2026 Ford Maverick Lobo: North American Truck of the Year Hits the Street
America on the Road
America on the RoadJan 17, 2026
2026 Ford Maverick Lobo: North American Truck of the Year Hits the Street
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Car
Volvo EX60
The Volvo EX60 is a new electric SUV that is expected to travel more than 500 miles on a single charge, which is important for people worried about running out of battery while driving.
Range anxiety is the worry that an electric car will run out of battery before you can find a place to recharge it, making some people hesitant to buy electric vehicles.
The Mazda CX-30 Turbo Air Edition is a version of the Mazda CX-30, which is a small SUV. This version has a turbocharged engine that makes it more powerful.
An electric vehicle incentive is money or tax breaks offered by the government to help people buy electric cars. It makes it cheaper for you to own an electric vehicle.
The EV market is all about electric cars and how many people are buying them. Sometimes it grows quickly, and other times it slows down, depending on what people want and what the government decides.
EV tax credits help people save money when they buy electric cars. The government gives money back to buyers to encourage them to choose electric vehicles instead of regular ones.
A plug-in hybrid is a type of car that can run on electricity and gasoline. You can charge it at home and drive it using only electric power for short distances.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a larger SUV that offers both off-road ability and a comfortable ride. It's a good choice for families and adventure seekers alike.
Range-extended vehicles are cars that can run on electricity but also have a small gas engine that helps keep the battery charged, so you can drive longer distances.
V8-powered pickup trucks have engines with eight cylinders, which give them a lot of power. They are great for towing heavy loads and doing tough jobs.
A DC fast charger is a special charging station that can charge electric cars much faster than regular chargers. It's great for quickly adding range when you're on the go.
The Dodge Charger is a big car that looks sporty and can go really fast. It's popular because it combines the space of a family car with the excitement of a race car.
EVs stands for electric vehicles, which are cars that run on electricity instead of gasoline. They are often seen as a cleaner option for the environment.
Car
EX-60
The EX-60 is an electric car made by Polestar, a brand known for its focus on eco-friendly vehicles. It's designed to be efficient and has features that appeal to environmentally conscious drivers.
A battery warranty is a promise from the manufacturer that the battery in an electric car will work well for a certain number of years, usually around 10 years. If it doesn't, they will fix or replace it.
Mega-casting is when car manufacturers make big parts of a car all at once instead of putting together many small pieces. It helps make building cars easier and faster.
This saying means that if a car wins races on the weekend, people will want to buy it the next day. It's a way for car companies to show that their cars are good by winning in competitions.
This is a type of racing series where specially designed pickup trucks compete against each other. It's part of NASCAR and includes many exciting races throughout the season.
A seven-speed automatic transmission is a type of gearbox that automatically changes gears for you and has seven different speeds. This helps the car perform better and use fuel more efficiently.
Paddle shifters are buttons or levers on the steering wheel that let you change gears manually in a car with an automatic transmission. This gives you more control over how the car drives.
The Ford Bronco Sport is a smaller SUV that can handle rough roads and outdoor adventures. It's designed to be fun to drive while still being practical for daily use.
The Ferrari 512 M is a super-fast race car from the 1970s that was built for racing competitions. It's famous for being one of the best cars of its time.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a new electric van that looks like the old VW buses but is made for today. It's designed to be roomy and good for the environment.
The Toyota RAV4 is a small SUV that is great for families because it has a lot of space and is known to last a long time. It's a good choice if you want a reliable car.
The Chevrolet Biscayne is an older car from the 1960s and 70s that was simple and not too expensive. People like it because it's a classic American car.
LIVE
This is America on the Road named Best Radio Show by the International Automotive Media
Conference and now in its 33rd year on the air.
Thanks for being with us as we bring you the latest automotive information from around
the world.
I'm Jack Nehrad, co-host Chris Teague is dealing with a sick dog today, so I'll be doing the
show solo this week.
I hope you can bear with me for that.
Thanks so much.
I've hosted this show for literally thousands of episodes but I've never done it alone
so it'll be a new experience.
Thanks for bearing with me as I say.
There's plenty of automotive news to talk about this week.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is rolling out new EV incentives just as electric car
demand dropped sharply and automakers themselves are backing away from aggressive electrification.
We'll have details on that and of course my comments on that.
Volvo claims the upcoming EX60 electric SUV could deliver more than 500 miles of range
and recharge fast enough to challenge one of EV driving's biggest anxieties, of course
range anxiety.
Will that make an impact on the market that's turning its back on EVs?
We'll talk about that.
Ram is returning to NASCAR not with a traditional racing effort but with a reality TV competition
that puts aspiring drivers on track for a real truck series seat.
Very cool.
We've talked about that a little bit before on the show but very cool.
And General Motors is opening a new global headquarters in downtown Detroit making a bold
statement about its economic footprint in the United States and long-term US commitment.
Finally Lucid, Uber and Neuro say that their new production intent RoboTaxi could bring
fully autonomous ride-hailing closer to everyday reality.
I see that everyday reality here in Los Angeles pretty much every day.
America On The Road is brought to you by drivingtoday.com, emlancy.com, the publisher of my latest
book, Only One Thing Stays The Same, and Mercury Insurance.
If you're looking to save some money, you should switch to Mercury for your auto and
home insurance.
Californians save an average of $670 with Mercury so imagine how much you could save.
You got a quote today at drivingtoday.com slash auto insurance.
That's drivingtoday.com slash auto hyphen insurance.
Well, it's sad to have Chris not with us but it does give me the opportunity to road test
two different vehicles.
My test vehicles this week are the 2026 Ford Maverick Lobo, very cool vehicle, and the
Mazda CX-30 Turbo Air Edition, something you might not have heard about.
Our special guest is Shiler Abshire talking about the 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan.
So stay with us.
We've got tons of show here.
I need some company so stay with us and we'll be right back right here on America On The Road.
Welcome back to America On The Road, Jack in the Red Back.
With you, Chris Teague, off this week with a sick dog.
That's a horrible thing but I think the dog is going to be okay.
I just got word from Chris that the dog will be okay so that's good but he is not with us.
It's news time here on America On The Road as I do this solo this week.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing a new $200 million state-backed electric vehicle
incentive just as the EV market is showing clear signs of retreat, a major retreat.
Automakers themselves are backing away from aggressive electrification plans.
Of course, Newsom is rumored to be running for president in 2028, so maybe this has
something to do with that.
The proposal was just announced this last week.
California state regulators have yet to determine how much each buyer would actually receive.
That will be interesting.
Interesting for California taxpayers too to pay for other people's cars.
The timing is striking since federal EV tax credits expired on September 30th of last year.
Electric vehicle sales demand has fallen sharply.
I think it's dropped to something like 5%, something around there recently.
EV sales plunged more than 41% year over year in November, this according to Cox Automotive.
There was a brief surge ahead of the credit expiration but that momentum faded quickly.
Newsom has pledged earlier in late 2024 to revive the clean vehicle rebate program
if federal credits disappeared.
Then he changed course before the deadline, citing budget pressures.
I think there are still budget pressures in California, but there you go.
Automakers are reacting to the same reality that the consumers are.
Stellantis has announced that it will discontinue its plug-in hybrid versions
of the Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, and Chrysler Pacifica.
We had predicted that here on America on the road, so that comes as no surprise.
They are pivoting toward conventional hybrids and range-extended vehicles,
and of course conventional vehicles most markedly, like V8-powered pickup trucks.
General Motors took a $6 billion EV right down recently.
It has scaled back its EV rollout plans pretty significantly.
So there's a big disconnect, I think, between government policy and consumer behavior.
Sacramento, California pushing for more incentives.
The industry and buyers appear to be signaling that the EV transition,
if there is such a transition at all, is moving much slower.
So we'll see where that goes.
Meantime, Volvo thinks it can beat range anxiety.
I'm not certain that range anxiety is the big problem with electric vehicles these days.
I think price is more the problem in infrastructure, but range anxiety is still out there.
Volvo says it's ready to take a major bite out of that with the EX60 midsize electric SUV.
It says it will deliver up to 503 miles of driving range on a single charge, so that's good.
And then it will recharge pretty rapidly as well.
I mean, of course, that 500 miles exceeds even the Tesla models,
the Model Y, long range by more than 100 miles.
I mean, I think all of us would be hard-pressed to drive more than 500 miles in a day.
I've had some days like that, but I think many of us don't do that.
So that certainly would take away range anxiety.
Let's talk about its fast charging ability too.
Using a 400 kilowatt DC fast charger, Volvo says the SUV can add as much as 211 miles of range
in just 10 minutes.
Of course, that's not a full recharge.
That's only a partial recharge, not even a half recharge.
But it says that's roughly the time of a conventional fuel stop.
Maybe it is.
I think I could probably fill up with gas in five minutes or so.
In any case, we're going to see these vehicles.
Now, I think they will be well accepted in Europe, where EVs are still kind of politically correct
and being supported by the governments there.
A lot less so here.
I'm kind of curious as to when we're going to see the EX-60 here in the United States,
but we will see.
The battery will have a 10-year warranty, of course, which they all do.
It will have some...
There's some interesting ways that they're building the vehicle.
Using mega-casting, replacing hundreds of smaller components with large castings.
So that simplifies production, but we'll have to see whether there's a market for that.
I mean, Volvo, the vehicle makers who have relied on electric vehicles,
I think, are having a difficult time right now.
Volkswagen, another one that has suffered recently pretty markedly.
We'll see how things change for them.
Ram, Ram Truck, is going into Reality TV as it re-enters NASCAR.
That's kind of a cool deal, I think.
This is a different kind of way to leverage racing.
And of course, racing has always been, you know, win on Sunday,
sell on Monday kind of idea there.
The truck brand has announced what it calls the race for the seat.
It's an eight-episode competition series.
I would say kind of like Survivor, one of those reality series.
The Amazing Race, something like that.
15 aspiring drivers are put through high-stakes auditions for the ride
in the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series.
So that can be fun to watch.
It is produced by Thrill Sports Productions, executive produced by Dana White.
And Colleague Racing has a five-truck lineup in the truck series.
The challenges will unfold at Virginia International Raceway,
South Boston Speedway, those kind of things.
There'll be on-track performance.
Ram says the show is designed to reconnect the band with its core audience of truck owners.
Makes a lot of sense.
And we will showcase the next generation of pickup trucks.
I think this is going to be pretty cool.
I look forward to watching this.
I think this makes a lot of sense.
You know, vehicles on TV are very, very cool.
I mean, trucks on TV are cool.
Doing this kind of thing is very interesting.
So it will premiere on Fox on January 25th.
So look for that episode.
We'll also air on FS1 and Stream.
Well, shifting gears totally.
General Motors has moved its headquarters in Detroit.
It's marked the opening of its new global headquarters in downtown Detroit
by underscoring how deeply it is woven into the U.S. economy.
It should not be a mystery to a lot of people that General Motors
has a big footprint here in the United States.
It is moving its new headquarters into Hudson's Detroit.
It calls it a symbolic homecoming to the company.
I think initially way back in 1911, before even I was doing this show,
General Motors was based on Woodward Avenue,
very near Hudson's Detroit in downtown Detroit.
It's interesting.
Let's talk about the economic impact of General Motors here.
U.S. workforce contributes nearly 50 billion with a B,
50 billion dollars to the gross domestic product.
That's pretty good.
A total economic output was $1.23 billion last year.
And one in every 10 American auto workers is a GM employee.
So that's interesting.
They've invested about $60 billion domestically.
So obviously it has a very, very big footprint here.
The new building is interesting.
I mean, previously General Motors was housed in the Renaissance Center.
Right on the shores of the St. Clair River there, overlooking Canada.
And it was interesting because Ford Motor Company was pretty instrumental in building that.
So it's interesting that they've moved out of that.
The new headquarters blends modern architecture with historical cues.
And was heavily influenced by General Motors design.
So I think that's pretty cool.
I can't wait to see this building.
My dad was an architect.
So curious about that, curious about what they have there.
I want to talk quickly about the fact that Lucid and Nero and Uber
have pulled the wraps off a robo taxi.
I'm wondering if the world needs another robo taxi, but maybe it does.
I mean, certainly their robo taxi is running all around Southern California.
I was out driving yesterday and saw probably at least a half a dozen of them.
So that's going on.
They introduced us at CES.
It's interesting that there are another player out there.
And of course, for Lucid, this could be a lifeline for them
based on the fact that they probably could use a little influx of good publicity
based on the difficulties they've had and the difficulties all electric car makers have had recently.
Look for that.
We'll be looking for more robo taxis.
When we come back, we'll be road testing two vehicles, the 2026 Ford Maverick Lobo
and the 2026 Mazda CX-30.
So stay with us for that and we'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
I received a letter from the reader this week and I thought I'd share it with you.
Here's what he wrote.
I just got around to reading Dance in the Dark and wanted to say how much I enjoyed it.
I'm a compulsive reader and this one was right up my alley.
An unlikely hero, a lot of twists and turns, some adult content,
and humor that rose naturally from the action.
Keep on writing and I'll keep on reading.
Of course, that's just the kind of letter any author would love to get.
I hope that others get the same enjoyment from reading Dance in the Dark
and my newest crime novel, Only One Thing Stays The Same.
Both are available exclusively at Amazon.com.
That's Dance in the Dark and Only One Thing Stays The Same.
Both written by me, Jack R. Neyred.
Thanks for looking for them today.
Welcome back to America on the Road Jack Neyred with you.
Chris Teague not with us this week.
His dog is ill.
On the mend happily.
The dog should be fine.
But he is not with us this week so I am soldiering on by myself
and I'm going to do two road tests in this show.
Which is kind of good actually.
I'm able to catch up on some road tests that I've done recently.
The first one is the 2026 Ford Maverick Lobo.
And we have of course talked about the Maverick small truck several times on this show.
But I don't believe we have reviewed the Maverick Lobo before.
Is the street performance variant of the compact pickup truck.
It's kind of developed as the on-road counterpart to the off-road oriented tremor.
The Maverick tremor.
Then of course there is the Maverick hybrid which is based on efficiency.
This is a factory engineered platform for customers interested in pavement focused dynamics.
So that's kind of cool.
We see a lot of off-roaders these days.
A lot of factory developed off-roaders but this is for street driving.
And kind of cool street driving.
Distinctive styling.
Performance hardware.
All that kind of stuff.
Very cool.
Of course Ford had some design input.
The design organization decided to trick this vehicle up quite a bit.
One of the major things is it's lowered.
This is a street truck.
So there is a special build that they follow.
They actually the precursor of this was shown in at the 2021 SEMA show.
So and it generated a lot of positive publicity.
So they decided well let's make a production version of this.
The Maverick Lobo is powered by Ford's two-liter eco-boost turbocharged four cylinder engine.
250 horsepower.
280 pound feet of peak torque.
The power is delivered through a seven speed automatic transmission.
And this particular transmission in the Lobo is programed for performance.
It has performance oriented shift logic.
And it is this is an all-wheel drive vehicle.
So you can expect it to hook up pretty well.
Like 250 horsepower is a nice amount of horsepower in a vehicle this small.
It has transmission has paddle shifters.
So you can manually select those gears for that 10 minutes when you decide to play with this.
And then never touch those again.
Well maybe that's just what I do.
I don't know I think a lot of people use the paddle shifters every now and then.
This particular all-wheel drive system incorporates a twin clutch rear drive unit
adapted from the Bronco Sport.
So that enables torque vectoring across the rear axle.
This allows the vehicle to hook up even better and you know corner better.
Torque vectoring is very good for cornering.
It has also incorporated some new cooling hardware.
This indicates that they expect to do some sustained performance driving.
A larger radiator.
A new fan sourced from the Maverick 4K towing package.
And there's a transmission oil cooler so that's good.
There are some suspension changes as you would imagine because this is a
lowered vehicle.
The ride height is reduced by half an inch at the front and 1.12 inches at the rear.
More than an inch at the rear.
The overall roof height is down almost an inch, eight tenths of an inch.
It looks cooler.
I mean you wouldn't think an inch would make that much difference.
But it kind of sits lower on everything.
Springs and shocks are retuned for on-road performance and as is the steering calibration.
So it feels good.
I drove the thing.
Well one of the things I would say about the vehicle though,
it has all these great components.
To me as I was driving it around town it didn't feel all that different
than a similar Maverick that had the turbo engine.
I mean it feels peppy.
But I don't know that I you can really bring all these handling pieces into play on the street
unless you're pushing it pretty hard which maybe you shouldn't.
Maybe you should.
It does have a dedicated lobo drive in the modes.
This mode adjusts throttle response, torque vectoring behavior and stability control.
In fact some of the stability control intervention can be essentially turned off or goes away large
please so that can be fun.
Maybe more fun than some people can handle but there you have it.
Certainly a lower center of gravity than other Maverick trims.
I would say I didn't notice a major difference in on-street driving.
I think if I were to push this or take it on the track certainly I would notice that.
Steering is quicker and you know that's good.
Noise levels are quite good too.
I kind of am a guy who likes a more silent kind of ride with plenty of power.
So I like the fact that it controls that pretty well.
It looks cool.
There is no doubt that it looks cool.
It has a unique front fascia, painted rear bumper, the rocker moldings,
black painted roof, 19-inch black wheels.
Of course you have to have black on vehicles because black is much more special.
The interior incorporates some street looks.
The seats are finished in black upholstery with grabber blue and electric lime stitching.
So that will get some attention.
The Lobo name is embossed into the front seat so that makes the car much faster.
Good technology of course.
Lobo specific performance hardware that I've talked about.
The high configuration, it comes in two configurations actually.
The high configuration adds comfort and technology features.
Heated front seats, heated steering wheel, 360 camera system.
So pretty zooty stuff.
This vehicle has Ford co-pilot 360 2.0 so a lot of great driver assistance features.
And it has pro trailer assist, that kind of thing.
So this is a safe vehicle, a cool vehicle, not exceptionally expensive.
Not exceptionally cheap either.
You gotta pay some serious coin for this over the other Mavericks but I think probably worth it.
So I would take a look at this vehicle and if you like the looks,
if you were enticed by this added performance stuff, I would say absolutely dive into the
Ford Maverick Lobo.
Pretty cool car.
And it wouldn't surprise me if it were North American truck of the year.
It got my vote.
Well let's go to the next road test and this is about a vehicle that you probably have not,
a variant actually of a vehicle that you have heard of but it's the 2026 Mazda CX30.
And then the version I tested was the Turbo Air version.
So a new version for 2026.
This is a nice size vehicle.
I mean it's a small crossover.
I think a lot of people would look at this vehicle almost as a hot hatchback as opposed to a crossover.
But Mazda certainly labels it as a crossover.
So a small, really small SUV.
CX would indicate that it is, they believe it's an SUV as opposed to a standard passenger car.
There are two engines available, both Skyactiv G engines.
It has a standard all-wheel drive, extensive list of standard equipment.
You can get a CX30 for as little as $26,000, that's for the base 2.5S.
Higher trims can run close to $40,000, actually $37,900 or something like that.
As I said, I had the 2.5 Turbo Air Edition, which is somewhere in the middle.
I think it's in the mid to high 30s.
I think mid 30s, something like that.
I will come to the price here as I get through my notes.
The base engine in this vehicle is 186 horsepower naturally aspirated four cylinder,
but I had the 2.5 liter turbocharged version that delivers 250 horsepower and 320 pound
feet of torque on premium fuel, 227 horsepower and 310 pound feet of torque on regular fuel.
Mazda is one of the few companies, maybe the only company that separates that.
It has a six speed automatic that has both manual and sport modes and all-wheel drive,
as I mentioned, is standard.
Fuel economies are not going to knock your socks off, 25 miles per gallon for the turbo models.
The non-turbo models get 27 miles per gallon, so that's not going to knock your socks off either.
This is a fun car to drive.
It's a great car.
I really enjoyed its size, the footprint of this car, the way it feels.
Again, it feels to me more like a hot hatch than it does like an SUV, and that's to its credit.
Certainly with 250 horsepower in a vehicle that has this footprint and is small and light,
you get a lot of verve.
I like the fact that it's got a six speed automatic transmission.
I think it keeps it, you know, it keeps the torque up, if you will.
It has, it now has a brake based limited slip differential, so that improves traction and
stability even more.
And the i-Active all-wheel drive system monitors weight distribution and shifts power,
depending on where the traction is.
It has G vectoring control.
It also has off-road traction assist, which I think will probably almost never come into play.
This is not a vehicle that I would do any kind of heavy duty or even medium duty off-roading in.
Some off-roading, you can certainly drive on dirt roads and, you know, off pavement.
The suspension is very good.
The ride quality balanced, engaging.
I had fun with it.
It's just a fun car to drive.
Steering is direct, body roll is contained.
I mean Mazda just knows how to do this stuff in a way that I think other car companies don't
care to.
I would call it lithe and sporty.
You know, it's a car that you can have a heck of a lot of fun with.
Braking performance is strong with predictable brake feel, good brake support.
In terms of overall carrying capacity, that's a whole different story.
Maybe not the best one for that.
0 to 60 in 6.2 seconds, so it's a quick vehicle.
And it has that great Mazda interior.
Very, very good looking interior.
So I like that a lot.
It also has the Mazda infotainment system that you can get used to.
Trust me, you can get used to this.
So at about $35,000, I think the CX-30 Turbo Air is absolutely worthy of taking a look at.
And doesn't have the most cargo capacity of any vehicle in the segment.
But certainly is a fun vehicle to drive with a good infotainment system.
And I think you'll like it a lot.
So take a look at the Mazda CX-30, especially in Turbo Air form.
And I think you'll like what you see.
And when we come back, we will have a terrific guest.
So stay with us for that.
And we'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
I'd like to tell you about the most exciting and authentic racing novel I've ever read.
It's called Closing Speed, written by award-winning author Ted West.
In 1970, the Indy 500 pole speed was 170 miles an hour.
But at Le Mans, Vic Alfred's Porsche 917 raged down the Mulson Strait at 248 miles per hour.
The racing pit of the Porsche 917 versus the Ferrari 512.
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Closing Speed is the most realistic, intimate racing novel ever written.
It's a look into the very heart of the sport, an incomparable racing read.
It's available now at Amazon.
That's Closing Speed by Ted West.
Look for it.
Welcome back, everybody, to America on the Roadjackney Redback with you.
We've got a terrific guest for you.
Shailor Abseyer is with us.
She is a product planner on the new Volkswagen Tiguan.
And thanks so much for being with us.
We appreciate it.
Of course, of course.
You've had a varied career, interesting places.
You've lived in Mexico, where I think the Tiguan is built.
Am I right?
Yes, it is in Pueblo.
Tell us about this new version of the Tiguan.
It's an important vehicle for Volkswagen.
It's certainly a huge, huge segment of the marketplace.
Yeah, exactly.
I mean, you're, you know, my whole neighborhood is full of compact SUVs.
And this is our shining star, our compact SUV.
It's our top seller in the US.
For example, the outgoing model last year we sold around 95,000.
So it's, it's a big vehicle for us.
And we had to show up in a big way with this new third generation.
And we've definitely done that.
Yeah.
We've seen what generation of Tiguan is.
Yeah, this is the third.
Oh, you just said that, didn't you?
No worries.
This is the third generation.
And it struck me that the first generation was maybe too small for the American market.
And then, you know, you've certainly learned from that.
And I think this one spot on, I've had a chance to drive it.
I was really impressed with not only the driving ability,
but the interior.
Tell us all about it.
Yeah.
So starting with the outside of the car, we, we did keep that same wheelbase
because our second generation, even though, you know,
maybe it was a little bit more like a wagon.
And this one is sleeker.
We wanted to keep the same passenger space
and actually improve upon passenger space.
So that's why we ripped out the third row in the car.
Because our data just said that people weren't really using it
because it wasn't enough space.
And we offer, you know, the ID buzz and the Atlas
for those people who are seeking a third row.
So we wanted to give people more space in the second row.
And you can really feel that, that increase.
But we also shortened the front and the rear overhangs.
So it makes it sleeker, more dynamic.
Gave it some bigger wheels, some new wheel designs, a couple new colors.
And then, of course, that interior, which is just like spot on with the luxurious touches.
It's got, especially, you know, the top trim has a 10 point full back massage.
I'm not sure if you tried that out.
It's beautiful.
I didn't realize it was 10 point.
Yeah, it's not.
Because a lot of cars have that lumbar massage that kind of,
it's kind of poked you in the back a little bit.
This one is a full up and down the back with multiple programs and all of that.
So it's, it's really cool.
So this basically is a vehicle that's in the absolute sweet spot of the market.
Yes.
And you're positioning it, I think, the ads kind of positioned it as
very upscale in the market and a lot for the money.
Am I kind of summing it up?
So tell us how that expresses itself in product feature.
Yeah.
So we, the whole theme of the car is accessible luxury, but it's not just,
oh, we're talking about the top trim, which is fully loaded.
We fully loaded the S trim and we gave every single customer in every trim.
So from the base on the trim level.
Every trim has its own special detail.
And, you know, I'm not sure how much time we have in the, I'm just kidding.
We have 14 minutes, that's how much time we have.
The S trim, I'll just go ahead with my favorite on like, for example, the S trim,
we have cloth seats on our base trim, but our cloth seats take it one step further.
We have bamboo yarns in the cloth and we have an embossing pattern.
So it almost looks like it's stitched and it's just a beautiful detail.
And like the SE, of course, we have leatherette with super soft cloud text
accents that are super, they feel a little bit like Alcantara.
And then we've got ambient lighting, 10 dollars.
What is Alcantara?
You know, it's just that it's, it's almost, I don't want to say suede.
It's kind of a suede, like material, right?
Is it, is that a genuine material or is that a synthetic, is Alcantara?
It's a synthetic.
And it isn't Alcantara.
We call it cloud text, but it almost feels like it.
And that's kind of, that's kind of the theme across all the trims is bringing things,
nice premium things in, but not breaking the bank.
Take us, you know, just kind of through the pricing levels from the S on up to the top.
Yeah.
So I can show you here down, we have our lineup, which might,
might make it a little bit more sense.
We're starting here at 30,805 on the S front wheel drive.
I feel like you're going to close me on this car.
Oh, I'm going to close you.
I just need to figure out what you want, what features you want.
And then we're topping out here with our SEL R line turbo,
which comes standard with an increased horsepower engine for 2026.
And that's 268 horsepower.
Okay.
And what is, and what is the horsepower of the?
The base, the standard engine is 201 horsepower, which is already an improvement of 17.
It seemed peppy.
You know, I, having driven it, it seemed like it had plenty of pep and the
typical driver is just going to be fine with that.
Yeah, exactly.
And this top trim with the standard engine is starting at 43,000.
Okay.
And I'm sorry.
I missed the, the opening, the S price.
The S price is 30,800.
Okay.
So right around 30K.
Right around 30K.
Okay.
Yeah.
Terrific.
Tell us, you know, one of the, what you think is a cool feature of the base model?
I think, well, I already mentioned those cloth seats with the embossing,
but I think just the, if you can also notice, there's just a ton of standard features.
And just for, for the listeners here, we're, we're standardizing front and rear park distance
control.
We added four airbags to the car, rear sides, center interaction and driver knee.
We standardize light assist, like the high beam control for when you're driving on country roads.
We have adaptive front lighting systems that, that basically.
Turn with the front wheels.
Turn with dynamic cornering.
And this is in the base model.
Yeah.
It's in the base model.
Exactly.
So it's just, the list goes on and on about when you're packing into this.
Yeah.
Cause a lot of times the base model will be base, you know, will be pretty, pretty plain.
And it'll be built to a price point and not many are sold.
And because not many people actually want something, something that base, right?
Yeah.
That's what we're seeing.
And oh, heated front seats.
Okay.
Yeah.
Love that.
Big deal for cold weather people.
Yeah.
And for a person like you who, you know, likes to stay warm as I do, as I do.
Tell us about the, the interior of the top trim because I was just so impressed.
I mean, this could easily be the interior of a luxury vehicle, luxury brand vehicle.
Walk us through exactly what's in that.
Yeah.
So that top trim is the first thing you notice is going to be that it has a massive screen.
It's 15 inches.
Although I will mention that our other cars, our other trims have 12.9 inches.
So it's not like you get the small screen.
Yeah.
That's pretty substantial.
Yeah.
So the 15 inch screen.
And then we've got in the center console, a driving experience style that controls volume,
drive modes, and atmospheres, which just kind of switches up the ambient lighting and other
settings.
And we've got a.
What can you do with that?
I mean, so.
What are some of that?
Yeah.
So you can change the color of ambient lighting and you can also change the volume.
Like I use it.
For example, when I'm going to work, I've got to wake myself up.
I use, I use one of them.
And then on the way home, I'll use the, the nature one.
That just, I don't like to, I don't like to get in my car and have the music
blaring if I've had like a long day, for example.
Yeah.
So just stuff like that.
We have 30 colors of ambient lighting on the top trim and the SEs have 10 colors.
As well.
Okay.
10.25 digital instrument cluster on all the trims, not just the top.
And like you said, beautiful interior, quilted verena, leather seats.
And we've got the stitching.
We've got the piping.
We've got a soft touch double stitch center console wrap.
You know, the dash is beautifully real wood decor.
Yeah.
It's American walnut, real, real wood.
So yeah, for sure.
Very, very cool.
Infotainment system, critical, right?
In, especially in North America, I think.
And, and maybe our tastes are different than they are in Western Europe or other places.
You know, no better than that, the eye on that.
Describe that for us.
Yeah.
And this is a faster and more responsive system that we call the MIB4 versus the MIB3,
which was in the outgoing model.
And it's in the Atlas, for example.
We have this one.
It's, it's, you're going to notice the graphics are crisper.
And you're just going to notice a faster response.
Yeah.
And some of the features that it have.
Well, so we have standard wired and wireless app connect.
So Apple CarPlay, Android Auto.
We have available navigation on the top trim.
And then we also have like some shortcuts that you can use the,
put in the infotainment system that show up on the top.
So that you can quickly go to, for example, the parking menu.
If you have that available park assist on the top trim,
or, you know, the rear view camera, those types of systems,
you have other vehicle functions as well that you can set that you like.
Yeah.
It seems like, you know, connecting with Apple CarPlay, which I use,
was very, very simple these days.
And, you know, that's one of those things where,
if it doesn't work right, people are really upset, right?
So, so.
Myself included.
Yeah.
It's important that you get that right.
And it seems like you have.
What do you think is the most important improvement you've made to the Tiguan overall?
So, we already talked a lot about the interior,
but I think that's what customers are going to really notice
since they're spending a lot of time there, obviously.
Even though.
If they spend time on the outside.
Well, I guess they're mostly outside because you're not in your car all the time.
It has to look good.
Yeah, sure.
Which it does.
But then, I think just that comfy seats, for example.
You know, we've had independent tests done against some of our competitors.
We had, we tested against RAV4 and we have more passenger space.
We have a comfier seats.
The cabin is quieter.
And on that top trim, you even get a heated windshield that has,
it's an acoustic, I want to say it's 10 decibels of acoustics in there.
Yeah.
Gives you more quiet.
Super quiet cabin.
Yeah, which we like.
And good looking.
I think, and kind of distinctive, I think a lot of crossovers in this class,
in the compact crossover class, kind of look alike.
But, you know, certainly you've got, you know, very cool VWQs on this vehicle.
Anything else you'd like to add about?
Yeah, one more thing.
Yeah, please do.
Yeah, it's fun to drive.
So, that's one of the things that, the two things that we got so right
about the first generation was fun to drive, incredible driving dynamics,
and more premium interior.
So, I already mentioned that interior.
And the other aspect is, it's not just a car that gets you from point A to point B.
It's fun to drive.
It handles well.
You know, it's...
What have you done to make that happen?
Well, so for starters, we're not a company that would put a CVT on our cars just because it is...
We complain about those all the time.
Exactly, because we want to really feel the drive, feel like you're connected to the car in some way.
And we also made the suspension tighter just because we don't want it to feel like you're driving
a bus or driving on a cloud, you know, too soft.
But it's also very comfy.
Yeah, it's a nice combination, I think.
I think, and you have to balance that, right?
And, you know, I think people who are buying a Volkswagen versus the others in this class
are going to look for something that handles a little better, that is a little more premium
in a lot of ways.
And I think you really hit it on the nail.
Yeah, even when...
We are seeing some conquests already in the market.
We introduced the third generation in May, and then this higher power engine just arrived
in dealers a few days ago.
But we are seeing some conquests of those heavy hitters in the segment.
And we also think that those people who maybe didn't notice driving dynamics before,
that they will notice it.
It's not just for enthusiasts, it's for everybody, you know.
And run me through the engine choices just really quickly one more time.
We have two engines, but of course we offer front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive on our S
and our SE and SE R-Line Black trims.
So we've got a 201 horsepower engine on all the trims except the top trim, which is that turbo.
And that's a four-cylinder?
Yes, it's a four-cylinder, exactly.
So we call all of these engines the EA888 EVO 5.
So it's called the same thing internally.
It's the same engine, but it's...
The top trim is tuned and has stronger parts, larger brakes, larger rear brakes,
and nitrided crankshaft, like stronger connecting rods, that type of a thing.
So it's tuned for that 268 horsepower on the top trim.
Yeah, cool.
And turbocharged.
Yeah, all of them.
Cool, and available now, right?
And at Volkswagen dealers all over the country.
Yes, sir.
Yeah.
Oh, so thanks so much for taking time to tell us about it here at the North American Car
user testing.
And stay with us.
We'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
Welcome back to America on the Road.
Co-host Chris T is dealing with his dog being ill this week.
So this is Jack.
You read alone with you, but thanks for staying with me.
I appreciate the company.
It is listener question time.
We love to answer your questions based on our long experience in providing car advice.
Send those questions to editor at drivingtoday.com.
That's editor at drivingtoday.com.
And we have a really good question from Sid.
He lives in Joliet, Illinois, which isn't far from where I grew up.
Joliet, Illinois, also the home of Stateville Prison, where I never spent any time and hope
never to.
He asked this question, I've been car shopping recently and I'm having a hard time with the
amount cars cost right now.
Are car prices ever going to come back down?
That's a good question.
I don't think they're going to come back down.
I think they might level off though.
And I think we will probably see some more affordable cars going forward because the car
companies are now not quite as strapped as they were with government regulations about fuel economy
and about electric vehicles.
That has changed pretty significantly.
And what that means is more consumer choice.
And I think because of that, we're probably going to see some more affordable vehicles.
And again, with inflation, if prices don't go up as much, I guess that's a win versus prices coming down.
That essentially wraps up our show for this week.
I'd like to remind you that my new crime novel, only one thing stays the same, is available in both
ebook and paperback form at Amazon.
We have a post Christmas sale, so it is very, very inexpensive right now.
I would say if you want to copy, this is time to go to Amazon and look for it.
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All right, thanks to Mercury Insurance for sponsoring the show
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And most of all, thanks to you for listening.
We know you have a lot of choices.
So the fact that you've joined us on America on the Road is very, very important to us.
We do appreciate it.
And we hope you join us again next time for another edition of America on the Road.
I got this letter from a reader the other day and I thought I'd share it with you.
I'm on vacation on the beach in Key Biscayne and just finished reading Dance in the Dark.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great plot and twists I never saw coming.
You're really good at creating visual images.
Congrats, you made my vacation all that more enjoyable.
This is just the kind of feedback an author loves to hear.
I'm Jack Neerad, host of America on the Road and the author of Dance in the Dark,
a crime novel inspired by true crime.
Many have told me the Dance in the Dark is all the realism of fatal photographs
by true crime account of the famous bathing suit model murder case.
That's great to hear because Dance in the Dark is filled with suspense,
plot twists and surprises, but at the same time, it's a believable story in the tradition
of writers like James M. Cain, Jim Thompson, and Elroy Leonard.
Dance in the Dark is available in paperback and Kindle ebook form from amazon.com
and it's available direct from the publisher emlancy.com as well.
If you have a chance, please look for it.
If it makes your vacation better, we'll both be happy.
That's Dance in the Dark by Jack Arneerad at amazon.com or emlancy.com.
Thanks for giving it a look.
About this episode
The episode dives into the latest automotive news, including California's new EV incentives amid declining electric vehicle demand and Volvo's ambitious EX60 electric SUV promising over 500 miles of range. Ford's 2026 Maverick Lobo, a street-focused variant of the compact pickup, is road-tested, highlighting its performance and unique styling. Mazda's 2026 CX-30 Turbo Air is also reviewed for its engaging driving experience and upscale features. Special guest Shailor Abshire discusses the new Volkswagen Tiguan, emphasizing its spacious interior and accessible luxury.
This week on America on the Road, host Jack Nerad flies solo as co-host Chris Teague tends to a sick dog. Jack brings you road tests of two standout vehicles–North American Truck of the Year Ford Maverick Lobo and Mazda CX-30–and the latest automotive news. Among the stories we cover California Governor Gavin Newsom is making a new EV push; Volvo is targeting range anxiety, and Lucid is unveiling a new robotaxi. Our special guest interview looks behind the scenes at the all-new 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan.
🚗 Test Drive: 2026 North American Truck of the Year Ford Maverick Lobo
Jack reviews Ford’s compact street-performance pickup, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder delivering 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, paired with a seven-speed automatic and all-wheel drive with torque vectoring. It features a lowered suspension, upgraded brakes with dual-piston front calipers, a dedicated Lobo drive mode for closed-course thrills, 19-inch black wheels, and a graffiti-inspired interior with Grabber Blue accents. Starting at $35,930, the Lobo balances everyday utility with on-road dynamics, a high-value performance variant in the Maverick lineup.
🚙 Test Drive: 2026 Mazda CX-30 Turbo Aire Edition
In the second review on this week’s show, Jack takes on Mazda’s subcompact CX-30 SUV, equipped with a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine producing 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque, a six-speed automatic, and standard i-Activ all-wheel drive. It offers agile handling with G-Vectoring Control Plus, a premium interior with white leatherette seats and gray suede-like inserts, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bose audio, and advanced safety like Mazda Radar Cruise Control. At $34,410 as tested, the CX-30 delivers enthusiast appeal with balanced ride quality and some degree of SUV versatility.
📰 This Week’s Headlines
California EV Incentives Return
Governor Gavin Newsom proposes $200 million in new rebates as EV sales drop 41% year-over-year and automakers scale back electrification plans.
Volvo EX60 Targets Range Anxiety
The midsize electric SUV promises over 500 miles of range and 211 miles added in 10 minutes of fast charging, built on the new SPA3 platform with megacasting.
Ram Enters NASCAR with Reality TV
“Race for the Seat” pits 15 aspiring drivers in challenges for a 2026 Truck Series ride with Kaulig Racing, premiering January 25 on FOX.
GM Opens New Detroit Headquarters
The automaker returns to Woodward Avenue with a modern design at Hudson’s Detroit, highlighting its $123 billion U.S. economic impact and $60 billion in recent investments.
Lucid, Uber, Nuro Reveal Robotaxi
Based on the Lucid Gravity, the Level 4 autonomous vehicle features 360-degree sensors, NVIDIA AI, and seating for six, with production starting later this year.
🎤 Special Guest: Volkswagen’s Shylar Abshire
Jack interviews Shylar Abshire, 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan Product Expert, discussing the latest features and updates in the newest generation of Volkswagen’s popular compact SUV.
📩 Listener Question of the Week:
Sid from Joliet, IL asks: “I’ve been car shopping recently, and I’m having a hard time with the amount cars cost right now. Are car prices ever going to come back down?”
Jack shares insights based on his expertise in the auto industry and consumer trends.
📚 Jack Nerad’s New Book
Jack’s crime novel, Only One Thing Stays the Same, is available now in paperback and eBook on Amazon — currently at a post-Christmas sale price.
🎧 Where to Listen
Catch America on the Road on this station each week, or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more. Follow for newcar reviews, guest interviews, auto news, and road tests.
Sponsored by Mercury Insurance and DrivingToday.com
📺 Watch & Subscribe
Find America on the Road on YouTube and Rumble. Subscribe for road test videos, shorts, and extended reviews.
