That’s similar to why Buick’s original 215 V8 failed. On top of the casting defects at the factory, it required a different coolant than most mechanics had on hand. The wrong coolant would eat away at the material, which would then clog the radiators. The 215 (3.5-liter) only lasted for three model years in the…

I mean, the LS4 cars were just bad in general. They would often eat up those 4-speed transaxles, anyway, which just couldn’t handle the torque.

Yikes. I’m having to have the transmission rebuilt in my 1996 Jag XJ12. For the X300-generation XJ, the XJ12 and XJR both got a version of the GM 4L80-E (and the XJR also offered a Getrag 5MT). I must just have bad luck, because it’s unusual for the 4L80-E or its European offshoots to fail as catastrophically as mine…

I didn’t realize that was a DCT, either.

Haha, yes. My dad had a ‘64 Impala with the 327 and the 2-speed PowerGlide. It would rev and then shift and then rev some more.

While the PowerShi(f)t was awful, it didn’t kill Ford’s small-car prospects in the US. Ford realizing that it could concentrate on higher-margin trucks and crossovers is what killed the brand’s small-car prospects.

That they do. It’ll say “Manual” and then be the SMG. I’ve also noticed that phenomenon with the subsequent E9x 3 Series, which had the 7-speed DCT.

I think the whole truck is trash, honestly. Between the awful ergonomics, terrible ride comfort, and--yes--the lack of any oomph whatsoever after the 3.5 and 6AT went in...reliability is about the only thing it’s got going for it. But you know what else was reliable? A 2006 Chevy Impala. And no one wanted those.

Absolutely correct.

I had a 2022 Outback Touring XT, and the CVT honestly never bothered me. It was even fine in the switchback mountain roads of Colorado with the paddle shifters.

That’s true.

I think the reason GM shrank the second-gen Acadia was because the Terrain went from midsize on its first generation to compact on its second.

That seems to be about the standard for the segment, and plenty for those buyers. The new Pathfinder is the only transverse-FWD-based one that bests that rating, at a 6,000-lb max.

Other than that, you’re looking at the new Grand Cherokee/L 4xe (6,000 lbs), 3.6 V6 (6, 200 lbs) or 5.7 V8 (7, 200 lbs). And the stalwart…

Ouch. I am keenly aware of just how bad the Range Rover Supercharged fuel economy is. I was lucky to get 13 MPG in my 2010 Supercharged.

I’d argue that almost anything over 200" long is in the full-size crossover category. Certainly, the original Lambda SUVs were, at roughly 201", when they debuted.

What you don’t say, and I think it’s pertinent data, is that this is only 3.1 inches longer than the original 2007 GMC Acadia.

You had to re-disable it every time you started the car, and it was buried in a touchscreen menu.

I had a 2022 Outback Touring XT for a while. The EyeSight system was pretty good about keeping the car on the road and in its lane without jerking the wheel out of my hands...but it was not good at detecting whether I was paying attention. I would frequently see “Keep Eyes On Road!” in the instrument cluster, and…

Even if they were to keep CarPlay and Android Auto, if the electrical architecture is glitchy, you’re still going to be affected. Hell, the car might not even start if something takes down the Central Gateway Module.

You mean Global B ain’t all it’s cracked up to B?