March 31, 2026

Should Your Workplace Police What You Drive

Stellantis ticketing employees for parking a rival-brand car at headquarters is the kind of story that sounds petty until you realize what it reveals about modern car culture and workplace control. We react to the reported policy, the fines, and the “wrong spot” rules, then connect it to other brand-loyalty pressure we’ve seen at manufacturers and even at dealerships where driving anything else meant a long walk from the back of the lot. It’s a real question for any auto worker: should your employer get a vote in what you drive?

Then we jump into a hands-on 2026 Chevy Equinox EV review, focusing on what matters to electric SUV shoppers. We talk trims, the RS styling, the sharp exterior design, and the interior tech that’s actually easy to use. We also cover the details people search for when comparing EVs: horsepower and torque, towing limits, ride and handling, MPGe versus kWh, and the EPA-rated 319-mile range. If you’re cross-shopping the Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, or Tesla Model Y, we put the Equinox EV pricing and real-world livability in context.

We close with a small moment that every driver can relate to: discovering a steering wheel button you never knew existed, and why so many modern controls feel like guesswork. Subscribe for more car news, honest reviews, and weekly laughs, then share this with a friend and leave a quick review. What’s the strangest rule your workplace has ever enforced around cars?

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00:00 - Welcome To In Wheel Time

00:06 - Stellantis Tickets Rival Cars

01:40 - When Employers Shame Your Ride

01:59 - 2026 Equinox EV Design Impressions

04:17 - Power Range And Real Efficiency

05:51 - Pricing Trims And EV Competitors

06:39 - The Mystery Steering Wheel Button

06:52 - Email Us And Quick Break

06:59 - Gulf Coast Auto Shield Spotlight

08:31 - Where To Watch And Listen

WEBVTT

00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.479
Welcome to another In Wheel Time podcast.

00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:04.799
And rival manufacturers vehicles.

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Here we go.

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A Michigan automaker is issuing parking tickets to employees who are to work in vehicles by rival manufacturers.

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Jeep's parent company, who?

00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:25.839
Still antes is handing out fines to employees at their headquarters parking lot in Detroit for parking in the wrong spots when their cars aren't made by the firm they work for, according to employees.

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The company parking lot is reserved for employees driving Stellantis made vehicles with rival cars barred from the premises.

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Well, for where do you park your non-stilantis vehicles?

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Employees say it's insulting to tell workers that uh despite having a huge parking lot, decks well under capacity, that they still don't have the right to park in them or cover parking at all.

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They must go to a roof parking or avoid parking altogether on property.

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Check that out.

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Both Ford, uh one more thing.

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Uh uh I'm sorry, go on, I just lost my place.

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But both Ford Motor Company and General Motors have changed their policies uh at certain headquarters using uh saying that uh they're they're not really doing that for the employees, but Ford Dearborn Factory reported banned employees from the parking lot without a Ford vehicle.

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Now this happened uh when I worked for Turbo Hydromatic, Fisher Body.

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They frowned on it.

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They didn't ticket you, but they frowned on you buying or driving another vehicle.

00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:29.359
So one employer reported being ticketed for an Eagle Talon uh sports car in a Stellanus parking lot, despite Eagle being a name plate of the Chrysler brand, which is now owned by the company.

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Seems like security needs a little history lesson on what brands are what.

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So the debate isn't over, they're still doing it.

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You park your car by not you know having the right one in the vehicle, you'll get a ticket.

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Richardson Chevrolet used to do that, and they made all the employees.

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If you didn't buy a Chevrolet from Richardson Chevrolet, then you had to park at the very back of the lot.

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They still give you some opportunities, but you had to walk like a quarter mile in the rain, sleet, snow, all that stuff.

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Shame on you.

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Yeah.

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All right.

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Uh time now for this hour's car review.

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I had a chance to drive the 2026 Chevy Equinox E V.

00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:11.360
Available trim levels, the LT1, the LT2, and the RS.

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I had the RS.

00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:19.520
This is considered a small SUV, but boy, I'll tell you what, that's pressing it to say small.

00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:23.120
Anyway, five seats in this, including the driver.

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All new in 2024.

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So uh all new design.

00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:27.759
It really does look sharp.

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Sharp looking exterior design with slit lighting up front.

00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:36.479
Uh RS had a blacked-out faux grille.

00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:39.199
Well, it doesn't need a grill because it's electric, remember?

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Big 21-inch wheels, sharp rear hatch with sunshade over the back glass.

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What I liked about it, it gets high marks for styling, I think.

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What could use improvement?

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Not a fan of two-tone paint.

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That's an option that you can get.

00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:57.360
When do we go back to two-tone paint?

00:02:57.680 --> 00:02:59.199
Let's go back to wood panel.

00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:00.479
Well, yeah.

00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:01.680
Real wood.

00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:02.159
Yeah.

00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:06.560
Um, ours did not have the two-tone, I'm glad to report.

00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:09.919
Um, I've seen, especially the blue one with the white top.

00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:13.599
All I can think of is the old Houston Police Department paint scheme.

00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:13.919
Oh.

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Uh, interior highlights, color options, enhance the interior bling on this RS.

00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:25.840
Um layered two screens are unique and are good.

00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:28.800
Um, column shift is great.

00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:32.879
I loved it, and it opens up the center console for other stuff.

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Infotainment controls work great and are easy to understand.

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Cargo trunk room, well, adequate for most, I would say, for a small SUV.

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What I liked.

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The Evotex seating surfaces.

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It seem they seem industrial in black, but you can get some highlights in different colors that really makes it pop.

00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:55.599
Evotex.

00:03:55.759 --> 00:04:05.360
That's one of those kind of like uh name one of those old school plastic things that they came up with.

00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:07.120
Plastic seats.

00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:07.520
Oh, yeah.

00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.039
But they came up with names for them.

00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:13.680
Oh, it was always very interesting, the names that they like pleather.

00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:15.759
Yeah, this is Evotex.

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We could use improvement, nothing.

00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:18.560
Uh drivetrain.

00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:20.959
Uh, electric motor works great.

00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:27.839
Two motor options give 300 horsepower and 355 pound feet of torque.

00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:32.319
Horsepower, 0 to 67.8 seconds, adequate for most.

00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:34.560
Not a rocket ship by any means.

00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:39.120
Direct drive transmission, obviously, the electric motors connected to the wheels.

00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:41.120
Uh tow rating, 1500 pounds.

00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:42.399
Not a lot, but what do you need?

00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:44.720
This is an electric EV SUV.

00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:49.360
So 117 miles per gallon city is what it's rated.

00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:52.399
And it's called MPG E.

00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:59.600
Uh, highway is 100 miles combined, 31 kilowatts per 100 miles.

00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:00.879
You do the math.

00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:02.639
I've tried, I failed.

00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:03.120
Thanks.

00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:08.160
I got 2.9 kilowatt hours over 387.6 miles.

00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:09.040
Do you get that?

00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:13.439
Um, EPA rated at 319 mile range.

00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:17.519
What I liked, front or all-wheel drive is available.

00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:18.959
It's nice to have the option.

00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:22.480
Long range version would be a nice improvement, I think.

00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:23.680
Bigger battery.

00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:27.920
Um, what I liked about it, the riding handling, nice, smooth.

00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:29.600
What could use improvement?

00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:33.199
Steering wheel mounted controls were a little confusing.

00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:42.879
They seem to have uh uh all of the manufacturers have a penchant for putting things on the steering wheel that you're not quite sure what they are until you hit the button.

00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:43.759
I yeah.

00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:46.160
And your Buick has probably got the same thing.

00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:47.839
I'll tell you a story when you're done with your review.

00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:48.319
Okay.

00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:50.959
Um so there's that.

00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:53.519
A base trim price, 44.2.

00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:56.800
Price is tested 52,945.

00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:00.480
You can get in this thing for as little as$35,100.

00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:02.639
Good luck in trying to find one of those.

00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:06.560
Competitors, the Mustang Mach-E for$37,795.

00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:15.920
Hyundai Ionic 5 starts at$35,000, and the Tesla Model Y starts at$39,990 miles.

00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:16.399
Wow.

00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:18.879
Dollars.

00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:19.920
Dollars, thank you.

00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:21.199
I'm looking at uh other things.

00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:22.959
I know, I know, I was doing that earlier.

00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:25.680
Uh next week I'll review the Kia Carnival.

00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:27.839
Don't laugh, don't make fun.

00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:28.959
It's a nice vehicle.

00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:30.240
Isn't it Carnival?

00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:32.319
Okay, you can you can pronounce it that way.

00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:33.199
Oh, I would like to.

00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:33.759
Yeah, yeah.

00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:36.079
And put on your beret and whatever else.

00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:38.160
I feel like I'm bilingual when I talk like that.

00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:38.399
Yeah.

00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:38.800
Yeah.

00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:40.879
The story is I found a button on my steering wheel.

00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:42.639
I didn't even know, I've never knew I had it.

00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:46.480
And just the other day, uh, I was telling Kathy last night, look at this.

00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.959
And it changes the channel up and down rather than going through it.

00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:50.079
Look at this.

00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:51.120
It's on the steering wheel.

00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:51.600
How about that?

00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:52.160
There is that.

00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:52.560
Along with that.

00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:54.720
Hey, if you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an email.

00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:56.959
The address here is info at inrealtime.com.

00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:58.879
We're back after this quick break.

00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:01.920
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00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:10.079
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00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:13.600
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00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:25.439
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00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:27.839
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00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:28.879
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00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:34.879
That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show.

00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:44.799
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00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:53.519
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Should Your Workplace Police What You Drive

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