America on the Road

To say that the transition to electric vehicles isn’t going as predicted is putting it mildly. This week, two global manufacturers revealed that they are pausing their previously planned introductions of battery-electric sedans in the United States. That’s the reason you won’t see the Volkswagen ID.7, a staple in the European market, here in the U.S. this year. Volkswagen had previously announced that the sleek sedan would be arriving in American showrooms by the end of 2024, but then it did an about-face and took the unusual step of putting out a media advisory that it was pausing the intro of the sleek sedan here. When -- or if -- we will ever see it remains unclear. Another global automaker has also paused its introduction of battery-electric sedans in the United States in the wake of underwhelming sales of EVs so far this year. The car manufacturer also said it was pausing the development of future EV sedans. We’ll tell you who that automaker is and have our comments in this episode of AOTR. Our road tests this week present happier news. Co-Host Chris Teague found himself at the wheel of an auto journalist’s dream — a Eurostyle station wagon. He put the 2024 Volvo V60 Cross Country through its paces in a lengthy road test, and he’ll share the results with us. On the other coast, Host Jack Nerad got the opportunity to live with the 2024 Genesis GV60 battery-electric SUV. Not only did he drive the GV60 Performance AWD version, but he also sampled the battery-electric lifestyle in one of the nation’s hotbeds of EV ownership. His conclusions are served up in this episode. The Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest car-buying weekends of the year, so instead of a guest this week, Jack and Chris will share their recent vehicle purchase experiences and offer dos and don’ts for your potential car-buying effort. The radically increased tariffs on Chinese-built electric vehicles will kick in on August 1, and the suddenness of their imposition continues to stir up a flurry of reactions. We’ll have more details and our comments coming up. In non-EV news we have two car introductions to talk about, one from Honda and another from a car company we bet you’ve never heard of. But we can't wait to see the car's official unveiling at Pebble Beach in August. We’ll have details on both. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

The Genesis GV80 luxury crossover is the vehicle that really put the Genesis brand on the map in the United States. Prior to its introduction, the Korean-based luxury brand only had sedans in its lineup, and in the American market, that wasn’t a competitive offering, like trying to sell hot cocoa in a sauna. Now, the heavily revised 2025 Genesis GV80 further refines an offering that was already making waves. To tell us all about it, we have as our special guest this week Trevor Lai, who is Genesis product planning senior group manager. In our exclusive interview, he will share with us the importance of the GV80 to the Genesis brand, and he will detail the significant changes Genesis has made to the SUV. One of its wow factors is the 7-inch digital infotainment and driver information screen. Genesis has also improved what was already one of the most sumptuous interiors in the segment. Lai will tell us much more as we go over the key changes for 2025. In the road test segment, Co-Host Chris Teague and Host Jack Nerad evaluate a pair of vehicles that reside in the same segment but couldn’t be more different in outlook. The 2024 Subaru Outback Wilderness brings an unmistakable off-road ethos to the subcompact crossover market, while the 2024 Mazda CX-30 concentrates its focus on the tarmac. Both vehicles are versatile and fun to drive, but they offer their highest levels of fun in different environments. There’s fascinating news to report and comment on this week. The Biden Administration has unexpectedly increased the tariff on Chinese-built electric vehicles from 27 percent to more than 100 percent, and it is causing a hornet’s nest of reactions. We’ll have more details and our comments. We also have the story behind the recent intrigue surrounding Tesla’s Supercharger EV charging network. It seems that Elon Musk might well be one hard boss to work for. You have certainly heard of the various cars of the year, including the North American Car of the Year, on whose jury sits Host Jack Nerad. Now, to supplement the various Car of the Year programs, there is also a Road of the Year effort that has resulted in the naming of the 2024 Road of the Year. We’ll tell you the winner and give our reactions coming up. So there’s plenty to chew on this week. Please join us. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

In Europe, the Fiat 500e is leading the electric city-car market for the second year in a row, ranking at the top of that category in Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Austria. But can it achieve similar success in North America? One person who thinks so is Fiat North American Head Aamir Ahmed, and in his exclusive interview with AOTR Host Jack Nerad he’ll tell us why. One of the reasons he cites is price. With a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $32,500 (excluding the $1,595 destination fee), the 2024 Fiat 500e appears to be within the reach of young urban dwellers, one market that most EV makers have found difficult to exploit. Fiat’s opening salvo in its renewed attack on the U.S. market is the redhot (RED) Edition. The Italian brand partnered with (RED) to introduce what it calls "the coolest, most ethical car in urban mobility." As you might guess, not only is red the color that my baby wore, but also the featured hue of the (RED) Edition with its red-painted exterior mirrors, front grille details, and dashboard. In the interview, Ahmed will hint at other 500e special editions to come and offer more details on the launch strategy he has prepared for this latest EV. In our road test segment this week, Co-Host Chris Teague got a very early drive in the all-new 2025 Subaru Forester. The brand’s popular entry in the popular compact crossover utility segment, the Forester has more exterior appeal than ever while retaining the bedrock Subaru values of all-wheel-drive and all-weather capability. While many brands have largely turned their backs on low- and middle-income buyers who are seeking affordability, Hyundai has not, as evidenced by the 2024 Hyundai Venue subcompact crossover tested by Host Jack Nerad. The top-of-the-line Limited test model had a base price of less than $25,000. And, surprisingly, it is filled with more standard electronic safety equipment than some luxury brand vehicles. In the news this week, Tesla is in hot water again with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over its Autopilot system, and we’ll have the details. It looks as if the all-electric Volvo EX30 is about to arrive in showrooms in the U.S., and we’ll have more info about the car and its labyrinthine journey to the U.S. Honda has just announced a plan to invest $11 billion in an EV factory in Canada with the financial help of the Canadian government and the Canadian people. We’ll have more on that, including our comments. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has offered some recommendations that could make the delivery vans we see everywhere now much safer for everyone. We’ll tell you all about that in this episode. So there’s plenty of food for thought this week. Thanks for joining us. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

Just as Clark Kent can turn into Superman by ditching his glasses and changing his outfit, so it is wth the 2024 Volvo S60 Recharge. At first glance, like the mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, the S60 Recharge looks unassuming. It’s an attractive small sedan, but its exterior doesn’t hint at the fire that burns inside. Its surprisingly potent plug-in hybrid powertrain, offering 455 horsepower no less, turns it into one of the fastest and most powerful Volvos ever. That's what host Jack Nerad discovered when he road-tested the car this week. With its ample all-electric range, nifty road manners, and attractive cabin, the S60 Recharge is worth a second look. In our other road test this week, Co-Host Chris Teague evaluates the 2024 Nissan Ariya battery-electric SUV. There was a time when it looked as if the Ariya would lead the electrric SUV parade, but delays in its introduction sidetracked that plan. Is it more than just another battery-powered small SUV? What sets it apart from the other contenders in that increasingly crowded space? We’ll tell you in this episode. This week, our special guest is Tyson Jominy, vice president of Data and analytics at J.D. Power. Jominy keeps a very close eye on vehicle pricing and affordability, and he’ll have some exclusive information for us. If you’re thinking of buying a vehicle in the near future, you need to hear what he has to say. This week, the all-new, all-electric Acura ZDX and ZDX Type S have just rolled into dealerships across the country, and the Type S version just happens to be the most powerful Acura vehicle ever. (Take that NSX!) Also interesting is the fact that you can buy one without ever visiting an Acura dealership. We’ll tell you all about the SUV and how Acura plans to sell it. A new study from IDTechEx predicts that robotaxis will be big business in 10 years, but there are issues with the autonomous-driving technology. Will self-driving taxis change the way we live our lives? We’ll give you our thoughts. And Toyota has just created a new hydrogen headquarters, indicating its continuing commitment to that alternative fuel. What does that mean for the EV efforts going forward? Honda has just announced that it will plant 85,000 trees near its factory in Ohio. The idea isn’t new but maybe it’s time to take a second look at measures like this to combat carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rather than concentrating only on EVs. We’ll tell you more a little later in the show. So there’s plenty of food for thought this week. Thanks for joining us. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

Ram has just introduced its latest off-road performance truck, the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO, and we will give you all the details in our exclusive interview with Ram North America sales head Brant Combs. Few people know more about Ram’s 540-horsepower RHO off-roader than Combs, who took time out of a busy vehicle introduction week to sit down for an interview with Host Jack Nerad. Following in the tire tracks of the Ram 1500 TRX, the new RHO features the brand-new and highly potent 3.0-liter Hurricane H/O straight-six turbo engine that cranks out 540 horsepower and 541 pound-feet of torque. The powerplant is a key to the RHO eye-popping performance that includes 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds and 0-100 mph in 11.7 seconds. But, as Combs tells us, there’s much more to the truck than just its spaking-new powertrain. It also offers a unique, long-travel suspension system with adaptive damping inspired by desert off-road racers. Combs will tell us much more in this episode. This week’s road test vehicles are the 2024 BMW X2 xDrive 28i and the 2024 Mazda CX-5 Turbo. Both are small crossover utilities with more than a little performance spice. Co-Host Chris Teague chased pleasant New England spring weather in the X2, while Host Jack Nerad dodged unusual April raindrops in the CX-5. Details on both vehicles will fill our road test segment this week. Leading the news, the International Energy Agency predicts that electric vehicle sales will surge this year. But evidence on the ground suggests otherwise. Tesla, Rivian, and Fisker are among the electric vehicle manufacturers that are having issues this week, cutting prices, offering new promotions, and, in Fisker’s case, telling regulators that bankruptcy might be just around the corner. Of course, Elon Musk always has an answer that calms critics, and we’ll tell you what he said with our comments as the news segment rolls out. In other news, BMW and MINI have just introduced new and revised models. We’ll have the details on the all-new MINI Aceman, which is the brand’s big salvo in its quest to go all-electric, and info on BMW’s revised 4 Series. All that and more coming up this week. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

Many think that we in America should change the way we get around every day, increasing our use of public transportation, electric cars and commuting by bicycle much as they do in Europe. But is that a practical solution for the average American? To find out, Host Jack Nerad traveled to two major European capitals — London and Copenhagen — to find out how Europeans get to work, to the grocery store and to all the other places they need to go on a day-to-day basis. Over the course of a week in Europe, Nerad took about every kind of European transport imaginable, from planes to trains, subways, cabs, canal boats, and…well, even walking. After sampling them all he's come to some definite conclusions. In this episode of America on the Road, he will share what he discovered. In a discussion with Co-Host Chris Teague, he will offer his thoughts on how the typical American would react to the European style of transport. He’ll point out the positives and negatives of how they travel “over there.” In the road test portion of this week’s show, Teague will deliver his thoughts on his week-long evaluation of the 2024 GMC Canyon AT4 X AEV Edition. It’s not only a mouthful, but it is also the most off-road-capable GMC Canyon ever. Also in the road test segment, Nerad will outline his findings after a week of driving the luxurious $99,000 Genesis G90 AWD 3.5T E-Supercharger. Can it compete with the op large luxury sedans from the vaunted German makes? Is the E-Supercharger really a thing? Leading the news this week, there is a lot going on at Tesla as the company tries to get Elon’s Musk’s multi-billion-dollar back pay reinstated at the same time that the company is laying off 10 percent of its workforce. We have more on that soap opera in this week’s show. While Tesla is struggling, Ford and Honda have issues of their own. Ford is recalling nearly half a million vehicles over sudden loss of power, while Honda is dealing with an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over its automatic emergency braking system that sometimes hits the brakes when there is no emergency. We’ll have details on both stories. And Ford Motor Company Chairman Bill Ford just told an industry gathering that politicians are a big problem for the auto industry. Hmm, this just in? We’ll have more of his remarks and our comments as this week’s AOTR rolls into your ear canals. Thank you for joining us. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

The 2025 Ram 1500 light-duty pickup truck isn’t all new, but its changes are more significant than the typical mid-cycle refresh. The biggest change is the substitution of the new twin-turbo Hurricane inline-6 for the legendary HEMI V-8. But there is a lot more to it than that, as chief engineer Doug Killian tells us in an exclusive interview. At the truck’s introductory drive event Host Jack Nerad sat down for a lengthy and insightful discussion with Killian on the heavily revised truck. From the engine, to the suspension, to the special changes Ram made in the cabin, Killian and Nerad look at them all. In this week’s road test segment, AOTR Co-Host Chris Teague slipped behind the wheel of a new model many Americans probably haven’t heard of yet — the 2024 Buick Envista Avenir. Its the top-level trim of Buick’s latest effort to build and market an affordable entry-level SUV. Does it hit the right marks? Teague tells us in this episode. At the same time, Nerad will report on his recent road test of the 2024 Hyundai Tucson PHEV Limited, one of the most appealing mass-market compact utes he’s driven in a long time. With plenty of horsepower, tons of interior space, and a handy size, the Tucson plug-in hybrid is an especially appealing vehicle. But it does have at least one shortcoming, which Nerad will reveal in this episode. Leading the news this week, Toyota has just unveiled its all-new 2025 4Runner, and it has Co-Host Chris very excited. We’ll have plenty of details on the all-new generation coming up. If you are about to trade in your current car and you haven’t finished making the payments on it, you might be in for a nasty shock. We’ll tell you all about that and what you can do about it coming up. Acura has just announced a new entry-level SUV that will go on sale next year. While details are scarce, speculation is rampant. We’ll tell you what we know and what we suspect is coming up. So we have a lot of show for you this week. Thanks for joining us. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

You could say the Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear is the unexpected Lightning. Sporting 37-inch tires and outrageous bodywork, the Ford Performance on- and off-road demonstrator vehicle doesn’t simply get stares for how it looks but also for what it can do. That’s because the stuff it can do is pretty epic. In this week’s show we get behind the scenes of this amazing one-off truck in an interview with one of its key development engineers, Sri Pakkam. He’l give us the details on why Ford decided to build the truck, the challenges the development team has faced and what it hopes the truck can acomplish. Designed and built in collaboration with RTR Vehicles and inspired by the 2016 F-150 RTR Ultimate Fun-Haver project vehicle, the Switchgear’s arresting carbon bodywork covers off-road upgrades that take the F-150 Lightning where it’s never been. With a wider track, greatly improved ground clearance, and plenty of suspension travel, it’s a testbed for pushing the boundaries of what’s expected from electric trucks. The interview will tell you more. The road test segment will also include an electric vehicle this week. Co-Host Chris Teague was blessed with the opportunity to drive the 2024 Genesis GV60 crossover in a week of frigid temperatures, ice and snow in Maine. Across the country, Host Jack Nerad drove the 2024 Mazda CX-90 to the desert and back, battling 80-degree temperatures and sunny conditions all the way. In the news this week, we will examine the key vehicles unveiled at the New York Auto Show. Hyundai, Nissan, Kia, Porsche and Genesis showed off some notable vehicles. We offer details and give our thoughts on each one. Meanwhile, there is plenty of trouble in EV Land. Ford has just laid off or transferred two-thirds of the 2,100 workers at its Rouge plant who were building F-150 Lightning electric pickups. Things are even more dire at Fisker. The EV brand has cut prices drastically on its 2023 models as it tries to fend off imminent bankruptcy. Investors in the company have been told to prepare for the worst. We’ll have our comments on all this mayhem coming up. So we have a lot of show for you this week Please join us for this week’s episode. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

The Hyundai Santa Fe midsize crossover has been successful for multiple generations in the United States, but it is expected to leap to an even higher level with the imminent introduction of the all-new 2024 version. Host Jack Nerad drove the vehicle on and off the road at a recent introductory event outside Nashville, and he got the opportunity for a detailed sit-down interview with Hyundai product planner Mike Evanoff. In many ways, the new Santa Fe is a breakthrough that we expect will find a very receptive audience here in the United States. Hyundai's Evanoff describes the meticulous efforts the Hyundai designers made to prepare the new vehicle, and he'll detail his own camping trip in it as well. We’ll have the exclusive interview for you in this edition of America on the Road. In the road test segment, Co-Host Chris Teague will outline his recent week-long stint at the wheel of the 2024 Subaru Ascent. That crossover is the largest in the Subaru lineup, and Teague compares and contrasts it with his family’s Volvo XC90. The vehicles have some striking similarities. Also, in our road tests, Jack Nerad will describe his lengthy driving experience with the extremely pleasant 2024 Genesis G70. The midsize sedan isn’t the sportiest in the segment, but it might well be the best value, and Nerad will tell you why. Leading the news this week, Jeep has pulled the wraps off four fascinating concept vehicles in Moab, and we’ll tell you all about them. Volkswagen is on the verge of launching an all-new battery-electric vehicle brand in the United States, and if you think the timing might be a little suspect, well, perhaps we do, too. We’ll tell you more. One thing about which there is no question is auto dealers’ ire at the new Environmental Protection Agency regs that will require them to sell more EVs. One very prominent dealer says the regulations leave consumers out of the equation, and we’ll have details. Kia just introduced an all-new vehicle—the K4—at the New York Auto Show. We’ll tell you what it is, what it replaces, and give you our reaction soon. So we have a whale of a show this Easter weekend. Thanks for joining us. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

Some are wondering why it took so long to arrive, but we are simply glad the 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor is here. We’re especially glad after flogging it both on and off the road in the wild range on the outskirts of Salt Lake City. The all-new Ranger Raptor is the most powerful and high-performance, off-road capable Ranger ever. That almost goes without saying. Ford Performance designed and engineered it to take the midsize truck’s off-road capability to the next level. And interestingly, it has been tested globally before arriving on our shores. During his lengthy stints behind the wheel, Host Jack Nerad had the chance to test the truck’s mettle in Baja-like driving conditions and in challenging rock crawls. Its long travel suspension, including a Watts link rear suspension and class-exclusive 2.5-inch FOX Live Valve shocks, is a major differentiator between it and the other brand-new Rangers. So is the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that whirs out 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. We’ll tell you more in this episode. Also in the road tests, Co-Host Chris Teague slipped behind the steering wheel of the 2024 Toyota Crown, one of the most fascinating sedans to be launched in years. He’ll have a complete report. Leading the news this week, Cornell University scientists have announced the development of a new battery that can be charged in as little as five minutes. If it can be brought into mass production, it has the potential to revolutionize the auto industry. And we’ll tell you more in the news segment. This week, we’re saying goodbye to the fastest Jeep ever, while at the same time, Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled an all-new AMG GT super coupe. We’ll have details on both. Also in the news, you’ll tell you about an interesting way to travel to the upcoming complete solar eclipse, perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So stay with us for that. This week, our special guest is Donnelly Baxter, the global marketing manager for the all-new and soon-to-go-on-sale Cadillac Escalade IQ, the battery-electric Escalade so many people have been waiting for. You’ll enjoy our conversation with him. So we have a lot of show for you this week. Please join us. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

In this episode of America on the Road, we try to answer a question posed by our two road test cars, the 2024 Volvo S90 Recharge and the Hyundai Ioniq 6. The Volvo is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and the Hyundai is a battery-powered pure EV. Of course, they aren’t in the same segment, but looking at them can help answer the question that is on a lot of car buyers’ minds right now — should I purchase a plug-in hybrid or a battery-electric? We examine both that question and the pluses and minuses of each car individually in this week’s vehicle test segment of the show. Leading the news this week, Consumer Reports says that retailers across the country could be the salvation of the troubled electric-car infrastructure that is severely limiting EV growth. CR posits that the more than a quarter million big box stores across the country should take it upon themselves to install public chargers to remedy one of biggest reasons average consumers are rejecting EVs. The only problem with that is it flies in the face of the findings of an AutoPacific study that describes what EV owners want in recharging stations. It turns out they don’t want the big box store experience. What they want is more in line with what they get at a … well, we’ll tell you the rest in the news segment. Meanwhile, one highly touted electric vehicle company is looking for salvation of its own. It’s grabbing desperately for a lifeline as it tries to stave off bankruptcy. We’ll tell you more about that and who the company’s possible savior is. Plus,we’ll give you some details on why Apple finally has pulled the plug on its once-promising Apple Car development program. Seems like a car isn’t a smartwatch after all. Our special guest this week is Tiago Castro, Midwest Regional Vice President of Nissan North America. He’s an industry veteran who’ll discuss the latest trends, including, of course, what’s new at Nissan. We’re sure you’ll enjoy our conversation with him. We have a lot of show for you this week. All that and more are headed your way on America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

At America on the Road, we often complain about the fact that carmakers are offering fewer and fewer vehicles that are affordable for average Americans. But the new 2024 Buick Envista is an exception that both proves and might change that rule. Co-host Chris Teague road-tested the small SUV in the rigors of a Maine winter and found it to be an appealing vehicle with appealing prices. Yes, you can buy one today for less than $30,000, and that is something. That is difficult to find these days. At the same time, Host Jack Nerad found and road-tested another high-value vehicle that is designed to appeal to the mass market. It shouldn’t come as a shock that the 2024 Honda Accord is an excellent all-around buy. It combines a roomy interior with winning on-road performance. Even in the Accord Touring form, which Nerad tested, it delivers tons of goodness for the dollars spent on it. Interestingly, the Touring has some significant differences from other Accords in the lineup. But it does share its fuel-sipping hybrid powertrain with many of its kin. We’ll tell you more about in this episode’s road test segment. Leading the news this week, a Tesla factory has been the victim of sabotage. We’ll give you the details and Elon Musk’s interesting reaction coming up. The most recent sales numbers are in from across the industry, and one vehicle type has grabbed all the headlines. It’s probably not what you might think. We’ll tell you what’s hot and what’s not coming up. Also in the news, Honda has just unveiled a fascinating new version of its CR-V small SUV. It combines a hydrogen fuel cell with battery-electric power. We have the details. This week, our special guest is Rebecca Lindland, director of insights at Cars Commerce. Rebecca is a longtime industry observer and analyst who knows the car industry inside out. We’ll be talking with her about hot topics like affordability and electric cars. We're certain you’ll enjoy our conversation with her. We have a lot of show for you this week. All that and more are headed your way on America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

Sure, the Ford Maverick isn’t the most manly truck on the block. In fact, some people have the effrontery to call it a “toy truck.” But Co-Host Chris Teague came to a completely different conclusion when he road-tested the 2024 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid in the grueling throes of a Maine winter. We’ll have his report on proving his manhood in this episode. At the same time, Host Jack Nerad and his family were about 60 degrees warmer as they tested the 2024 Lexus TX 500h F Sport AWD in yet another drive to the desert of the Coachella Valley. The Lexus TX is the answer to many a luxury SUV buyer’s ardent wishes. It’s a true three-row vehicle with seating for six or seven. And the passengers in the third row are not relegated to the automotive equivalent of the Gulag. Nerad will have a complete evaluation of the vehicle, including its hybrid drivetrain, in this show. The news this week is led by the just-announced Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Picks for 2024. We’ll tell you all you need to know about those choices, including our comments. Toyota has announced a fascinating alternative to electric vehicles that could be revolutionary…or could be a flash in the pan. They are touting a new technology that isn’t just carbon neutral; it actually sucks carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. You probably never guessed your car would be competing with your house plants for air, but that’s the future for you. We’ll tell you more coming up. Also newsworthy is the fact Elon Musk is now looking to disrupt the supercar market with an all-new Tesla Roadster. Of course, the Roadster was the first Tesla model so very long ago, and now he’s thumping the tub on a new hot rod. We’ll deliver our thoughts on the matter. This week our special guest is Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. If you want to know which cars are reliable and which aren’t, Frank Hanley is the guy to talk to. J.D. Power has just released its 2024 Vehicle Dependability Study, and he’ll tell us all about it. The findings are coming up. All that and more are headed your way on America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

Driving the heavily revised 2025 Ram 1500 brought on a strange sensation. Instead of giving a sense of raw muscle, it offered the sophistication of an uptown limousine. In fact, we’d bet that most limousines don’t ride as well or offer as much stretch-out room as the Ram 1500 Crew Cabs. For 2025, Ram is offering a new line-topping Tungsten model, and it has goosed up the already strong credentials of the former Ram top dog, the Limited. Host Jack Nerad just returned from a trip to Austin, Texas, after driving both. He got the rare opportunity to sample the new, much-talked-about 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline six-cylinder Hurricane High Output engine that replaces the fabled Hemi V8 under Ram’s powerful hood. And he got the chance to partake of the Ram 1500’s velvety ride quality, the product of its adaptive air suspension. On top of that was the Ram 1500’s technology with the headline-creating Uconnect5 system and a 14.5-inch multi-function touchscreen. Nerad will tell us more in this episode. Also, in this episode, Co-Host Chris Teague will detail his findings after a weeklong midwinter test of the 2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport. The Ridgeline has always been an idiosyncratic truck. Now it is available in a new form that stresses off-road capabilities. Can it live up to its looks? Teague will have the answers. It’s been an exciting week in the car industry. It looks as if the Environmental Protection Agency is finally willing to listen to reason and relax its stringent fuel economy and electric vehicle mandates. Those regulations faced heavy opposition from just about everyone who knew anything about the car industry. We’ll have the details for you. Meanwhile, there is more trouble on the self-driving vehicle front. Autonomous vehicle testing in San Francisco has faced a great deal of public resistance, and the recent firebombing of a self-driving car is just the latest example. In a related development, General Motors’ embattled Cruise self-driving unit has lost another key executive in a blood-letting after one of its self-driving test cars dragged a pedestrian down the street last year. We’ll have more on both stories. In happier news, Mazda has announced that it will continue to develop one of its longtime signature engines. We’ll have the details on that later in this segment. This week, our special guest is Andrew Staley, brand manager of the Ford Explorer. Ford has a heavily revised version of the Explorer on the way for 2025, and Host Jack Nerad had a chance to get all the important details from him in their discussion at the Chicago Auto Show. So join us for that. We think you’ll be interested in what he has to say. All that and more are coming up on America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

The 2024 Volvo V90 Cross Country isn’t a startling new development. It doesn’t feature a groundbreaking engine or stunning piece of safety equipment. But in a month when snow, ice, and other inclement weather can occur almost anywhere, it is a very nice old friend to have around. In this episode of America on the Road, Host, Jack Nerad roadtests the V90 Cross Country in most of the weather conditions that February in Southern California can throw at a vehicle — including a blinding snowstorm. How did the hearty Swedish station wagon fare? He will have his report coming up. Our guest co-host this week is veteran author and auto journalist Matt DeLorenzo, who is subbing for Chris Teague. Matt is the author of How To Buy An Affordable Electric Car: A Tightwad's Guide to EV Ownership and a car expert par excellence. An always affable co-host, he will reveal his take on the 2024 Mazda CX-90 three-row sport utility vehicle. Its predecessor, the CX-9, had great road presence and a premium look, but the knock on it was it was too small. Does the CX-90 suffer the same twist of fate? DeLorenzo will have the answer. If you get in an accident these days, you might want to smile because you could be on candid camera. In this area of cheap electronics and frequent litigation, dash cams are all the (road) rage, and we’ll tell you all about it. Meanwhile, we are ready for our closeup, Mr. DeMille. In other news, the results of the Super Bowl car commercials are in, and we’ll tell you which were the winners and which were the losers. While we won’t talk to Taylor Swift, we will have an interview with a car company executive very close to the Big Game action. Our special guest is Russell Wager, vice president, marketing, Kia America. He was just honored as MediaPost's 2023 Automotive Marketer of the Year. And we had a chance to sit down with him at the Chicago Auto Show to discuss where Kia has been and where it’s going. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation. All that and more are coming up on America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

For the 2024 model year, Mercedes-AMG is upgrading the performance-oriented GLS 63 three-row SUV by adding to its generous list of standard equipment. If you think a performance-oriented three-row SUV is sort of a silly idea, well, you probably haven’t driven a GLS 63. But co-host Chris Teague has, and he reports on all the details of his weeklong stint in the flagship of the AMG SUV family. The 2024 GLS 63 gets new appearance items inside and out — a new rear light signature and a Nappa leather-cover instrument panel among the new features. It also has been endowed with a newly standard panoramic sliding sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, adaptive high-beam headlights, selectable AMG Performance exhaust system, Burmester surround sound system, 360-degree surround view system and blind spot assist. Of course, the heart of the GLS 63 is under the hood, where lies the handcrafted AMG 4.0-liter V8 Biturbo engine that produces 603 horsepower. For use in the big SUV, it has been systematically electrified with a 48-volt auxiliary on-board electrical system and integrated starter generator. The result of this mild-hybrid system is even smoother and more powerful drivability. Chris Teague will tell you the rest in this episode. While Teague was testing the $150,000+ AMG GLS 63, Host Jack Nerad was behind the wheel of the 2024 Mazda Mazda 3 Turbo. While it seems the co-host got the best of it, Nerad found there was nothing shabby about the performance or equipment of the $36,000 Mazda3. In an ocean of compact cars, the hatchback stands out for its premium looks, exquisite interior, and fun-to-drive persona. No, its 256 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine and standard all-wheel-drive give it a verve that few compacts can match. And we’ll have other thoughts coming up in this episode. In this week’s news segment, Stellantis, the owners of the Jeep, RAM Truck, Dodge, and Chrysler brands, is trying to stave off rumors that it will merge with France-based Renault. We’ll tell you more about that and its implications coming up. Ford is facing disruptions to the product of its F-150 and F-150 Lightning pickup trucks, which could cost you if you’re seeking a new Ford truck. And while Toyota has not been bullish about electric vehicles, it has just announced a giant new EV production facility to be based in Kentucky. We’ll have more on both stories. We are also sad to report the imminent demise of yet another legendary vehicle. We’ll tell you what it is and when it goes away in this week’s show. This week, our special guest is Katelyn Salzman, Lexus expert on the all-new Lexus GX SUV. Host Jack Nerad recently had a chance to drive the GX and then sat down with her to discuss the details of what is a more exciting vehicle than ever before. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation. All that and more are coming up on America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

Acura says the TLX Type S is the quickest, best-handling all-wheel-drive sedan in its history. But can it provide its unique brand of performance in the midst of a brutal Maine winter? That’s what Co-Host Chris Teague set out to find this past week as he road-tested the car. Certainly the 2024 version of the Type S has the specs to get the job done. It features improved throttle response in the Sport+ drive mode from its turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. Incorporating tech derived from the twin-turbo NSX, the engine generates 355 horsepower and 354 lb.-ft. of torque. For the 2024 model year, the TLX Type S gets additional features, including a 10.5-inch head-up display and surround-view camera system. Teague will offer his opinions in this episode. In the other half of the road test segment, Host Jack Nerad will evaluate and report on a car that is in some ways very similar to the Acura TLX and, in other ways, its polar opposite. The 2024 Lexus ES 300h is about the same size and competes in the same segment as the Acura. But in its Ultra Luxury form, it makes no attempt to accentuate sportiness and instead doubles down on luxury. The 300h combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor in a full-hybrid system. Its total horsepower output is 215, which pales in comparison to the horsepower of the TLX Type S. But that isn’t the point. With its electric torque, the ES 300h is much peppier than its rating would suggest. And it has plenty of acceleration for the type of cruising it is expected to do. Its goal is total comfort plus uncommon fuel economy, and Nerad will tell you if it succeeds. In the news, the slowdown in the growth of electric vehicles is causing many auto executives around the world to do more than just wring their hands and shrug it off. It’s having serious economic effects across the globe, and we’ll tell you what it could mean to your household coming up. More positive news: Honda is making wireless AppleCarPlay and wireless Android Auto available to more than half a million owners of older Honda models, and we’ll have the details. If you have the right car, wireless functionality could be yours for just $150 or so. You might not yet have noticed, but the auto industry is trying to kill AM radio. Several brands have already dropped AM tuners from their audio systems, and others are threatening to do so. But now an unusual coalition of lawmakers, talk-show hosts, and Luddites is fighting to save it. And if banning AM radio isn’t enough, a proposed new California law would put speed governors on every new vehicle sold in the somewhat tarnished Golden State. We’ll have more on that revolting development and our comments coming up. This week our special guest is Mike Spagnola, President and CEO of the Specialty Equipment Market Association. His organization does an immense amount of work for companies in the automotive industry, including sponsoring one of the biggest trade shows in the country. So we think you’ll enjoy our conversation with him. All that and more are coming up on America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

America on the Road’s Co-Host Chris Teague finally went and did it — he bought himself a brand-new 2024 Toyota GR Corolla. Not only that, but he took delivery of his hot, new ride right in the midst of a miserable Maine winter. Now the question is, does the 300-horsepower, all-wheel-drive car live up to his high expectations for it? And how is it standing up to the difficult weather conditions January in Maine is throwing at it? We’ll have the answers to those questions and more in this episode. While Teague was putting his new ride through its paces, Host Jack Nerad had the opportunity to wring out the 2024 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition. The Meridian Edition is the most off-road-oriented of the CX-5- crossover models. It offers a blown engine that belts out in excess of 250 horsepower, and it’s equipped with a very trick all-wheel-drive system. Mazda is well-known for its excellent on-road suspensions and top-notch handling. But what kind of capabilities does the CX-50 have off the pavement? We’ll offer our opinions. Beyond the road tests, there is plenty of fascinating automotive news this week. According to an exclusive report from Reuters, Tesla is planning an all-new $25,000 car to be introduced in the middle of next year. The Texas-based carmaker is lining up suppliers for what promises to be its lowest-priced offering ever. We’ll have details on that startling development and our thoughts as well. In other news this week, that electric vehicle thing isn’t going as well at Ford Motor Company. Its conventionally powered SUVs and trucks are selling so well that the carmaker is bringing in a third crew to meet the demand for the Bronco and Ranger. But at the same time, it is cutting production of its F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck in light of slower-than-expected sales. And finally, an auto executive has the guts to say what so many are thinking these days. Despite all the hype and buzz around the inevitability of electrification, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda predicts EVs will only reach 30% market share and level off there. We’ll have more of his comments and our reaction coming up. We also have additional thoughts from Toyota for you this week. Our special guest is Cody Wilhide, Toyota truck marketing manager and an expert on the all-new Toyota Tacoma midsize pickup. We’ll chat with him about the details of that very popular truck a little later in the show. All that and more are coming up on America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

It's not every car company that also builds light tanks and a variety of aircraft, but Praga, the Prague-based company founded in 1907, is one such automaker. Having survived the perils of two world wars, Communist occupation, and the topsy-turvy market of the late 20th Century, Praga is poised to enter a new era with the initial production of the company’s Praga Bohema road-legal hypercar in a dedicated facility in the Czech Republic. The stunning Bohema will be hand-built in very low numbers over the next four years. One of its calling cards is its incredible lightness of being. At less than 2,200 pounds, it offers one horsepower for every 3.14 pounds. Its 700 horsepower is impressive enough, even in this age of 1,000-horsepower electric cars, but that weight-to-power should result in a startlingly fast road car with remarkable handling. Praga says it “could well be the last all-new petrol-powered hypercar.” The $1.5 million all-carbon aero-driven two-seater built by Czech craftsmen is bound to pique hypercar collectors’ interest. In other news this week, Volkswagen is celebrating 75 years in the American market, and we’ll give you some of the highlights along the way and talk about the prospects for Volkswagen in the United States going forward. The Beetle first landed here for sale in 1949, and that began an incredible saga that continued in roller-coaster fashion to the present day. In other news, the Dubai Police have taken delivery of a very unlikely new police cruiser and added it to their fleet this week. We’ll tell you what it is and how it all happened coming up. In the road test segment, guest Co-Host Matt DeLorenzo will tell us all about the exciting Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. If a hybrid Corvette sounds just too weird to you, be assured that it isn’t. This super-powerful supercar competitor is a steal at its $100K+ price, and we’ll tell you why. Also in the road test segment, Host Jack Nerad evaluated the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz small pickup on one of his frequent trips to the Palm Springs area. While a small pickup might not seem like the best choice for travel with his youngest daughter and wonderful wife, the Santa Cruz turned out to be more like a sports sedan with a huge trunk than a truck. Its 281-horsepower turbomotor got the party started, but it wasn’t the whole story. We’ll have the details. Finally, you probably heard that the Toyota Prius was named North American Car of the Year, but you probably don’t know the inside story of how and why it won. DeLorenzo and Nerad, both members of the jury, will tell you in this episode. All that and more are coming up on America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

This week, our special guest on America on the Road is Marques McCammon, President of Karma Automotive. Karma is a California-based builder of high-performance electric vehicles whose very interesting plans include the imminent launch of the 1,100-horsepower Kaveya super coupe. Host Jack Nerad conducted an exclusive interview with the company’s energetic chief exec, and they discussed the details of the Kaveya plus McCammon’s plans to differentiate the American supercar brand from others in the space. The Karma Kaveya certainly appears to be worthy of further scrutiny. Its luscious super-coupe body equipped with butterfly doors is stuffed with four electric motors enabling four-wheel-drive. A 536-horsepower, rear-drive version of the car will be available by the end of 2025. The full-on 1,200-horsepower AWD version will arrive by the conclusion of 2026. As we first reported last week, Hyundai has announced a bold plan to remake virtually everything and change life as we know it during its press turn at CES. While that might seem like an exaggeration, it’s really not. And we’ll give you the startling details later in this segment. In somewhat less Earth-shattering news, Dodge has announced a new limited edition of its Durango SUV as it begins the phase-out of the HEMI V8. (Say it ain’t so, Joe.) Honda wowed CES with some all-new electric vehicle concepts, as we’ll have details on those. And not to be outdone, Hyundai also introduced a flying car at CES. We’ll bring you the details and our reactions. In our road tests this week, Nerad had the opportunity to put the Ford Bronco Raptor to the test in blizzard conditions in the Midwest. Venturing far from his more weather-friendly home base, AOTR’s host reacquainted himself with winter driving techniques at the wheel of the 418-horsepower twin-turbo V-6-equipped Bronco Raptor. At the same time, Co-host Chris Teague put the 2024 Mazda Mazda3 Turbo to the test, battling his own challenging weather conditions in New England. He discovered the 250-horsepower version of Mazda’s compact car is a surprisingly good match for well-regarded hot hatches like the Volkswagen GTI. All that and more are coming up in this episode of America on the Road. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com