more space than you’ll find behind the third row of VW’s big ol’ Atlas SUV. This translates to holding a tremendous amount of stuff, but it is also the perfect container for 5 pairs of skis and poles.

I have customized our Thule cargo box with a cutting-edge foam pool noodle racking system. Two noodles, spread about 3 feet apart, span the interior. Into each tube of foam are cut 5 narrow troughs to cradle our skis. It’s an impressive bit of engineering that you can inspect in the video above. #humblebrag. Plus, once I load the ski gear at the beginning of the season, it lives up there. The cargo carrier is lockable, so no need to constantly load and unload the skis after each trip to the slopes. I highly recommend one for all your skiing needs.

Continental Winter Tires

I like to nerd out on winter tires, not all-weather tires to be clear, but dedicated snow rubber. The kind that transforms an otherwise pedestrian front-wheel drive cupcake delivery van into a Rocky Mountain snowstorm beast. Always looking to see who does it best, I currently have Blizzak DM-V2s on our Explorer, but the Transit Connect is sporting Continental WinterContact SI tires. These same tires powered us up and over the Monarch Pass a few winters back during a trek to Crested Butte.

It’s an 11,000-foot-plus run through the Rocky Mountains that straddles the Continental Divide. It is glorious and dicey all at once. The windshield washer jets did freeze up on our trip down the mountain, which required a quick stop in an emergency pull-off. Conditions were not great and I may have required a fresh pair of trousers that night. BUT, those winter tires did their thing and further cemented the Transit Connect as an ideal family ski vehicle.

WeatherTech Floor Mats

WeatherTech crushes it on the marketing front, with their logo everywhere. Full pagers in Car and Driver, ads on the tube, retargeting banners creeping around my online footprint. And it works, at least for me. I dig the Made In America aspect, but I REALLY dig how amazing the FloorLiner HP mats are. You can cheap out on some cut-it-youself rubber Walmart mats, but if you’ve got a carload of kids going skiing, you’ll regret it.

The Transit Connect must have the single most convoluted floorplan in all of autodom. When WeatherTech’s mats arrived, the second row, third row, and cargo bay units looked like Rube Goldberg and Tetris had a baby. Especially the third row. And yet, each one fit like a glove. Tall, rigid-enough walls surround each one, ready to capture as much melting snow and sandy crap as you can throw at it.

Little details like the cupped second-row section that protects the seat mounting bracket and turns into a small pool after a day on the slopes are what set WeatherTech apart. Cheap these floor mats are not. But having a dedicated ski boot section in the cargo bay and not having to worry about the carpeting getting utterly soaked is worth every penny.

SnoStrips Magnetic Ski Racks

Going skiing with kids, especially when they’re little, is so fun, for so many reasons. You get to unload all their gear. You get to put on their boots. You get to carry their skis through the parking lot. And, if you’re lucky, you get to watch them lean their skis against the side of the car. Whereupon those long slabs of sharp metal will inevitably hit the deck. But not before sliding and scratching themselves along the clear coat.

Enter the SnoStrip from RigStrips. These little magnetic doodads snap onto the sheetmetal and provide rubberized slots to lay your skis and poles within. Perhaps the best invention for skiing families in history, SnoStrips kick ass. We use them on both sides of the Transit. Not that our little Ford is winning any awards for its paint job, but that doesn’t mean I want it trashed.

Plus, by loading the skis into these magnetic racks, the kids can grab them when they’re ready and put them back at the end of the day, all neat and tidy. I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to drive to and from the slopes with the SnoStrips externally affixed, but it has mistakenly happened, and I’m happy to report, they’re still with us.

Nilight Air Compressor

With the frigid air temperatures that make for good skiing come car tires that like to lose a bit of pressure here and there. Maybe your TPMS light illuminates in warning. Or, like with the Transit Connect that has no monitoring system, one of those tires just looks a little low. When this happens in your driveway, it’s annoying, but likely an easy remedy. However, when a tire gets low as you gear up to head home from skiing, it might be a bigger hassle.

The nearest gas station could be a hike, and maybe you’re not comfortable driving the whole family home with tires in need of some love. Which is where the Nilight portable inflator comes in. Nilight sent me a unit to review, and I’m happy to report that it works like a champ. Power comes from a 12V cabin outlet and does not require the car be running. The nearly 11-foot-long power cable means you can reach all 4 corners. A digital touchscreen gives you the current pressure reading and can be set to a target PSI - then automatically shut off when said pressure is reached.

A built-in flashlight makes night work stress-free. And during a recent use in a frigid, snow-covered parking lot, pressures were increased with ease, and the tires were ready to go. Plus, its compact size means the Nilight unit fits nicely in the Transit’s high-mount cargo shelf that runs across the front-row seats. Very handy.

AddVisor Plus Polarized Sun Visor

Full transparency: I was skeptical of the merits of the AddVisor Plus when one arrived from the company for review. I was unfairly expecting something flimsy and of little practical use. I was wrong. This articulated sun-blocking gizmo would work in any vehicle, but it is uniquely well-suited to the Ford Transit Connect in winter, due to the comically huge windshield. This is great for visibility and for letting in ALL the sun. I’m not sure if this is accurate, but it feels like the sun is harsher and brighter on cold, clear winter days.

I also have little baby eyes that leave me forever squinting, so those highway signs that threaten “Delays Due To Sun Glare” leave me sweating. Particularly when heading due west, around 5 PM in late February, with that big orange fireball hitting me dead center in the face. Normally, I could choose between completely blocking out the sun, road, and every other car with the Ford’s regular sun visor, or sort of see where I’m going with a half-lowered approach that leaves me mostly blind in the process. Not so with the AddVisor Plus!

Once lowered, there is a second, polarized plastic rectangle that unfolds for down-low protection. To be sure, it reminds of Blue Blockers, but there’s no denying how well it works. Like one of those “But wait, there’s more!” infomercials, you can both see the road AND not go blind with AddVisor’s clever hinged sun visor! Bonus points for how it covers the windshield so you can rotate the factory sun visor to block out side window glare. Crisp packaging, sturdy build quality, and a cam-lock mounting system for easy removal have me sold on this subtly awesome vehicle upgrade.

Ford Made The Perfect Family Ski Vehicle

We’ve owned the Transit Connect for 11 years. It’s been super reliable and has, somewhat unintentionally, been transformed into an awesome adventure mobile. Especially for winter skiing adventures. The list of aftermarket upgrades has taken time to implement, but given our long-running experience with it set up as such, I wouldn’t trade our ski-ready Transit for anything. You should get one.

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

On this episode of The Knocking Rod podcast, I chat with my best friend Dave Russ - though he is known worldwide as Druss. We’ve had A LOT of car adventures together and that’s something that Dave rightly points out as something that really sticks with you.

Particularly the first car adventures when you and your friends are enjoying the first real taste of independence. For Dave, there was a pair of Honda Accords early on with sweet Sony XPLOD speakers and a 2-door Jeep Cherokee that ended up in my hands because of a broken elbow.

He also had a pair of Infiniti QX4s - affectionately known as the Q by 4. He and I cruised halfway across the country in a sweet Audi A3 TDI and today, Dave is rocking that minivan life - because kids. Stories about racing up to Cape Cod, breaking down in my Mitsubishi Starion, and running a Suburban all the way across the country abound. Good times in great cars!

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

Driving The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

This makes sense because as far as I can tell, Hyundai kills it with the value proposition, stuffing vehicles with all the features for less than all the money. Then they go and casually shove aside the competition in the hotly contested mid-size crossover space with the sharp-edged design of this all-new Santa Fe.

I dig it and so does Tyler, so we took it for a spin to chat about what else there is to like - and dislike - about Hyundai’s latest headliner. Like how surprisingly easy it is to put the car in Park…while driving. The Ecotronic Gray finish looks dope with its “floating roof” vibe that wraps around the back end, and those wheels. Be still my heart! 20 inches of chunky 5-spoke glory.

Exterior Look At The 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

Up front, I had my first hands-on discovery of active grille shutters, the excitement of which you can share in with the video above. Inside, it’s a lot of nice fabrics, fast-acting displays, and nattily knurled buttons. Something that rubs Tyler the wrong way is how Hyundai has done a 180 on the driver’s interface versus the prior Santa Fe generation. Stalks are swapped, orientations are flipped, and chaos ensues.

But really, that aside, you’re looking at an ideal family vehicle. Seats for 6, hybrid fuel efficiency, plenty of creature comforts, and did I mention those knockout looks? Nice job Hyundai, already looking forward to our next foray in the new Santa Fe!

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

On today’s episode of The Knocking Rod podcast, I chat with the person who may not consider herself a car person, but who is in the fact responsible for my love of station wagons. That being my mom, Linda.

Her first car was a 1968 Pontiac LeMans. Prior to that, her mom, Shirley, had a Plymouth Valiant that was known for stalling after driving through puddles. In my memory, Shirley was also known for an impressive ability to somehow turn the car on, put it in drive, and floor it down the street…all at the same time.

Fun fact: Shirley’s mom Violet, who was born in 1904 and wasn’t allowed to ride a bicycle as a kid, rocked a big green 1950s Cadillac with epic tailfins. Turns out the female side of our family is more into cars than previously known!

Today, Linda is driving a very cool Acura TSX wagon. But my memories go back to an early 80s Buick LeSabre wagon with a rear-facing third-row known as the “way-way back” and a tailgate that would unexpectedly fly open…with us in there…resulting in kids laughing, mothers swearing, slammed brakes, and wild antics.

There was the little-known Mazda MPV, a weird AWD minivan/wagon thing that you may have forgotten and that my mom has no love for. Followed by a much-loved 1995 GMC Suburban that was a family favorite and is really a giant wagon.

Somewhere in the mix was a black Volvo XC70 from the early aughts that left me hankering for a V70R with the 6-speed Spaceball (a car I did later acquire).

We also touch on the Dodge Magnum, which I just learned was known by my mom as the “Brick On Ice Skates”. The hilarity of this particular wagon’s terrible handling in the winter was only matched by the amount of things that fell off of it. That said, the burly HEMI under the hood was truly awesome.

Currently, Linda is on the lookout for a car with a horse badge and a hybrid powertrain. Her Ford Escape Hybrid is great on gas, but rather boring. I tried convincing here to get a Volvo V90 PHEV and mentioned that Ford makes a horse-badged vehicle that runs on batteries, both of which don’t quite get there. So, any suggestions?

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

There’s a lot of bad driving out there, and it seems to be getting worse with the addition of technology. I recently watched a guy merge onto the highway and quickly move into the next lane - where I was driving - while his blind-spot monitor flashed in the side mirror and likely the cabin of his shiny new Escalade. As I eased out of the way and politely acknowledged his skill behind the wheel, I have to say it would have been nice to capture this stunning display of vehicular mastery on camera. Particularly had the driver completed his effort at causing a collision. Like with, say, a Baseus PrimeTrip VD1 Pro dash cam.

Disclosure: The product featured in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation. This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The manufacturer had no input on the editorial content.

To be clear, I’m not big on car technology. For me, an ideal car is the 2016 Mazda 6 I currently drive. It has three pedals, no screens, and is fun behind the wheel. I am impressed at what carmakers have accomplished with all the latest automotive gizmos, but I lean analog. So, when the opportunity arose to install such a gizmo, I had to think about it. But then the memory of that near-accident surfaced and got me thinking it might be nice to have a way of capturing such buffoonery. So, is this Baseus dash cam worth it? The list price is $170, which may sound pricey, but it’s got a lot to offer. Let us discuss.

Solar-Assisted Wire-Free Parking Surveillance

In the world of dash cams, parking surveillance is typically part of the deal. Like it sounds, this feature keeps a digital eye out for fender benders when your car is parked. In the past, enabling this would likely require hard-wiring the dash cam into your car’s fuse box, and not everyone is comfortable with the work required to make this happen. So, Baseus came up with a slick workaround that seems obvious when you see it in action.

The top of the camera has a built-in solar panel that feeds an integrated lithium battery. When your car is parked and the dash cam is disconnected from its 12V port, this battery can power a 30-second recording in the event an impact is detected by the camera’s g-sensor. It’s a clever way to avoid the hassle of hard-wiring. Fortunately, no one clipped my Mazda while I was away, but I can tell you the system is sensitive enough to come online when I slammed the trunk. So it ought to be helpful in the event of a real impact.

Dual-Camera Coverage With Sony Starvis Night Vision

The VD1 Pro package comes with a front- and rear-facing camera. Sony lends its Starvis IMX335 sensor and 6-layer lens with an f/2.0 aperture for night vision duty. The front camera records in 4K UHD HDR over a 140-degree range, while the smaller rear camera offers 1080p recording and a 120-degree field of vision. The front screen lights up briefly on startup and then goes blank after a short timeframe, which you can specify with the app.

Reviewing the footage, I was left impressed with the quality and clarity. License plates are easily readable and even in dark, rainy conditions, the camera delivers sharp recordings. Data captured on those recordings includes the date, time, GPS coordinates, and your speed. All of which would be handy to back up your version of what happened in the event of an accident. You can also snap still photos, front and back, which is neat, and would be useful to activate via the voice control function should you want a snapshot of what’s going on outside the car.

Integrated 5GHz Wi-Fi 6

After downloading the Baseus app and powering on the dash cam, you can connect to the unit via its built-in Wi-Fi system. Doing so opens access to system settings, and on the whole, the app is well-designed and easy to use. It’s in here that you need to enable Parking Mode, as it is not automatically switched on.

Baseus notes the 5GHz connection is 3x faster than a 2.4GHz setup for transferring recordings between the cam and your phone, but I found it a bit slow. Keep in mind, you’re sitting in the car, waiting for the download to take place. I also thought it was tough to figure out which recording I wanted to download using the small stills of each video via the app. However, there is an easy workaround for this, which I’ll get to below.

Red Dot Award-Winning Design

I’m a sucker for strong design and apparently Baseus is as well. I didn’t realize this dash cam received a Red Dot design award when I first opened it up, but it’s easy to see why. The packaging is sharp, with embossed graphics and gloss knockouts that will have you examining it in different lights. Or at least me. Open it up, and aside from an overabundance of plastic, the dash cam components boast that clean, crisp style of a product that was designed to look and feel good. For 170 bucks, you’d expect a gadget like this to seem premium, and it accomplishes that.

The Installation

It’s been a minute since I’ve done any kind of electrical installation with my cars, but I used to really enjoy pulling off trim panels, disassembling dashboards, and hooking up aftermarket audio systems…with huge subs. None of which applies with the install of this Baseus dash cam. Aside from running the power cable along said trim panels, between the cam and the power plug in the center console. Which I still enjoyed, mainly the process of neatly tucking the whole thing away to give it a reasonably professional appearance. Baseus even includes a trim tool designed to pull those seams gently apart so you can slide the cable within.

It’s a robust little piece of equipment and worked as advertised. To mount the big front unit, you have to affix a square of static cling film to the glass and then stick the 3M adhseive-d camera to that. It works well and has not fallen off as I secretly feared. The rear camera skips the cling in favor of direct adhesive application and has a cable that plugs into the front camera. Once in place, you can rotate both cameras to get the sight line just so, using the app to fine-tune it. A 12V plug provides power.

Baseus VD1 Pro Dash Cam In Use

Using this dash cam is a matter of plugging it and heading out. The included 32 GB microSD card can store up to 4 hours of film before it is automatically overwritten. Baseus says that the timeframe extends to 33 hours with a 256 GB card, should you choose to upgrade. It operates in the background, and once the screen times out, I forgot it was there.

Mounted behind the rearview mirror, the camera body - which is fairly substantial - manages to blend in and not be in the way. Looking through recordings taken during the day and night, in clear and sloppy conditions, the quality is impressive. License plates are easy to read, and a wide field of vision captures two lanes and a broad swath of the shoulders. Overall, this little gadget works great, though there is one minor complaint that I’ll get to below.

What I Liked About The Baseus Dash Cam

Genuinely Helpful

I fortunately did not have any incidents where dash cam footage might come in handy, but it would clearly be helpful in that scenario. I’m not a big fan of gizmos and techy gadgets in my cars, but I have to say, this Baseus unit left me impressed.

Build Quality

Along with a substantial feeling and sharp design, Baseus’ VD1 dash cam is built well. Everything clicks into place nicely, the hinge and swivel action is precise, graphics are rendered crisply, and the app is fast.

Easy To Use

It really is plug and play. I went all OCD with my power cable runs, but you could just as easily leave the wires dangling from the windshield down to the 12V port if you like. Once mounted, you just plug it in and go. Running in the background, you would really only have cause to access it in the event of an accident.

Parking Surveillance

Anyone who has found their car banged up in a parking lot with nobody claiming responsibility knows how aggravating this scenario is. Based on what I could see, this Baseus dash cam solves that problem with its clever solar-assisted surveillance waiting to capture offending parking lot nitwits in action.

What I’d Change With The Baseus Dash Cam

MicroSD Card Reader

If you want to review footage from the dash cam, you can do so with the Baseus app. However, that requires you to be in the car, with it running, so that the camera is powered on and can connect to the app. Even doing that, it’s hard to figure out which still image represents the footage you want to review, and downloading files is kind of slow. I bought an SD card reader for a few bucks at Staples so that I could review footage on my laptop, but it would have been nice to have that included.

Longer Front Camera Cable

I installed this Baseus camera in a Mazda 6, a midsize sedan. Running the power cable from the front unit across the windshield, down the A pillar, and under the glove box left me with just enough cord to reach the 12V power outlet at the bottom of the center stack. I would have preferred to run it to the power port within the center console storage bin and keep the installation as clean and out of sight as possible. There wasn’t enough wire for that, and I would be curious to see how someone with a large SUV or pickup truck fares, given the larger cabin dimensions.

Final Thoughts

As a decidedly analog-leaning car guy, I can tell you that buying a dash cam wasn’t on my radar. But this Baseus system has me singing a different tune as I intend to keep it hooked up for the long haul. It isn’t cheap with a $170 list price (at the moment, it is on sale for $105), but I would argue that the peace of mind that comes from knowing everything was recorded is worth it for the next time you’re tangled up in a bad driving situation. You could also probably create a hilarious YouTube channel highlighting all the outrageous behavior seen on American roads, but that’s a story for another day…

Interested in the Baseus PrimeTrip VD1 Pro? Check current pricing and availability here.

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

Land Rover Newbie

Let’s get something out of the way. I’m a total newbie when it comes to Land Rover and the Defender. My knowledge is limited to a basic understanding that Land Rovers have been around forever, are generally unstoppable off-road, and are very fancy these days.

As for the Defender, I recall occasionally seeing a yellow one during visits to Cape Cod in the late 90s and thinking, “I’d rock that.” So, a weekend-long immersion in the culture of this iconic ride, AKA Destination Defender, was kind of intoxicating. To the point that my 90s-era thinking has been revised to, “I need to have one of these.”

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A Muddy Affair

Considering the location of this event was Temecula, California, I was fully anticipating a pleasant weekend of warm sunny days and cool, crisp evenings. However, something called an “atmospheric river” had enveloped California during this November weekend, and the results were as wild as that name implies. Rain, and lots of it. To the point that small river crossings were required to traverse the parking lot, and shoes might disappear in the mud for those not paying attention.

According to Defender Brand Director Sam Allen, literally every Destination Defender - including the one in Malibu - had been on a rainy day. This could be seen as a bummer, but personally, I loved it. My brother Tyler, who brought his professional photography skills to the event, captured some stunning shots as a result. Did it require me to hold an umbrella over his gear while he guided me around by the elbow like a toddler? Yes. Was I bothered? No.

The Defender 130 Off-Road

Upon arrival at the Destination Defender grounds, we immediately got behind the wheel of a new Defender 130. For the uninitiated, like myself, this is a big SUV. Think Chevy Tahoe in length, with room for 8, and a super boxy profile. Very cool and also very nice inside.

I didn’t get a chance to dive deep on the Defender cabin, but suffice it to say, at a glance, the level of fancy translates to an SUV I probably wouldn’t plan to use in heavy off-roading. My passenger and guide, Eric from the Land Rover Experience in Vermont, was there to show me how to use the Defender properly and in the process, prove me very wrong.

All The Off-Road Technology

Over a series of rocky paths, deeply rutted berms, and generally challenging closed-course conditions, he helped me navigate the Defender and take in some of its off-road tech. Like a display showing your roll angle. At 22 degrees, I questioned Eric if we were about to tip over.

He chuckled and shared that we were not even close. “See through” cameras show you the ground right in front and underneath the front bumper, while the hill descent control takes over on steep downhill sections. As in, take your feet off both pedals and let the Defender handle itself.

Defender As Status Symbol

I can say that prior to this experience, I unfairly categorized the Defender as a status symbol, most at home in the endless expanses of parking lots at high-falutin shops so popular in America. And yes, there is no doubt that these big, boxy SUVs are indeed coveted among those more concerned with status conveyed by price tags than, well, anything else at all.

However, I was honestly staggered at how casually the modern Defender cleared all obstacles, while wearing regular street rubber no less. The O.G. Land Rovers, those that fall in the Series category along with the original Defenders, have a well-established history of being mighty off-roaders with barely a hint of creature comfort, let alone the luxury trappings found in today’s models.

A Lack Of Defender Owner Tension

Which got me wondering, do the folks who own these vintage rigs and maximize their inherent rough-road capabilities, like what Land Rover has done with this Defender reinvention? It wouldn’t seem crazy to me to find out that this contingent considers these high-end SUVs to be somehow unworthy of the badge. But that is simply not the case.

As evidence, I present the owner’s showcase lot. Within, there were dozens of Defenders, new and old. Nearly all were heavily modified, and rigs ranged from a resto-modded 6x6 vintage pickup to a serious-looking 110 dressed up in Proton Sports livery. While ogling this 110, the owner - Charles Darling - showed up and happily answered my wonderings.

To him, all Land Rovers are worthy of the infectious enthusiasm I encountered. In fact, he shared a list of vintage models in his possession, to go along with the all-white 110 bearing his company’s branding. (It was pouring rain, which made note-taking challenging, meaning I didn’t gather the full scope of his collection.)

So Much Enthusiasm For Land Rover

The point is, here was a random passerby who showed me there is love across the Defender universe. Which was only furthered upon meeting serious Land Rover people like Jeff Aronson, the longtime editor of Rovers magazine, and another owner of more than one old Rover.

He introduced me to the folks in attendance representing the many Land Rover clubs around the country, including Adam Spiker and his daughter Abby from the SoCal Rover Club, Tom Cryer from the Solihull Society, and Bob Steele with Rover Owners of Virginia. All of whom were overflowing with good things to say about Defenders new and old.

It illustrated, for me, a total lack of tension between the vintage and the modern. Instead, I found a thriving enthusiast community that lives and breathes Land Rover. The truth is, I really do want one of my own. Would it be cool to drive one like American off-road racer Sara Price will do in the 2026 Dakar Rally? Yes. Will that be happening…ever? I don’t think so.

But in a conversation with Sara - the recording of which you can listen to here - I found yet another Land Rover diehard. Sara has been racing since she was 8 years old and is about to embark on a dream race. Not only from the perspective of prestige that comes with running the Dakar, but from doing so in a vehicle that has been in her Dream Car category for as long as she can remember.

The Defender Service Awards…Nothing But Good News

If the Defender fun had me grinning ear-to-ear, the Defender Service Awards had me choking up. Completely new to me, this is a charitable affair that everyone should be aware of. The focus is non-profits in niches that would benefit from the use of a Defender in their operations.

Specifically, to help them do their work in environments that are well-suited to the Land Rover’s skillset. Categories include Search, Rescue and Emergency Support Services, Outdoor Accessibility and Education, and Animal, Wildlife and Marine Welfare.

The public votes to choose the 6 winners and those non-profits receive a Defender 130 customized to their needs, along with $30,000. Not only that, the runner-ups take home $10,000. Sam Allen said that win or lose, the process tends to lift the profile of the involved organizations significantly and shine a light on the work each one does.

In an age of endless bad news, the Defender Service Awards are a rare bright spot and serve as a nice reminder that there is still a whole lot of good happening out there.

I Need An Old Land Rover

I have to hand it to Land Rover for putting together an all-around excellent showcase of the Defender. It left me thirsty to go deeper on the automaker’s work and start the search for a well-loved old Series model. One thing I didn’t touch on is the Defender OCTA, but that big, beautiful 626-horsepower beast is a story for another day.

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

Over in Switzerland, snow tires are highly encouraged by the law - and insurance - to the point that nearly every car on the road is sporting them during the winter months. Anyone who’s driven in St. Louis during a snowstorm likely knows this type of mandate has obvious benefits. Here in New England, snow tires are more commonplace, but still nothing like on the other side of The Pond. And yet, with a good set of Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake rubber, you’d have to work to put your car in the ditch on a wintry day.

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Snow Tires Rule

For me, that means snows on the Mazda 6 and Ford Transit Connect. Both FWD, these favorite household rides are practically unstoppable when shod with winter tires. To wit: Our Transit Connect happily traversed the Monarch Pass out west…in the dead of winter…during a snowstorm.

I did need a fresh pair of trousers after the descent, but that trusty little van was nonplussed. And my faithful Mazda is a total blast in the slushy stuff with its 3PMSF meats. Which brings me to the 2019 Ford Explorer we recently inherited.

Ford’s Snowflake Mode

It’s been a while since I’ve regularly driven an AWD vehicle like the Explorer. It’s fancy, with a little dial to spin between drive modes. There’s the default, which is probably called Normal. An option with a pine tree icon is likely for light off-roading. What I call Cactus Mode - thanks to the cactus clip art - is surely for driving in sand. And finally, Snowflake Mode, which Ford surely calls something else.

Anyway, we received a healthy amount of snow early this year in New Hampshire, about 9 inches just after Thanksgiving. Wondering if I could get away with NOT swapping the Explorer’s all-seasons for dedicated snow tires, I took it for a spin, on the way to drop a child off for sledding. Wow. It was immediately terrible in Normal mode.

The whole way to the sledding hill, with snow-covered roads and actively falling snow, the promise of AWD felt hollow. Yes, I know, it’s all about the tires, but you can’t fault a guy for trying to get around shelling out for a set of winter tires.

Lurid Parking Lot Slides With The Lad

Perhaps, I thought, spinning that drive mode dial to the snowflake icon would solve my woes. In a snow-covered empty parking lot, while waiting for said child’s friends to arrive, the boy and I tested both modes - Normal and Snow - in the name of science.

Unable to suss out a clear advantage, I released the lad from the grip of grin-inducing parking lot slides and headed home. In Snow mode. And discovered it helped exactly…not at all versus Normal. I expected some sort of benefit to the Ford’s capability with all this whiz-bang tech that modifies the throttle and traction control response. But it was not the case.

All-Weather Tires…Not To Be Confused With All-Season

Once home, I started investigating the tires to find out what the Explorer was shod with. And was surprised to see the 3PMSF icon on a set of Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady rubber. These tires came with the car, but this was my first time running them in the snow. Confused at how poorly they performed versus my understanding of what that embossed icon indicates, I did some digging and learned a thing. These Goodyears are part of a new-ish “all-weather” tire category.

The general idea is to blend all-season usability with the traction of a dedicated winter tire in the white stuff. I can see the appeal as folks could potentially avoid having to swap tires twice a year and store racks of rubber. Saving money and space is a good thing. Going deeper however, I found that these all-weather tires are best-suited to locales with occasional snowy weather. Certainly, the winters can be all over the place in the Seacoast region of NH, but we get plenty of weather that leaves the roads a disaster.

Do All-Weather Tires Lose Snow Traction Too Soon?

Which got me wondering if the Goodyears were simply shot. I hadn’t noticed any squirrelly behavior behind the wheel in the 6 months we’ve had it, including in monsoon levels of rain. According to the highly scientific Lincoln’s head-on-a-penny depth test, I’ve got about 5/32” of tread remaining. (Sidebar: Anyone have a recommendation for a good tire depth gauge?). I also flipped through the service records that came with the Ford and found these tires had been fitted 3 ½ years and 50,000 miles ago. Interesting.

Goodyear includes a 60,000-mile warranty on these Assurance WeatherReadys, but obviously you can drive tires well beyond that distance. And given the ample depth remaining, I would expect to. It got me wondering if all-weather tires lose some of their baked-in winterability as the rubber wears down. I couldn’t find a test addressing this possibility for these specific tires, or all-weathers as a whole, but Consumer Reports has noted that all-season tires definitely suffer this fate once they’re halfway worn.

In either case, I now know about all-weather tires and can tell you that in a place like New Hampshire, they don’t appear to be worth it in the winter. Like doing runs back and forth to school, driving to and from kids’ sporting events, heading over the mountains and through the woods to ski, and taking long road trips to see family - all winter long.

Enter The Blizzak

Which brings me to the point of this story. A fresh set of Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2s from Tire Rack for the Explorer. They are spectacular in size at 255/50-20 and spectacularly hard on the wallet. Which I recognize is not for everyone. But my wife is the primary driver of the Explorer, typically with all 3 kids along for the ride.

And I can’t put a price on the peace of mind knowing how much better this SUV will handle during our fairly active winter life of school, sports, skiing, and traveling. Or at least how much better I hope it will handle. You see, the tires just landed at my doorstep - sorry UPS guy - and are being fitted as we speak. In Part 2, I’ll fill you in on how these monster 20” Blizzaks fare in the slippery stuff and whether or not dedicated winter tires are the way to go in the wintry weather of New England.

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

I recently had the opportunity to attend Destination Defender with Land Rover out in Temecula, California. Though we did many cool things, a highlight was sitting down to talk off-road racing with American off-road racer Sara Price.

She’s been behind the wheel for 25 years, racing in Motocross, Supercross, NitroCross, and even electric hydrofoil boats with Will Smith ‘s (yes, the actor) team. Sidebar: These wild rides are known as Racebirds.

But today, we’re here to talk about Sara’s latest ride, the D7X-R that’s based on the Defender OCTA, which she’ll be piloting during the 2026 Dakar Rally. If you’re not aware, the OCTA is the biggest and baddest of the current Land Rover Defender lineup and Dakar is kind of a big deal.

Actually, we talked about a bunch of stuff, including Sara’s first car - which you’re going to love - and one of her favorite things to do when not racing or doing stunt work - which you’re REALLY going to love. Hint: One’s a “creepy van” and the other involves donkeys. Good luck in the race Sara and hope to chat with you again soon!

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

On the latest episode of The Knocking Rod podcast, I talk with my favorite sister, Caroline, about many things. But mostly cars. Like her first ride - and the one I learned to drive stick on - a 1986 Volkswagen Golf with no power steering and a Wellfleet, Cape Cod provenance.

The Current Fleet

We look at her current fleet, which includes a Mazda3 lovingly referred to as “the roller skate”, a Hyundai that she, um, likes, and a 2006 Silverado that is a testament to Chevy engineering.

The Dream Car

The dream car is a Ford Bronco, in Robin’s Egg Blue Heritage Edition spec, with a 7-speed of course. We also have a laugh or 3 over underwear checks in the outrageously tall first-gen Ford Expedition and MacGyvering a motor oil funnel to add a quart to her dearly departed Honda Odyssey - a car mistakenly believed to be capable of running on…nothing.

The First Car

We talk cars that, though not necessarily bad, left Mr. Gaffney hanging. Like a 2004 Honda Civic - gray on gray with a 5-speed - that was unexpectedly unreliable and a 2009 Mercedes Sprinter van with a challenging transmission. A van that Jon built out for some cross-country camping fun.

The Challenging Cars

Last up, the dream car. A tough choice for any serious car guy, but Jon picks a serious winner in the form a BMW E36 Touring with an S52 or S54 swap. He currently drives a drool-worthy E90 Touring with a 6-speed that is trimmed in Montego Blue over a Saddle Brown interior. Oh yeah.

The Dream Car

Hope you enjoy the episode and thanks for listening!

The Ultimate ICE Aural Symphony

I’m no scientist, but I’m fairly certain the noise of a naturally aspirated 6.5L V12 screaming at wide open throttle scrambles the synapses. Or at least that’s how it felt watching Aston Martin’s wicked Valkyrie GTP do its dance on the Road Atlanta circuit during the Motul Petit Le Mans endurance race. Michelin brought me along for the ride to learn about its new tire range and take in the scene, a scene like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

Winding for 2 ½ miles through the Georgia countryside, Road Atlanta plays host to many motorsports events, including this IMSA spectacle. For the enthusiasts out there, if you’ve never attended a race like this, I strongly recommend it. The noise is deafening. The cars are spectacular. The speed is awesome. And the fact that these purpose-built carbon fiber track weapons manage to stick to the surface is a testament to the wonders of automotive engineering. And of course, the Michelin tires providing the contact patch :)

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Automotive Exotica At Road Atlanta

I witnessed everything from Hyundai Elantra N’s in the TCR class to badass RS-class McLaren Arturas GT4s. There was even a Mustang GTD kicking around. No big deal. But without doubt, it is the Grand Touring Prototypes, GTP for short, that steal the show. IMSA, the race body behind the show, opens up the grid to spectators for maximum ogling prior to the start. Getting up close and personal with these outrageous machines is awesome.

Highlights included the BMW M Hybrid V8 with its 640-horse twin-turbo V8 - an architecture shared with the M5 Competition street car - and the electric drive setup common across the GTP board. Even decked out in wild livery with aero doodads sticking out of every surface, these cars are instantly recognizable thanks to signature traits like the twin kidney grilles on the Bimmer. But at full whack, it’s not easy to figure out what you’re looking at. These GTP rides are shockingly fast, stupendously loud, and absolutely fantastic.

Uncorking GTPs Is Like Kids On Christmas Morning

Watching the drivers follow the pace car - a new M5 - and wait to uncork their respective mid-mounted mills is akin to keeping my kids at bay on Christmas morning. “You have to wait until Mom wakes up to open presents!” Once her eyelids flutter, the kids go bananas. And once that Bimmer was out of the way, the GTP racers do the same, but to the power of 10. Right out of the gate, there was a four-car accident. Which is no surprise, given the drivers are within inches of one another at triple-digit speeds and through the twisties with glorious abandon.

During the corner tour, I witnessed one of these cars - not sure which one given the speed - zing by with its right rear wheel, um, broken? In another testament to the hairy variety of driving going on, I observed two cars exit the asphalt for a dirt berm excursion. After which, one vehicle had plowed through a series of signs and ended up with the remnants on its windshield. This, like the broken wheel and post-accident carnage, did not seem to slow anyone down in the slightest. Look, I LOVE to drive and drive hard, but these GTP racers are a different breed. It is something that must be seen to be believed. Five stars I say, highly recommend.

Motorsports And Sustainability Go Hand-In-Hand

Another highlight was learning about Michelin’s new Pilot Sport Endurance range of tires. A presentation led by Michelin CEO Matthew Cabe, and detailed by Michelin engineers, walked through the impressive sustainability work the French tire maker is bringing to bear on its new hypercar range. Which is saying something, considering the word “sustainable” is not the first word that comes to mind when listening to the Valkyrie sing its war song. It is powered mostly by gas after all. But you have to start somewhere, and Michelin made a compelling case.

For instance, the company has trimmed its volume of tires used in racing significantly. Recording a 30% drop in allocation since 2023, or about 10,000 tires today versus 30,000 a few years ago, Michelin expects a further 15-30% reduction by 2027. On top of that, the company has been steadily increasing the quantity of tires using renewable and recyclable content from just 100 annually in 2024 to 1,000 this year, on to a target of 10,000 for 2026.

Michelin Is Targeting 100% Renewable & Recyclable Content By 2050

The content used is interesting. It includes naturally occurring rubber, resins made from orange peels, discarded rice husks, recycled steel, and recovered carbon black. At the moment, the race tires have 31% recycled and renewable content, a percentage expected to reach 40 by the end of this decade and a full 100 by 2050.

All of which is being spearheaded by the upcoming GTP Pilot Sport Endurance tire range. Along with a heavy dose of repurposed content, it has been designed for faster warm-up, improved longevity, and better consistency lap-over-lap. There are a host of benefits here, but the overarching theme is on sustainability. As for the “micro velvet” effect that Michelin applies to the contact patch, it has no benefit other than looking pretty darn cool and giving the new tire a unique vibe.

The Real World Laboratory Of Racing

Motorsport is a unique real-world laboratory that Michelin uses to accelerate its research and development process. Of course, the automakers are doing the same thing with their mega-buck and mega-powerful track weapons. Cutting-edge simulation tech, like TameTire and Canopy, enables faster testing and far more iterations than you could realistically perform on the track. But that real-world race work is still required, which is no bad thing for the fans.

Fans who ultimately will see this bleeding-edge race tire technology trickle down to the street tires they use on their own cars. Michelin has quite the reputation among this segment as the most awarded tire brand in the U.S. by J.D. Power and Consumer Reports. It also manufactures some 200 million tires across its varied segments every year. They are not required to take on this push towards sustainability, but as Matthieu Bonardel, Director of Michelin Motorsport, said, “Our responsibility is to prove that technological excellence and environmental responsibility can advance together.”

I, for one, am pleased to see such a major global company approach its business with that kind of mentality. And if I can continue to go home with my ears ringing from the righteous symphony of flat-out Grand Touring Prototypes in the process, even better.

About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender.

The Cars And Bids Corral Was Pretty Cool Too