Car Stuff Podcast · Consumer Guide Automotive, Tom Appel, Jill Ciminillo

Honda Civic Hybrid, Ram Kills EV, 1969 Camaro

·56 min·5 clips

Only 188 Camaros had a factory system that sprayed 'liquid tire chain' from aerosol cans in the trunk.

This episode of the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast features hosts Tom and Jill, automotive journalists and North American Car of the Year jurors. They cover recent automotive news, a new vehicle review, and an interview with a classic car magazine editor. Tom shares his experience with the refined but not particularly sporty 2025 Lexus RX 500h F-Sport Performance. The hosts discuss Ram canceling its planned all-electric pickup, the Rev, in favor of a range-extended electric vehicle called the Ram Charger that uses a Pentastar V6 as a generator. They note the Ford F-150 Lightning sells roughly 35,000 units annually and that GM has slowed production of its electric trucks. Tom received a personal email about a new 350-kilowatt Electrify America charging station being installed locally. Jill describes her 400-mile road trip in the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Sport Touring hatchback, which has firm seats and returned about 38 mpg at 75 mph instead of the EPA-estimated 47 mpg highway. The Civic Hybrid lineup starts around $33,000 and lacks built-in satellite radio, requiring a phone app subscription instead. A surprising insight is that most Electrify America charging stations consist of four two-charger islands, and using both chargers on the same island halves the power output for both vehicles. The hosts speculate that automakers targeted full-size trucks for electrification due to their massive sales volume, but Jill argues midsize or compact electric trucks would have been a better starting point for lifestyle buyers. They reveal Honda only includes Bose audio systems because market research showed customers wanted a branded stereo. The episode features an interview with Don Sikora, editor-in-chief of *Collectible Automobile Magazine*, who discusses the 250th issue. Sikora highlights a feature on the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, a one-year-only design update. He mentions an extremely rare factory option, a "liquid tire chain" traction system, installed on only 188 Camaros. The article notes the Camaro's Rally Sport trim had hidden headlights with three small clear windows in each cover door. Sikora explains that despite the iconic performance models, the bulk of Camaro sales in 1969 were milder, base-trim cars. The tone is casual and conversational, filled with friendly banter and personal anecdotes between the co-hosts. The style is a mix of news discussion, hands-on reviews, and an educational interview segment. This episode is ideal for listeners seeking informal, digestible updates on current auto industry shifts, hybrid vehicle impressions, and classic car trivia. It might be less appealing to those seeking deeply technical analysis, a strictly structured format, or exclusive focus on either new or vintage vehicles.

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