The 2026 Toyota BZ Woodland is a new electric SUV that Toyota is planning to release. It's designed to handle rough terrain while being environmentally friendly.
The Toyota C-HR is a small SUV that looks different from other cars and is easy to drive in the city. It has a comfortable interior and gets good gas mileage. People talk about it because it's a stylish option for those who want a smaller vehicle.
Dieselgate is a scandal where Volkswagen was caught cheating on emissions tests for their diesel cars. They used software to make it look like their cars were cleaner than they really were, which caused a lot of legal trouble for the company.
Volkswagen is a well-known car brand from Germany that makes many popular cars. They got into trouble for cheating on emissions tests, which hurt their reputation.
The Ram 1500 is a popular pickup truck that can handle heavy loads and is great for both work and everyday use. The 2026 version has new features and styles, including the Warlock trim, which is designed for off-road driving.
The Hyundai Tucson PHEV is a type of car that can run on both electricity and gasoline. It has all-wheel drive, which means it can send power to all four wheels for better control, especially in bad weather.
The Toyota Highlander is a medium-sized SUV that can fit a lot of people, making it great for families. It's known for being safe and reliable, and it has a smooth ride. People talk about it because it's a good option for those needing more space.
The Toyota bZ4X is a new electric SUV that runs on batteries instead of gas. It's part of Toyota's effort to make more eco-friendly cars. People talk about it because it's one of the first electric SUVs from Toyota and has a cool design.
All-terrain tires are special tires that can handle different types of roads, like smooth highways and rough dirt paths. They have a unique design that helps them grip the ground better when driving off-road.
Range is how far a car can go before it needs to be refueled or recharged. For electric cars, a longer range means you can drive further without stopping to charge.
Ground clearance is how high a car is off the ground. If it's higher, the car can go over bumps and rocks better, which is important for off-road driving.
Towing capacity is how much weight a car can pull behind it, like a trailer or boat. It's important to know so you don't try to pull something too heavy.
The Kia EV9 is a large electric SUV that can fit a lot of people and their things. It uses batteries instead of gas, which is better for the environment. People mention it because it has a lot of room and cool technology.
The Hyundai Ioniq 9 is a new electric car that will be coming out soon. It's designed to be modern and have lots of cool features. People are excited to talk about it because it's part of the growing trend of electric vehicles.
The Kia EV6 is a sporty electric crossover from Kia. It has a stylish look and can charge quickly, making it a great option for those looking for an electric vehicle.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a new electric car that looks very modern and has a lot of space inside. It runs on electricity instead of gas, which is better for the environment. People talk about it because it has cool features and can go a long distance on a single charge.
A small SUV is a type of vehicle that is bigger than a car but smaller than a full-sized SUV. It usually has more space and can handle rougher roads better than regular cars.
A hot hatch is a sporty version of a small car that has a hatchback design. It's designed to be fun to drive while still being practical for everyday use.
A four-cylinder engine is a type of car engine with four parts that create power. It's usually smaller and uses less fuel than bigger engines, which can help save money on gas.
The Tungsten trim is a fancy version of the Ram 1500 truck that has a lot of luxury features and nice materials inside. It's for people who want a more comfortable and stylish truck.
The 3.6 liter Pentastar engine is a type of V6 engine that provides a good mix of power and fuel efficiency. It's used in many Chrysler vehicles, including the Ram 1500.
An eight-speed automatic transmission is a type of car gearbox that changes gears automatically and has eight different settings. This helps the car drive more smoothly and can save fuel.
Four-wheel drive means that power from the engine goes to all four wheels of the car, which helps it grip the road better, especially in bad weather or rough terrain.
The GMC Sierra EV is a new electric truck that can do many of the same things as regular trucks but runs on electricity. It has a lot of space inside and cool technology features. People talk about it because it's part of the growing trend of electric vehicles.
The Ford F-150 is a big truck that can carry heavy loads and tow trailers. It's very popular in America because it can be used for work or just for driving around. People often talk about it because it's known for being tough and reliable.
The Toyota RAV4 is a small SUV that is very popular because it has a lot of space and is known for being reliable. It's a good choice for families and people who need a versatile car. People often compare it to other SUVs like the Honda CR-V.
The Honda CR-V is a small SUV that has a lot of space inside for passengers and cargo. It's known for being good on gas and lasting a long time, which makes it a popular choice for families. People often compare it to other similar cars like the Toyota RAV4.
The Toyota Grand Highlander is a bigger version of the Highlander SUV, which means it has more room for people and their stuff. It's still known for being safe and dependable, making it a good choice for families needing extra space. People mention it when talking about family cars.
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 and with me is co-host Chris Teague.
Chris, any signs of spring up there?
Are you still in the midst of winter?
Every time I start to think it's going to warm up, it becomes cold again.
So we're almost 40 today, but we have a snowstorm planned for this weekend.
So there's no escape yet.
How are things on your side of the world?
I'd say rain here and kind of crazy and people can't deal with the rain, but there you have
it.
Plenty of automotive news to talk about around the rain and the bad weather.
We're going to have special reports on the all new 2026 Toyota BZ Woodland and the 2026
Toyota CHR.
I was on that event.
We have to ask the question, can an electric SUV be trail ready?
We get behind the wheel of Toyota's BZ Woodland to see if rugged capability and zero emissions
can truly coexist.
Toyota CHR is back.
It's a sleek electric crossover with serious punch.
I've got some questions about that too, but we'll chat about that.
It'll be fun to talk with you about that and get your take on that, Chris.
Ford says it finally has a path to making money with EVs with cheaper models and new
tech bets.
But after billions of dollars in losses, is this turnaround plan realistic or just another
reset?
We'll give you our take on that.
In the America on the Road true crime files, automotive edition, after nearly a decade,
Dieselgate has erupted again.
Volkswagen is heading into a criminal trial in France.
A criminal trial in France, just as delayed, is just as denied.
We'll see if that scandal is over or not.
What do you think?
Wouldn't you thought that Dieselgate would be behind us by now, Chris?
Well, I would think if anybody was going to prosecute anybody else, it would be the French,
so I'm not surprised it was them.
There you go.
America on the Road is brought to you by drivingtoday.com, emlancy.com, the publisher
of my latest book, Only One Thing Stays the Same, and Mercury Insurance.
If you're looking to save some money, you should switch to Mercury for your auto and
home insurance, California's saving average of $670 with Mercury.
So imagine how much you could save, get a quote today at drivingtoday.com slash auto
insurance.
That's drivingtoday.com slash auto hyphen insurance.
Well, Chris, tell us what vehicle you will be testing for us this week.
I drove the 2026 Ram 1500 in the Warlock trim.
I'm excited to tell you about a lower trim model for once.
I'd like to hear about that.
My test vehicle is the Hyundai Tucson PHEV, limited all-wheel drive.
Hi, we have a great guest talking about the all-new, even newer than new, 2027 Toyota
Highlander, so stay with us for that, and we'll be right back right here on America
on the Road.
Welcome back, everybody, to America on the Road with Chris T. Jackney Radback with you.
We're so glad you're with us.
We really do appreciate it, and we'd like to double our listenership this year, so if
you like America on the Road, please pass it over to somebody else who you think might
like it.
We would appreciate that.
It is news time.
I got a chance to drive some very newsworthy vehicles recently, including the 2026 Toyota
BZ Woodland, so let's talk about that first.
This is kind of an interesting take on the Toyota BZ, which of course was introduced
as the BZ4X, one of the worst vehicle names of all time.
Now, there is a version that is kind of semi-off-roading.
It certainly has off-road kind of look to it.
You can get it with all-terrain tires and all-wheel drive, of course.
It has plenty of horsepower, 375 horsepower, range up to 281 miles, while vehicle equips
with the all-terrain tires have 260 miles of range.
What's your take on all of this?
I think the fact that it looks capable of going off-road is far more important than
any real capability that it actually might or might not have.
I haven't driven it yet.
I will say that the all-terrain tires that give it some more off-road capability do zap
some of the range, but 260 is still OK.
I think we've talked about that a bunch of times, so I'm excited to hear your impressions
on it.
Yeah, I mean, the all-terrain tires help.
I mean, certainly when you're driving off-road, although the off-road situation that we got
to drive on was essentially a dirt logging road.
I mean, I think a lot of two-wheel drive vehicles wouldn't have had too much problems with it.
It does offer 8.4 inches of ground clearance, so that's pretty good when you have the all-terrain
tires.
Virtually all of that added ground clearance comes from the all-terrain tires.
It does have standard roof rails, and it tows up to 3,500 pounds, so that's pretty interesting.
75 cubic feet of cargo space.
Basically, it's a kind of stretched, larger version of the BZ with this all-wheel drive
look to it and a bit of all-wheel drive capability.
We had a good time driving it on these logging trails, but I wouldn't say we drove through
any kind of heavy-duty off-roading, and it seemed perfectly capable for that.
Like I say, a lot of vehicles and any kind of vehicle with reasonable ground clearance
probably could have done the same thing.
But plenty of power, and the on-road driving is terrific, and of course, all electrics,
as all electrics are, super smooth and quiet.
I think a lot to like about this vehicle.
I do love that Toyota's leaned into the Subaru side of this equation, because Subaru and Toyota
made twin vehicles on this platform.
Toyota's using X-Mode from Subaru to give it some more off-road grip and chops there.
I'm sure it'll do just about everything anybody asks of it.
I mean, you're not going to be rock-crawling in this EV, at least.
So I'm sure it'll do just fine.
Yeah, a lot of times I felt like I was driving an electric version of the Subaru Crosstrak.
I mean, it kind of has that same overall look and overall feel.
Yeah, it just kind of felt that way.
So that kind of was interesting to me.
Here's the starting price, and I don't know whether this is good or bad.
I'm curious to see your reaction to this.
I mean, I guess it again depends on how you look at it.
But just over $45,000 for this vehicle, I think compared to, say, the Kia EV9 and the
Ioniq 9 from Hyundai, it's probably priced well.
And then there's the EV6, of course, right there.
Maybe that's even a more direct competitor to this vehicle.
And the Ioniq 5, I don't know.
A lot of money for a vehicle that size, a lot of money for a Crosstrak size vehicle,
but it's all electric and super smooth, and it has a lot of cool stuff.
Yeah, I'm kind of stuck in this old pricing mindset.
I think that I need to reframe what I think is an affordable vehicle,
because the things that I think are no longer possible.
I don't know that that's going to come back.
So $45,000, it's better than $60,000.
I'll say that.
Yeah, absolutely.
Let's talk about it.
I think the next vehicle I'm going to talk about that I also got a chance to drive on this event
is equally or maybe even more interesting.
It's the Toyota Return of the Toyota CHR.
And this is a vehicle I liked a lot.
It was just fun to drive this current version, not the previous version.
Previous version, I think we always looked at as being underpowered and not all that.
Terrific.
Again, this is being pitched as a small SUV.
But to me, it's almost more like a hot hatch than anything else,
a hot hatch with electric drive.
And it's got 338 horsepower.
So that's cool.
I love this vehicle.
I just wonder why it's called CHR.
What's your take on that, Chris?
Well, they probably picked it for name recognition, I guess.
But the last CHR was my least favorite Toyota, maybe of all time.
It just was not my cup of tea at all.
But 303 horsepower standard all-wheel drive.
I mean, 287 miles of range.
That's not terrible.
That's pretty good.
I guess we'll have to see where the price lands.
Yeah, a lot to like about it.
And it certainly was super fun to drive.
We were driving in the hills above Ohio, California,
and just had a great time with it.
Largely, well, virtually all on road in this vehicle.
And though it's pitched as kind of an SUV, it's really a road car.
And very sporty, practical, 25.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat.
So that's pretty roomy.
So you got to like that in the small footprint and then 60 cubic feet with the rear seat folded.
So very, very good.
Again, super smooth, plenty of power, torque everywhere.
I mean, you felt a little bit the weight of it, but not in any kind of terrible way.
I just like this vehicle a lot.
Under $40,000, around $37,000.
So I found that interesting.
Of course, the previous CHR, when it was discontinued, had a base price of $25,000.
Again, it wasn't our favorite car.
That's for certain with that four-cylinder engine, but there you go.
Yeah, you'll save money on fuel, I guess, but it's going to take a long time to make
out $12,000 in price difference between the gas and the new electric.
Yeah, I do like the styling, though, and like the way it drove.
So I kind of wish they'd called it something else and just started over again.
Ford now says it can make profits by selling electric vehicles,
which I find kind of interesting.
I guess they have to say that, and maybe they even believe it.
They lost around $4.8 billion last year.
That's what they reported.
Probably the loss is going to be about the same, maybe a little better, $4.5 billion.
Good God.
This year, they're pivoting toward lower priced high volume, quote unquote.
This is what they say.
High volume EVs, including a midsize electric truck, which has me scratching my head in a
big way.
I think electric trucks just make kind of not much sense at all, but you tell me, Chris.
Well, I mean, this is like, I'm going to be a millionaire tomorrow, right?
I mean, I'm visualizing it.
I see it, but I'm not there yet, nor do I have a solid plan to get there.
I'm sure Ford's plans are a little bit more solid than mine, but
volume only matters if you can sell it, right?
I mean, they can produce these things all they want.
I don't know, 2029, 2030, that's four years from now.
Maybe they can pull it off.
I'm just not seeing it, and I'm not trying to be overly negative about it.
Yeah, I mean, I don't know how you go with affordable cars.
They're going to change some things like the battery chemistry.
Maybe that will make them less expensive.
But I've got to believe that the future of EVs in the short term is at the higher end
in larger vehicles, not at the small end, where a lot of people don't have home charging even.
Urban vehicles make no sense as electrics right now,
because the charging infrastructure isn't there and people can't charge at home.
Again, this is a head scratcher to me.
Yeah, we're not seeing a lot of infrastructure development support coming through.
I mean, a lot of these things are slowing down, in fact.
Look, I mean, I hope they can pull it off.
I would love to see more choice in the electric market,
more affordable choice in the electric market.
But wishful thinking and hopes are not strategies.
And again, I think they probably have a strategy,
but I'm not sure it's much more effective than hope.
Yeah, yeah, true enough.
Let's talk about dieselgate, because this trial is about to take place fairly soon in France
about dieselgate.
Of course, this was a big scandal.
I think it started about 10 years ago.
I mean, it's hard for me to even remember how long ago this is,
but I think they're going to prosecute some Volkswagen executives over this
by creating what they say, products that could endanger human and animal health.
That would be a lot of different products there.
They think this trial will start in 2027.
Quick take on that.
Holding executives liable for business practices.
A lot of people probably have mixed emotions about that.
I'm not sure that I'm totally against it.
I am a little surprised that we're now 10, 11 years after this thing came out,
and we're still talking about it now with trials.
So yeah, it's a little surprising.
It is.
Well, when we come back, we will have some road tests,
including the Ram 1500 and the Hyundai Tucson.
So stay with us for that.
And we'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
Welcome back to America on the Road with Christine Gatney-Red,
with you for Road Test Time.
And we've got some, I think, fascinating vehicles to talk about.
I'm really curious as to your take on the newest version of the Ram 1500.
And I'm wondering what is under the hood of that vehicle you tested.
So tell us about it, Chris.
Well, I'll go ahead and burst the bubble.
It's not the Hemi, so we could talk about that.
But this is the 226 Ram 1500.
I tested the Warlock trim, which is like two or three up from the bottom level.
You can get it into the work truck version, they call it, for $43,000 right around there.
Mine was around $55,000 as tested.
And you can spend more than $90,000 on this truck in the Tungsten trim,
which is like the luxurious version.
Jack, I think you drove one not all that long ago.
What were your thoughts, sir?
What do you remember about it?
I did.
And I think I drove a 1500 with the Hemi engine in it, actually.
That's what qualified for North American Car of the Year.
So that's what I drove.
And it felt darn familiar.
I like the Ram 1500.
I think it's a great truck, especially a great personal use truck.
Super comfortable.
One of the most comfortable vehicles of any type out there, as far as I'm concerned.
I think they do a great job with that.
I agree.
And that was true even in this lower trim truck, which I'll get into in just a minute.
But this truck, you can get it with the 3.6 liter Pentastar engine.
That's the V6 that comes standard with that engine.
Mine had the standard output 3.0 liter inline six.
It's called the Hurricane engine with 420 horsepower and 469 pound feet of torque.
You can get a high output version in some trims.
It's got 540 horsepower and 521 pound feet of torque.
But I will tell you, Jack, that 420 horsepower in this truck is plenty.
I don't think you need any more.
In fact, I think that in many situations, especially in some of the slipperier roads,
slipper-rear roads, that's a little bit too much power,
especially if you're not careful with the throttle.
But this truck, the Warlock Tremcon standard with four-wheel drive,
and it's got an eight-speed automatic transmission.
So acceleration is strong.
The only thing you're missing here from the Hemi is the sound.
And I do miss the sound because I like the Hemi in this truck.
I think they're kind of a natural pairing after so many years.
But there's plenty of power, good torque, and even in deep snow with four-wheel drive
and the all-terrain tires that this truck had on it, it is almost unstoppable.
I took it out.
We got about a foot of snow over one of the weekends when I had it.
High-range four-wheel drive, just fine.
It just goes right down the road, no issues at all.
The ride quality here is still, I think, one of the best in the class,
if not the best in the class.
It still does the Ford F-150, the Chevy Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500.
And it handles pretty well for a large full-size truck.
What I will say is, unlike the F-150, which I've always said feels like it drives smaller than
it is this truck, you feel like you're driving a full-size truck.
It's a little bit hard to park, a little bit hard to maneuver,
but parking sensors were on this this trim and it was just fine.
So I think if you're okay with relying on some sensors and cameras,
you can get around in this thing without too much trouble in a parking lot.
One of the interesting things, and you mentioned the comfortable interior here,
the Warlock trim comes standard with cloth upholstery.
This truck did not have power seats, heated seats, ventilated seats,
none of the fancy stuff that we normally test in these vehicles.
And at first I was like, oh, you know, well, this is going to be a little bit different,
but I enjoyed it.
That's simple.
You don't have a lot of bells and whistles, not a lot of buttons to deal with.
The truck heats up just fine.
I don't have a heated seat when it's cold outside,
but cloth doesn't get as cold as leather does.
So you're not really going to feel the sting if your shirt rides up a little bit
when you get in on a cold day.
This truck also had three plus three seating.
So three seats across in the front and three in the back,
but the middle front seat rest, fold seat back rest folds down.
So you have a cup holder and a console when you don't need that extra seat,
which was great for us.
I think if you, you know, you have a dog in the back seat
and you want to have extra people in the front, it's great.
What do you think about seating six on a regular full-size truck, Jack?
I think it's terrific.
I think the cloth seats are terrific.
It kind of seems like a throwback truck to me or maybe a real world truck
and we're not doing testing real world stuff all the time,
because we're testing top end all the time or most of the time.
I just think it's terrific.
I think it's cool.
And the fact that you can seat six in that thing, when you need to, not a bad deal.
Yeah.
And even when you're running with five people and a dog in the cabin,
I can tell you there's plenty of rear legroom in this truck
and there's a lot of headroom too.
So the cab is very long and tall.
I mean, that's kind of the story with all full-size trucks today.
They have more cab than bed in a lot of cases, but a very comfortable cabin.
Even in the lower trims, I think you could get away with it
and not feel like you're missing out on too much.
One thing this truck did have that or didn't have that higher trims have is that
it has a smaller infotainment screen.
So it's an 8.4 inch unit in this truck, as opposed to the 12 inch units
that you get in the larger trucks.
But you still get Uconnect 5, which we've talked about many times.
It's one of the smoothest and intuitive infotainment systems on the market.
It's very easily or very easily viewable and clearly labeled.
So you know what you're supposed to be tapping on to get to different settings.
And you still get a lot of great features.
You get navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto or wireless,
or you can do wired if you want in this truck.
And even the bass sound system sounded good.
I mean, I wouldn't call it like theater quality or anything like that.
But if you're in a truck and towing and doing work and things like that,
you probably don't care about having a 15 speaker Bose stereo or anything like that.
Very few safety features are standard in the lower trims in this truck.
This truck had a package on it, though, that brought blind spot monitoring
So for 55k, again, I'm recalibrating my expectation of what is affordable here.
I think you get a lot for what you're paying for in this truck,
especially with the Hurricane engine.
It's very nice and you get good towing numbers and a comfortable ride.
So I'm on board with the lower trim the Rams.
Yeah, I like it too.
Lower trim at $55,000, I was hoping against hope it was going to be under 50k,
but not exactly.
I imagine the Hurricane engine is what...
Yeah, that's almost a $2,000 option.
Yeah, that took it way up there.
But I like the Ram 1500 in many iterations, so that's certainly one to look at.
I might still opt for the V8, but I'm an old guy who likes to try and true.
Well, here's something that isn't exactly tried and true, and that is a
plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the Hyundai Tucson plug-in hybrid,
is an interesting take on the Tucson.
I mean, I like the Tucson a lot.
I think we've reviewed several different versions of the Tucson,
and it's a good, really good, compact SUV competitor that competes with things like
the Toyota RAV4, which I think is the hottest selling vehicle in the country,
and the Honda CR-V and others like that.
I think it's a really good competitor to those.
Rumi platform.
The tester I had, of course, had plug-in hybrid capability, and we'll go over that.
All-wheel drive was standard on this.
A long list of premium features.
So, you know, this was a very, very well-equipped vehicle.
Let's dive into powertrain right away, because why not?
It has a Hyundai 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine,
paired with an electric motor with a six-speed automatic transmission and
all-wheel drive.
I mean, there's a lot going on there, Chris.
Turbocharged engine, electric motor, six-speed automatic, not a CVT like many hybrids have.
268 horsepower, plenty of torque, 271 pound-feet of torque.
This is a vehicle where the electric drive plugs the gaps in torque and feels very, very good.
I like that.
The electric motor alone contributes almost 100 horsepower, plenty of torque,
and then you can charge that up and get 32 miles of all-electric range.
Your take on this particular powertrain in the Tucson, Chris?
I love that they use a traditional transmission.
I think that they've done a good job integrating the electric motors and the gas engine,
so it doesn't feel like there's a lot going on.
Pretty well refined for what you're paying for this vehicle.
I'm impressed by it every time I drive it.
Yeah, very refined around town and has some off-road capability, probably equally equal to the BZ
at Woodland.
That's for certain.
It's all-wheel drive system is a pretty good one.
Again, it's not a super rock crawler, but I don't think people are looking for that in this
particular vehicle.
I mentioned electric vehicle range of 32 miles, so that's pretty good.
It charges fairly rapidly.
You can top that up pretty good.
It has a little smaller fuel capacity than the typical Tucson,
but it makes up for it with that electric drive stuff.
In the limited trim that I had, it had 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights,
LED daytime running lights, all kinds of LEDs everywhere,
and roof side rails were included.
Plenty of room inside.
Good looking inside.
Has a leather-trimmed interior, power front seats.
I mean, this was kind of luxury-equipped.
Do I take on interior?
What do you think about the interior of the Tucson?
Hyundai's interiors punch above their pay grade every time,
even in the lower trims, but yeah, they're always pretty impressive.
Yeah, you have a digital instrument cluster, 12.3 inches,
and then backed by another similar kind of display for the infotainment system,
and the Hyundai infotainment system works well.
It's pretty easy to figure out and connects right up to the Apple CarPlay, so I like that.
Plenty of cargo space, 31.9, 32 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, so that's a ton.
You can put your big dog back there without any problem, right, Chris?
Yeah.
A lot to like about this, and as I say, good infotainment.
All around, a lot to like about this.
Safety, of course, big time as well.
Warranty coverage is excellent.
I'm getting the price here, and maybe that's where we fall down,
because basically it's 50,000 bucks.
Thoughts on that?
Yeah, I mean, it's hard to call it affordable,
but I think if you compare it with the rest of the class,
it's got a better warranty than the Toyota and Honda versions.
All the Honda doesn't have a plug-in hybrid.
I mean, you get a lot for the money, but it's still, man,
it's hard to call 50K affordable, or I'd be happy to pay that number.
Yeah. I mean, I might step into a naturally aspirated or more conventional power-trained
version of the Tucson, probably save five or $6,000, maybe a mid-range rather than the limited trim.
Depending on where you live, maybe you could do without all-wheel drive, even I.
It depends. It's certainly a nice to have.
Not necessarily something that's really important in some areas of the country,
though, certainly much of the South.
So I think you can get a great Tucson for more like $35,000 or $40,000.
I think if you want something, this is kind of high-zoo.
And maybe you want that 32 miles of all electric range,
but I'm wondering the efficacy of having that.
The regular hybrid is probably good enough, if not better than enough for a lot of people,
and it's considerably cheaper, as you said.
Yeah. So that is the way I would go.
When we come back, we're going to have a terrific guest, Beatriz Diaz,
his marketing and product expert with Toyota.
And she and I sat down to talk about the 2027.
Yes, 2027 Toyota Highlander that was just announced.
Guess what? It's all electric.
So we'll talk with her about that when we come back.
Stay with us.
I received a letter from the reader this week, and I thought I'd share it with you.
Here's what he wrote.
I just got around to reading Dance in the Dark,
and wanted to say how much I enjoyed it.
I'm a compulsive reader, and this one was right up my alley.
An unlikely hero.
A lot of twists and turns, some adult content,
and humor that rose naturally from the action.
Keep on writing, and I'll keep on reading.
Of course, that's just the kind of letter any author would love to get.
I hope that others get the same enjoyment from reading Dance in the Dark,
and my newest crime novel, Only One Thing Stays the Same.
Both are available exclusively at Amazon.com.
That's Dance in the Dark, and Only One Thing Stays the Same,
both written by me, Jack Arnie Red.
Thanks for looking for them today.
Welcome back, everybody.
To America on the Road, Jack Arnie Red with you.
We're in Ojai, California with the opportunity to talk to somebody
who's been on the show before.
Beatrice Diaz, thanks so much for being with us.
You're the expert on the all-new 2027 Toyota Highlander that's behind us.
Really an amazing, amazing transformation for this vehicle.
Number one, thanks for being with us.
I appreciate it.
Of course. Thank you for the opportunity.
Tell us all about it, because big news with this Highlander, right?
I mean, this has been your most popular midsize SUV for years and years and years,
and it's changing radically for 2027.
Tell us.
Yes, happy to do so.
Yes, 25 years in fact.
We've had the Highlander on the market,
and we're really excited to introduce the 2027,
reimagined for the new consumer of today, right?
Highlander has a huge history for our company.
It was our first unibody midsize SUV,
our first hybrid unibody midsize SUV,
and now it's going to be our first three-row electric vehicle SUV.
So we're excited to introduce it to the market.
Right. We're talking immediately after the introduction.
There's probably not a ton of stuff you can tell me about it specifically,
but give us some high-hard ones about this,
you know, what people should know about the new vehicle.
Of course. More to come, like you said.
But we are excited to introduce all-new style for this vehicle,
very much of an elevated look to it.
We're still staying true to what Highlander stands for,
and it's more of a family-style SUV,
so we're making sure that we keep the capability,
the roominess, the cargo, everything in there,
but we're introducing new technology
and making sure that it's modern
and lives up to the name of Highlander
and also still continues to meet the needs of our consumers.
Right. As a battery electric, right?
I mean, tell us about battery electric and battery electric only.
I mean, battery electric, it's still a growing market, right?
It's a growing opportunity, but we stay committed.
We offer a multi-pathway approach for our company,
and the great news is for us,
we have what we call the Highlander family,
which we have the Grand Highlander,
which I'm sure you're familiar with,
that offers gas and hybrid powertrain,
and now we're offering a battery electric hybrid or Highlander.
So there's a choice for all of our consumers
within the three-row mid-sized SUV space.
So battery electric means a lot.
I mean, we are going in, introducing our fourth new model
into the Beth space,
and we have a lot of confidence in that space.
So we know it's growing and there's need for it.
There's consumers that want it,
so we're excited to see the reaction to this product.
A lot of electrics in the United States market
are built elsewhere, but this will not be, right?
Correct. You are correct.
Right about that all the way around.
It'll be our first battery electric vehicle
built in the U.S. at our new, our Kentucky plant,
and we will be sourcing batteries
from our North Carolina plant that just is opening up.
Elaborate on that a little bit,
because I don't know that people know the scale
of the investment that you have
and just the scale of the production you have
in Kentucky and in the United States in general.
Massive investment.
The number, slowest my mind,
I believe it's close to 60 billion investment total,
but it again shows our commitment to the battery,
to the technology, to this powertrain,
and to the consumers in the U.S.,
making sure that we're building vehicles in the U.S.
to support our U.S. customers.
Right. Now, Highlander's been a volume vehicle
for Toyota for a long time.
I mean, an absolute staple,
probably a really good profit vehicle for the company, right?
It's smack dab in the middle
of one of the biggest segments in the United States.
So this is a big change, right?
In some ways, a gamble, but in some way,
give us the rationale for where you've gone with this.
Well, I think it goes back to what I had mentioned earlier.
We're looking at it more holistically
in terms of our family lineup of our SUVs.
So it's part of a Highlander family.
Yes, it's been a huge volume leader for us
in the current generation.
We're seeing some changes with that,
given the introduction of the battery electric powertrain.
But again, we're thinking about it holistically
and looking at what we offer in the lineup.
So people that are ready to go in all electric,
we have the perfect vehicle for them.
The ones that are still a little bit hesitant,
that need a little bit more time
or maybe experience behind the wheel of one.
We have a Grand Highlander that serves those needs.
And it's a terrific vehicle, by the way.
Thank you. Yeah, we love it.
But yeah, I mean, there's opportunity
and options for everyone,
depending on what their needs are.
Give us a little sense,
our listeners a little sense of the scale of this.
The number of Highlanders you typically sell in a model year.
So Highlanders, I don't have the specifics
for the future.
We're still determining those.
But historically, we've sold over 140,000 a year.
So there's, you know, again.
Yeah, that's significant volume in the industry.
Industry, far less that's a lot of volume.
And I think you put it right in context, right?
For that person who is not ready for a battery electric
or that family that's not ready for that,
you have in the Grand Highlander and other vehicles you have.
And maybe the Grand Four is appropriate for them
or something larger than that is appropriate for them.
And then you have this offering as well.
It is a three row.
Tell us what you can tell us about the vehicle itself.
Three row seating for up to seven.
We have an awesome new feature,
which is our fixed glass panoramic moonroof.
It's the largest that we offer in the lineup.
There's some really cool things.
One of the things I love are the headlights.
It actually has the state of charge indicator
built in within the headlights.
So when the vehicle is charging,
you can actually see how much charge you have on the vehicle.
So it's a really easy visual for consumers to take away
and not guess what their charge is at.
I think the other great thing is the technology.
We're introducing our all new multimedia system on this vehicle.
14 inch touchscreen, which is amazing.
So is this also a Toyota built system or?
Yes.
Yeah.
But it's a new gen.
Yes, new gen.
It's actually first introduced on the recent RAF4
that just went on sale.
So this will be the second model to have it.
We also have our new Toyota safety system
that's being introduced on RAF4,
but this will be the second model that has it.
So again, the latest and greatest technology on this vehicle.
Which number is that?
3.0.
4.0.
4.0.
4.0, yeah.
But not 4.0 plus.
No, not yet.
Not yet.
Okay, that's coming.
What is, you know, this question I ask a lot
and you've probably heard it before.
What's your favorite feature about the Highlander?
My favorite feature, it has to be the look.
I love the style of the vehicle.
I think it maintains its SUV-ness,
but is a little bit more elevated than what you're used to.
So I think it's going to catch people's eyes,
which is awesome.
And then I think they'll be really pleasantly surprised
when they get inside and see the enhancements to the interior.
But style is always tough.
Mine, that's what catches my eye.
And the little things that I mentioned,
I think it's so cool that you can see the state of charge
on the headlights.
It's just something that's amazing to me.
And technology, it's just, it feels,
it doesn't feel like a, it feels familiar.
Once you're in it, I mean, the car's been around for 25 years
and you can appreciate the enhancements
that have been made to it,
but it doesn't feel like something completely different
from Toyota, so.
But you're not ready to quote horsepower figures
in anything like that, aren't you?
We have horsepower figures.
Give us some approximate number.
I think it's 300, a little over 300.
Yeah, okay.
So that's stout.
You know, yeah, very, very significant.
And of course, electrics have instant torque
and a lot of it, torque.
So they actually feel more powerful
than maybe the horsepower figure would indicate.
So it's fun to drive.
It will be great to drive.
Yes.
We're not getting a chance to drive it yet.
No, not yet, soon, soon.
But when will that be?
Later this year.
Later this year, we're actually actively planning
for that next event,
but we definitely want people to get behind the wheel
and experience it and follow up with it.
I know you don't have precise pricing.
Do you have any kind of sense of pricing?
We're going to be as competitive as we can be,
right, knowing that where we are in the market,
looking at our key competitors right now,
which are the Kia EV9 and the Ioniq 9.
Those are the only other two models out there
that offer three-row.
So you're looking at the battery electric three-row,
for sure, as the ones that are competitive.
Our goal is to statement competitive in that segment.
Who is the buyer for this?
Who do you project as the buyer or the family that will buy this?
It's a great question.
I think it's definitely still a family target,
but it's that family maybe that's looking
for a little bit more elevated style in their vehicle.
It's still going to maintain,
again, the cornice of what a Highlander is,
where a mid-size SUV is,
but it's going to offer those extra amenities
that people are looking for in their vehicle.
And a lot of the research that we've done so far
with consumers, what they appreciate is that
it has those extra bells and whistles
that maybe they wouldn't think about having in a family vehicle.
So it reinforces that this is a vehicle
that I can aspire to, that I feel proud to drive.
We're not going to stray away from our family target
because it is a family vehicle.
Have you tested this with current Highlander owners?
Yes, we have.
And what does that take?
Amazing.
Amazing.
Yeah, they're loving it.
We actually just had our last stage of research
towards the end of last year,
and it was very, very positive reception.
Again, we're always going to have those people
that are perhaps not ready to dive right into a battery electric,
but they appreciate the style.
They can see themselves in it.
And that's exactly what we wanted to hear.
Right.
So it's going to go to market again later...
Early, early next year.
Early next year with maybe a look for us late this year.
Correct.
Okay, perfect.
Pietra Thies, thanks so much for being with us.
And it's always a joy to talk to you.
Appreciate it.
Thank you, Dad.
Thanks so much.
And that was Pietra's Diaz of Toyota,
talking about the 2027 Toyota Highlander.
I think it took a lot of people by surprise.
It certainly took me by surprise that a vehicle as important
as the Highlander in the overall scheme of Toyota lineup
is going all electric.
I'm really curious as to right off the top your take on that, Chris.
Well, I think it's a big risk.
It's a big leap for them, right?
I mean, you can still get the Grand Highlander in gas or hybrid,
I should say.
But taking one of your, as you say, most important models,
removing the gas from the equation.
I will ask you, the last time you took a road trip,
I bet you could have counted the number of Highlanders you saw.
Take all your fingers, toes, and all your relatives' fingers and toes.
Like those are road trip vehicles.
So I think it's a big ask for their customers.
Maybe it's a solution in search of a problem.
I'm not really sure.
What do you think?
I was fascinated by what I saw over the course of that several days.
Seeing all these electric vehicles,
two of which we talked about earlier in the show,
and then the 2027 Highlander, kind of the icing on the cake here.
Because I think we were all kind of congratulating Toyota
on being prescient and not going off the deep end on electric vehicles.
And here, three, kind of at once coming to market.
And in a market that is not embracing electric vehicles right now.
And I don't know that with the premium prices of the electric vehicles,
and again, the range thing that they always deal with,
I don't know that we're going to get a lot of people just stepping up to any of these.
And particularly the Highlander, which has a particular reputation.
And it is not all electric.
That is for certain.
Yeah, the interesting thing to me,
and I was actually doing some research earlier today on an unrelated subject,
the number of very lightly used Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9s,
which will be direct competitors for this vehicle,
that are already for sale as certified vehicles with significant discounts,
like $40,000 discounts on some of these,
just tells me that either people are buying these
and they're not meeting their expectations,
or they're having trouble selling them in the first place,
and they're going through some sort of process to become certified.
And I hope that's not the case with the Highlander,
but it does speak to the sort of volatility,
as you said, in the market.
And I know these things take five, six, seven years to develop.
So this could have been something that was planned in 2020
and is just now hitting the market.
But it doesn't feel like the right moment for my not completely expert opinion.
I'm not a data analyst for Toyota.
I mean, the interesting thing is,
Toyota not only has big production capacity for the Highlander,
here in the United States, which is interesting,
they're going to be building this all electric here in the United States,
but also battery capacity.
They are engaged in putting the finishing touches on a battery plant,
I think in Carolina, and one of the Carolinas,
major, major investment there.
So there's a huge investment that they have made in this electric vehicle
that is smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest segments in the market.
And again, as you say, this is a family vehicle road trip kind of segment, right?
People aspire to travel in these vehicles.
And I don't know that an electric is going to be the answer for a lot of people.
Yeah.
And these are anecdotally looking at some of the user groups for the Highlanders.
Some of these Highlander fan groups on Facebook have millions of members in them.
And people are asking, saying, no one asked for this.
I was fine with the 2026 Toyota Highlander without too many changes.
And they just switched to a four-cylinder engine.
What was it, 2024?
I think three, two or three years ago.
And that ruffled a bunch of feathers then.
So I'm really interested to see where this goes.
Yeah.
It will be fascinating.
We're going to drive it probably late this year.
It'll come out next year.
And we'll see where it goes and whether this was a good move or not.
And when we come back, we will answer a listener question.
So stay with us for that.
And we'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
Welcome back to America on the Road with Co.
This is Jack Nierad with you.
And it is time to answer a question or two, probably one.
We love to answer questions based on our long experience in providing car advice.
Please send your questions to editoratdrivingtoday.com.
That's editordrivingtoday.com.
Here's a question for you, Chris.
Really great question from Willard in Interloch in Michigan.
How much should I really care about resale value when choosing a car?
Well, that's completely up to you.
I think how long are you going to keep this car is the main question.
If you're like me, resale value matters because I'm going to be looking at the next two,
maybe even one year later, getting rid of this vehicle.
So I'm not going to modify it or do anything like that.
I'm not going to buy a salvaged or rebuilt titled vehicle.
But if you plan to buy it and keep it like Jack does for 35 years,
then it's not going to matter because it's going to have gone through its useful life
by the time you get done with it anyway.
So I think it depends on what your attitudes are towards car ownership.
How long are you going to keep it?
That is exactly true.
I kind of resent that, Chris, because it's only 26 years.
It's not 35 years, but it might be 35 years before we say goodbye to our trustee Tahoe.
But you're absolutely right.
I mean, it totally depends.
And resale value or residual value, very closely related subject there,
really are critical if you're leasing a vehicle.
And they're a big part of cost of ownership because, of course,
depreciation is your largest cost of ownership, probably the first five,
six, maybe even 10 years of car ownership.
So there you go.
And I think 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 both ebook and paperback form at Amazon.
So look for 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.
We'd like to double our listenership and folks can help us, can't they, Chris?
Yes, a quick Google search for the America on the Road podcast will bring us to you
on all the major platforms.
So make sure you like the show or at least leave us a review.
Download the show so you can take us with you wherever you go.
We're on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the major platforms,
so you don't have to pick one or just take your favorite.
Yeah, we have a YouTube channel.
So check that out.
Check out our America on the Road videos.
Our thanks to Mercury Insurance for sponsoring the show
and also to our sports byline network stations for carrying it.
And most of all, thanks to you for listening.
We do appreciate it.
And 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. Kaine 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
Exploring the latest in electric vehicles, the hosts dive into the 2026 Toyota BZ Woodland and the revamped 2026 Toyota CHR. They discuss the BZ Woodland's off-road capabilities and impressive specs, including 375 horsepower and a range of up to 281 miles. The conversation shifts to the CHR, highlighting its sporty performance and competitive pricing. The episode also touches on Ford's ambitious EV plans amidst financial losses and revisits the ongoing Dieselgate scandal with Volkswagen facing criminal charges in France. Insightful commentary and engaging banter make for a lively discussion.
This week on America on the Road, host Jack Nerad and co-host Chris Teague deliver special first-drive reports on the all-new 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland and the 2026 Toyota C-HR. In the road test segment, Chris drives the off-road-ready 2026 Ram 1500 Warlock with the Hurricane engine, while Jack reviews the efficient 2026 Hyundai Tucson PHEV Limited AWD. Jack also sits down with Beatris Diaz, marketing and product expert with Toyota, for an exclusive look into the details of the all-new 2027 Toyota Highlander.
đźš— Chris Teague Test-Drives the 2026 Ram 1500 Warlock
Chris gets behind the wheel of the 2026 Ram 1500 Warlock, which harnesses the 3.0-liter Hurricane Straight-Six Turbo engine, a twin-turbo inline-six delivering 420 horsepower and 469 lb.-ft. of torque for responsive acceleration and a maximum towing capacity of up to 11,580 pounds alongside a payload rating of 1,930 pounds. This off-road-oriented trim elevates adventure with a 1-inch raised ride height, 18-inch black aluminum wheels fitted with all-terrain tires, performance-tuned shock absorbers, an electronic-locking rear axle, underbody skid plates, tow hooks, and Selec-Speed Control for superior trail performance. It’s all wrapped in a menacing blacked-out design accented by Warlock badging and optional LED fog lamps. The Warlock offers refined handling via its coil-spring rear suspension, an affordable yet capable alternative to higher-end Ram models.
đźš™ Jack Nerad Test-Drives the 2026 Hyundai Tucson PHEV Limited AWD
Jack reviews the 2026 Hyundai Tucson PHEV Limited AWD, a compact SUV that combines plug-in hybrid efficiency with premium features and all-wheel drive. Powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electric motor delivering 268 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque, it offers 32 miles of all-electric range and a combined 77 MPGe/35 mpg rating. The refined chassis provides a comfortable ride, while the upscale interior includes leather-trimmed heated/ventilated seats, a 12.3-inch digital cluster, Bose audio, and comprehensive safety tech like Highway Driving Assist. Jack covers real-world performance, charging convenience, cargo area, and whether its near-$50,000 price tag delivers strong value in a crowded segment.
🎙️ Special Guest Interview: 2027 Toyota Highlander
Jack talks with Beatris Diaz, marketing and product expert with Toyota, to dive into the all-new 2027 Toyota Highlander. Diaz shares details on the redesigned midsize SUV’s updates, including enhanced performance, advanced technology, family-friendly features, and how it fits into Toyota’s evolving lineup.
📰 This Week’s Headlines
Toyota Expands EV Lineup with 2026 bZ Woodland
Toyota’s new rugged battery-electric SUV, the 2026 bZ Woodland, combines dual-motor all-wheel drive with 375 horsepower, up to 281 miles of range, 8.4 inches of ground clearance, and advanced tech features starting at over $45,000, arriving in March.
Toyota Revives C-HR as Electric Crossover for 2026
The 2026 Toyota C-HR returns as an all-electric compact SUV with dual-motor all-wheel drive, 338 horsepower, up to 287 miles of range, sporty styling, ample cargo space, and modern amenities like a 14-inch touchscreen, priced from about $37,000 and launching in March.
Ford Plans Profits from Affordable EVs
Ford aims to achieve profitability in its Model e division by 2029 through cost-cutting measures, a shift to lower-priced EVs like a $30,000 midsize truck, and revenue from software and energy products, despite expecting ongoing multibillion-dollar losses.
VW Faces Dieselgate Trial in France
Nearly a decade after the scandal, Volkswagen faces a criminal trial in France for using illegal defeat devices in diesel vehicles, part of ongoing global legal actions that could endanger health, with hearings not expected until 2027.
Willard from Interlochen, Michigan, asks: “How much should I really care about resale value when choosing a car?”
Jack and Chris discuss factors like depreciation trends, brand reliability, market demand, and how resale impacts long-term ownership costs.
🎧 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
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Find America on the Road on YouTube and Rumble. Subscribe for road test videos, shorts, and extended reviews.
