Mirror, Mirror on the Car, the Toyota Crown, the off-road ZR2!

2025 Toyota Crown Review

Speaker 1 0:04

time now for this hour's car review . I had a chance to drive the 2025 toyota crown . Now , what is a crown ? Well , it's not necessarily new . This is about the third year of the crown . I'd never seen one before . I looked forward to getting it and I finally got it , and I was impressed . Good aichi , japan , is its final assembly location . Trim levels include the XLE , the Limited , the Nightshade and the Platinum . I had the Platinum .

Speaker 1 0:33

This is what is considered a mid or full-size sedan . It's kind of a gray area , but this is one good-looking vehicle . It almost looks like your car Almost . It sits up higher . I'll get into that in a minute .

Speaker 1 0:47

The stance gives a little hint of a crossover SUV . It's very different . If you were to look at it , you'd go well , is it an SUV ? No , it's called a sedan , but you have to be the decider in that . It's called a sedan , but you have to be the decider in that . Squinty headlights , a big part of the upper grille , oversized lower grille , typical for Toyota . A black accent panel highlights the side body sculpting . It's a very nice touch that . I'm normally not into that sort of thing , but it really adds to the look of this High zoot roof line with a narrow C-pillar . Odd cut line around the trunk and rear bumper Kind of distracts from the premium look , but overall it seems to work . What I liked about it . The overall shape of it gets high marks , in my opinion .

Speaker 1 1:39

What could use improvement ? Well , charging $425 for premium paint on top of a 350 up charge for the two-tone paint is just a little bit too much for me . That would be . Yeah , uh . Interior highlights 12.3 inch infotainment screen with an easy operating system . Vertical phone charger is brilliant in the center console because it doesn't take up lots of room . You pop your phone right there at the head of the center console and it right straight down . It goes . Just the top inch of it is showing through it , so they let you know that your phone is in there and it's charging .

Speaker 1 2:17

Comfortable , high quality seating with big , uh , always uh , open sunroof I know this is Texas friends . Gets to be 100 degrees here for quite some time during the big three , four months of the year . Adequate rear seat legroom . Good size trunk room for road trip luggage . What I liked great interior design on this sedan . What could use improvement ? Combine the instrument cluster with the infotainment screen would be my suggestion to Toyota Engine .

Speaker 1 2:51

It's a hybrid engine Max , 2.4 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with electric horsepower , 340 pound-feet of torque , 400 , all through a six-speed automatic transmission . This is a full-time all-wheel drive vehicle 29 miles per gallon in the city , 32 on the highway for combined to 30 . I got 29.1 miles per gallon , over 315 per six miles . What I liked about it ? The mileage and the power . What can use improvement ? Big question mark I wrote myself over here going . I don't know what could use improvement . It's a great power package on there .

Speaker 1 3:35

Ride and handling Well , I like the million dollar ride quality . What could use improvement in ride and handling ? Nothing , it's perfect , don't touch it . It goes down the road wonderfully . Price base trim price 54 990 . Price is tested 58 169 . Base model price $41,440 . So what compares to it ? It's kind of got a niche of its own . Honda Accord starts at $28,295 . The Toyota Camry , its cousin , $28,900 . And the Genesis G70 starts at $42,500 . So it would be really its closest price-wise . But I really did like this car . I mean , I'm not a big sedan guy , never have been . But if you're looking at sedans , man , this is the one to get . I'm telling you , go and look at it and ride in it , take yourself a test drive . Go down the freeway , go down rough roads , whatever the case may be . Man , they have got that ride quality in this thing down to a T . Very good , it's impressive . Mars , have you had this car yet ? No , look at that , you have to put a headset on . Imagine that Well .

Speaker 3 4:54

I was trying not to make too much noise by putting my headset back on . Well , you've already done that .

Speaker 1 4:58

Okay .

Speaker 3 4:58

No , I did not . I did not even know this car existed until you said you had one .

Speaker 1 5:02

Yeah Well , I knew that it existed , but I didn't know that it existed in the press fleet . So , hold on a second . Anyway , that is my review of the 2025 Toyota Crown . Go see it , go buy one . I think that you'll be impressed .

Side Camera Mirror Systems Explained

Speaker 2 5:28

That's this Jeff's car culture . Side view mirrors let's go All right . Well then , side Camera Mirror Systems' future is here . Side Camera Mirror Systems , a cutting-edge innovation in automotive industry , are reshaping the way we see and interact with our vehicles . Traditional side mirrors may have been a staple of vehicles for decades , but they come with their fair share of challenges and limitations . Side camera mirror systems , on the other hand , offer numerous benefits , but they also present some downsides and legal hurdles that need to be addressed . Traditional mirrors can be obscured by factors such as rain , snow , dirt or even insects , making it necessary for drivers to frequently adjust them or clean them to maintain proper visibility . This inconvenience can be particularly problematic during long journeys or in regions with unpredictable weather . In vehicles shared by multiple drivers , each individual may need to adjust the side mirrors and suit their unique preferences and line of sight . Failing to do so can lead to discomfort , reduce safety and if the mirrors are not optimally positioned for the driver's height and seating position , especially when you crash into something .

Speaker 2 6:31

The design of the traditional side mirrors can generate wind noise and contribute to drag , especially at higher speeds . Reducing aerodynamic efficiency can impact both fuel economy and cabin comfort . Traditional side mirrors are unable to integrate advanced technology features . For instance , they cannot display additional information such as navigation guidance or blind spot monitoring .

Speaker 1 6:54

That camera is as big as a regular damn side view mirror .

Speaker 2 6:58

It could be it looks like a little camcorder hanging out there .

Speaker 2 7:01

Yeah , traditional mirrors provide minimal feedback to the driver about their surroundings . Side camera mirror systems often include features like distance markers or warning symbols that enhance driver's awareness and safety . Traditional side mirrors are exposed to vulnerable and impact from other vehicles , obstacles or even careless pedestrians . This makes them more susceptible to damage , vandalism and being knocked out of alignment , necessitating repairs or replacement . Shame on that . Side camera mirror systems provide a wider and more comprehensive field of view compared to traditional mirrors , significantly reduce blind spots . This can help prevent accidents when changing lanes or merging onto highways , making the roads safer for everyone , michael , which means some side camera mirror systems come with advanced features like lane keeping assistance and automatic adjustment . These features can aid drivers in maintaining a steady lane position and ensuring their mirrors are correctly aligned , enhancing overall safety and convenience . Unlike traditional mirrors , side camera systems are less effective by adverse weather conditions . They can adapt in various scenarios , such as rain , snow or fog , ensuring the drivers have a clear visibility at all times . Clear visibility at all times . The sleek design of side camera mirror systems contributes to improved aerodynamics , reducing wind resistance and potentially increasing fuel efficiency . We all want that .

Speaker 2 8:26

The installation and repair of side camera mirror systems can be more expensive than traditional mirrors . The technology involved , such as high quality cameras and displays , can drive up the initial cost of the vehicle . Repairs can also be pricier . Drivers accustomed to traditional mirrors may take some time to adapt to new systems . Adjusting to the camera display and learning to trust the technology that lead into the initial confusion and discomfort . So overall it's a new system . It's a new way of having your cake and eat it too . Yeah , having your cake and eat it . I was pricking my son . I like it . I think it's going to be good . I could use it . I could adapt to it . You've got the rear mirror in the inside .

Speaker 1 9:09

Those things are absolutely way too huge . There's no advantage as far as aerodynamics are concerned by what you just showed . There , though , we have a what we call a lipstick camera on the back of the helicopter that faces forward , and it's no bigger than a lipstick case , and that is the ones that I showed you , that that we can find information on .

Speaker 2 9:29

They're all in europe and they're mainly on evs , well , of course .

Speaker 3 9:34

So they're not on any ice , ice vehicles , well , you know a couple of them I thought was real good and I thought maybe this was going to be the camera that's on the existing side mirrors . Whenever you turn the blinker on it comes up , like in the speedometer or the tachometer , but it comes up on the dash and you can see it on your dash . You don't have to do all this other stuff and that's basically a little lipstick type size camera on an existing side mirror I don't understand some of that stuff .

Speaker 3 10:01

I'm with you .

Speaker 1 10:01

That's kind of defeats the purpose with the size of those things that we just yeah they look like camcorders hanging out there and are they going to put it .

Speaker 2 10:09

Objects in the mirror are larger than they appear , that kind of thing .

Speaker 1 10:11

So oh , that thing with the convex and the concave . Yeah , objects in mirror may appear closer than they really are .

Speaker 2 10:19

Yep . Is that going to happen ? I think we need to put that on everything , and some of these actually go into the fender .

Speaker 1 10:26

Yeah , I saw that . Let's have a motor that doesn't retract it . Yeah , I got all that . I got you All right

2025 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Review

Speaker 1 10:37

. You can go ahead and start your review now we're going to talk about the 2025 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 four-wheel drive crew cab .

Speaker 3 10:46

Now this is the Colorado , kind of like the Colorado reborn . There was one several years ago , back when the mini truck , when you called them small trucks , and so now it's out .

Speaker 1 10:55

It used to be called the New Mexico , but in this case it's the Colorado .

Speaker 3 11:00

Yeah . So this is the uh part of the third generation that was introduced in 2023 , comes with five trim levels , comes with a work truck and lt uh , the trail boss zr1 and the zr2 . Now it is a four-wheel drive crew cab truck . The government says it's a standard size pickup . I would call it a mid-size segment , but what do I know if survive past your vehicle ? We know you don't know it's got it's . It's an off-road vehicle . It's got heavy off-road styling and a lot of the accents or a lot of the styling things that are on it are very functional uh , the led lighting with the headlamps and the fog lamps . That's all part of the common , what you're going to find in most new vehicles , but it's very functional on this vehicle . The front bumper is made for off-road work and got tow hooks , skid plates in the front and the rear and for the gas tank . You got a skid plate on there . It's got wheel flares on it Because of the ZR2 package and it's got rocker panel protection on it and that , by the way , looks kind of like a step plate , but it's not . It's strictly to protect the other part of the body whenever you go rock climbing . Now it does have heated , power folding side mirrors to make things a little bit more pleasant . Power sunroof and it has the Stoflex tailgate , which is where you can drop the tailgate , and there's some storage that's put in there . That's kind of like an underfloor storage in some of the other vehicles , so that was a really smart move to use some space that wasn't really being used .

Speaker 3 12:30

Runs on 17-inch wheels . Now these are beadlock-capable wheels and part of this again is geared towards the off-road . So you've got more tire wall there to work with instead of having some of these little short run flats , beadlock capable . Right , so you can take and make these beads . They're not beadlocked from the factory but you can make them that way because if you go to a tire shop like discount tire and say , oh , I got beadlocked wheels on here , they're gonna laugh at you . So you got to have it to where you can you operate in the regular world and then turn them into the beadlock type wheels when you go off-roading .

Speaker 3 13:03

That's about all I know about it . I don't know much about beadlock wheels because we got sand , we don't have rock . So , uh , when you get to the interior now we had the jet black artemis leather seating and artemis artemis leather . You know , out west we have herds of artemis running wild out there . If you know out West , we have herds of Artemis running wild out there . If you can go out and find them the front seats are heated , ventilated .

Speaker 3 13:26

The rear seat is a 60 , 40 folding that has storage up underneath . It has the uh 11.3 inch touchscreen in the middle of it . Now , this is where you're going to find your nav , your convenience controls , your infotainment , your Apple car play , Android , all those good things , and it's also where you're going to find your surround view camera system . Now , this again , it's very much kind of becoming mainstream , but in the off-road world that this vehicle is designed for , it's going to help you see where you're at in relation to the rocks , to the edges . Actually , this one will actually help you see what's underneath your vehicle . So it's really good for that . And then we also have the 11-inch driver information center , and that's where you're going to find all your configurational things you want to know about your truck .

Speaker 1 14:07

Configurationable .

Speaker 3 14:09

Yeah , and we also had the Bose premium audio system , which I really like that , particularly in a smaller vehicle like this . Now , up under the hood we had a 2.7 liter TurboMax inline four-cylinder . Now this is 310 horsepower , 430 pound-feet of torque , so it will move this vehicle . Sometimes it sounds like it's working pretty hard at it , but it will do it without a problem . Tow rating on this vehicle probably equipped 7,700 pounds with a haul rating of 1,685 .

Speaker 3 14:37

Now again , we used to call these small trucks mid-sized trucks and they've become a little bit bigger . Epa says in the city you should look for 16 miles to the gallon on Highway 16 and combined 16 . Now I drove 445.9 miles and I got 14.3 miles to the gallon on the average and I will tell you that during this time it does have a very firm truck ride . Now , part of this is because of the suspension in this package . It's up higher , it gives it a little more room to move the tires and work with that suspension to kind of smooth out some of the road imperfections . And again to that lifted suspension while it does make the off-roading world a lot better , it also makes getting in and out of that vehicle a little bit tougher for a short guy like me , that rock , that protection down below that looks almost like a step rail . If it was a retractable step rail I think that would make it a lot easier . I know my wife would really appreciate that whenever she had to get in and out of it .

Speaker 3 15:34

Now if you're looking for the pricing on this thing , the work truck , the base model , is down around $33,495 . Now the base trim price when you get up into that ZR2 level is $49,600 . So there's a pretty good size jump but there's several different trims in there that you can work with . Msrp is tested for this vehicle $64,340 . If you're looking for something to compare it to , the Toyota Tacoma comes in at $3,500 to start and the Ford Ranger is around $3,300 . Now if you're looking over into more of the SUV CUV truck line like a Honda Ridgeline , $40,150 is where you're going to start looking .

Speaker 1 16:13

That's basically a car , by the way .

Speaker 3 16:15

Yes , with a bed on it , so that's the reason I threw it in Kind of like an El Camino .

Speaker 1 16:19

But it still falls into that or a Ranchero .

Speaker 3 16:21

Yes , but it falls into that same category of vehicles that this Colorado is , which I think is kind of a misnomer if you would . But I do think if you're looking for something that you want to take off-roading and you want something to start with or maybe you just don't want to wrench it yourself this is a vehicle you ought to look at .

Speaker 1 16:38

And , more importantly , you can put it in the dang garage . Absolutely , you're not going to be able to put a full-size truck in there anymore . No , you used to be able to .

Speaker 2 16:47

And out west they got the three-legged Harry Artemis that you could get your seats in Three-legged . Three-legged Yep . They're very rare .

Speaker 3 16:56

That's my review of the 2025 Colorado 4WD ZR2 Coupé .

Final Thoughts on Both Vehicles

Speaker 1 17:05

It only leaves a trail . Thank you , mike , you're quite welcome , sir . Are you going to send that off to General Motors and say here's my review ?

Speaker 3 17:14

After I do a little editing .

Speaker 1 17:15

Yeah , time now for some . Thank you .