The 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid Trail Sport is a small SUV that uses both gas and electricity to save fuel. The Trail Sport version has special features for light off-road driving.
A plug-in hybrid car uses both gas and electricity. You can charge its battery by plugging it in, so it can drive some distance using only electricity.
A tariff is a tax that a country charges on things it buys from other countries. It makes those things cost more so people might buy stuff made closer to home.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is a government group in the U.S. that makes sure cars are safe to drive and checks if there are any problems with them.
The Chrysler 200 was a medium-sized car that tried to be stylish and comfortable for everyday driving. It’s not made anymore but is sometimes talked about when people remember older cars.
The Chrysler Town & Country was a big van that families used to carry lots of people and things comfortably. It was popular because it made traveling with family easier.
The Dodge Journey was a family SUV that was not too expensive and could carry people and cargo. It wasn’t the newest or fastest, but it was useful for many families.
The Jeep Compass is a small SUV that can drive on rough roads but is also good for city driving. Some older versions aren’t made anymore, but the newer ones are still popular.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a type of SUV that can drive well both on regular roads and rough terrain. People like it because it’s comfortable inside and can handle tough driving conditions. Sometimes, older versions had small safety issues with the seats.
The Toyota Prius is a car that uses both gas and electricity to save fuel and help the environment. It drives smoothly and is very good on gas, so many people choose it to save money and be kind to nature.
The Toyota RAV4 is a small SUV that’s easy to drive and doesn’t use a lot of gas, especially the hybrid version that uses both gas and electricity. Many people like it because it’s reliable and comfortable.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto let you connect your phone to the car’s screen without plugging it in, so you can use apps like maps and music safely while driving.
A digital gauge cluster is a screen in front of the driver that shows important information about the car, like how fast you’re going or how much gas you have, instead of old-fashioned dials.
Blind spot monitoring is a system in the car that watches the areas you can’t see when driving and warns you if another car is there, so you don’t accidentally hit it.
Adaptive cruise control is a feature that helps keep your car at a safe distance from the car in front of you by slowing down or speeding up automatically.
The Toyota Grand Highlander is a big SUV that can fit more people and stuff than the regular Highlander. It’s good for families who want a reliable and roomy car.
The Dodge Charger is a big car that can go really fast and is fun to drive. It looks sporty but can also be used for regular driving every day. People talk about it because it mixes power with comfort.
The Honda Prelude was a small, sporty car that was fun to drive and looked cool. Even though they don’t make it anymore, many people still like it because it was reliable and handled well on the road.
The Ford Maverick is a small truck that doesn’t cost too much and can save gas because it uses a mix of gas and electricity. It’s good for people who want a truck that’s easy to drive and useful for many jobs.
The Hyundai Palisade is a big SUV that can fit lots of people and has nice features inside. It’s a good choice for families who want a comfortable and modern car to drive around.
The Nissan Leaf is a car that runs only on electricity, so it doesn’t use gas. It’s good for driving in the city and was one of the first electric cars many people could buy.
The Chevrolet Equinox is a small SUV that lots of people like because it’s easy to drive and useful for families. There’s also an electric version that doesn’t use gas and is good for everyday driving.
The Cadillac Escalade is a big, fancy SUV that many people buy because it looks nice and has a lot of luxury features. It’s powerful and comfortable, making it popular for those who want a high-end vehicle.
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 Neerad.
With me is co-host Chris Teague back with us after a snowstorm postponed him joining us
last week.
Are you getting a chance to travel soon, Chris?
Yes.
I will.
I'm going actually to Vermont, which really isn't that big of a travel for me, but I'll
be going there next month and then may make an appearance at the New York Auto Show.
Not sure yet.
Wow.
All the way to Vermont.
Incredible.
It's further away from here than you think.
Yeah, okay.
Plenty of automotive news to talk about this week and it may not be the best time to be
a global automotive CEO.
Nine major automakers have replaced their chief executives in just over a year.
The industry is grappling with tariffs, Chinese competition and EV write downs among other
things.
So we'll have details on that coming up.
The long-awaited scout brand that I'm looking forward to could be hitting a speed bump.
Reports suggest that Scout Motors plan 2027 US launch may slip to 2028.
There are software and powertrain challenges among other things.
We'll have our thoughts on that in a few minutes.
Canada is opening the door to China-built EVs under a new trade agreement.
Up to 49,000 vehicles could enter Canada at sharply reduced tariffs.
This should reshape pricing strategies and all kinds of things in the Great White North.
Perhaps the tip of the iceberg up there, so we'll talk about that.
And NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has closed its long-running
probe into Stellantis vehicles without ordering a recall.
So we'll talk about that.
Chris, do you have a reaction to all the CEO changes?
I think we're in a new age.
We've been in a new age for a while and I think that demands a new age CEO.
Yeah, true enough.
America on the Road is brought to you by drivingtoday.com, eanlancy.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.
California saved an average of $670 with Mercury, so imagine how much you could save.
Get a quote today at drivingtoday.com slash autoinsurance.
That's drivingtoday.com slash autoinsurance.
Chris, what is your test vehicle this week?
I spent the week driving the 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid Trail Sport.
I can't wait to tell you all about it.
I look forward to that.
My vehicle is the 2026 Lexus TX550H Plus.
It's a plug-in hybrid.
We'll talk about that.
Our special guest is Greg Migliore.
He's auto guide's editorial director, so we'll be talking to him.
So stay with us for all that, and we'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
Welcome back to America on the Road with Chris Teague, Jackney Radback with you.
We're so glad you're with us.
We do appreciate it.
We'd like to double our listenership this year.
So please pass our show along to somebody you think might like it.
We'd appreciate that.
It's so great to have Chris back with us after Snowstorm prevented him from being
with us last week.
Let's talk about the news here, Chris.
It's kind of a bad time to be a car company CEO.
Nine major car companies have put in new chief executive officers in just over a year.
There's a lot that have brought this along.
Certainly Chinese competition, what's going on with EVs.
Toyota, BMW, Porsche, Nissan, Stellantis, Volvo, Renault, and Jaguar Land Rover,
and Hyundai are all companies that have changed CEOs recently.
What's your reaction to this?
Well, I think the Jaguar Land Rover situation might be a little different than the other
ones given their situation.
But look, not just electric vehicles in China, we're in a new world of technology here.
AI is playing a big role in not only just the consumer facing electronics that we see
in vehicles, but also in the development of vehicles and software behind the scenes.
And I think a lot of automakers are realizing that they need a leader who can get behind
these things, understand them, and can kind of see the next two or three steps down the road.
And some of these old school guys, as well as they've done, might not have that skill
sense, so to speak.
Yeah, I'm wondering if anybody can second guess the industry now.
I mean, it changes so rapidly.
Among other things, we've seen $50 billion billion with a B in EV related write down.
So that's essentially losses that companies are writing down.
That's probably low, actually.
That would be my guess.
And I don't know that too many CEOs could have foreseen what has happened just in the
United States, a lot less around the world.
I mean, kind of frightening to be CEO.
I mean, it's nice while you're doing it, but difficult as you're doing it, right?
Yeah, and unfortunately, a lot of these factors are out of their control, right?
I mean, they can lobby politicians and make their opinions known, but they ultimately
can't control the outcome of trade negotiations and tariffs and things like that.
So I think there are a lot of things that are out of their control, unfortunately,
for them, but I think they've at least been compensated well, as you said.
Yeah, yeah, it's fun while you're doing it, I think.
Well, we have anticipated the launch of Scout, the relaunch of Scout.
I think I've talked about my connection with that.
I had the hero of one of my novels, so I drive a Scout because I thought it was cool and kind
of represented him, and I'd love to see the Scout brand come back, but it looks as if that's going
to be a tough one based on the fact that, well, the US EV market and Scout was going to be all EV
all the time has kind of fallen on hard times, to say the least.
It looks as if Scout, which was going to launch maybe this year as a 20 to 27 model,
will be put off at least a year, maybe longer.
There are problems with software, apparently, a powertrain, particularly powertrain with
range extended vehicles when they were expected to be all electric all the time.
I'd love to hear your comments on this, Chris.
If you look at it from the economic standpoint, I guess it's not all that surprising, given how
EV sales and the market around them has evolved here.
I think it is surprising to me from the software and the development standpoint,
Volkswagen had had many issues with its software division, causing delays at Porsche over the years
for their electric vehicles, but they put a big stake in Rivian to hopefully get around
some of these things. Now, hearing that it's struggling a little bit is a little surprising,
but also the range extended thing is probably a new platform for Volkswagen.
I mean, they've done EVs to death at this point, but I don't know if I've seen a range
extended Volkswagen, so this might be a new frontier for them.
Yeah, I think they were talking about range extended Volkswagen's 10, 12 years ago, 15 years ago.
I think I might have even driven one back in the day over there in Germany, but
then they have switched to all electric all the time, and that's probably a no-go for the U.S.
market, at least in the short term, so there are big delays there.
It wouldn't surprise me to see Scout totally go away.
I mean, it has created legal challenges for Volkswagen in the United States.
Some VW dealers are up in arms that Scout is going to be sole director,
was going to be sole director. A lot of issues with it, so it might be something where
they're kicking the can down the road here, but we'll see what happens going forward.
It would be a shame. I was actually excited to drive one, or both of the models that they had.
They look cool. The name certainly resonates, but who knows?
Yeah, well, we shall see. Well, let's talk about Canada and what's going on up there.
I think I kind of thumbing their nose at the United States.
They have decided to let in China-built electric vehicles under a new trade agreement they have
made with the Chinese. They are going to let in 49, up to 49,000 China-made electric vehicles over
the next 12 months. That's with a much lower tariff. The tariff has now reduced to 6.1%.
It had been 106.1% before, so that's a pretty big change. What do you think? Do you think this is
Canada saying, well, screw you, United States, so we're going to deal more with China these days?
I do, and I can't say that I blame them in some regards, given the developments we've seen.
Look, I think there's still some data security issues that need to be resolved with Chinese
electric vehicles. I don't know how cheap they're going to be when they arrive,
although 100% reduction in the tariff is definitely a good thing for their pricing.
More power to them. I would love to see some Chinese EVs here,
given that if we can resolve some of these issues with security. I can't see any reason
why they would be blamed. I can't see any reason to blame them for doing that.
Yeah, interesting. Tesla, Polestar, and Volvo might be among the brands that bring in Chinese
built vehicles into Canada, and then they might open the door for Chinese brands like BYD, which
is, I think, the largest builder of electric vehicles worldwide these days, competing with Tesla
for that title. I have a little bit of a different take than you on the whole thing though,
because I think if we open the door to the Chinese here in the United States,
they might eat the market, which I don't think would be great for the United States overall.
I can see that. Yeah, something up for discussion anyway. One thing that's not
up for discussion anymore is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation
into Stellantis. This was a long running investigation into millions of vehicles.
I think there were jeeps involved in this. I'll get through my notes here to indicate the vehicles
that were covered. It goes dates back to the Chrysler 200. Do you remember the Chrysler 300,
Chris? The Chrysler Town and Country, the Dodge Caravan, the Dodge Journey, and Durango. So some
vehicles that are not even in production anymore, and then the Jeep Compass Patriot, again a long
gone vehicle in the Grand Cherokee, these were head restraint issues. Maybe not. They couldn't
confirm any serious injuries from this, but they looked into 8,500 incidents. I mean, it's
kind of went on for a long, long time. What do you think about that?
I'm actually surprised that they didn't issue a recall. I mean, I think we see recalls for
other problems that didn't have any reports of injuries or crashes at all.
They said that there were 750 reports of injuries, but the ones that they looked at,
they couldn't verify that there wasn't a pre-existing medical condition or something.
Yeah, exactly. It's just surprising to me, given how, like I said, how many other recalls we've
seen that felt less serious than this. Yeah. Well, Stellantis will provide, it says it will
provide a 10-year extended warranty on the vehicles. These are vehicles that were built
between 2010 and 2020 are those model years. The good news is there weren't any deaths reported
from this or even serious injuries that they could tie to this kind of thing, but it just
shows you that this continues and continues and continues. Kind of interesting. Well,
remind us of the vehicle you will be testing this week.
I drove the 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid Trail Sport. It's the more off-road-oriented version of their
CR-V Hybrid, which is I prefer to the gas model, but we'll talk about how off-road-y it actually
is at the end of the day. Yeah. A lot of those coming out that at least look like off-roaders,
and they're supposed to give you the essence of off-roading. I was testing a plug-in Lexus
built in the United States, which is kind of interesting. That's the Lexus TX550H Plus,
a three-row luxury SUV from Lexus. And my wife and I, Sandy and I drove out to the
desert in and back. We did a lot of extensive driving in this. So not only will you hear my
opinion, but you will also hear hers about this vehicle when we come back. So stay with us for
that, and we'll be right back right here on America on the Road. We're so glad you're with us,
and stay with us. We'll be right back. Welcome back to America on the Road with
Chris Teague. Welcome back with you for Road Test Time. And Chris, you are driving one of those vehicles
that seems to be a trend in the industry of vehicles that at least look like off-roaders
among the SUVs out there. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't, but tell us what you think.
Yeah, maybe they are, maybe they aren't. That's kind of how I felt after I ended up driving this
vehicle for a little bit over a week. This is the Trail Sport version of the CR-V Hybrid,
and the CR-V Hybrid is very similar to the gas model, but you get standard all-wheel drive and
two electric motors for improved fuel economy. But taking a step back, you can get into the
base Sport Hybrid model for around $36,000. My Trail Sport Hybrid is only one step up from
that, and it was around $39,000. But you can go up to around $43,000, $44,000 at the top of the range.
Jack, before I go too far, have you driven the 2026 or a recent CR-V Hybrid?
I have. I liked it. Again, I'm not sure. I don't want to pimp your ride here, but
I'm not sure how off-road it actually is, but you'll tell us about that.
Yeah, I will. So this vehicle comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric
motors. You get a combined 204 horsepower, 247 pound-feet of torque, and a continuously
variable transmission. And I know we've said that as being a bad word for years and years now, but
Honda does a pretty good job. I will say there's a little bit more whining and wailing under heavy
throttle with this vehicle than you would experience in something like the Toyota Prius or
the RAV4 Hybrid. But it's reasonably smooth. It's surprisingly refined. There's not a lot of
goings-on under the hood when you're switching between electric and gas power. And it's reasonably
quick. I won't call it fast, but it's a little bit shy of eight seconds to 60 miles an hour,
which is okay for a compact SUV. This vehicle accelerates well in traffic. I think that the
big benefit with a Hybrid is you get the power of the electric motors off the line. So if you're
pulling out of a stop sign or a parking spot or off of a red light or out of a red light,
you feel it feels livelier than 204 horsepower would probably feel just from a gas engine.
And again, there's a good reasonable amount of refinement there between the two. The thing
I really liked about this vehicle is that it has a good smooth ride. You know, I've mentioned that
living here in Maine, we have our roads that get torn up by the plows pretty regularly,
even more so this year than last. And this vehicle is very much capable, very refined. I keep using
that word, but competent is the word I'm looking for when the pavement is broken and you're looking
for a smooth ride over over bumpy broken terrain. The other thing is that it handles reasonably
well. I will say that turning at speed, especially in the snow, you're going to notice some under
steer snow is a different animal altogether. But this vehicle feels like it is a little hesitant
to turn at times. But once you're in the turn or in the curve, it remains pretty flat. You get some
of the weight from the electric motors and things, not too much that help it remain flat. There's not
a lot of body lean and roll here. Jack, what do you think of Honda's hybrid system and how it
works in everyday life? I think it works reasonably well. I think many of these hybrid systems,
of course, use a continuously variable transmission. That seems like part of the program. There are a
few that use a regular geared transmission. But I think in that kind of instance, this is a CVT
that works quite well versus CVTs with a conventional engine, not so much. Yeah, the interesting thing
with the CVT is that when you're going to pass someone on the highway, instead of a simple
downshift with an automatic transmission, you get the jump in RPMs and it stays there until
you pass. So whoever you're passing, it sounds like you're driving a go kart pass them down the road.
But the Trail Sport Trem adds all-terrain tires and that's really it from a performance
standpoint over the regular Honda CR-V hybrid. You do get some plastic body molding and it comes
in interesting colors. Mine had an olive green sort of drab color to it that everybody likes. But
the tires are really the big upgrade here and they help in the snow. They help absorb some of the
shocks and the bangs from the bumpy road. But I wouldn't expect this to be anything near like a
Toyota 4Runner or anything like that in the off-road capability department, which is probably fine
for 99% of the people who buy this vehicle. Inside, since this is a lower trim level, you get cloth
seating, you get some nice orange stitching, which I appreciate. Cloth is nice in the winter,
it doesn't get too cold, not too hot in the summer. This vehicle had heated front seats and a heated
steering wheel, which I appreciated and they were easily some of the hottest and fastest warming
heated seats I've seen or experienced in recent times. And then as Honda is known to do the
vehicle, the interior is very ergonomic and functional, but it's not that fancy from a visual
standpoint. You also get a nine-inch touchscreen in this vehicle, which is an upgrade from years
past. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Trail Sport model did not have an upgraded
stereo, but some you can get a Bose sound system in. And I would say it sounds just fine. I wouldn't
worry about the upgraded sound system there. And you get a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster,
which isn't all that configurable, but it does display a lot of information and it's easy to see
when you're driving. This vehicle also has a good amount of safety equipment, blind spot monitoring,
rear cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control, Ford collision warnings. Jack, I would say for
the price, if I were going for this vehicle, if you didn't need a sunroof, I would go down and maybe
get the Sport Hybrid. Save a few thousand dollars and you don't have to worry about replacing all
terrain tires when the time comes. But for around $40,000 after destination, I can't say it's a
terrible deal and the CR-V is one of my favorite compacts as it is. Anyway, so overall very positive
experience. Yeah, I mean, the fact is, I think we both remember when CR-V was more like $25,000
than $40,000 and it wasn't that long ago. So it's hard to wrap my brain around this thing. And I think
a lot of this stuff is purely cosmetic. I think most people are never going to take this off-road.
So the all-terrain tires, as you say, when you have to replace them, they're going to be expensive.
They're also maybe a little bit noisier on the road, although I didn't notice that so much when I
was driving the vehicle. It seemed perfectly fine. It seemed like a nice CR-V. It just seemed like a
very expensive one to me. Yes. Which is not a bad thing, I guess. I wish things were cheaper, but
there you go. I was not driving a vehicle that was all that cheap either. It was essentially the
top of the Lexus TX lineup. It is the TX550H Plus with all-wheel drive, and this is a plug-in hybrid.
It's kind of trying to make the case for the plug-in hybrid, and we'll offer our opinion on that.
I'm going to collect Chris's opinion on that as well. This offers three rows of seating. In this
configuration, seating for just six, I'd rather see a seven-seater, but that's me if I'm going to
have a vehicle this large. 404 horsepower, that's good. Standard all-wheel drive. The EPA estimate
for electric only driving is 33 miles of electric only driving range, so it sounds like a reasonable
checklist. We'll go down that checklist. This is a thoughtful, comfortable, and quietly quick SUV.
Not super quick, but quick enough. No pretension to sport, just serenity. Just kind of quiet and
does that. This is the more powerful of the two available hybrid systems. Of course,
this is the plug-in. Well, let's talk about price right off the top. Base price of $79,510 for the
550H Plus, and then with the stuff that I had on it and the delivery charge, the price as tested
was $85,000, almost $86,000. I would say there are other TXs that are much better bargains,
like the base that is about $57,000, $58,000. Even if you get the F-sport performance luxury
all-wheel drive, it's $10,000 less. Just a word to the Ys there. I'm not so sure that the TX550H
competes very well with the plug-in hybrids from BMW, Mercedes, Benz, Volvo, and Porsche. I think
those are kind of different animals than this. What's your take on that, Chris?
Yeah, the European brands tend to lean into performance a little bit more than Lexus does,
and I think people appreciate that. Also, you have to ask yourself, it's going to take a really
long time to make that money back on a plug-in hybrid. Yeah, exactly true. Talk about powertrain.
3.5-liter V6 paired with electric motors. As I mentioned, 404 combined horsepower. It has a
lithium-ion battery pack, onboard charger that supports level 2 charging. So if you want to
plug this in each night or whenever you feel like plugging in, you may, and you're going to get that
33 miles of range. Fairly quick, I guess. 5.2 seconds, 0 to 60. This is an SUV that weighs
5,400 pounds. So no lightweight, and it doesn't feel like a lightweight when you're driving. It is
pleasant to drive, but it certainly is not anything you really choose to go through the
twisty sections. It's pretty compliant suspension. That means it's comfortable when you're going
kind of off-road, though. You get a little bumps. And here's something that I was surprised, Chris,
and I wonder if you have experiences. When I kind of got on the gas, or I guess I should say the
accelerator, kind of hard, I got some rude noises coming out of this thing. And that's very
uncharacteristic, I think, for Toyota and Lexus hybrids that are, I think, better sorted out than
others. I think if you want something smoother, you might want to pick a non-hybrid. What's your
take on that? I agree. As quiet as Lexus tends to be, some of the powertrain dynamics with the plug
in hybrid and the hybrid can be a little intrusive at times. Yeah. 33 miles of electric only ranges,
I mentioned. That essentially is kind of like having an extra two gallons of gas, you know,
a gallon and a half or something like that. So I don't know that that's all that useful. It
seemed like it was gone in a flash when I was driving this thing, but you know, that's me.
Another thing about this vehicle, and this is something my wife pointed out, it just doesn't
seem all that luxurious. It doesn't seem as differentiated from the Toyota Grand Highlander
as maybe it should be. I mean, she pointed this out to me two or three times. It's like,
is this really a Lexus? This doesn't really look all that snazzy. I don't think she used the term
snazzy. That's a more jackney red term. But what do you think about that? Yeah, I think it's getting
harder to justify the price upgrade over a Grand Highlander at this point. The Toyota is very nice.
Yeah. So, you know, good room, especially in the first two rows, reasonable room in the third row,
but kids are going to find themselves there. You do have 20 cubic feet behind the third row,
so that's good. Good infotainment system. I'm liking what Lexus and Toyota are delivering
that way. So, that seems pretty good. A lot of technology and certainly a lot of safety,
and a lot of ADAS, as they say in the business. So, I think there's a lot to like about this.
It's just, in this particular instance, $85,000 seems like a lot of money for this particular
vehicle. I agree. I think there are other TXs that are probably better bargains, or you might want
to look at the Toyota Grand Highlander. And when we come back, we will have a terrific guest,
and his name is Greg Migliore, and so we will be speaking to him,
autojournalist, when we come back. Stay with us.
I received a letter from a 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 Arnie Red. Thanks for
looking for them today. Welcome back, everybody, to America on the Road, Jack Arnie Redback with
you. We've got a terrific guest for you, and first time on the show, Greg Migliore is with us,
and I'm so glad to have you on the show. We're colleagues, autojournalists. You've been doing
this quite a while. Certainly, I've been doing it maybe even a little longer. We're both colleagues
on North American Car of the Year. What have you been up to most recently? Tell me about that before
we go any farther. Hey, Jack, thanks for having me. I'm working at AutoGuide, where you can check
out all our new car reviews and test drives and things like that. Enjoying just covering the car
industry that is. I think it's going to be another very interesting year. I think it's the most
interesting part of the economy to cover, although maybe I'm a little biased on that front, but
every day is different. Yeah, I think it is. I mean, people get emotionally attached to this
product. I mean, it is a business, but at the same time, people love their cars in a way that
they don't love their appliances or their furniture, stuff like that. I think it's
a fun industry to cover. We try to cover that and try to help people make good buying decisions,
which I think probably what you're all about, right? Absolutely. We want people to walk into
the dealership and be as informed about their purchases as they can be. Hopefully, our test
drives give them that insight and you figure out what's going on in the world through our news
coverage because there's so much going on right now. The electrified, just like the pivot that
that's become, everything Elon Musk does, it seems like the car industry keeps getting more
interesting. Every day is more exciting. Absolutely. Absolutely. So much to cover,
so much to talk about, so much controversy. The only thing I kind of regret about it is it's
become very politicized as well. I mean, you can almost tell what people's political stripes are
by the vehicle they drive and stuff like that, which I don't know is necessarily a good thing,
but maybe I'm old school on that. I was going to say, let's talk about North American Car of the
Year a little bit. I feel kind of vindicated here and I was three for three in my picks this year.
I don't know how you feel about what got named Car of the Year,
Import Car, I'm sorry, Car of the Year, Utility of the Year and Truck of the Year, but what were
your takes on what happened this year? So, two out of the three I was pretty much not surprised
about. I was, I would say, a strong supporter of the Charger. I thought the whole multi-energy
platform was a good idea. I think it was fun to drive. It's a good way to sort of reinterpret
what the Charger is. Again, it was a lot of fun to drive that at the Nactoy Drive in the fall.
I thought the Prelude might give it a run for its money just because Honda's historically have
done quite well in the awards, but if you dig into that kind of press release, it actually
really wasn't that close. I thought it was fairly like a runaway winner. I think it definitely gives,
brings the Charger to a new generation of people. It's not just people from the 60s who are like,
oh, the Charger. It's like, hey, now it's electric and it has that great Hurricane 6.
So the Charger, to me, no surprise, I was a little surprised about the Maverick Lobo,
not because there's anything wrong with it, but just because it was so wide open. We had the
Ram Hemi. We had the Ram 2500. We're in the finalists. I almost could have thrown a dart and
seen any one of them to win based on the significance. I did vote for the Lobo. I think at this point,
we could tell everybody our votes. I drove it a few times. I really liked it. I think it really
brings that whole street truck vibe again to a new generation. So I guess what's old is new again,
right? And Palisade, I kind of thought was going to be a walk-off. I was not surprised. I drove that
and I thought, based on what it was up against, the leaf, I would argue, wasn't even really a
crossover. Yeah, we've talked about that on the show. I have the same feeling, yeah.
So yeah, as my takeaway is, I think it was two of the three I wasn't surprised, but I think it
was a good field this year. It was a tough field. There were a lot of different things in there with
different missions for different types of consumers, a lot of edgy new products, which I think is
always invigorating, different approaches to things like infotainment, powertrain. Pricing is
really, I haven't been on the jury as long as you have. I've been on it, I guess, since 2020.
But pricing even six years ago seemed a lot more sane. And now it's trying to position
these vehicles and benchmark them. To me, that's the toughest part, because you're like, well,
what consumer can pay $70,000 for this? Or average price is, what, $49 as of today and going up?
So that's what I think the biggest challenge, too, with voting is trying to figure out how do
you balance the cost sort of benefit analysis to the different consumers that these OEMs
are certainly trying to reach. Right. And I kind of call it, you're looking at apples, oranges,
and rutabegas is the way I've described it a few times, because there's so many different
aspects of so many different types of cars just in within car, within truck, maybe a little more
narrow. But in SUV, of course, we've got even more variants, I think, than cars these days. And
it's hard to compare across segment, but you have to do it. And one of the ways I look at it is,
is the vehicle a leader in its segment? Is it, would it be a the leader in its segment? And if
it's not that, then I really kind of question whether it could be car of the year, or it could
be truck of the year or whatever, because if it can't even win its segment, how does it deserve
to be an of the year? So that's one of the ways I look at it. But it's a difficult process, I think.
It definitely is. It's a fun process, that's for sure. And I think it's actually tougher
with the final, the final rounds, because there's so much like riding put intended on each vote,
you know, the long list we all get is, it's a really long list, like you look at it,
and it's almost hilarious, like, well, okay, you know, how do I even narrow this down? And most
of them keep crossing through until it's like mid September, I think, when we really get a smaller
field. It's a fun process. Yeah, it is a fun process. And it's a year round process, too. We're
kind of in the midst of looking at what's going to be 2027, I guess, or starting out that way.
Are you doing a lot of traveling? Are you out on the road a lot these days?
Not a ton of traveling. I try to pick my spots. I might do this. There is a hurricane sort of
snow drive for the Charger in Vermont. I might, you know, I guess I'm not getting enough snow
in Michigan that I might try to make it out to that. Because I'm really intrigued to see how
that would, would handle the snow. I actually drove last generation Charger all wheel drive
in the same spot up in the Northeast on the snow. So I think I'm going to try to do that. And
New York auto show is coming up, too. I tend to really still enjoy auto shows,
not going to make the Chicago one, which is seemed like it wasn't quite as newsy this year.
It was just at the Detroit auto show. And that was, it was almost like a politics show. You
know, there were more like elected officials than there really was news surrounding it. So
that was, I think it's a, it's an evolving time for auto shows. You know, they're trying to figure
out what they're going to be in Detroit kind of, you know, embody that. Yeah. And I think Chicago,
too. I mean, I'm a Chicago and I love to get to Chicago, but I decided not to go to the Chicago
show this year because it just didn't seem there was enough there to justify me spending a couple
of days to go to Chicago. So I decided not to do that. And I love auto shows. I mean, I,
I fell in love with the car business at the Chicago auto show a long, long time ago. So,
you know, I hope they come back and I hope we see more, more good stuff going forward.
I think automakers, I think it would be in their best interests too. Like right now,
I think it's a full on retreat for most auto shows. Like you see New York and LA still have some
sort of vigor, but like the Midwest ones from a press perspective, I think have really fallen off.
Although Detroit, if you actually look at it from front to back, the whole week was fairly newsy.
Like Ford had some news, General Motors is doing their like sort of state of the union with their
CEO now at the start of the week. It's just, there's nothing on press days. And I think it
would be in their best interest to like do something at the auto show just to give those
shows just a little bit more buzz, a little bit more pop. Sort of like what we're seeing like
Hyundai Motorco doing and sometimes it's, sometimes it's LA. We've seen like, you know,
other brands do it in the Northeast and the New York auto show. And it's good for us because we
get to like cover stuff, you know, what a concept. And you get access to executives who are there.
I mean, it might not even be the basis of the show or what they're trying to deliver in terms
of information at the show. But if the executive's there, well, then there's a reason to talk to him
and him or her and you go on from there. So I think that's a good thing. And, you know,
I love that personal interaction we get at auto shows that we rarely get when we're doing stuff
like this, right? You see like executives as humans. And I think that's a good thing. Yeah.
They're largely human, I think, most of them. Mostly. Yeah, most of them.
What do you think 2026 is going to be like? I mean, a lot of people have talked through the past
this part of the decade, the beginning of this decade, about electric vehicles being inevitable,
right? That we're going to move there. I talked to a car company exactly fairly recently. It was
nice enough to take me to lunch and was saying maybe we're at the place where we went from the
horse and buggy to the gasoline car in 1880 or 1890, something like that, 1895 and 1900.
I disagreed. I don't think that's where we are. But I'm kind of curious as to where you think we
are. Do we think, do you think EVs are inevitable or do you think, where do you stand on all of that?
Yeah, that's interesting. So I really enjoy EVs. I think, you know, many of them are remarkable,
technological advancements. I think they look amazing. They're fun to drive. I don't necessarily
think they're inevitable, given the current climate for a number of reasons, from geopolitical
headwinds to just consumer preference. I know, frankly, people of all stripes who you might think
might be really hardcore electric car buyers and they're like, I don't know about that. Sometimes
on the other side of it, you'll hear somebody who you might think, well, there, you'll pencil
them in for a Hemi V8 and they're like, well, doing a hybrid. So I think it's, I think you're
going to kind of see the next few years, like the political side of it will probably settle. And I
think you're going to see some of the pricing kind of level off as well or at least settle to a point
where people know, you know, what they are, like that whole $7,500 tax credit, which I think dates
way back like the first Bush administration, just as a way to kind of have like, you know, consumers
adopt to the vehicles without paying the, you know, General Motors' development costs, so to
speak. Yeah. Well, it's supposed to jumpstart things. I think jumpstart doesn't probably
shouldn't take 15 years, right? Yeah. I think that's fair. I think probably around 2030,
maybe we'll see another kind of like upward curve. I think they're going to level off this year to
kind of like where they'll be for the next few years, like sales 6, 7, 8% of the market somewhere
in there. I think some of it will be product driven. Like if somebody comes out with a real just
home run, like, I think the Chevy Equinox is a great example of a EV that was really good and
kind of moved the market. And I think it got a lot of people in the Midwest just because it's a GM
product, more interested in it than they might have been. It's hard to tell what Tesla is doing
because at the moment, they don't seem very interested in making cars. I think if they were
to come out with a new like a crossover, I think that would grow market share. So I think a lot
of it is going to be, you know, again, pricing and product base. And then, you know, we'll see what
consumers want. I mean, right now it's hybrids really seem to be getting more momentum. You know,
you talk about like a little bit back to the future. Companies are like seem to be pitching
them as almost this like, like passive technology, like your car has. You don't have to know anything
much, right? Exactly. It's there. Don't worry about it. You know, so I guess we'll see. And I also
think use car prices are probably going to be kind of wonky for the next couple of years as people
try to figure out what do they want, you know, because everything is so expensive.
You have that like cost benefit analysis is what do I really want to pay for here? Do I want to
get a use car? Well, mentally, use cars supposed to be 20,000 or 30,000. You're telling me a two
year old Honda is like 45. Well, I don't know. Maybe I go new. So it really feels like the market
is just this kind of like, you know, mixed green salad of, you know, uneven conditions. And I think
that's kind of what OEMs are going to have to plan for for the next few years is plan for the
uncertainty. Yeah, well, it's going to be fun for us to report on it. And it'll be interesting for
the consumer out there. We'll be, we can sort that out for them going forward. Well, Greg,
Migliore, thanks so much for being with us. We appreciate it. This time has gone very,
very fast. We got to do this again. Thanks, Jack. It was a pleasure. And stay with us,
everybody. We'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
Welcome back to America on the Road with Chris P. Jack Nerad back with you. It is listener
question time. We love to answer your questions based on our long experience providing car advice.
Send your questions to editordrivingtoday.com. That's editordrivingtoday.com. Here's a great
question. I think it's a great question anyway from Lemuel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Love to hear you take on this, Chris. Will bigger wheels really mess up my ride and mileage?
Well, on the mileage front, I will say I think it depends on the vehicle and maybe hybrids,
electrics and plug-in hybrids would struggle with it a little bit more, especially if the wheels are
wider than they were to begin with. In terms of the ride quality, any time you're removing
rubber in favor of aluminum, steel, carbon fiber, no matter what the wheel construction is,
you're removing a layer of padding and I think that can impact your ride quality.
That being said, some of the newer SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade, the Defender Octa that I tested
a few weeks ago, managed like 22-inch wheels with reasonably sized tires now. If you can afford
those tires, I think I'd be envious of you, but I think anytime you're cutting rubber thickness
and to gain wheel size, you're going to see an accompanying decrease in your ride quality.
Not universal, not the rule, but I think that is a good rule of thumb to think up.
Yeah, I agree with you. I think the vehicles that have air suspensions or adjustable suspensions
deal fairly well with larger wheels and narrower sidewall, but a lot of vehicles don't so much.
It's also interesting with electric vehicles, you go to an inch larger wheel and your range drops
10% or something like that. It's some large numbers, so that's interesting as well.
Yeah, you also lose access to the low rolling resistance tires and things that are not usually
made in the larger sizes, so it's just something to think about.
All right, well that wraps up our show for this week. I'd like to remind you that my crime novel,
only one thing stays the same, is available in e-book and paperback at Amazon, so look for that.
If you like our show, please pass it on. Listen on this radio station each week and let your
friends know where you hear America on the Road. We'd love to double our listenership,
as I mentioned earlier this year, so we need your help in that, don't we, Chris?
We do, and you can do that with a quick Google search for the America on the Road podcast that
will bring us to you on all the major platforms, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, all the rest of them.
Like the show, leave us a review and sign up for downloads, subscribe to the show,
all those things help us out, and you can take us with you wherever you go.
Right, we have a YouTube channel, the America on the Road YouTube channel,
where we put up pieces of the show typically. Our thanks to Mercury Insurance for sponsoring
the show and to our sports byline network stations for carrying it. Most of all, thanks
to you for listening. Please join us again next time for another edition of America on the Road.
Hi, I'm Jack Arnie Redd, and I'd like to tell you about my newest crime novel,
Only One Thing Stays the Same. In a style reminiscent of James M. Cain and Jim Thompson,
two of my writing idols, the book chronicles of blue-collar workers up and down love affairs
with two modern Southern California women who continue to surprise, shock, and ultimately
confound him. As the story unfolds, an unemployed aeronautics worker named Bill McCurdy becomes
disillusioned with his wife and slips into an illicit affair with a teenager from down the street.
Before long, he begins to think of doing the unthinkable. But despite his desperate attempts
to make things work, almost nothing goes as planned. His misguided quest for simple love
doesn't turn out to be simple at all. And before the roller coaster ride stops,
he learns quite personally and very finely that Only One Thing Stays the Same.
Only One Thing Stays the Same is available in Kindle e-book and paperback form
exclusively at Amazon.com. I'd appreciate it if you'd look for it today.
About this episode
The discussion covers major shifts in the automotive industry, including nine CEO changes at top automakers amid challenges like tariffs, Chinese competition, and EV losses. The anticipated Scout brand launch faces delays due to software and powertrain issues. Canada’s new trade deal allows Chinese-built EVs at reduced tariffs, stirring debate about market impacts. The NHTSA closed a long-running Stellantis investigation without a recall despite numerous complaints. The hosts also share impressions of the 2026 Lexus TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid and the Honda CR-V Hybrid Trail Sport, highlighting their features and driving experiences.
This week on America on the Road, Jack Nerad test-drives the luxurious new 2026 Lexus TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid three-row SUV, and Chris Teague reviews the adventure-ready 2026 Honda CR-V TrailSport Hybrid. Plus, the two hosts break down the top news stories, including a stunning wave of nine major auto CEOs replaced in just over a year, Scout Motors’ possible U.S. launch delay, Canada opening the door to up to China-built EVs, and NHTSA closing its seven-year Stellantis headrest investigation without a recall. The guys welcome special guest Greg Migliore, Editorial Director of AutoGuide.
🚗 Jack Nerad Test Drives the 2026 Lexus TX 550h+
Jack gets behind the wheel of the top-tier 2026 Lexus TX 550h+ AWD plug-in hybrid. With 404 horsepower, standard all-wheel drive, 33 miles of EPA-estimated electric-only range, and seating for six, this three-row luxury SUV blends serene comfort, strong performance (0-60 in 5.2 seconds), and genuine family practicality. Jack shares real-world impressions on its quick acceleration, composed ride, spacious cargo capacity (up to 97 cu ft), premium interior, advanced 14-inch infotainment, Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, and how it stacks up against BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche plug-in hybrids. But is it the TX to buy? Jack and Chris share their thoughts.
🚙 Chris Teague Test Drives 2026 Honda CR-V TrailSport
Chris gets behind the wheel of the 2026 Honda CR-V TrailSport Hybrid, Honda’s adventure-oriented take on its best-selling compact SUV. The TrailSport adds targeted toughness with standard all-wheel drive, a 204-horsepower hybrid system featuring a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle engine and two-motor setup delivering 247 lb-ft of instant torque, unique all-terrain tires, and recalibrated suspension for better traction and compliance. Chris shares impressions of its confident pavement manners, firm yet comfortable ride, smooth eCVT, and impressive combined fuel economy. He praises its spacious cabin with best-in-class rear legroom, 39.3 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seats (expanding to 76.5 cubic feet), intuitive 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, full Honda Sensing safety suite, and strong value starting just under $39,000. But, again, is this the one to buy?
🎙️ Special Guest Interview
Jack sits down with Greg Migliore, Editorial Director of AutoGuide, for an in-depth conversation on the week’s biggest stories and what they mean for the future of the auto industry.
📰 This Week’s Headlines
Bad Time for Car Company CEOs
Nine major automakers have replaced their chief executives in just over a year as the industry grapples with tariffs, Chinese competition, and massive EV write-downs.
Scout’s U.S. Launch Reportedly Delayed
Volkswagen-owned Scout Motors’ planned 2027 debut for the Terra pickup and Traveler SUV may slip to mid-2028 due to software and powertrain challenges.
Canada Okays Chinese Car Imports
Up to 49,000 China-built EVs (including models from Tesla, Polestar, Volvo, and BYD) can enter over the next 12 months at a reduced 6.1% tariff under a new trade deal.
NHTSA Ends Stellantis Investigation
The seven-year probe into 7.4 million vehicles with active headrests closes without a recall; Stellantis will instead offer a 10-year extended warranty.
📩 Listener Question of the Week
Lemmuel from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, asks: “Will bigger wheels really mess up my ride and mileage?”
Jack and Chris break down the real effects of upsizing wheels on ride quality, handling, and fuel economy.
🎧 America on the Road is named Best Radio Show by the International Automotive Media Conference and is now in its 33rd year on the air.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you listen.
📚 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.
