The Kia Sportage is a compact SUV that offers a lot of space and features. The X-Pro Prestige is a specific version of this model that has extra features and upgrades for a more luxurious experience.
The RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition is a version of the Toyota RAV4 that is more suited for outdoor activities, offering special features for off-roading.
The Craftsman Truck Series is a NASCAR racing series where trucks race against each other. It's different from regular car races and has its own set of rules.
The Dodge Ram is a tough truck that people use for work or towing things. It's known for being strong and comfortable to drive, and it's also getting attention for racing in NASCAR.
The Jaguar Mark I is an old luxury car from the 1950s that looks really nice and was known for being fast. People talk about it because it's a classic and represents a special time in car history.
GM SuperCruise is a technology from General Motors that lets you drive without using your hands on certain highways. It uses special sensors and cameras to keep the car in its lane and make sure you're paying attention to the road.
Ford BlueCruise is a feature that lets you drive your car without using your hands on the steering wheel, but only on certain highways. It uses cameras to keep the car in its lane and control its speed.
Zooks is a company that is working on making self-driving taxis. They are part of Amazon and want to create cars that can drive people around without anyone in the driver's seat.
CPO vehicles are used cars that have been checked and certified to be in good condition, often coming with a warranty to give buyers extra peace of mind.
CPO cars are used cars that have been checked and certified to be in good shape. They often come with a warranty, so buyers can feel more secure about their purchase.
A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine means it has four cylinders and can hold 2.5 liters of fuel and air mixture. It's a common engine size that offers a good mix of power and fuel savings.
Blind spot monitoring helps drivers see cars that are hard to notice when changing lanes. It warns you if there's a car in your blind spot, making driving safer.
The Ford F-150 is a big truck that many people use for work or to haul things. It's very popular because it's strong, can carry a lot, and comes in different styles to fit what you need.
Off-road means driving on surfaces that aren't regular roads, like dirt paths or trails. Cars made for off-roading are built to handle rough and uneven ground.
All-wheel drive means that all four wheels of the car get power from the engine, which helps the car grip the road better, especially in bad weather or on rough terrain.
A hybrid system uses both a regular gas engine and an electric motor to help the car use less fuel and produce fewer emissions. It can switch between the two or use both at the same time.
The Toyota Highlander is a popular family SUV that has three rows of seats, so it can fit a lot of people. It's known for being safe and lasting a long time, which makes it a good choice for many families.
The Hyundai Palisade is a roomy SUV that families often choose because it has lots of space and good features. It's known for being comfortable and has a lot of technology to help make driving easier.
The Nissan Murano is a midsize SUV that looks nice and is comfortable to ride in. It's known for being dependable and has features that make it easy to use, which is why many people like it.
The Toyota Venza is a crossover vehicle that feels like a mix between an SUV and a car. It's known for being stylish and good on gas, making it a nice choice for people who want something comfortable to drive.
The GMC Acadia is a roomy SUV that can fit a lot of people and has nice features. It's comfortable to drive and looks good, which makes it a popular choice for families.
The Mazda CX-9 is a family SUV that drives more like a sporty car, which many people like. It has three rows of seats and lots of tech features, making it a fun and practical choice for families.
The Porsche 917 is a famous race car that was really fast and won important races. It's talked about a lot because it helped make Porsche a well-known name in racing.
The Ferrari 512 M is a super-fast race car from the 1970s that was famous for competing against other great cars like the Porsche 917. It's talked about a lot because of its cool design and important place in racing history.
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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 Nierad. With me is co-host Chris Teague.
Chris, are you excited about the vehicles being introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show that's coming up?
I am, you know, I'm always excited to see new vehicles.
I like seeing what the changes are to the existing vehicles and the new ones coming out.
I'm just sad I can't be there.
Yeah, well, we'll see how it goes.
It's a 10-day-long show.
Plenty of automotive news to talk about this week beyond the show.
If you ever wanted to be a race car driver, Ram has a very interesting proposition for you.
We'll tell you all about that coming up.
Driverless taxis have now escaped city streets,
and they're driving around freeways and highways in three major cities.
I'll tell you where and much more about that.
Ford and Amazon have teamed up to offer used cars online while some like the idea.
Others aren't exactly wild about it, and we'll have more on that.
And car companies are leaning heavily into pop culture in an attempt to sell cars.
I'll give you a couple of examples and offer our thoughts on that coming up.
I'm really curious as to Chris's thoughts on that.
Chris, have you ever dreamed of being a race car driver?
Well, every day, Jack. Every day.
It would be a cool thing.
My motion sickness kind of prevents me from being very good at that.
American on the Road is brought to you by drivingtoday.com, emlancy.com,
the publisher of my latest book.
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Well, as your longtime listeners of the show know,
Chris lives at one end of the country, and I live at the other.
Each week we get together to talk about cars.
And Chris, what is your test vehicle this week?
I spent the week behind the wheel of the 2025 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige.
It's a vehicle I actually got able to see being built in Georgia a few weeks ago.
I can't wait to tell you all about it.
Very cool. I want to hear about that.
My test vehicle this week is kind of analogous to that,
or a competitor of the 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition.
So we'll tell you all about that.
I had a chance to drive that recently on an event.
Our special guest this week is Ashton Munoz.
And he's going to be telling us all about the Dodge Challenger
and Charger brand, because he is the Charger brand product manager.
So stay with us for that, and we'll have tons of show for you.
He's an exciting guest.
We've got cool cars to talk about.
So we're so glad you're with us.
Thanks for being with us on America on the Road.
Join us right after the break. We'll be right back.
Welcome back, everybody, to America on the Road
with Chris T. Jack-Mirad with you.
It's news time and interesting news.
This is a fascinating story to me, Chris.
I mean, this kind of riles up all kinds of old thoughts I had
about being a race car driver.
And I think any of us who loves cars
always think about driving race cars.
I had a chance to drive some stock cars back in the day
and that kind of thing.
But that's about as far as it went for me.
Now, Ram is shaking up NASCAR in the Craftsman Truck Series
with a new idea.
I think this is a really cool thing.
It puts the idea of being a pro racer
in the reach of any NASCAR person, NASCAR fan,
for the 2026 season, the number 25 Ram 1500 team fielded
by Colleague Racing will have rotating, quote-unquote,
free agents.
A different racer announced the Monday before each event.
And you can apply for the job.
You can apply for this free agent spot in these cars.
If you have been in road racing, dirt, open-wheel,
sports cars, you can apply to be a race car driver
in the NASCAR Truck Series.
What do you think about that?
Yeah, I mean, man, I've got arthritis in my neck.
But if I didn't, I would be lining up.
I'm not a pro driver already.
But even with the prerequisites, man,
it's such a cool shot to be able to get behind the wheel
on a NASCAR track in a real cup race and go for it.
I mean, if you do well, you may have a shot at the next race.
You never know with a different team.
But it sounds like a lot of fun.
I hope somebody gets to live out their dream.
Yeah.
They're going to have a four-car team.
I guess they have three regular drivers,
I guess you would say, team drivers.
Brendan Butterbean Queen, what a great name.
Daniel Dye and Justin Haley are their regular drivers,
quote unquote, and then the free agent.
Each see each time around.
So I think pretty cool stuff.
We'll see how that unfolds in the next NASCAR Truck Series.
Here's something that's going on in a place near me,
among other places, driverless taxis.
They're now driving on the freeways.
They're not just on surface streets anymore.
Surface streets is what we call them in California.
What do you call it?
Just regular roads in Maine.
Do you call them surface streets?
Yeah.
I mean, I guess that's the technical term for it.
I've never heard anybody say that, though.
Yeah.
That's what they're referred to here by the general public.
Waymo is taking its driverless ride service onto highways.
The company is expanding in San Francisco,
Los Angeles and Phoenix to ride on freeways and other highways,
super highways, including picking up and dropping off
at some international airports.
I think that's kind of a fascinating thing to do.
It marks, I guess, a landmark for these kinds of vehicles.
What's your overall take on this?
I'm honestly surprised they didn't start on the highways
given that all the semi-autonomous features that we have now,
like Ford BlueCruise and GM SuperCruise,
those are all highway only.
The number of things, the variables, there are no pedestrians on highways.
You're very unlikely to see a dog crossing the interstate.
Hopefully.
That probably should have been where they started.
I'm honestly surprised they didn't.
Yeah.
Interesting to me, too.
I guess it's low speeds is what they are looking for
on the other streets, the non-highways
and maybe highways you have much higher speeds.
But as you say, with limited access,
and that's what you have on most of these divided highways,
those are typically safer.
I think statistics point to the fact that those are safer places to drive.
Interesting stuff.
Of course, Waymo is going to have some competition.
Amazon is preparing to build Zooks Robo Taxis.
We'll see how that works out.
Tesla, of course, wants to have cyber cab service by next year.
So, a lot of competition there.
Interesting, I think, and we'll see how that unfolds.
Yeah, I've seen a couple of my very tech forward colleagues
praising driverless taxis, but outside of them,
I'm not seeing anybody super excited about this.
Other than developing technologies and new hardware and things like that,
I don't know what the business case is here.
Maybe they're doing this, like I said, to build their technologies up,
but nobody's asking for it that I can see.
Yeah.
And who ride in them mostly are pretty satisfied by it,
and kind of sadly, I think, one of the big advantages that people cite to me
is you don't have to talk to the driver.
You know, you don't interact with any driver in this society these days
where we're doing everything on our phone
and we're not talking face to face or even talking on the telephone.
Maybe that's what people want.
I don't know.
I don't know.
My last Uber driver had a sign that said,
tell me if you don't want to talk and he didn't say a word.
So I think that's probably pretty effective too.
I always engage those folks, and I'm kind of curious as to their life stories,
and many of them have really pretty interesting life stories.
They do.
Go figure.
Ford and Amazon are teaming up to offer used vehicles,
in this case certified pre-owned vehicles online,
and I know you've been a big proponent of online shopping in the past.
What's your take on this?
I love, I've bought two cars online.
I mean, I had to go pick them up or have them delivered,
but the experience, if it's laid out right,
is very much more convenient than going to a dealership
and negotiating and doing all those things.
A little surprising to see Ford jumping in here.
They're offering CPO vehicles there.
Hyundai did it a while back with Amazon.
Again, I don't know that Amazon is the go-to
that people think of, like, I want to go buy a car.
I better go to Amazon.
But they've been working on it a while, so we'll see where it goes.
Yeah, I think Hyundai is doing it on the new car side with Amazon,
and that's been rolled out in a few places.
This is rolled out on CPO cars, a certified pre-owned,
in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Dallas.
Shoppers can browse, finance, and purchase
Ford Blue Advantage vehicles through Amazon Autos.
And then they schedule to pick up at a local participating dealer.
So I think that's where the dealers come in,
because I think dealers are really wary of this whole program.
Used cars that wear a lot of new car dealers make a ton of money.
Maybe a lot of their money.
A service in used cars, I think, is much more profitable
to new car sales for the typical new car dealer.
And so I think they're pretty jealous of this,
and we'll see how that works out.
Yeah, I've heard many different explanations
and descriptions of the partnerships with Amazon,
but I think it's more of, like,
they get a commission for directing leads to the dealerships.
So they're, again, like you say,
they're not actually selling the cars the dealers are still doing,
but they're still completing the transaction.
Yeah, and I think Ford is stressing the dealers keep control
over the pricing, the customer relationships.
Of course, Amazon gets into the customer relationship there,
I think a lot, and maybe a lot of people don't want
a customer relationship necessarily with a dealer.
So there's some fears, I think,
that it could shift interest away from the showroom
and into Amazon.
And I think that maybe the last thing we need
is more buying through Amazon for everything in the world.
I mean, I'm all for the convenience.
Yeah, they already have a lot of data.
I'm all for the convenience of Amazon,
but I haven't noticed I'd like to see some competition out there.
I think it's good for everybody.
Here's a story I want your comment on,
and maybe it's just me being snarky.
I don't know.
And we typically don't review advertising campaigns on here,
auto advertising campaigns.
I mean, that's up to individuals to do that.
But I think some of these holiday ad cam,
it's kind of interesting to me that Subaru and Lexus
are kind of leaning on pop culture to sell vehicles.
I think Subaru does some great stuff with dogs.
I love dogs.
I mean, nobody loves dogs more than I do,
or nobody loved our dog more than I did.
And I also love the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile.
So the fact that they're doing a commercial
that combines dogs and the Wienermobile
I think is pretty cool, kind of heartwarming.
And Lexus is wading in on Wicked for Good
and leaning into that.
What's your take on this?
It's not cars, but leaning on something else.
Yeah, you know, I don't have any conceptual problem with it,
but I don't know how effective these are going to be.
I mean, how many Lexus buyers are going to say,
oh, I'm really interested in both this movie
and this vehicle, and these two together
make it worthwhile for me to go buy it.
The Subaru thing is fine.
I don't, you know, that's a little bit less egregious
if you want to use that word.
But yeah, I don't know how effective these things are going to be,
but it's nothing new, right?
I mean, we've been seeing these tie-ins
for decades now, probably.
Yeah, I guess it's irritated me for decades.
And I don't know why I'm irritated by it.
I just think cars are exciting.
I kind of like cars sold on their own merits
rather than trying to tie them into a movie
or something like that.
As you said, I think the Subaru thing
is a little less egregious than...
Well, maybe Lexus is trying to avoid, you know,
memifying their ads, right?
We've had the Lexus December to remember for so long
now that it's been on a Saturday Night Live episode
and everything else, so maybe they're just looking
to shift it up a little bit.
Yeah, well, jump on a bandwagon that's out there
and maybe they get free tickets, I don't know.
Remind us of the vehicle you're testing this week, Chris.
I drove the 2025 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige.
And I'm driving the 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Woodland Edition, the brand-new version
of the best-selling vehicle in the United States.
So stay with us for that, and we'll be right back right here
on America on the Road.
We're glad you're with us, and stay with us.
We'll be right back.
Time coming up with great gifts, especially for guys.
Well, I have a couple of suggestions for you,
both from companies that make all their products
right here in the USA.
The first is Dearborn Denim and Apparel.
They make great jeans, shirts, and accessories
in my old hometown of Chicago.
I've watched several pairs of jeans from them,
and I think they're among the best jeans I've ever owned.
Great materials, high-quality workmanship.
I just like them a lot.
Look for them at DearbornDenim.us.
That's DearbornDenim.us.
The second gift idea is Razors and Razor accessories
from a company called Western Razor.
Again, all of their products are made here in the USA,
and they are terrific.
The Razors aren't cheap, but then neither is your face.
I love using my Western Razor,
and let me tell you, those double-edged blades
last a long, long time.
You can find them at WesternRazor.com.
That's WesternRazor.com.
This isn't a paid commercial.
These are just two personal suggestions I have
about products I've purchased and used.
Take a look at DearbornDenim.us
and WesternRazor.com.
I think you'll like what you see.
Welcome back to America on the Road with Chris T.
Jackie Razor with you.
With you.
Not with you.
Thanks so much for being with us.
We do appreciate it.
And it is road test time,
and I think we've got two competitors here
to talk about.
The key is Sportage in X-Pro form.
I think kind of their off-roady kind of form.
And the Toyota RAV4, their Woodland edition,
but tell us about the Kia Sportage.
Yeah, I was driving the 2025 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige.
As you said, this is kind of their off-road trim.
The Prestige is an up-level version of the normal X-Pro trim,
but neither of these get any significant off-road upgrades.
These are like all-terrain tires
and plastic skid plates and things like that
to make it look beefier.
You don't get a lift kit or anything like that,
but you still get the Sportage at the base,
which is a very nice compact SUV
that I enjoy quite a bit.
So taking a step back,
you can get into this vehicle for around $29,000,
a pretty good deal these days.
My X-Pro Prestige came out to around $40,000
after a couple of options.
Jack, have you driven a Sportage recently,
and what did you think about it
kind of in the general segment?
I have.
I mean, a knock about Sportage years ago
was it was just too small for the segment,
and I think they solved that
with the most recent generation,
and I think it's a real good competitor
to a lot of the vehicles in this segment.
I think it's a terrific vehicle.
I agree.
So you can get this vehicle with a hybrid powertrain.
Mine was the standard gas engine.
It's a 2.5-liter four-cylinder.
It makes 187 horsepower,
178 pound-feet of torque,
which reaches all four wheels in the X-Pro model
via an 8-speed transmission.
So 187 horsepower doesn't sound all that great on paper,
doesn't look all that great on paper,
and it feels that way in motion.
This vehicle is smooth, it's comfortable,
it has a decent ride quality,
but it's noisy and it's sluggish,
especially at highway speeds.
When you're trying to pass or merge
or any of those things,
the power kind of dies out at higher RPMs,
and I think that that's a little surprising,
but I think the hybrid probably won't
improve on that too much either,
but at around-town speeds, it's perfectly fine.
Jack, what did you think of that
when you drove this Sportage?
I guess I didn't note that it was
kind of powered down.
It didn't jump out at me.
Maybe it was where I was driving
or how I was driving, or a lot of things.
I don't know. It seemed okay.
I think the thing that I notice most is
when you put your foot down to pass on the highway,
there's a lot of sound,
there's a lot of vibration,
but there's not a lot of motion that goes along with it.
Like I said, around-town is perfectly fine,
pulling out into traffic,
but it's surprisingly smooth.
I think it's got those all-terrain tires
which I think helps soak up some of the bumps
and bangs.
Inside, you get synthetic leather,
upholstery, and the X-Pro Prestige.
The normal model comes with cloth.
Heated and ventilated front seats
and a heated steering wheel.
The front cabin area of this vehicle
is spacious. It's comfortable.
The front seats are wide enough
for my American-sized rear end,
and at six feet tall, I can adjust
there's good ergonomics, you have good visibility,
so in my
height, sometimes I find
the steering wheel blocks-
Are you six feet tall, Chris Teague?
What's that? Are you six feet tall?
I already said that, Jack.
But while we're talking about it,
what do you think of the sportage interior?
Even in the lower trims, I think it's a nice space to be.
Yeah, I think they've done a really good job
both inside and out. I think
Kia's styling is a
step forward than what it used to be,
because they've come a long way there.
Inside these vehicles,
they're almost premium-type vehicles.
I have to wonder,
with luxury brands these days,
the lengths that they have to go to
to differentiate themselves from mass-market vehicles.
Yeah, you do get quite a bit for your money here.
One thing I want to point out,
and I mentioned having seen these vehicles
being built in Georgia a few weeks ago,
the steering wheel in this vehicle,
it's not installed upside-down,
but it looks and it feels upside-down.
It's on the top and bottom with the rounded sides.
And it's smaller on top
and larger on the bottom.
So you end up with this weird contour feel.
It's something you get used to after driving it
a few days, but sitting in it for the first time,
I was like, did they put the steering wheel on upside-down
in this vehicle?
I wish I could show you a picture on the radio,
but you can't.
They come standard with an 8-inch touchscreen,
but my upgraded model had a 12.3-inch
digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto,
Bluetooth and all the rest.
I also had a Harman Kardon sound system.
We've talked at length about Kia and Hyundai's
infotainment jack, and the same thing is true here.
It's simple. It's easy to use.
It's straightforward. It's not super fancy.
There's not a lot of graphics and animations,
but what that does is it makes it easier to use
while you're driving. You're not pecking around
trying to find a menu.
One thing I will say is that it's a little confusing
if you're in a smartphone mirroring.
So if you're listening to something in Apple CarPlay,
switching out of that and back into the normal interface
is a little bit of a challenge.
But again, that's something that I think people get used to
over time. And then you get a full suite
of safety equipment with this vehicle as well.
So blind spot monitoring with the camera system
in this car, forward collision alerts,
rear automatic braking, all the rest.
So I think if I were going for this vehicle,
I would opt for a normal, like not an X-Pro version.
But there's absolutely nothing wrong with the X-Pro.
It's just I prefer more road-oriented
tires and things like that, but it's perfectly fine.
Yeah. Well, I think the
Sportage is a good value there and
certainly something to look at if you're looking for
compact utility. Absolutely.
And speaking of which,
I was driving
maybe the most important introduction
certainly in terms of sales
that has happened this year. The Toyota RAV4
in new trim. Of course,
Toyota RAV4 was among
the best-selling, if not the best-selling vehicle
recently. Outselling
the Ford F-150 I think
last year, kind of amazing.
Because that hadn't happened in, like forever,
better part of our
lifetimes. But this is an all-new
generation of the RAV4.
Of course, a compact utility,
very similar in size to the
Kia Sportage you just talked about.
The vehicle I'm testing this time around
is the Woodland Edition, the hybrid
Woodland Edition.
One of many,
a variety of
opportunities to get into the
RAV4 for various kinds of people.
This has the rugged
design cues.
Added utility.
I'm not sure that there's a ton of added utility,
but I guess some. And
latest advancements in the hybrid powertrain
is a new generation of the hybrid powertrain
and they're all hybrid all the time these days.
This is a vehicle that's kind of meant for
off-road, but kind of light off-roading,
light trail driving,
maybe dirt roads are what people consider
off-roads with this vehicle. I'm not
sure. You can certainly get to campsites
up gravel roads and in foul weather
in this vehicle with
no problem. Has a 2.5
liter four-cylinder engine.
Electronic on-demand all-wheel
drive in a hybrid system
as part of this and it has unique wheels,
all-terrain tires and
exterior upgrades that make it a
Woodland Edition versus a typical
RAV4.
What's your overall take on these kind of
vehicles, kind of profiler
vehicles that are off-road?
Yeah, we've talked about this a bunch of times.
I think people gravitate towards the appearance
of capability even if they're not going to use
that capability.
I've got the Honda Pilot or Passport
Trail Sport here this week which is the same thing, right?
It's a beefier looking vehicle that doesn't actually
add a ton of capability.
People like them. I don't have a problem with it.
I don't have as big a problem with it as I do the black appearance
packages.
Yeah, let's talk about this vehicle from the inside
out a little bit. This has
a new 10.5 inch
Toyota Audio
Multimedia system, so I like that.
And then it has, I think the thing that jumped out
at me the most
when I got in the vehicle was the 12.3
inch instrument cluster.
I mean, it's got a big digital instrument cluster
right in front of you.
So that's good. I think I like that
a lot. People who are used to RAV4s
and truth be told, there are
two RAV4s in the NERAD family
two of my daughters drive them.
I've owned two myself. Yeah, two of my daughters drive
them. So I'm
pretty well
acquainted with RAV4
because we've had two different generations in our family.
But this has a
very good connectivity system
as well. And then it has Toyota Safety
Sense 4.0.
They've upped it to 4.0 with pre-collision system
lane departure alert.
It has adaptive cruise control
which is very good.
They have not released price
of this vehicle, but the
current Woodland edition is about $35,000.
So my guess is
that the Acorn is not going
to fall too far from that tree
and it's going to be right around that.
Standard equipment has
the faux leather seats. Softex
is what Toyota calls them. Heated
front seats. Power driver's seat which is good.
A heated leather steering wheel
it is normally shaped. I think
it's round. So it's not a
bad thing. Let's
talk about powertrain a little bit. This is
the fifth generation of the Toyota
hybrid system. As I mentioned
2.5 liter naturally aspirated
four-cylinder engine. And then there are
three electric motors. Total output
is 236 horsepower.
So that's pretty
stout horsepower and I
actually thought that there would be more
torque out of this thing. I don't think they
quote a total torque number. The gas engine
produces 163 pound-feet
of torque, but I think there's a lot more torque
coming from the electric motors.
What I noticed about this was how
smooth it was in the driving.
Almost electric
like in terms of its acceleration.
You don't notice shifts.
There's no hesitation
as you're going from
gear to gear. And
I think that's just
very, very cool. I like the fact
that you have this hybrid system.
Your thoughts about that? Yeah, if you're
going to make every vehicle you sell hybrid,
the hybrid has to work well and Toyota has
nailed it. I think the last one I drove, as you
say, it just works. It's smooth. It's
imperceptible almost in how it
transfers power between the two systems.
Yeah, it really works well.
We've driven many other hybrid systems that are
much clunky
and this is not clunky.
41 miles per gallon in the city.
36 miles per gallon on the highway for
39 mile per gallon combined
rating. So that's
very, very good as we mentioned.
These are all hybrid all the time.
It's almost 3500 pounds, which isn't
a lot.
It's more than a ton, but it's not two tons.
And I just
think this is a very comfortable vehicle
for light off-roading
or looking like you're going to do some
light off-roading. I just
like the vehicle a lot. I think
there's a lot to like about it and
I think at around $35,000,
a lot of people are going to find this
is a real good vehicle.
Yeah, I think it's a worthy redesign.
The styling is a little sharp for my taste.
I think in some ways, but you know, this is
a good improvement over the last round four.
Yeah, they really didn't want to change the
styling very much because the previous
generation was such a home run. I mean,
they said that to me, you know, quite
frankly, so I think it's interesting
that they've stuck with the kind
of the current styling with some add-ons
and but the interior is much
better and I think people are going to
notice that and this drivetrain
is a terrific drivetrain too.
I can't wait to drive the new GR Sport version.
Yeah, and stay with us everybody.
We'll be right back right here
on America on the Road with even more
including a great guest.
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
wholesome 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 everybody to America
on the Road with you
Ann Arbor, Michigan. We're doing
North American Car of the Year testing
and with me is a terrific guest
Ashton Munoz is representing
the Dodge Charger
in both two door and four door form
and in both electric and
gasoline powered form, I think
We've got two out of all the crazy
combos here. I've just driven one of them
a two door charger with a scat pack
and that's got the six pack
powered engine in it
so it's got the three liter
twin turbo inline six
mated to the eight speed automatic transmission
just walk us through that
whole thing, walk us through the power train
and what's super trick about it
because there's so many things. It's awesome
I'm super excited to be able to have
this power train in the car. We've adapted it
I think a lot of people are
We've adapted it
to kind of what Dodge
feels and believes in. Look, sound,
drive feel like a Dodge so it's got to
do all those things for us
The coolest thing to me about this engine
so we'll just go through the basics. It's a
three liter inline six
twin turbo so it's got
two counter rotating Garrett
2054 turbos on it
they sit kind of right on the
driver side of the engine
on top of each other. There's a really
cool air intercooler
on the opposite side of the engine so
you kind of get that cold air after the turbos
and you kind of get a hood bulge
because of that right
it's almost the opposite versus our
Daytona the battery version
that kind of has the opposite so it's got the R wing
so we don't have the big engine in the front
we can kind of move that leading edge
down kind of a shovel leading edge
and then you have essentially what looks like
a spoiler wing kind of thing
we're calling it the R wing so it's
kind of like what we did back in 69
except it's on the front of the car
gives you less drag
instead of more downforce if that makes
sense. But I
interrupted your power
So three liter twin turbo
inline six really tricked turbos
on it. 54 millimeter
Garrett's they put up to 30 PSI
of boost in this engine
so which is pretty crazy for a production engine
it's like beyond belief.
I personally got it up to
26, 27, 28 when this
thing is on boost it is a monster
so with that being
said 550 horsepower
531 foot pounds of torque
you get that torque really
soon in the RPM range so unlike
our outgoing V8s where
it's pretty linear you get most of the torque at the
top end
2500 to 3000 RPM
you're almost at full torque which is
pretty cool feeling getting all
that torque at the early RPMs
so that engine is mated to
an all wheel drive system so that is
really cool as well.
This is good I don't have to ask any questions
I'll just give me the
wink and I'll shut off
but so the all
wheel drive system is pretty cool too
it's standard all wheel drive so front and power
front and rear has a really cool
transfer case so we can unlock
the transfer case to the front axle
send 100% of the 550
to the rear wheels
what's also cool. Is there a switch to do that
or how do you choose that?
And that's totally driver
can pick what they want
all wheel drive, rear wheel drive in sport mode
there's a little button that pops up in sport mode
on the screen in its rear wheel
drive so if you want rear wheel drive you hit it
it'll disconnect that front transfer case
which is also pretty
cool too is in some of the other modes
like auto or wet snow
stuff like that
it'll primarily drive in rear wheel
like auto mode
it'll drive in rear wheel and it will
decouple the front axle and transfer case
so you're not getting any parasitic loss
by spinning the front
drive train system
and then wet snow for example
kind of the opposite it will lock it
in all wheel drive
and not put it into rear wheel drive
just to give you the best of that condition
in sport mode in pretty inclement weather
where you experience
it's raining pretty bad right now
40-50 degrees out
but talk about great hookup
and just seems totally planted
all the time it's about perfect
really good balance on the car now
so like about 55-45
on the gas version
in the true 50-50
on the battery version
but that helps in stuff like this
and it's different than the outgoing cars
primarily the high horsepower cars
rear wheel drive
you can get into the gas and take corners
way more comfortably
now with this all wheel drive system
it just feels good all the way around
what have you done suspension wise
gas versus electric
they're way different
they're about a thousand
pound different in weight
so we have an account for that
what's really cool though is
this whole platform is multi-energy
full battery electric powertrain in it
full gas powertrain in it
which has its benefits too
so it makes the car super rigid
especially on the gas version
where it's a little bit lighter
but still has that body
but on the suspension side
so the car that you drove right now
that's got the more stiff suspension in it
it's standard on that vehicle
it's got Brembo 6 pistons in the front
20x11's
305 squared tires
all the way around
on our
Daytona battery version right now
we have a pretty trick
track package so it goes all the way up
to dual valve adaptive damping
so literally two valves that we can
mess around with and make it super
super soft and plush
or very firm and super responsive
and dial it anywhere between
that thing's crazy too that track package
it's massive 6 pistons
Brembo's on the front
massive Brembo's on the rear
looks like we literally took those
is there regen in that car?
so that's a big difference right?
I guess it's all different
the way you're making it sound
what's cool is the physical brakes
in the suspension
are all interchangeable from
battery to gas
the regen though
you get on top of the battery car
so you get the massive brakes
and the regen it feels like you're going to fly through that windshield
full panic stop
almost like hitting a wall
but you shouldn't hit a wall
it'll keep you from hitting a wall
I think one of the cool things about
the Chargers is their good day to day
cars as well
they've got all this capability
and it's really beyond
capability for an old muscle car guy
who used to analog cars
this is a way different experience
but at the same time
very livable talk about that a little bit
this gives us the chance
of I can't tell you how many people I've talked to
I daily drive a muscle car
in bad weather, good weather, it doesn't matter
but not everybody has
a screw loose like that
so many people I've talked to
I can't get this car, I can't get this two seater
I can't get this rear wheel drive muscle car
because I have to have something with all wheel drive
it gives us a good opportunity
to literally use scratch that is
to somebody that wanted a cool looking
a muscle car or sports car
something like that but wasn't all wheel drive
it's like give them one extra reason
where they you know
okay now it is all wheel drive
now I can maybe daily this
and in the summer like dry weather
or weather like this
you could theoretically put it into rear wheel drive
and kind of have two different cars
does it feel that different to you
when you go to rear wheel drive
the cornering is the most
the cornering in the super hard acceleration
so in rear wheel drive
550 horse turbo
you can break the rear wheel super easily
but in all wheel drive
you can be pretty aggressive on the throttle
and that front will pick you up
you'll get traction on all four
with the power steering
so straight line you can really feel a difference
and then corners a huge difference
of it pulling you out instead
of kind of pushing you through
talk about things like infotainment system
and that kind of stuff it's important to people
we did a huge jump on the
outgoing charger to this charger
this is our first time using the Uconnect 5 system
so we have it in our
Durango's right now
it's kind of the bigger screen of
more rectangular screen you see
super fast super crisp
graphics the navigation is awesome
in it
what I like the best but I'm
biased in a crazy dodge guy but
is all the performance pages in the drive
well I was hoping you'd walk me through that
tell us about that
you can make that car feel
to your point as a daily driver
if you just don't touch anything
and you just get in the car and just hit
the start button
the car is tame, super comfortable
super nice over real rough roads
and the cabin sound
inside is real tame
and muffled
so really good
put it into sport mode
the exhaust valves open up
the feeling how you drive the car
the throttle mapping, the steering feel
transmission behavior all that opens up
so you can just really
you can drive that thing super tame
you can go into sport, you can go into
custom, change everything how you like
to make it kind of aggressive
and crazy
how long does it take to do that kind of stuff
to figure out how you
want it and all that stuff
because you're the kind of guy that do that
and I guess the kind of guy that buy this vehicle
is likely to do that
tell us, walk us through that a little bit
I mean it's cool
today like you said in Michigan
it's pretty bad out
having the wet and snow, we never had that before
so now having just a dedicated mode
to real bad weather
to be able to just into your point of like
how long does it take to even as the driver
to like get in there and do that
we've made it a little easier on the new charger
where there's a super cool button
on the steering wheel so drive modes
will take you right to the screen
or if you don't even want to get to any screen
you just want to have keep your eyes on the road
do your thing, you just hit one arrow
it goes into sport mode, one arrow
goes into wet snow
so it's really quick into that sense
and you can change them right on the fly too
it struck me when I drove
I guess it was probably the four door electric charger
in Phoenix
about a year ago
and that was probably the two door version
this one that we brought here is the four door
we just started kicking that out
in August of this year
so long ago I can't remember
but it struck me the driving experience
was cool but at the same time
kind of video game like
especially with the
Fratsonic chambered exhaust, the sound profiles
of it
you get a really cool brake regen noise
when you're slowing down it kind of gives the driver
feedback of what the heck
the car is actually doing
at the same time the scat pack
seems more analog to me which as an old guy
an old muscle car guy
I like
it's nice that you have all that
tech in there and it has
real sound
you can hear the trans changes
those kind of things that I think are more
involving
I love the performance of electric cars
to me they're not as involving as
do you like one over the other
and are you allowed to say
I don't have kids but
it's probably like when people are like
you got to pick a favorite kid
it's funny I've had favorites at different times
so when I first started
getting into the Daytona
it really flipped the switch
Daytona being electric
six pack wheels had been gas
when I first got started getting to drive
and develop and work on the Daytona
it flipped a switch in my head
I didn't know I needed this kind of torque
and I was really loving that car
I used to drive motorcycles a lot too
that car really felt like
the amount of torque and quickness
of getting in and out of traffic
if you needed to make a left on a busy street
I mean you could shoot there on that Daytona
battery version super quick
it felt like driving a motorcycle
so like that torque
is addicting
and it's a primal feeling
but then on the other hand
I've got a tattoo of a piston rod
on my arm
it's like there's a part of me
that still likes to hear
that wind up in the build up of a gas engine
well it's kind of cool to change gears too
isn't it?
and that's what you heard was
we make things as most fun to drive as possible
so like if you're in a really aggressive
throttle situation and then you're up shifting
so it's pulling
spark and it's pulling
timing and you're still getting
a little bit of fuel so as soon as you're in that next gear
boom you hear the
kind of the explosion in the exhaust
it seems like Stellantis was getting
knocked a little bit for being late to the electric party
and then
what happens is given the changes
in regulations and all that
it was like kind of brilliant to do
whatever what's been done
and to offer this same platform
in both electric and gasoline
for two door four door
gas electric I mean with the
the good thing is
no station wagon yet though right?
the good thing about that is is like
we came into this having that vehicle set up
for multi energy so
I mean if anything political landscape
ever changes in the future I can't imagine
that would happen I know everything's super
calm but it hopefully
will give us the opportunity to go
with market demands and on what the market
wants yeah that's so cool
Ashton Munoz ashton Munoz thank you
thanks everybody you get your name right too
that's really good thanks for being with us
we appreciate it thank you and stay with
us we'll be right back right here
on America on the Road
Welcome back to America on the Road
with co-host Chris Teague
this is Jeff Mirad with you
and we're so glad you're with us we really do
appreciate it it's listener question
time we love to get your questions
and comments please send them to
editoratdrivingtoday.com
that's editoratdrivingtoday.com
and here's the question
this is from Myra in La Crosse, Wisconsin
I think that's on the Mississippi River
I'm thinking of buying a family
SUV and I'm wondering
what is the best midsize SUV
for reliability well
there are lots of data points
it's hard to go wrong with the Toyota
Highlander it's hard to go wrong with the
Honda Pilot I think those are two of the longest
running names in the segment for a reason
while we have less data
points on them the Kia Telluride
and Hyundai Palisade have proven
over the past what almost seven years
now to have been pretty reliable and
come with a 10 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty
well and it's interesting Chris
because I did some research and I would
have identified the same kind of vehicles
you talked about and here's what JD Power says
about midsize SUVs in their
vehicle dependability index study
these are the highest ranked
among midsize SUVs in dependability
the Nissan Murano
the Chevy Blazer
and one of your favorites of all time
the Toyota Venza not exactly
intuitive but I think
it's certainly pretty good information to know
right it is and it's
interesting because other than
maybe the Venza the other two I would not have
I would never have put up put on the list
and in terms of upper midsize so a little larger
I guess a more expensive GMC
Acadia Buick Enclave
and the Mazda CX-9 which is a vehicle
that I like a lot these all
out pointed the Toyotas and Hondas
that you might think would be on the list
it might be because they're using powertrains that are
20 years old at this point and they've had all
the bugs worked out you never know
well that wraps up our show for this week
my new crime novel only one thing stays the same
it's now available in both e-book
and paperback form at Amazon
so look for that I'd appreciate that
if you like our show please pass it on
listen on this radio station each week
let your friends know where you hear
America on the Road and of course
America on the Road is available as a podcast
that's correct a quick google search
for the America on the Road podcast will bring us to you
on all the major platforms Apple, Spotify
podcast like us download us leave us a review
all of those things help us out
and you can take us with you wherever you go
we'd love to be with you and we have
YouTube and Rumble channels so check those out
check out our video content we're creating
a lot more of that recently so look for that
our thanks to Mercury Insurance for sponsoring
the show and to our Sports Byline Network
stations for carrying it on terrestrial
radio which we love and most of all
thanks to you for listening we know you have a
lot of choices so we're honored by the fact
that you're listening to America on the Road
and it's time for another edition of
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 mulsins straight
at 348 miles per hour
the racing pitted the
Porsche 917 versus the Ferrari 512
the fastest road racing ever
and Rodentrack sent a promising
new rider 27 year old Ted West
to cover it
he traveled from Brands Hatch to Monza
the Targa Florio Spa, the Nürburgring
and Le Mans
you got to know the races personally
and the women who loved them
the racing was blindingly fast
driving horrifically fragile cars at those speeds
unheard of courage
that was around every corner
and the drama tensely real every moment
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
time coming up with great gifts
especially for guys
I have a couple of suggestions for you
both from companies that make all their products
the first is Dearborn Denim
and Apparel
they make great jeans, shirts and accessories
in my old hometown of Chicago
I've watched several pairs of jeans from them
and I think they're among the best jeans I've ever owned
great materials, high quality
workmanship, I just like them a lot
look for them at DearbornDenim.us
that's DearbornDenim.us
the second gift idea is
Razors and Razor Accessories
from a company called Western Razor
their products are made here in the USA
and they are terrific
their razors aren't cheap but
then neither is your face
I love using my Western Razor
and let me tell you those double edge blades last a long, long time
you can find them at
WesternRazor.com
that's WesternRazor.com
this isn't a paid commercial
these are just two personal suggestions I have
about products I've purchased and used
take a look at
DearbornDenim.us
I think you'll like what you see
Thanks for watching
Make your next getaway a win
Learn more at springhillsweet.marriot.com
About this episode
The episode features a detailed road test of the 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition, highlighting its hybrid powertrain and off-road capabilities. Co-host Chris Teague discusses the 2025 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige, comparing its performance and features. The hosts also delve into automotive news, including Ram's innovative NASCAR driver program, the rise of driverless taxis, and Ford's partnership with Amazon for online used car sales. Special guest Ashton Munoz shares insights about the Dodge Charger and its new powertrains, including a twin-turbo inline-six engine.
This week on America on the Road, Jack Nerad and Chris Teague drive a pair of compact SUVs that are among the most popular vehicles in America. Jack takes the wheel of the rugged new 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition, while Chris puts the off-road-ready 2025 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige through its paces. Our news segment includes important announcements at the Los Angeles Auto Show, breakthrough developments in autonomous driving, and a surprising new partnership that puts Ford on Amazon’s digital storefront. In our exclusive interview, we welcome Ashton Munoz, Dodge Challenger & Charger Brand/Product Manager, who joins us to discuss Dodge’s latest performance direction.
🚙 Jack Nerad Test-Drives the 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition
Jack was one of the first journalists to get behind the wheel of Toyota’s latest SUV, the 2026 Toyota RAV4 Woodland Edition, a model that blends hybrid efficiency with real all-weather utility. Using Toyota’s fifth-generation hybrid system paired with a 2.5-liter engine and on-demand AWD, the Woodland Edition enhances the bestselling RAV4 Hybrid with unique wheels, all-terrain tires, and functional upgrades aimed at light-trail users. Inside, Toyota updates the tech story with a 10.5-inch multimedia system, a fully digital 12.3-inch gauge cluster, and 5G connectivity. Jack details how the Woodland Edition balances comfort, capability, and hybrid performance for buyers who split time between urban commuting and weekend adventure.
🚗 Chris Teague Test-Drives the 2025 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige
Chris takes the 2025 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige on- and off-road, highlighting its rugged AWD tuning and 187-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an 8-speed automatic. With 8.3 inches of ground clearance, off-road-friendly approach and departure angles, and a multi-link rear suspension, the X-Pro Prestige brings surprising capability to the compact SUV class. The roomy cabin offers more than 41 inches of legroom in both rows, while the dual-level cargo floor allows up to 74.1 cubic feet of storage. Chris examines its combination of refinement, cargo flexibility, and light-trail confidence, along with its 26-mpg combined fuel economy and 2,500-pound towing capacity.
Jack sits down with Dodge’s Ashton Munoz for an inside look at the brand’s new Charger product strategy as it launches a new era of muscle performance. Munoz shares insights on design direction, product planning, and how Dodge is keeping its performance identity strong in a changing market.
📰 This Week’s Headlines
Ram Could Make You a Race Car Driver
Ram is shaking up the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with a “Free Agent” driver program that puts a rotating lineup of racers behind the wheel of the No. 25 Ram 1500. Drivers from across motorsports can apply, and each race will feature a different competitor. Ram aims to inject fresh energy into the series while anchoring the program with full-time entries from Brenden Queen, Daniel Dye, and Justin Haley.
Driverless Taxis Hit the Freeways
Waymo has expanded its autonomous service to major freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Riders can now travel highway routes, including a full 45-mile stretch from San Francisco to San Jose International Airport, entirely without a human driver. Competition is heating up, with Zoox scaling production and Tesla teasing its 2026 Cybercab.
Ford and Amazon Team Up for Online CPO Sales
Ford Blue Advantage certified pre-owned vehicles are now available through Amazon Autos in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Dallas. Shoppers can browse, finance, and schedule pickup online, though some dealers are wary about how Amazon’s marketplace could reshape customer relationships. Up to 180 dealers have expressed interest in the program.
Subaru and Lexus Go All-In on Pop Culture
Subaru brings back its Barkley dog family for holiday ads, including a chase involving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Meanwhile, Lexus unveils a “Karaoke LX” tied to the premiere of “Wicked,” complete with emerald-and-pink detailing and Broadway-ready audio. Both brands lean heavily on pop culture to stand out during the holiday ad rush.
📩 Listener Question of the Week
Myra from LaCrosse, Wisconsin, asks: “I’m thinking of buying a family SUV, and I’m wondering what’s the best midsize SUV for reliability? That means a lot to me.”
Jack and Chris reference the latest J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Index for guidance.
📚 Jack’s Latest Book
Jack’s crime novel, Only One Thing Stays the Same, is now available in paperback and eBook on Amazon.
🎧 Where to Listen
Catch America on the Road each week on this station, subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Audacy, iHeart Radio, and Spotify, and check out our YouTube and Rumble channels for road tests and short videos. Please like, subscribe, and share the show with friends.
🎙️ Hosts
Jack Nerad — Award-winning auto journalist and author of Only One Thing Stays the Same
Chris Teague — Longtime auto critic and journalist
📢 Presented by
• DrivingToday.com
• EMLandsea.com
• Mercury Insurance – Switch today and save. Californians save an average of $670.
📺 Watch & Subscribe
Find America on the Road on YouTube and Rumble. Subscribe for road test videos, shorts, and extended reviews.
