Gearbox Car Reviews
Welcome to Gearbox Car Reviews!
My name is Jason and I have a driving problem. I like to drive, but I don't have the budget for Jay Leno's garage. So I figured being one of those car review guys would be the perfect solution. I'll find whatever I can get my hands on and share some info about the cars and share some background info and the drive with you.
If you're in central CT and you have a car that I can take for a spin, please feel free to reach out! There are a lot of interesting cars coming down the pike, so I'm hoping to be a part of the last hurrah, before gas-powered cars fade away.
If you like the reviews and background info on different cars, make sure to subscribe and share. If you don't like the reviews, subscribe anyway so that I can get access to more cars and find something you're into!
Thanks & enjoy!
Jason
Gearbox Car Reviews
2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Edition!
The Forester got its major updates for 2025, with the introduction of the 6th generation, but the Wilderness Edition was left behind. This year it catches up, with the new design, revised powertrain, and more.
This compact crossover--c'mon, it's really a wagon--gets lots of black and copper trim, a unique seat design, dash design, and more. If you ever forget that it's the Wilderness Edition, just check one of the many many many many labels.
Power comes through a revised 2.5L BOXER 4-cylinder that makes 180-hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, as compared to the 5th gen's 182 and 176, respectively, but more importantly, you get a little more grunt down lower in the rev range.
A lineartronic CVT is standard, as is symmetrical all-wheel-drive, just like the rest of the Foresters, but the Wilderness Edition adds some extra transmission cooling, a shorter final drive, and a temperature sensor on the rear diff. It also adds a couple of mud and snow drive modes and a forward-facing camera.
All 2026 Foresters receive some rearranging of the center console area, with a phone holder, a revised gear shifter, and a cupholder big enough for a 32-oz Nalgene. That last one is way underrated.
Full thoughts to come!
4 days ago | [YT] | 10
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Gearbox Car Reviews
Kia's best-seller, the Sportage, receives a bit of a refresh for the 2026 model year, with updated starmap amber daytime-running lights, cube LED headlights, some tweaks to the front and rear facia, a square steering wheel in the X-Pro Prestige, a standard 12.3" infotainment screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and over-the-air updates, and the removal of much of the glossy black in the interior.
The all-gas Sportages are powered by a 2.5L naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder that produces 187-hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed automatic transmission is the only choice for the all-gas Sportage. And front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive are the drivetrain choices.
With 36.6 cu ft - 39.9 cu ft of rear cargo space and over 42" of rear legroom, this compact crossover is quite spacious for the class. And there are many great safety and assist features as well. The X-Pro Prestige I'm testing has very comfy seats, a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated memory seats, and more.
Full thoughts are up on the channel!
1 week ago | [YT] | 7
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Gearbox Car Reviews
The three-row streak comes to an end with the 2026 GMC Acadia Denali Ultimate!
Previously, the Denali was the top dog, but GMC has layered an even cushier trim package on top of it, with Woodland Mahogany leather, wood trim pieces, topographical maps, massage seats, dark chrome accents and more, with a $67k price tag in AWD form.
Your powertrain choices remain the same, even in Ultimate form, with a 2.5L turbocharge 4-cylinder under the hood, making 328-hp and 326 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed automatic transmission is standard. And you get the choice of either FWD or AWD.
Full thoughts to come!
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 7
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Gearbox Car Reviews
2025 Jeep Wagoneer Series II Overland coming up!
The Jeep Wagoneer is no longer so wagony, and wood paneling is no longer on the menu, but it's spacious, comfy, and quick.
This big three-row comes with a twin-turbo inline 6-cylinder, dubbed Hurricane, which pumps out 420-hp and 468 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed auto is standard, and you have the choice of 4x2 or 4x4.
The Wagoneer is offered as a 7-seater or 8-seater, with plenty of cushy standard features like heated seats, heated steering wheel, remote start, and a power liftgate, and even more available options such as ventilated seats, heated second rows, air suspension, skid plates for extra protection on the trails, and more.
Comfy, spacious, quick, and it handles surprisingly well for something so big.
Full thoughts to come!
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 7
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Gearbox Car Reviews
Late to post, but wrapped up with the 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 Calligraphy Design Performance AWD!
This funky three-row comes in rear-drive, all-wheel-drive, or performance all-wheel-drive, with my tester being the performance version, equipped with two 157 kW motors and pumping out 422-hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Range tops out at 355 in single-motor form, with my tester rated for 311.
An NACS port is now standard, so Tesla Superchargers are more easily accessible, but your rates will slow a bit, going from 10%-80% in about 40 minutes. With a CCS adapter, on a 350 fast charger, Hyundai says you can do the same thing in 24 minutes.
This three-row is also spacious, with plenty of room for cargo and people, available as a 7-seater or a 6-seater, but the flat floor helps immensely with the passenger space.
My tester is decked out in Gravity Gold matte paint, with heated and ventilated front and second-row seats, massage for the driver, and more.
Full thoughts to come!
1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 8
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Gearbox Car Reviews
2026 Lexus TX 550h+
This is the plug-in hybrid version of Lexus's 6/7-seater, giving it more power and 33 miles of pure EV range. It's housing a 3.5L V6--as opposed to the 4-cylinders in the other TXs--along with a couple of electric motors, combining for 404-hp.
An eCVT and a DIRECT4 all-wheel-drive are standard on this Indiana-born luxury crossover. And since it's only available in Luxury trim when you opt for a PHEV, it's also decked out with plenty of bells and whistles, like heated and ventilated front and second row seats, a heated steering wheel, a 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, and more.
Full thoughts to come!
1 month ago | [YT] | 5
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Gearbox Car Reviews
It's tree week here at Gearbox Car Reviews, with the 2026 Toyota Sequoia Capstone!
This is about as decked out as you can get Toyota's biggest SUV, with power running boards, massage seats, heated and ventilated first and second row, and a whole lot more. All that comes at a price though, weighing in at $85k.
All Sequoias are powered by Toyotas' iForce MAX powertrain--a twin-turbo V6 plus an electric motor--that pumps out 437-hp and 583 lb-ft, besting most of the competition in the big 3-row segment.
New for this year is the shale interior on the Capstone, standard leather-trimmed seats on the Limited, and Wavemaker paint on the TRD Pro.
Full thoughts to come!
1 month ago | [YT] | 7
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Gearbox Car Reviews
2026 Acura Integra A-Spec/Tech 6-Speed Manual!
This one just left the stable, but it was a fun week!
The Integra gets a few tweaks here and there in the lower trims, as well as some styling updates and a faster processor in the infotainment system.
The biggest things to note in this top-spec Integra (as it's the only way to get three pedals), are the new Double Apex Blue, Urban Gray Pearl, and Solar Silver Metallic colors, the painted grille (when ordered red or blue), some dash treatments, and the yellow stitching.
The Integra comes with a familiar 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder that makes 200-hp and 192 lb-ft. It can be had in 6-speed manual or CVT form. And power goes through the front wheels. Of note, the stick version gains a limited-slip-differential in addition to the extra pedal.
It's essentially a slightly cushier Civic SI with a hatch, and I'm all for it.
Full thoughts to come!
1 month ago | [YT] | 6
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Gearbox Car Reviews
2026 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid (Nightshade) this week!
The Prius was ahead of its time when it came out, efficient in fuel economy as well as space, but it's always been a little dorky (no hate, I'm dorky too). Well, the latest redesign changed that, and the Nightshade Edition further adds to the aesthetic.
My Prius Plug-In test car is painted in Nightshade-exclusive Karashi, with black accents abound. It makes 220-hp combined from its hybrid setup, with all power going through the front wheels. The battery should be good to get you 39 miles of pure EV range (44 in the SE) according to Toyota. And after your juice runs out, it's rated for a respectable 48 mpg (52 in the SE). Not too shabby.
Full thoughts to come!
2 months ago | [YT] | 9
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Gearbox Car Reviews
2025 Audi A6 e-tron Sportback RWD!
Audi's first vehicle on the new PPE platform was the Q6 and it posted impressive charging and range numbers. For 2025, Audi is throwing its first sedan (sportback) on this new platform into the mix, with the A6.
The 2025 A6 e-tron is available in single-motor rear-drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive, which produce 375-hp and 456-hp respectively. Range maxes out at 392 miles when opting for one motor and the smaller 19" wheels. Not too shabby.
Audi says you can get from 10-80% charge in 21 minutes, with speeds up to 270 kW and a strong charging curve.
My partners over at Recurrent Auto have noted that the Q6 was the longest range crossover last year, one of the fastest chargers, and one of the strongest in cold weather performance.
Full thoughts to come!
2 months ago | [YT] | 8
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