Gearbox Car Reviews

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade is bigger, boxier, cushier, classier...and it comes in brown!

The Palisade has been updated, and the changes aren't subtle. It's gotten a full redesign, with a longer overall length, longer wheelbase, and shorter front overhang. Stacked headlights and taillights and a horizontal pattern through the front grille add to the wide presence.

There are two new powertrains including a hybrid and a naturally aspirated 3.5L V6. My tester has the latter. It's interesting to see a company putting effort into a new NA V6 in a time of turbos and electrification, but this new motor makes about the same hp and torque as the outgoing 3.8L at 287-hp and 260 lb-ft vs 292 and 262, with slightly better efficiency numbers.

The Palisade is still offered in either front-wheel or all-wheel-drive, with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid uses a 6-speed auto.

There's now an optional fully integrated dashcam, a phone cleaner, and you have full control over the second and third row seats from the infotainment and from the rear cargo area.

Seating capacity is 7 or 8, depending on trim, and the Palisade is still the only vehicle I've been in with a heated third row option (this gen and last). Front seats are offered with heat, ventilation, relaxation mode, and massage (driver only for massage :( ), while captains chairs get heat, ventilation, and relaxation mode as an option.

Full thoughts to come!

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6 days ago | [YT] | 13

Gearbox Car Reviews

2026 Toyota Sienna!

If you need space for people and stuff, there is no better vehicle out there than a minivan. And if you want a hybrid, there's no one doing it better than Toyota.

In addition to a new Heavy Metal paint color, there are a lot of new standard features on the Sienna. The LE (base) gains 2 extra speakers (8 total), roof rails, an auto-dimming mirror with Homelink, a power tailgate, rear window shades, a windshield, and a 1 year Remote Connect trial. The XSE gains roof rails and turn signals in the mirrors, and the XLE gains roof rails, turn signals in the mirrors, and a 12-speaker JBL sound system.

The Sienna is still using Toyota's hybrid system II, with a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine, a nickel-metal hydride battery and two or three motors depending on drivetrain, as it's offered in either front-wheel or all-wheel-drive. Combined system output is 245-hp, and an eCVT is the only transmission option.

And it's offered as either a 7-seater or an 8-seater.

Full thoughts to come!

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1 week ago | [YT] | 16

Gearbox Car Reviews

2026 Mazda CX-50!

Mazda's other compact crossover, the CX-5, gets a full overhaul for 2026, but the CX-50 certainly has not been left behind. The CX-5 gains more standard features, a new trim level, some styling tweaks, and a lower price tag! And, while not new, it's still available in this beautiful Cypress Green!

My Turbo Premium Plus tester MSRP'd for $43,500 for 2025, while this year's MSRP is $42,900. The more rugged CX-50 Meridian is now available in non-turbo form. The Preferred gains standard front and rear parking sensors and a moonroof. And the Premium gets standard ventilated seats with memory, auto-dimming mirror, and a power passenger seat.

There are also black badges available for this year, but since my tester has the--also new--white interior, it gets chrome badges, a new set of 20" allow wheels, and the silver rails and trim.

The CX-50 is still offered with 3 different powertrains, a naturally-aspirated 2.5L SKYACTIV-G 4-cylinder, a turbocharged 2.5L SKYACTIV-G 4-cylinder, and a Toyota-borrowed hybrid system. The paint color on my tester also comes from Toyota.*

My turbocharged tester makes 256-hp and 320 lb-ft of torque, with those numbers dropping just slightly if you opt for regular (non-premium) gas. A 6-speed auto is standard, and so is intelligent all-wheel-drive.

Full thoughts to come!


*Since the CX-50 is built down in the shared Toyota/Mazda plant in Alabama, the two automakers are able to do some bartering. Toyota gets Soul Red Crystal Metallic and Mazda gets Cypress Green and a hybrid system.

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 10

Gearbox Car Reviews

2026 Toyota Corolla XSE!

This tried and true Toyota compact sedan has been around for ages, and its popularity hasn't waned much even in the age of crossovers taking over the roadways. It's almost cliche to recommend a Corolla at this point, but there's good reason for it.

The 2026 Corolla is still offered in hybrid or gas-only, with my tester here being the latter.

My Corolla XSE is motivated by a 2.0L naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder motor that pumps out 169-hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. A CVT is the only transmission, and front-wheel-drive is the only drivetrain. A hybrid would get you an eCVT and optional all-wheel-drive, in addition to a bit more power and fuel efficiency.

For 2026, the Corolla gains blind-spot monitoring as a standard feature and the XSE gets a standard 12.3" digital gauge cluster.

With pricing starting at just over $22k and my top-spec tester hitting just over $28k, it's one of the more affordable options out there. And with a proven powertrain, it's sure to last.

Full thoughts to come!

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 7

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!

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1 month ago | [YT] | 10

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!

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1 month ago | [YT] | 7

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!

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1 month ago | [YT] | 7

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!

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1 month ago | [YT] | 7

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!

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2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 8

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!

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2 months ago | [YT] | 5