From jargon busting to giant utes: EV debuts, SUV culture & Toyota Tundra road test

13/08/2025 30 min
From jargon busting to giant utes: EV debuts, SUV culture & Toyota Tundra road test

Listen "From jargon busting to giant utes: EV debuts, SUV culture & Toyota Tundra road test"

Episode Synopsis

In this episode of Overdrive, David Brown and Brian Smith dive into the quirks, jargon, and big personalities of the motoring and transport world.

We start with a NSW Government report on Sydenham Station’s upgrades—dense with transport-speak but easily translated into plain English. From there, it’s off to Sydney’s first-ever Light Commercial Vehicle Show, where vans, utes, and even cargo bikes are vying for the last-mile delivery crown.

ANCAP’s latest safety results are in: Volkswagen’s Terramar aces the tests with five stars, but Peugeot’s hybrid 3008/5008 twins don’t quite make the grade. Nissan’s long-awaited Ariya EV gets its Australian specs and pricing, while Suzuki launches its first new nameplate in more than a decade—the compact hybrid Fronx, aimed at first-time buyers and downsizers.

A Facebook post sparks a chat about the SUV-ification of prestige sports car brands—think Aston Martin DBXs in the wild—and the team has a laugh over car jargon quirks, from “dampeners” to “VIN numbers.”

We wrap up with a full road test of Toyota’s colossal Tundra pickup. Equal parts luxury cruiser and towing workhorse, it’s a vehicle that raises the question: how big is too big for Australian roads?

Topics covered:

Sydenham Station report: translating jargon into plain English

Sydney Light Commercial Vehicle Show: vans, utes, and cargo bikes

ANCAP safety ratings: Volkswagen’s Terramar shines, Peugeot’s hybrids fall short

Nissan Ariya EV: Australian specs and pricing

Suzuki Fronx launch: a bold, compact hybrid SUV for new buyers

SUV-ification of sports car brands

Car terminology quirks and humour

Toyota Tundra road test: comfort, towing, and market fit

Tags: #Cars #Transport #Culture #OverdriveRadio #EV #SUV #Utes #RoadTest #ToyotaTundra #SuzukiFronx #NissanAriya #ANCAP

More episodes of the podcast Overdrive