We've, got test results, on the all-new Cadillac XTS. Cuss. Volvo's. Safety proposal, and then we talk for way longer than you could ever imagine about, door hinges, next. On talking, cars. Hey. Welcome back I'm Keith Barry I'm Jake Fisher and I'm John linka today. We are going to go straight into, some news, an announcement, from Volvo that they are going to be limiting, the speeds the top speeds on all their new cars to, a hundred, and twelve miles an hour and that that number arounds. Off a little better in in, the metric system but a hundred and twelve it. Seems, kind, of a high top speed Jake, what, do you think about this and why are they doing this well, initially, it's kind of a strange one right because I mean I'm not sure how many people you know or buying their Volvo. Xc90. S and you know really, need to drive 115, or looking to do some traffic really your most cars or most, cars yeah I mean the truth is that not a, lot, of people are really driving that speed so so then you're like well okay well but crashes, you know or the lot of well the truth is of that if you're driving 110, miles an hour it's, still really dangerous, mm-hm, I mean the amount of crashes that actually happened above those, speeds is just missed kill if any us. So. So the question is why are, they, doing it and I have a theory, mmm-hmm, what's your theory my theory. No Volvo is serious, about safety right I mean so Volvo has a has a reputation about, safety people buy Volvo's, because they're like hey I want this is the safest and what, is the metric of safety so safety is whether it's crash protection and, there's the test that we do and all that but, also it really comes down to is, how many people are dying in the cars and they want nobody, behind Volvo's which is that's. Zero. Death which, totally makes sense, now. The, dirty, little secret about deaths. Is that a lot has to do with who drives the cars so. Actually, so you could look at all the crash protection data, and we have it all in our site but actually there's a site called at Hilde the, H L di highway, loss data Institute. And. You. Can go and you could look and see how many crashes, are in each one of these cars and ultimately, that's the measure of the. Deaths in these vehicles and, and and and the crash in these vehicles and. So. I'm thinking about it so like okay so I'm buying a car right and so a certain amount of people are gonna be there's certain enthusiasts, and you know you, know gasoline, pumping through your veins and you're gonna be like I don't want to buy that car because it could only go under 12. Well if you could get those people to stop buying your car chances. Are there's gonna be less crashes in your cars because. The type of person who's gonna be turned off from. A car not going that speed, maybe. If you're Volvo it's like well maybe I don't want that demographic in my car and ultimately. You're gonna have less in your cars which is gonna make your your ran look better and they're not getting adverse selection I think you, like the insurance industry well they're not getting young. Buyers anyway, in Volvo's, so, that's a high percentage of people who, have accidents, you know so right, now they're tart you're getting rid of like you said the the risky and they. Were gonna have older but older more, affluent buyers, sure, I mean I don't even know what the the Europhiles particularly. In Europe you know in Germany are going to say they're you know don't do a toy Porsche they're already freaking out about electrics, and automatic transmission. Someone. Is summit is on your tail I've been in a Volvo 112. And that Mercedes comes up really quickly or. The guy in the Fiat Panda. It's. Very it's a very interesting point. You. Know what about you, know high speed aiibi automatic. Emergency braking you know it slows you of it's not preventing right 112, it's. Yes. Foolish, right. Now well another point I would make is that if you look at the pilot assist, system, so does assist this is a kind.
Of This this. Automation. System, that they have a driver assistance, system right yeah well it's kind of like Volvo's version of odd of tesla's autopilot and you. Know if they really care about safety they put some more safeguards on, this system like for instance if a driver falls asleep it. Should stop the car they're not doing, that so so. I think there's, an opportunity there, if they really want to make the car safer take, a close look at that what's an established this seems a little hanging fruit sort of what I think it would they they should really do here though I think this is this is heading in a really interesting direction because I mean we look at I mean you can look at. Geofencing. A car for speed limits. 112. Not many people in the US are gonna get up to that anyways but think about like a. City. Center where there are lots of pedestrians and, you. Know there's data out there that shows that if you're driving 23, miles an hour 10%, if you hit a risk of death if you hit a pedestrian risk of death for the pedestrian, forty-two, miles an hour that goes up to 50%, so think of all the time that you've thought oh I'm a little late for a meeting and you're kind of going through somewhere downtown your, little, somewhere unfamiliar, driving, a little fast now, if I were geo-fenced and I could only go say 25, or, even just, an alarm went off and could tell that's. Where I think the future and that's controversial, because I realize you're taken away that you know that freedom but at the same time I think it can be especially with today's cars that isolate, you so much from the road that, the sensation of speed just isn't there and we've talked about that in some cars that are just oh my I'm, going I'm going 90, miles an hour and I didn't even realize it yeah I think I'm the city center but nobody did exactly right because I don't think there's a big problem with a lot of Volvo drivers, going 120. Or a lot of any good right probably is a big problem with a lot of you. Know Volvo drivers in the city center going 50 into 25 so they're not a drunk and I think also it's an interesting you, know getting away from this whole idea of top. Speed, is what makes a car great I mean a drag. Racer, can has, a really, high top speed and that doesn't make for a great car and I think you can you can move towards, you know sort. Of a purpose-built, thing, and you, can move away from that we had to limit it to 155. Miles an offensive altar book and you you know and, but. You can you can you can get towards what makes a car good it yeah it's it's handling, it's the fact that can be light it's engaging to drive and that has nothing to do with top speeds as far as I'm concerned so you're saying basically people, aren't buying Volvo, SUVs, because of the time, around the Nurburgring. Not. What that's not makes, people buy this car we won't put that in our ratings I don't think there's a press release about it when the, car was released. Of. Course of course I I mean this is this is gonna be controversial, but I think this is where, this is headed is that we're gonna start to see some, restrictions. On what cars can do in certain places and, maybe automakers. Have to figure out how to market themselves away.
From, Away. From, numbers that don't matter to the average consumer right, and that's you know we see Mazda doing that with that sort of fun to drive aspect, and we show you auto makers doing that with what it offers so I don't, know I think it's a step in the right direction but, you know let us I'm sure, I'm sure you'll tell us what you think in, the comments so to a card, that did not advert. It's top speed around the Nurburgring. There's the we just finished testing a car that the Cadillac XT it's, a premium. Luxury. Entry-level. Yeah. It's it's a lot of yeah. Uses, all the words it's a so, we call it an entry-level luxury SUV. Okay they call it a subcompact, luxury, SUV basically. It competes with the Audi q3 the BMW, x1. You. Know like Lexus UX. You know all these very small, models. And it, was a great great car it's a great car to drive. They, they, have they've, updated the Cadillac, user interface, system, which is the, acronym was Q, it. Now has a knob. Already. Buttons now the, new Q is people are still talking about a new serious, as the Cantera touring, sedan so, you know there's all the action well what happened to the Eldorado is what I'm at now so anyway table. That so it, has a nice interior has a lot more hard buttons, so it's easier to get in and out of the infotainment system, and this is a Cadillac that's really trying to get away from that, that prior, image. Of Cadillac this is meant for younger. Entry bring, a buyer in Cadillac. I mean a GM. Even says you know it's it's gonna bring in either an older, buyer who's downsizing. It might bring someone into the into the brand again. It tested, really well in our road tests but we had to spend a ton of money to get any of the advanced, driver assistance systems. The safety systems like forward collision warning automatic, emergency braking and. You. Know that Cadillacs, reliability, isn't great you know it some, of those things do hurt it and it becomes a if. He value, because, of all the money of the spend you know has a great entry-level price but then you get all. Wheel drive and, then you get the safety systems, and and all of a sudden the price balloons, up to towards the $50,000, now, the one thing that you you can only get in this car and I spent, a little time with it is that there I counted. About eight badges, that let me know that it was a Cadillac yeah a driver's, seat but under, underneath, this, car is is not, entirely, it's. Not it's not entirely unique well I mean the truth is is that I mean the dirty little secret about this entire category. Is that. These are basically. Inexpensive. Vehicles, that, kind of have a body on it that make it look like this luxury, vehicle, so underneath, most, of these cars in this categories I mean their front drive they're basically sets up small SUVs this all-wheel drive but it's but it's based on a front right after, the front drive base you're just different from you know looking in doubles, which are all historically, religious, and front, tracks. One right and two right, into it with mini the. M3 the x5 there's a rear drive base that's really. Nice driving, vehicles next, one not so much so what you've got is basically these small, SUVs and small SUVs you could buy all day for twenty five thousand, thirty thousand dollars even with lots of equipment you're talking 30 to 33. You got leather you got all these features what, you don't have is the 12, badges, that says look I'm in a luxury car but what you wind up doing is getting a much better value in very often a car that actually drives, better.
Sure Which is crazy well I mean you, know we've talked about this before with the subcompact just, regular, SUV and it's it's kind, of a an annoying category, because like you know you start optioning. It up to be comfortable, and quiet er you know because they are subcompact. Cars, underneath which are built to a low price you know when you start approaching a compact SUV class which is bigger which has more. Features standard, which is probably quieter, as well in this category we talked about I, think the BMW, x1 and x2 and I said just buy a Mazda cx-5 you get a loaded modern cx-5, it's very limited. You get the actual benefits, of an SUV and it doesn't it's not like these cars drive. Really. Small, it doesn't drive like a common it's not like you're scooting around the city in a smart car I, mean this is it's. A substantial, automobile, sure huh you know see I mean again you, wanna believe the marketing hype and it's you know gonna carve up the Nurburgring, following, that Volvo you know great. But, if you're looking for Lee for a value that that's where it at it is acting you know the Mazda find you you know you may not like Moses you may be a little more geared towards the Honda CRV again loader it up still. Comes in way underneath these and those interiors, now are actually are quite nice I gotta say the xt4 is is I appreciated. How, it was designed and very minimalist, but it didn't, give me, $30,000. More enjoyment over, some of the competitors I mean the truth is right I mean you look at it and it's, almost this category was designed in his labs like what do people want they want SUVs they want luxury they, want good price. Yeah. So I mean is it's bringing people in it's a niche and then we're gonna see the coupe version you, know like, Mercedes, doesn't BMW, you know you have the SUV then you're the coupe version of CV and the XT three and a half yep, you know and it's it's filling in these places you. Know because someone else does it it's. A it's a it's a fine car to drive but again questionable, value we're gonna have the full ratings on line soon up at up at CRO and consumerreports.org. It. So check that out when that's up soon excellent. So enough. About that on to your questions and remember if you want to get, your question, answered by. This illustrious panel of experts send it over to talking cars at icloud.com now, we don't have any video questions, this week because he didn't send any in so please make, yourself a star, send. It to send it to us and we'll put you on there up next to us and and make, you look good so. The first question is from, Byron. Byron. From Baltimore, asks a friend of mine told me that whenever he drives a car he lowers the steering wheel so that the center of the wheel is pointing, at his chest not, his face he, claims if the airbag deploys it will cause less harm to the driver if you if it hits you in the chest is, there, a consensus. Of opinion among safety, experts, regarding how best to position the steering wheel. Well. First. Of all I mean the fact that he's, concerned, about, where that steering, wheel is, he's, not wrong it. Really does make. A big difference of where that steering wheel's but it's not about the tilt I mean the truth is when the airbag goes off it's a pretty big bag it's going into it's it's, supposed, to, support. Your head I mean it was actually small, and down here and your head went flying and that doesn't necessarily make. Anything better be like they do to the guy on the cannonball. And. You have to film it in slow motion. Yes. Yes and airbags don't go in slow motion like all the videos actually pretty. Hard but what, he should be concerned about is less so that tilt, but, more so the distance, that. Is actually a really important. Thing so a lot of cars have the telescopic, steering well and of, course where you said now, if you ever see those you know somebody who's driving the car like this it's where like their their elbows are on the steering wheel like, that much like they're hanging one of those Garfield's, hanging off with the suction cups about the wheel yes.
And I you you see these people or driving the knife that is actually, quite dangerous because, you're so closer to the airbag when it goes off it, doesn't even time to inflate you're actually getting smacked, with it pretty hard what you want to do is actually. You. Don't want the steering wheel too far away from you I mean there some people are really scared great, arms great arm there and that gives you problems because you can't really steer into it so there's a steer the wheel that easily what you almost want to do is you want to set up so. Steering wheels like rest put your arms out straight rest. Your your. Your wrists, on the top of steering wheel and that's going to give you a pretty good location of where the steering wheel is you're gonna have, your your arms a bit, bent but not too bent and that's gonna be a good location that's, important, so not so much the tilt but put. In the right spot to make that hair back function in the way shed and also so John also what. You do when your hands are on the wheel where your hands are also make a difference it's no longer 10:00 and 2:00 right yeah you'd tend to 9:00 and 3:00 and that in that area I think one of the things that you know jigs talked about you know and you see if ya, driving, on it you know on our track or something like that you know is that you don't cross your arms over and I was taught to do that and drive and overhand turning well you know you if you could, do a little more shuffle you're not bringing your arm across the airbag so you know that should because it softening then you're gonna be you know potentially, coming into something on oncoming. You, know and you'll break, your arm the deforms in the bag mm-hmm. So I hope that clears it up and some important safety safety, tips there so. Our next question says, hey talking cars I'm looking for some advice about how to care for an older vehicle my grandma is selling me her 2006. Honda CRV X it has a hundred and thirty thousand miles and it's been maintained regularly at the original dealership, where she purchased, it new I'm currently, in law school so my funds are low but I do want to take just as good care of the cars she did the car spent its life in Staten Island but will now be with me in Boston I've never, owned my own car before so any advice will be greatly appreciated, thanks I love the show that's. A that's a great question, it's a great question scrape off the Islander, stickers, and. The Yankee stickers yeah that's important, that's imported. Ice um I think it's great that that, he's that she serviced it at the dealership. Always. Because he. Can go and get the service records if she didn't keep the paperwork he can go and see what's been done and what hasn't been done assumingly, everything in the you. Know manual, and he knows where all the cars been mayor that's entirely what yeah but. He has every he has all the details mmm. So first of all I mean this is the best way to get a used car you, know where you know the, history of the vehicle you know what, has gone through and and whatnot so that's great but, you. Know really it's it's not rocket science every. Car has in the manual they have what, are the plans service, suggestions.
For This car what service, you need to get done open. Up the book look, through it you could as John says you could go and you can reference what's been done if, there's things that need to get done just get it done and you, know very often I mean a car like this I mean it's it it's gonna be simple things it's gonna be stuff like you know the engine air filter the interior air filter these things are gonna need to be replaced and here's. The secret, about that is they're easy it's. So easy to do some of these things you don't have to break into a Honda dealer you could take bring it to any garage and you can even do it yourself you can actually buy a lot of the filters a lot of these simple maintenance things for this car this car is it's a it's a pretty simple cardboard you gotta come down to it and you can replace these things yourself you so. Like, you said a local mechanic could do oil changes you know top, all right I do do antifreeze. Change or whatever top it off even if because he's never owned the car before maybe you, know that wants to retake, manual. Definitely, start manual and there'll be a section in the manual that explains about. The regular, things that you have to do with the car and designed, to kind of tell you I think, back even especially back in 2006, the, user serviceable, things yeah yeah well one thing to think of also he should negotiate, hard yes, with Grandma no I actually have some tips specifically, for because he mentioned he's bring it from somewhere that's a little more suburban to Boston, and and, this is something I'm familiar with some actually so my girlfriend's, in law school in Boston and has a car there so she's in a similar situation and. The, first thing you're gonna know is that the car it might look perfect, right now it's gonna get dings it's gonna get dents you're gonna Street Park it someone's gonna scrape it and not leave it a note not. Leave a note you're gonna get curb rash you know you're gonna hurt you hit those wheels a little bit so, don't get too precious about a car you bring it into the city also. You're gonna have to find a place to put it so street parking can get a little, hairy sometimes, you have to make sure you move in on the right time and it's gonna interfere with your life so when, my advice might be you. Know having. A having a car can sometimes get, really expensive, and be a hassle in, the city especially when you're balancing, that with your, law school duties, so, it may be worth it if you want to be able to go home for the weekends or do an occasional Costco, run maybe, keep the car at home for a semester and try, like a Zipcar membership, or something because they're they're pretty much everywhere they're on most college, campuses, and that way you, can sort of you, don't have one more thing to worry about so the car, show guys says don't get a car I know, it story you could rent, out your space yeah I actually have a space that I'm renting out if you can edvard, a hundred. Dollars a month let me know just. Just kidding. But. To your point and you know you what may wind up not using this car a lot yeah and that's honestly, probably the worst thing you can do for this car if this car sits a month it's, not gonna be happy so even, if you know you find, you know take it out once a week start, it out free driving you can't plug it into like a battery tender or something you know so you have to worry about if it's it's for sits for a month it might need a jumpstart, so you, know get that jump, box or a membership or live near a garage right, cool. So our next question says. Hi talking cars thanks for becoming my favorite podcast, I'm glad we could get there I, was opening my car door and it occurred to me why, haven't door hinge designs, ever changed, I like, this question already, there. Are many times where I find myself in a parking lot with very small spaces and the detents, to hold the door in a position don't really work and I have to actively hold on to the door and squeeze out of the car how come we haven't progressed, in more than to detent positions on doors maybe, even a ratcheting, design where maybe every centimeter, has a holding 210 that would be so useful.
I Love, these see. That did you read that question well, I'm sure that's that's sort of how the how the person who asked it getting. Using. Out doors swinging, anxious and then the park department with premium, compact SUV, and they don't want to ding the door so, so we get we get the chance to drive a lot of cars here hmm but it seems like most most cars do have kind of the same idea, when it comes to detail, so what is it to ten other than something I got in high school so. So, the detention, of the door so right it's like yeah everyone, knows he's like you open up the door right and it kind of clicks one, and it clicks again and then it goes all the way open it kind of clicks there so it stays it stays in, place and the purpose of these are for okay, so you're. On a hill right didn't you open up the door you don't want it swinging right into your leg you. Want it to hold there the problem is is that there's only a few detents. You. Run into the exact same thing this thing here so it's kind of like okay this isn't enough to get me out I go, one more and it slams into the car next to me and. Fortunately. I mean we, get the chance to drive a lot of vehicles and in some very expensive vehicles, here too and some, vehicles, have progressed, past this, mechanical. Detent. Way. Of looking at things so, if you get into like some very, high-end vehicles, like mercedes-benz, s-class and whatnot they've actually gone electronic. Detent so. There's. This new paradigm where you open the door you put it wherever you want and then, it just basically hits. The brakes there yeah so you can put it wherever you want so you have like this micro adjusting, detent, so I guess, why this isn't on more cars though right expensive. And probably breaks off it's. Probably the do, you think so so it's a very simple solution that the cars have right now mmm. And I mean there are some other solutions out there we've seen other door designs, yeah. The. Tesla. Model X. And. That brakes. Don't okay. That that sometimes breaks a lot mister mister wings that you did it's like in trouble Matt troublesome, according, to our reliability, data from our auto survey we, experienced, headaches, with it, interesting. Concept in the sense that you know it can open up in, a tight area you could open up we have a lot of space but. You know like I said expensive, and. Prone. To breakage and actually minivans, have a completely, different scenario, here, where you, could open it and you have a big opening and guess, what those, tend to break or fairly often do and that's, one of the reasons so I mean of course I have to bring it to weird, cars that haven't been sold here but the Toyota port a-and, the Peugeot 1007. Are cars that actually had sliding, driver's, doors they went above nine yeah they yeah they went they went really high they. Both look kind of they both look kind of goofy if you look at shock yeah well yeah when you get when you open the door you kind of slide it back I will say you know like like the question comes I had a 1996, out ea4 first. New car I bought I know someone. Will find it problematic. It's. All a détente it had, almost hooks you know and it would they would go into the spot and it would really hold very well and a lot of them you see now there's it's almost like a hydraulic, bar that goes in and out and you know yeah it's it's it's a cost-cutting, measure as, well you, have it actually the solid defense that you talked about how to downside too because when, we you. Know some of those German cars that have those really really stiff detents, like my kids would be in the back and they can't even open the doors because it's so heavy so so I mean this. Is a opportunity for. Burgeoning. Engineers, to figure out a better way of doing of course it's an accordion door yes, lambo. Doors for everything yes why you can use handle em the door the Civic I'm sure you can Lambo door the CRV yup just go on eBay it's totally, the scissor door don't go on don't go honey babe no do that to your car please don't do that to your car alright I think that's a nice enough talk about door hinges for today but if you enjoyed this this, conversation. I'm sure you probably enjoy all the talking cards so send us another question, we love questions, like this we love all your questions talking, cars at icloud.com, if, you want to find out how. To spell hilde check, out our show notes and. Thanks, so much for watching thanks for listening will talk, cars again soon. You.
2019-03-12