6 automotive podcasts you should be listening to

Whether you’re someone who eats, sleeps and breathes cars—or a buyer who wants more information on hot new vehicles and driving trends, you might consider giving podcasts a listen.

Podcasts aren’t new. For millions of people, they’re as entertaining as a radio or TV show. If you’re new to the podcast phenomenon, however, here’s a quick definition from Wikipedia:

A podcast is an episodic series of digital media files which a user can set up so that new episodes are automatically downloaded via web syndication to the user’s own local computer or portable media player.

The word arose as a portmanteau [or blend] of “iPod” and “broadcast”.

A podcast episode, then, is an audio file you can download on the Internet to your computer, phone or iPod. They’re usually available as a series, with new episodes arriving automatically.

Why podcasts? There’s more information about cars out there than ever before, which means you’ll be able to better educate yourself about a car purchase than anyone in history.

However, all that information can be intimidating; if you want to research, where do you start?

It’s in exactly that scenario that podcasts come in handy—they can be an easy and convenient way to get car information to come to you automatically. All you need to do is subscribe and/or download various episodes to your device so you can listen at your convenience.

But with dozens of valuable podcasts available today, getting started can be confusing.

That’s why we put together this post—to help you find some of the best automotive podcasts out there.

Here’s a look at what we’re listening to—and what we recommend you listen to as well.

Top automotive podcasts

Most listeners use Apple’s iTunes to listen to podcasts, so for convenience all these links point to the iTunes Store.

It’s important to note, however, that all these podcasts are free. Yes, you get them in the “Store,” but they don’t cost anything to subscribe to or automatically download.

• The Autoblog Podcast: Autoblog.com has long been one of the most trusted resources for car lovers and consumers to take in fun, engaging and insightful automotive content. In fact, Autoblog has a reputation for obsessively covering the automotive industry, as reporters are at seemingly every auto show, press unveiling and automaker-hosted vehicle showcase event. Noting that, it makes this podcast one of the most credible in the industry. With over 500 total podcasts in the bag, there’s no shortage of valuable information. A new episode of The Autoblog Podcast debuts weekly.
• Driven Car Reviews: It’s one thing to listen to people talk about cars and their features, it’s another thing to listen to an expert critique a car after test driving it. The latter is the basis of the Driven Car Reviews podcast, hosted by Emmy-winning automotive journalist and frequent New York Times contributor Tom Voelk. Voelk publishes a new podcast weekly. Check out his recent reviews of the 2017 Chevy Cruze and 2017 Buick LaCrosse.
• Everyday Driver Car Debate: Unsure of what car is right for you and your lifestyle? This podcast is for you, as the hosts discuss and debate what they like and dislike about the various cars they’ve been privy to. Unlike some of the other podcasts on this list, the Everyday Driver Car Debate adds a new episode every three to four days, and is always weighing in on inquiries from its listeners.
• Cruise Control Radio: Cruise Control Radio touches on a variety of different topics, from automotive news and events to car reviews. Think of it as more of an automotive talk show than anything else, as the coverage is truly wide-ranging. What’s more is that this podcast is one of the most tenured in the industry, with roots dating back to 2005.
• Talking Cars: This Consumer Reports podcast is hosted by Tom Mutchler, who works to bring listeners the latest in automotive news, as well as answer listener questions about various vehicles.
• The Car and Driver Podcast: Car and Driver is well regarded as one of the best magazines that serves the automotive industry today. Noting that, its podcast also has a lot of value for listeners. The podcast is hosted by its editors and presents information in what is described as a “no-holds barred” approach. No fluff, just straight talk.

If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, it makes sense to explore various avenues to help influence your decision—and certainly podcasts are one of easiest and most interesting ways to do that.

Of course, if you want even more great automotive insight, you’re welcome to join us at Budds’ Chev and learn about your cars first-hand.