Your monthly car payment could be the least surprising part of owning a new car. Insurance, maintenance, financing, fuel and unexpected repairs can add thousands to what you actually spend. So how do you know what you can really afford?

Automotive journalist Nik Miles breaks down the hidden costs of car ownership and the financial mistakes buyers should avoid before signing a contract.

Nik also talks with **Renee Horne, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer for Chase Auto**, about why financial education matters, how buyers can prepare for the dealership and why understanding the total cost of ownership is essential.

**In this video, you'll discover:**
- Why a low monthly payment can cost you more in the long run
- The hidden ownership expenses buyers frequently overlook
- How longer auto loans increase interest costs
- Whether buying or leasing makes better financial sense
- How to compare financing offers from different lenders
- What to calculate before purchasing your next vehicle

Whether you're considering a new SUV, truck, electric vehicle or used car, these tips could help you avoid an expensive mistake.

**Read more automotive news, reviews and buying advice:** https://testmiles.com

**Subscribe to Test Miles** for automotive news, real-world vehicle reviews and expert car-buying advice.

#CarBuyingTips #CarOwnership #AutoLoans #PersonalFinance #TestMiles

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Can the all-new 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid survive the ultimate family SUV challenge? 🐕 Meet Ben, our chocolate Labrador and chief canine vehicle tester, as he puts Kia's three-row SUV through the **Sniff Test**!

In this episode of Test Miles, automotive journalist Nik Miles and Ben discover whether the 2027 Kia Telluride HEV X-Line really deserves a place in your driveway.

We're testing the things that matter to families and dog owners:

🐾 Can a large Labrador climb in and out comfortably?

🚙 Is there enough cargo space for a dog, groceries and luggage?

🐕 Does the third-row seating leave enough room for your four-legged passenger?

❄️ How well do the rear climate controls and cabin comfort work?

🔒 Can Kia's Rear Occupant Alert detect a dog in the back?

⛽ Is 31 mpg combined impressive enough for a three-row AWD hybrid SUV?

📱 What clever technology makes family road trips easier?

We'll also take the Telluride Hybrid for a drive, test its ride comfort and quietness, and explain how it compares with the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, Hyundai Palisade Hybrid and Honda Pilot.

**The big question: Will Ben give the new Telluride four paws up, or will this SUV fail the Sniff Test?**

Watch to find out.

Subscribe to Test Miles for independent automotive journalism, new vehicle reviews and more episodes of the Sniff Test, where our canine testers help families find vehicles that work for everyone.

🌐 https://testmiles.com

*Always secure your dog appropriately while driving. Never leave pets unattended inside vehicles.*

#KiaTelluride #SniffTest #DogFriendlyCars

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The 2027 Rivian R2 could be the electric SUV that finally gives the Tesla Model Y some serious competition. But is it actually worth buying? Nik Miles gets behind the wheel to find out.

With up to 656 horsepower, 330 miles of EPA-estimated range in Performance trim, and a starting price below $50,000 for a later Standard version, the Rivian R2 has the ingredients to become one of America's most talked-about electric SUVs.

But the real story isn't just speed. It's whether Rivian has finally built an EV that makes sense for everyday American families.

In this Test Miles review, we're looking at:

🚙 **2027 Rivian R2 driving impressions:** Steering, acceleration, ride comfort, visibility, and road noise.

⚡ **Rivian R2 vs. Tesla Model Y:** Could Rivian's smaller, adventure-ready SUV challenge Tesla's dominance?

💰 **Rivian R2 prices and trims:** What you get with Standard, Premium, and the 656-horsepower Performance model.

🔋 **Range and charging:** Up to 345 miles of Rivian-estimated range on a future Standard configuration, Tesla Supercharger compatibility, and fast-charging capability.

🐕 **Family and dog-friendly practicality:** Flat-folding rear seats, clever storage, a front trunk, and space for everything from luggage to muddy paws.

🏕️ **The clever features:** Drop-down rear glass, dual gloveboxes, Rivian Torch flashlight, and an interior designed for real life.

The Rivian R2 isn't just another electric SUV. It's potentially the most important vehicle Rivian has ever built.

If Rivian can deliver on its pricing, production, and promise of everyday usability, Tesla may finally have a serious new challenger.

**Would you choose the Rivian R2 or Tesla Model Y? Tell us in the comments.**

For more independent vehicle reviews, automotive technology, buying advice, and industry news:

🌐 https://www.testmiles.com

🔔 Subscribe to Test Miles for more real-world automotive reviews and the stories behind the cars we drive.

Presented by Nik Miles | Test Miles

#RivianR2 #Rivian #TeslaModelY

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The Jaguar Type 01 is finally here—and almost nothing about it is conventional.
Nik Miles goes inside Jaguar's Gaydon headquarters in England for a close look at the new Type 01, the electric four-door GT that begins an entirely new era for Jaguar.
This is the production car inspired by the controversial Type 00 concept, and Jaguar hasn't exactly toned things down.
We're talking about approximately 1,000 horsepower from three electric motors, an 850-volt electrical architecture, ultra-fast charging, 23-inch wheels and rear-wheel steering.
And then there is the design.
The Type 01 has no conventional rear window. Instead, a rear-mounted camera feeds a dedicated display positioned at the base of the windshield. Jaguar says engineers spent hundreds of hours determining exactly where that screen should sit.
Inside, a massive 24-inch OLED display spans the dashboard, while a central spine divides the cabin into individual spaces for all four passengers. AI-powered voice control can even determine which passenger is speaking and adjust that person's climate settings.
The audio system is just as unusual. A Meridian soundbar stretches across the base of the windshield, supported by speakers throughout the car and even inside the seats.
Jaguar says the Type 01 isn't designed simply to win a horsepower contest. It's intended to be a fast, quiet and exceptionally comfortable electric grand tourer capable of covering enormous distances.
Nik walks around the exterior, gets inside the cabin and shows you the technology that Jaguar hopes will redefine the brand.
Has Jaguar gone too far—or has it created exactly the car it needed?
Subscribe to Test Miles for first looks, new-car reviews, automotive technology and access to the cars shaping the future.
#JaguarType01 #Jaguar #ElectricCar

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The redesigned 2027 Volkswagen Atlas has three genuine rows, room for seven, a far more premium interior—and a safety system that can bring the SUV to a stop if the driver becomes unresponsive.

Nik Miles drives the new Atlas to find out whether Volkswagen has built a better family SUV or simply added more technology.

Inside, there’s real wood, available Nappa leather, a huge 15-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone integration, dual wireless phone charging and considerably more useful center-console storage thanks to a new column-mounted shifter.

Families still get seating for up to seven, an adult-friendly third row, standard rear sunshades and plenty of cargo room for luggage, dog crates and everything else that comes with family life.

But one of the most interesting features is Emergency Assist. If the Atlas detects that the driver is no longer responding while Travel Assist is operating, it can issue repeated warnings, slow the vehicle, activate the hazard lights and bring it toward a stop.

The new Atlas also gets Volkswagen's updated 282-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder, available all-wheel drive and up to 5,000 pounds of towing capacity.

So how does the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas stack up against the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, Honda Pilot, Toyota Grand Highlander, Chevrolet Traverse and Ford Explorer?

Nik finds out.

Subscribe to Test Miles for new-car reviews, automotive news, technology and straightforward advice for people actually buying cars.

#VolkswagenAtlas #VWAtlas #SUVReview

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A stained, wet, or smelly carpet can quietly hurt your car’s trade-in value — and fixing damaged automotive carpet can get expensive fast.
In this video, I show one of the simplest ways to protect your vehicle’s interior: properly fitted, laser-cut 3D floor mats with raised edges that contain water, mud, coffee, dog mess, and everything else family life throws at your car.
I’m using OEDRO mats in my Toyota Camry as an example, but this isn’t about one particular brand. The important things are fit, coverage, materials, raised edges, and making sure the driver’s mat is securely locked into the factory retention points.
If you have kids, dogs, bad weather — or you plan to trade your car someday — protecting the original carpet now could make a real difference later.
And one important safety reminder: never stack floor mats, and always make sure the driver’s mat cannot move toward the accelerator or brake pedal.
I’m Nik Miles, and I love my job.
#CarTips #TradeInValue #CarValue #FloorMats #ToyotaCamry #CarCare #UsedCars #TestMiles

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What connects your family car, a lawnmower, a boat and a jet? One engine manufacturer with a surprisingly broad reach: Honda.

Join Nik Miles at Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to explore an engine story that stretches from everyday machines to Acura’s hybrid racing prototype. Along the way, we head onto Lake Lanier, look at the GE Honda partnership behind the HondaJet’s engines, and experience the road-going Acura Integra Type S on a circuit.

These machines have very different jobs, but their engineers face familiar challenges: managing heat, reducing friction, improving efficiency and keeping power dependable. Endurance racing puts those challenges on unusually public display.

From the school run to the racetrack, and from cutting grass to flying above it, this is a story about the extraordinary variety of things one company helps power.

Subscribe to Test Miles for car reviews, automotive news and the stories behind the engineering.

Find more at https://testmiles.com

#PetitLeMans #Honda #Acura

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