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Tom Appel Host of the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

Long-time publisher of Consumer Guide Automotive, and frequent radio and podcast guest. Currently co-hosting the Car Stuff podcast with auto-review veteran Jill Ciminillo. Life-long Chicagoan. Live with my wife of 30 years, and have a daughter earning her masters degree in animal behavior.

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Jeep'S Hot Model, Acura Tlx Review, Ev Sales In The Second Half &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Jeep's Hot Model, Acura TLX Review, EV Sales in the Second Half

Jill and Tom are both in studio this week. The show opened with Tom reading an email from a listener. Apparently Tom’s Studebaker history is a little shaky. The conversation turned to a number of to…

Jill and Tom are bot…

Jill and Tom are both in studio this week. The show opened with Tom reading an email from a listener. Apparently Tom’s Studebaker history is a little shaky. The conversation turned to a number of topics, including too-long model names, the sale of 3000 Fisker crossovers to a ride-hailing-vehicle lessor, and a surprisingly hot-selling Jeep model. Still in the first segment, Jill shared her impressions of the 2024 Acura TLX premium midsize sedan. Both hosts agree that the slow-selling 4-door is underappreciated. Listen in for Jill’s complete review.In the second segment Jill and Tom welcome…

Listen · 55:37
Jaguar Gives Up, Driving The New Acura Mdx, Cars.com'S American Made Index &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Jaguar Gives Up, Driving the New Acura MDX, Cars.com's American Made Index

Jill and Tom are both in studio this week. The conversation opened with a summary of cars being dropped by Jaguar and Nissan in the near future. Effective almost immediately, Jaguar is dropping all bu…

Jill and Tom are bot…

Jill and Tom are both in studio this week. The conversation opened with a summary of cars being dropped by Jaguar and Nissan in the near future. Effective almost immediately, Jaguar is dropping all but one model from its lineup. Listen in for the full list. Likewise, Nissan is dropping two of its three remaining U.S.-market sedans beginning next year. In other news, the hosts discussed IONNA--the carmaker-backed charging network with stations going live later this year—and the addition of Toyota to the roster car companies supporting the program.  Still in the first segment, Jill shared he…

Listen · 55:09
Ev Sales Improve, All About The Toyota Crown Signia, Driving The Lexus Ux &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
EV Sales Improve, All about the Toyota Crown Signia, Driving the Lexus UX

Jill and Tom opened the episode discussing the “Velocity Package” available for the Cadillac Lyriq. Available as an over-the-air software update (no dealer visit required), the package increases p…

Jill and Tom opened …

Jill and Tom opened the episode discussing the “Velocity Package” available for the Cadillac Lyriq. Available as an over-the-air software update (no dealer visit required), the package increases power and performance for $1200. Is it worth the money? Listen in. The hosts discussed the new, lower, price of a Fisker Ocean—just approved by a bankruptcy court. Second-quarter sales figures are coming in, and Jill and Tom shared a few highlights, including disappointing Jeep numbers, and surprisingly strong EV figures. In the second segment Jill and Tom welcome Toyota Product-Education Speci…

Listen · 55:44
Volvo Xc60 Recharge, Tesla Sales Still Falling, Chinese Car Companies To Watch &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Volvo XC60 Recharge, Tesla Sales Still Falling, Chinese Car Companies to Watch

Jill and Tom are in-studio this week for a far-reaching number of topics. Tom quickly updated everyone on the CDk Global/dealership-hacking crisis, which will reportedly be resolved later this week. T…

Jill and Tom are in-…

Jill and Tom are in-studio this week for a far-reaching number of topics. Tom quickly updated everyone on the CDk Global/dealership-hacking crisis, which will reportedly be resolved later this week. The hosts briefly discussed Tesla’s second quarter of disappointing sales, this while overall EV sales are projected to rise. Still in the first segment, Jill and Tom chatted about the Rivian/Volkswagen deal, which sees Rivian infused with a quick $1 billion—with the promise of additional funding at later dates—and VW gaining access to Rivian’s EV software architecture. In the second segm…

Listen · 54:46
Dealer Hacking Nightmare, New Camry, Off-Roading In Luxury &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Dealer Hacking Nightmare, New Camry, Off-Roading in Luxury

Jill and Tom are both in studio today. The hosts began the program discussing the week’s big news, a malicious attack on the network of CDK Global, a dealership-services company which provides criti…

Jill and Tom are bot…

Jill and Tom are both in studio today. The hosts began the program discussing the week’s big news, a malicious attack on the network of CDK Global, a dealership-services company which provides critical software support for roughly half of the nation’s 30,000 new-car dealers. Down since last week, CDK has not, as of this recording, made public an estimated restoration time/date for the network. Jill shared her impressions of the new-for-2025 Toyota Camry. The nation’s best-selling sedan features a number of surprises, including an all-hybrid powertrain lineup. Still in the first segment…

Listen · 56:20
Chevy Equinox Ev, History Of American Motors, New Discontinued-Models List &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Chevy Equinox EV, History of American Motors, New Discontinued-Models List

Jill is back in studio this week, and recounted for Tom her recent travels and product evaluations. Tom went on to share what he has learned from a series of brief conversations with Amazon delivery d…

Jill is back in stud…

Jill is back in studio this week, and recounted for Tom her recent travels and product evaluations. Tom went on to share what he has learned from a series of brief conversations with Amazon delivery drivers who have spent time with the Rivian EDV electric van; the feedback is interesting. Still in the first segment, the hosts discussed Jeep’s recently announced $25,000 electric vehicle. To be called Renegade, the subcompact electric crossover is due to arrive for the 2027 model year. Jill then shared her impressions of the all-new Chevrolet Equinox EV compact electric crossover. Jill’s ta…

Listen · 54:43
Renting An Ev, Virginia Backs Down, Why The Charging Infrastructure Program Is Moving So Slowly &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Renting an EV, Virginia Backs Down, Why the Charging Infrastructure Program is Moving so Slowly

Larry Nutson of The Auto Channel sits in for Jill this week. Larry and Tom opened the show discussing one of Tom’s random X/Twitter polls, which included the option of owning a Fisker ocean. Listen …

Larry Nutson of The …

Larry Nutson of The Auto Channel sits in for Jill this week. Larry and Tom opened the show discussing one of Tom’s random X/Twitter polls, which included the option of owning a Fisker ocean. Listen in for details. Among the many first-segment topics covered by the hosts, Larry talked about renting an electric vehicle, a process he found generally pleasant and uneventful. Larry and Tom also discussed a recent decision by the Governor of the State of Virginia to back out of its agreement with the State of California to enact and maintain the latter state’s zero-emissions vehicle rules and a…

Listen · 53:17
Welcome Kia Ev9, Long-Term Tesla Model Y, Why Dealers Haven'T Embraced Electric Vehicles &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Welcome Kia EV9, Long-Term Tesla Model Y, Why Dealers Haven't Embraced Electric Vehicles

In for Jill this week is long-time friend of the Show Damon Bell of Cars.com. Damon and Tom opened the show talking about Car.com's long-term Tesla Model Y, and its replacement in the Cars fleet,…

In for Jill this wee…

In for Jill this week is long-time friend of the Show Damon Bell of Cars.com. Damon and Tom opened the show talking about Car.com's long-term Tesla Model Y, and its replacement in the Cars fleet, the all-new 3-row Kia EV9 electric crossover. While the Model Y was generally reliable, small glitches compromised its overall appeal to the Cars staff; listen in for more details. As for the Kia, Damon is so far impressed. Cars will publish regular updates of the EV9's performance and utility. (Visit the Car Stuff Podcast Facebook page for a link.)  In the second segment, the hosts welcom…

Listen · 53:58
$10,000 Electric Vehicles, Genesis Gv80, American Readiness To Buy Chinese Cars &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
$10,000 Electric Vehicles, Genesis GV80, American Readiness to Buy Chinese Cars

Jill and Tom are both in studio this week. The conversation started with a brief acknowledgment of the IRS-approved federal mileage reimbursement rate. Is it still the same as the cost of a first-clas…

Jill and Tom are bot…

Jill and Tom are both in studio this week. The conversation started with a brief acknowledgment of the IRS-approved federal mileage reimbursement rate. Is it still the same as the cost of a first-class stamp? The hosts went on to discuss the hyper-affordable Chinese-built BYD Seagull, a $10,000 electric car that could be on a journey to the American market. Jill and Tom also went on to discuss the current new-vehicle redesign cadence, which has grown very long for some vehicles, including the Toyota 4Runner. Jill also shared her take on the Genesis GV80 premium midsize crossover. In the seco…

Listen · 55:47
Volvo S90 Recharge, Defining A Super Car, Tesla Sales Slump &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Volvo S90 Recharge, Defining A Super Car, Tesla Sales Slump

Jill is out this week driving electric Chevys. In her place are both Sons of Speed, Paul Herrold and Brendan Appel. The conversation opened with Tom noting Jill’s dismay regarding Chevy’s decision…

Jill is out this wee…

Jill is out this week driving electric Chevys. In her place are both Sons of Speed, Paul Herrold and Brendan Appel. The conversation opened with Tom noting Jill’s dismay regarding Chevy’s decision to drop Apple CarPlay connectivity from coming EV products. Brendan echoed Jill's sentiment, noting that the move would likely alienate a certain number of consumers. Paul shared his take on the recent NHRA Nationals event at Route 66 Raceway in Elwood, Illinois. He described the sound--and the palpable engine pounding--that defines an NHRA event. Paul recommends making use of the free earp…

Listen · 56:10
New Subaru Forester, So Long Malibu, All About Nikola And Zero-Emissions Trucking &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
New Subaru Forester, So Long Malibu, All About Nikola and Zero-Emissions Trucking

Jill and Tom opened this week’s show by bidding farewell to the Chevrolet Malibu. The long-running midsize model, available only as a sedan in recent years, is being discontinued by General Motors t…

Jill and Tom opened …

Jill and Tom opened this week’s show by bidding farewell to the Chevrolet Malibu. The long-running midsize model, available only as a sedan in recent years, is being discontinued by General Motors to make production space for an all-new Chevrolet Bolt EV. The hosts also expressed their confusion regarding Tesla’s recent dismissal of the company’s charging-network staff. Tom commented on a rumor that Tesla may be positioning the charging division for a possible spinoff. Still in the first segment, Jill shares her impressions of the updated Subaru Forester, which features freshened styli…

Listen · 55:47
Stellantis Chinese Hookup, $10,000 Electric Cars, Electric Police Vehicles &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Stellantis Chinese Hookup, $10,000 Electric Cars, Electric Police Vehicles

Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week. The hosts opened the show talking about the Genesis G70 small sedan which Paul is currently evaluating. He is generally pleased with the v…

Paul Herrold of the …

Paul Herrold of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week. The hosts opened the show talking about the Genesis G70 small sedan which Paul is currently evaluating. He is generally pleased with the vehicle, which is popularly considered an alternative to the BMW 3-Series. The hosts went on to discuss new—and needed—federal guidelines for Emergency Automatic Braking systems, which all vehicles will be required to be equipped with for the 2029 model year. There is currently a confusing array of systems offered, with varying degrees of functionality. Still in the first segment Tom had Paul…

Listen · 54:24
Test Driving Tesla'S Fsd (Bonus Episode) &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Test Driving Tesla's FSD (Bonus Episode)

In this special crossover episode of the Car Stuff Podcast, Tom rides along with Robert Colangelo of the Green Sense Show to experience Tesla's much-discussed and controversially marketed Full Se…

In this special cros…

In this special crossover episode of the Car Stuff Podcast, Tom rides along with Robert Colangelo of the Green Sense Show to experience Tesla's much-discussed and controversially marketed Full Self Driving (FSD) hands-free driving system. Robert and Tom drive through occasionally heavy traffic on the ground streets near Chicago's Midway Airport. Listen in for Robert's and Tom's impressions of the system which Tesla owners can subscribe to for $99 a month. 

Listen · 18:00
Nissan Versa Reivew, Twitter Ev Range Poll, Best Family And Electrified Vehicles. &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Nissan Versa Reivew, Twitter EV Range Poll, Best Family and Electrified Vehicles.

Jill and Tom are in studio together this week. The hosts opened the show discussing a couple of polls Tom conducted on “X.” One poll asked folks to pick their favorite album for a long evening dri…

Jill and Tom are in …

Jill and Tom are in studio together this week. The hosts opened the show discussing a couple of polls Tom conducted on “X.” One poll asked folks to pick their favorite album for a long evening drive, while the other tested respondent’s willingness to pay for extra EV range. Still in the first segment Jill shared her impressions of the very-affordable Nissan Versa small sedan. In the second segment Jill and Tom are joined by John Vincent, Senior Editor for Vehicle Testing with U.S. News and World Report. John discussed the organization’s Best EV and Hybrid list, and Best Family Car lis…

Listen · 53:33
Using Telsa Fsd, Driving The Tesla Model Y, Why Tesla Is No Longer A Luxury Brand &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Using Telsa FSD, Driving the Tesla Model Y, Why Tesla is No Longer a Luxury Brand

Jill is back in studio this week. The hosts opened the show discussing hands-free driving systems, with Tom sharing impressions of both the Lincoln Blue Cruise 1.2 system found in the Nautilus he is e…

Jill is back in stud…

Jill is back in studio this week. The hosts opened the show discussing hands-free driving systems, with Tom sharing impressions of both the Lincoln Blue Cruise 1.2 system found in the Nautilus he is evaluating this week, and the Tesla Full Self Driving (FSD) system as found in the Model Y small crossover. Tom also briefly reviewed the Tesla Model Y, which he was generally very impressed with. That said, Tom was surprised by how small the Model Y is—listen in for his complete summary. In the second segment Jill and Tom welcome Jamie Butters, Executive Editor of Automotive News, to the show.…

Listen · 56:51
Off-Road In The Toyota Tacoma, Gm Is Moving, Why Electric Vehicles Need Special Tires &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Off-Road in the Toyota Tacoma, GM is Moving, Why Electric Vehicles Need Special Tires

Brendan Appel of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week. The hosts covered a number of topics in the first segment, including the news that General Motors will be Moving out of the Renaissance C…

Brendan Appel of the…

Brendan Appel of the Sons of Speed sits in for Jill this week. The hosts covered a number of topics in the first segment, including the news that General Motors will be Moving out of the Renaissance Center—which it has occupied since 1996—for a new building in Downtown Detroit. Brendan and Tom also discussed the origin of Alfa Romeo’s Verde Montreal color, which turns out to be an homage to an historic brand offering. Still in the first segment, Tom lamented the challenge of dealing with “inherited music,” a song which starts from the middle when the car is started. Brendan will res…

Listen · 54:38
Tesla Abandons $25,000 Model, Jill Drives The Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Talking To The Evp Of Suv Startup Ineos &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Tesla Abandons $25,000 Model, Jill Drives the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Talking to the EVP of SUV Startup Ineos

Jill and Tom talked briefly about the eclipse that was taking place during the recording of this week’s episode. The conversation turned to the news that Tesla will not be producing the long-promise…

Jill and Tom talked …

Jill and Tom talked briefly about the eclipse that was taking place during the recording of this week’s episode. The conversation turned to the news that Tesla will not be producing the long-promised Model 2, a small electric vehicle with a base price of around $25,000. In other news, the hosts discussed the sudden decline in large pickup-truck sales, a thing which Jill believes is temporary, and not a harbinger of economic weakness. Jill shared her impressions of the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, a vehicle which the hosts agree is best suited for performance-loving extroverts. Jill…

Listen · 53:46
Half-Price Fiskers, New York Auto Show Highlights, Never-Ending Auto Recalls &Raquo; 5Cfec01B44F3E29Fae1Fb88Ade93Fc4Aecd05B192Fbfbc2C2F1Daa412B7C1921 1
Half-Price Fiskers, New York Auto Show Highlights, Never-Ending Auto Recalls

Jill and Tom opened the show discussing the Fisker Ocean fire sale designed to raise quick capital for the fledgling EV carmaker. Fisker has cut the price on most Ocean models by as much as 40 percent…

Jill and Tom opened …

Jill and Tom opened the show discussing the Fisker Ocean fire sale designed to raise quick capital for the fledgling EV carmaker. Fisker has cut the price on most Ocean models by as much as 40 percent, in a desperate bid to raise cash. Listen in for more details. Tom let Jill know that—despite not having driven stick in more than a year—he has not stalled his test 2024 Ford Mustang GT, unless you count a single backing-up incident. Tom also shares his thoughts on Ford’s latest pony car. Still in the first segment, the hosts recapped the news from the New York Auto Show. Highlights inclu…

Listen · 55:16
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