We appreciate especially the clip-art “models” and hand-drawn arch—did you catch the arch?—framing the ad. If I were a St. Louis-area Chrysler-Plymouth dealer at the time, I might have been disappointed by this last-minute high-school art project.

No, the Prius is no longer a frumpy, roomy, gallon-pinching miser, but that’s mostly a good thing. We appreciate the car's sexy-svelte good looks, sporty character, and still-impressive fuel economy.

At more than $60,000, the Gladiator in High Tide trim is hardly a casual purchase, but our test truck was laden with optional features that inflated the bottom line. Thrift seekers might be able to locate a more lightly optioned Gladiator that should look and feel just as entertaining, for closer to $50,000—even in Joose.

The hosts welcome Jerry Perez of The Drive to the show. Jerry shared details of his time in the updated Audi Q3 featuring the maker’s Micro LED Digital Matrix Headlights. Jerry also recalls his time in one of Europe’s smallest—and most charming—electric vehicles, the Fiat Topolino. 

So sure, the GTI has packed on a few pounds over the years, but it's mostly lean muscle. And if you’re shopping for a daily driver that is as good for your soul as it is for your commute, you need to add the GTI to your test-drive list.