Testing All-New SUVs: 2026 Hyundai Palisade, 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan
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Car
Kia Celtos
The Kia Celtos is a compact SUV that is designed for city driving and family use. It has a stylish look and comes with modern technology features.
Company
Waymo
Waymo is a company that works on self-driving cars. They are trying to make cars that can drive themselves without a human driver.
Company
Hagerty
Hagerty is a company that helps people insure classic cars and provides information about car values and trends in the car market.
Company
Stellantis
Stellantis is a big car company that makes many different types of cars, including brands like Jeep, Dodge, and Peugeot. They were formed when two car companies merged.
Car
Jeep Compass
The Jeep Compass is a small SUV that can handle rough terrain and is popular for its style and features. It's designed for both city driving and outdoor adventures.
Brand
Mercedes AMG
Mercedes AMG is a special part of the Mercedes-Benz brand that makes faster and sportier cars. They take regular Mercedes cars and make them more powerful and exciting to drive.
Car
Volkswagen Tiguan
The VW Tiguan is a small SUV made by Volkswagen. It's designed to be comfortable and practical for families, and it has a new design that makes it look even better.
Car
Hyundai Palisade
The Hyundai Palisade is a large family car that can fit many passengers and their stuff. The 2026 Calligraphy version is the fancy version, which means it has extra nice features and comforts.
Concept
subcompact SUV
A subcompact SUV is a small type of SUV that is easier to drive and park than larger SUVs, but still gives you more space than a regular car.
Company
Kia
Kia is a car company from South Korea that makes many types of vehicles, including small cars and SUVs. They are known for offering good value for the price.
Term
torque
Torque is a measure of how much force an engine can use to turn the wheels. More torque means better acceleration and the ability to pull heavier loads.
Term
horsepower
Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. The more horsepower an engine has, the faster and stronger it can make a vehicle go.
Term
1.6-liter turbo engine
A 1.6-liter turbo engine is a small engine that uses a turbocharger to make it more powerful. This means it can produce more power than a regular engine of the same size.
Term
high output version
A high output version means that this engine makes more power than the regular version. It's designed to give better performance.
Concept
hybrid
A hybrid car uses both a gas engine and an electric motor to run. This helps save fuel and produce less pollution compared to regular cars that only use gas.
Term
head-up display
A head-up display is a screen that shows important information, like your speed, right on the windshield. This way, you don’t have to look down at your dashboard while driving.
Car
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is a faster and more powerful version of the regular Corvette. Models from 2006 to 2013 are known for being great sports cars that can also be a good investment.
Car
BMW M5
The BMW M5 is a sporty and powerful version of the BMW 5 Series sedan. Models from 2006 to 2010 are known for being luxurious while also very fast and fun to drive.
Term
Z06
The Z06 is a special version of the Corvette that is made for high performance and racing. It has more power and better handling than regular Corvettes.
Car
Aston Martin
Aston Martin is a brand that makes luxury sports cars. They are known for being stylish and fast, and they are often featured in James Bond movies.
Car
Bentley
Bentley is a brand that makes very expensive and luxurious cars. They are known for being very high quality and are often seen as a sign of wealth.
Term
brake job
A brake job is when you fix or replace parts of the car's brakes. It's important for keeping the car safe to drive.
Car
Mazda Miata
The Mazda Miata is a small sports car that is known for being fun to drive and easy to maintain. The models from 1999 to 2005 are part of a generation that many enthusiasts love for their style and performance.
Car
Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a sportier version of the regular Golf, designed for better performance and driving fun. The VR6 is a type of engine that provides more power but can sometimes be harder to maintain.
Car
Dodge Durango
The Dodge Durango is a big family car that can carry a lot of people and things. It's known for being strong and powerful, which makes it great for driving around with a full load or towing stuff.
Concept
third generation
'Third generation' means this is the third version of the Tiguan SUV. It has been updated twice before this new model.
Car
Volkswagen Atlas
The Volkswagen Atlas is a big family SUV that can fit a lot of people and their stuff. It's designed to be comfortable and useful for families who need more space.
Part
two-liter engine
A two-liter engine is a type of car engine that has a total size of two liters. It's a common size that helps the car have enough power while still being good on gas.
Term
eight speed transmission
An eight-speed transmission is a system that helps the car change gears smoothly and efficiently, making it easier to drive and saving fuel.
Term
four motion all wheel drive
Four Motion is a system that sends power to all four wheels of the car, helping it grip the road better, especially in rain or snow.
Car
SEL R Line Turbo
The SEL R Line Turbo is a version of a Volkswagen car that has a turbo engine for more power and a sportier look.
Car
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle is a small car with a unique round shape that many people recognize. It's famous for being fun to drive and has a long history, making it a classic car that people still love today.
Car
Volkswagen Jetta
The Volkswagen Jetta is a small car that is easy to drive and good on gas. It's a popular choice for people who want a reliable car that works well for daily use.
Term
MSRP
MSRP is the price that car makers suggest for their vehicles. It's what you might see listed at a dealership, but you can often negotiate a different price.
Car
Land Rover Range Rover
The Land Rover Range Rover is a fancy SUV that can handle tough roads and rough terrains while keeping you comfortable inside. It's a popular choice for people who want a stylish car that can also go off the beaten path.
Car
Hyundai Genesis
The Hyundai Genesis is a fancy car that feels really nice to drive and has a lot of cool features. It's made to compete with other luxury cars but is often more affordable.
Company
Calty Design Research
Calty Design Research is a place where cars are designed for Toyota and Lexus. It's important because it helps create the look and feel of new cars.
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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 Neerad.
With me is guest co-host Matt DiLorenzo.
Matt, so glad you're back with us.
Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet?
You know, I have.
So I'm in good shape and I'm looking forward to the holidays.
It's great to be here.
Good for you.
I'm nowhere near there.
Certainly, there's plenty of automotive news to talk about this week.
Kia has just introduced an all-new version of its Celtos small SUV.
We'll have the details direct from Seoul.
Waymo has come in for criticism with the revelation that its self-driving taxis have repeatedly
passed stop school buses, something that's obviously illegal, not wise.
We'll tell you more about that, reveal what Waymo has done about it.
And are you looking for a cool ride at a bargain price?
As certainly Matt DiLorenzo always says, Hagerty has just unveiled its bull market
list with a lot of intelligence suggestions and we'll run them down for you coming up.
And finally, Canada is accusing Stellantis of reneging on a previous deal to build
its newest version of the Jeep Compass in Ontario.
The company has shifted production to Illinois and the Canadians are cranky about that,
so we'll talk through that.
Matt, how do you like the new Celtos?
Have you seen that thing?
Yeah, it's really kind of a cool looking car.
Kia's really done a great job with design and these small SUVs seem to be a really
hot market right now.
Yeah, I think they're right on the money with that thing and it looks terrific.
America on the Road has brought you by drivingtoday.com.
I'm lancy.com, the publisher of my latest book, Only One Thing Stays the Same
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As you longtime listeners of the show know, Matt and I have been friends
and automotive colleagues for years.
Matt is, among other things, an author and tell us about your new book, Matt.
My latest is the Mercedes AMG race-bred performance.
Kind of the history of the AMG.
So, yeah, it came out November 4th.
Get it on Amazon for Christmas.
Yeah, look for that.
It's a terrific book.
Matt is a terrific writer.
What's your test vehicle this week, Matt?
I'm driving the VW Tiguan and they redesigned it and they have a new
turbo version, so we'll talk about that.
Very cool.
I'm going to be talking about the 2026 Hyundai Palisade calligraphy
version, and our special guest is Ian Cartobiano, who's Calty Design
President.
Matt and I have a chance to talk with him lately, so stay with us for all of
that.
We've got a ton of show coming up.
Stay with us right here on America on the Road.
Welcome back, everybody, to America on the Road with Matt DeLorenzo,
Jackie Redback with you.
Chris Teague off this week.
Matt Withers is guest co-host.
Glad to have him, and it is news time.
One of the pieces of news this week is the new Kia Celtos subcompact SUV.
They announced in this global hookup, a very elaborate thing done from
Seoul, but beamed across the world.
I was on the column on probably hundreds, maybe even thousands, about
their auto journalists, but I'll tell you, this is a good-looking vehicle.
I think the Celtos was always kind of okay, but didn't jump out at me,
but this one really looks terrific.
This is certainly the right market to be in, isn't it?
Yeah, the small SUV market has really taken off.
Those are kind of like the entry-level vehicles for first-time new
car buyers, small families, things like that.
And one of the things that always impressed me about the Celtos was the
packaging.
The interior seemed to be roomy, and it was priced right.
It was a little anonymous looking, so this new one, hopefully, will
move the needle for them in terms of styling.
Yeah, I think they moved the needle big time in terms of styling.
I think this is a substantial-looking vehicle.
I think it looks larger than maybe it is, which is kind of cool in that segment,
the subcompact segment, and you want size in an SUV.
So it's pretty cool.
It has very distinctive trims, too.
There's an X-line trim, for example, a G-team line trim, kind of sporty.
I think they've done just their really good job with this.
And of course, it is incorporating these twin 12.3-inch displays that merge
across the dashboard that are in some of the more upscale Kia models.
I think that's just a good look.
It just seems to work really, really well.
Yeah, it's interesting.
Some of these entry-level vehicles, there's a little bit of mission creep.
You know, every new generation, they get a little bit bigger.
They start putting more stuff in it.
You know, the prices kind of creep up.
And then next thing you know, maybe there'll be a sub-Seltos vehicle out
in about three or four years to plug that spot at vacated.
That gap, yeah.
Yeah, it could be.
177 horsepower, 195 pound-feet of torque from the standard engine,
which is a 1.6-liter turbo engine.
And then there's a high output version.
It's 190 horsepower.
I mean, that's a lot.
Yeah, that's a lot in a small vehicle.
Yeah, you know, the base base, 147 horsepower, which is probably enough.
I know you're a big, small vehicle fan.
Is this kind of in your wheelhouse?
Yeah, I like these vehicles because, again, they're easy to park.
You know, especially young people who live in places like apartments
and things like that, you know, just having a place to leave your car.
It's just nice.
And then inside, it's roomy.
You can carry stuff around.
You can put the back seat down and haul a bunch of stuff.
It really is a great vehicle for someone who's just going to have one vehicle
at an affordable price.
Yeah, they've gone the high-tech route.
Well, while we were talking about powertrain,
I should have said, too, that there is going to be a hybrid coming later.
And I think hybrids are maybe the future here or the near future.
They are also big-time tech.
Highway driving assists, too.
Lane following assists, forward collision avoidance assists.
You know, a bunch of really very advanced driver assistance features
in this inexpensive and smaller vehicle, 12-inch head-up display.
I mean, it could be fully equipped.
I am probably expensive at that point.
But we're looking for these affordable vehicles,
and I think this promises to be pretty affordable.
Yeah, it's interesting.
They didn't talk full electric, did they?
No, there was no talk of full electric.
And of course, he was gung-ho about electric
and probably would still like to believe that that's the case.
But I'm not certain that that is the near future point.
Yeah, I think hybrid is the sweet spot.
Again, when you consider the market,
people don't have a place to plug in overnight, things like that.
But they want good gas mileage, definitely.
Yeah, especially for these smaller vehicles,
they're quote unquote entry-level vehicles
for first-time new car buyers.
A lot of times they don't have a place to plug them in.
Never going to.
So let's talk about Waymo.
Waymo has been under fire now because it's taxis,
specifically I guess in Texas, 19 incidents of,
I happen to be in Texas right now myself
for my middle daughter's wedding,
so I kind of have to pro that.
But these Waymo vehicles have illegally
passed stop school buses.
Of course, that's illegal.
You would think that that's something
that Waymo would have programmed into the vehicle,
but now there's a National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration probe of this,
so what you think on this, man?
Yeah, you know, it's interesting.
There's a lot of bugs to work out.
There's a lot of people saying,
yeah, we're gonna go self-driving cars,
all this other stuff.
There are so many permutations
of what can go on on the road.
And quite, I'm floored because if you've ever come up
behind a stop school bus,
there are all sorts of lights blinking, stuff like that.
How can it not see that and decide to pass it?
Of course, those are in Texas.
I don't know if they do that in San Francisco,
but maybe they feel it's an open road,
but these are the sorts of things,
part of the learning process and need to be addressed
before automatic or automated driving cars
becoming an everyday factor of life.
Yeah, I mean, Nitsa certainly wants answers
for Waymo about what's going on.
They say they have reprogrammed things,
so that won't happen in the future,
but I don't know, that's very iffy to me.
And of course, school children.
I mean, the last thing you want is a vehicle
running over a school child or any kind of child.
But let's talk about this bull market list from Haggerty.
And of course, I like the folks at Haggerty.
They happen to be based up in Traverse City
where my grandmother was born.
So I have a special affinity for Haggerty
and what they do.
They have this thing called the bull market list
where they kind of predict inexpensive used cars
that maybe will appreciate or certainly are worth
paying attention to going forward.
And pretty cool cars on this list,
including the 2006 to 2013 Corvette Z06.
Pretty cool, the BMW M5 from 2006 to 2010.
The goal here is to find stuff that's affordable,
that's out there now,
some of it's more affordable than others,
that's for certain.
But what's your take on the list?
It's interesting.
Corvette, there's been big changes in it.
So that's why the Z06 value has dropped
because that thing was kind of like King of the Road
in its day.
But with the mid-engined Corvette out there,
the vehicles really kind of go through a thing
where they hit that depreciation bump
and you're trying to catch it at the bottom
before it starts to come back up again.
And Z06 M5 is there.
I caution, a lot of these really high buck cars
that look like great deals,
they could end up costing a lot of money in the long run
to keep them on the road.
Yeah, to maintain, yeah.
And certainly-
Maybe less so Corvette,
but like the Porsche Corvette GT, I mean.
Aston Martin.
Yeah, really cool cars you think,
God, I'd love to have like a Bentley
or something like that.
You better have a thick wallet
when it comes time to get a break job
or do some engine work.
Yeah, I mean, certainly the Miata is on here.
This is a special iteration.
That's a no brainer.
1999 to 2005, they're around $16,000, $17,000.
And the right Volkswagen Golf GTI, the VR6, 20 grand,
that could be a maintenance nightmare.
Yeah, I think the Miata would lead
being a little bit more trouble-free,
but it's still, the Golf's been around a long time.
It's pretty bulletproof.
It's not as exotic as BMW or Mercedes,
but I've always liked those cars.
They're fun, fun, fun to drive.
Yeah, so look for that list from Hagrid.
That's pretty cool.
I wanna get to the story about Canada
and the government of Canada
and swearing off against Delantis
because I think they offered tax benefits.
There were a bunch of benefits to Delantis
to locate a plant in Ontario
and then Jeep has shifted its production
based on tariffs, among other things,
maybe tariffs mostly.
Back to Illinois, or maybe not back to Illinois,
but to Illinois, out of Canada,
at least that's what the Canadians are saying.
They're saying this is a horrible thing.
Delantis is saying,
oh, well, we're just putting that Canadian plant
on mothballs for a little while.
What's your quick take on that?
Well, the thing is the Belvedere plant
that it's gonna go into is a really, really big plant
and they shut it down
and threw all these people out of work
and they wanna fill that plant up.
So they're gonna be building Durango there
and I think they decided that they need
that additional capacity to make Belvedere work.
So it's just a business deal.
And then like you say,
I think the tariffs also figure into it a little bit
because the Compass is a lower price car,
so a 10%, 15% tariff could really affect
the salability of that vehicle.
Remind us quickly of the vehicle
you'll be testing this week.
The VW Tiguan, Turbo R.
Right, and I'm gonna be testing the Hyundai Palisade,
so stay with us for that
and we'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
["Turbo R"]
This is the time when we're all thinking
about Christmas presents
and if you're like me,
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Look for them at DearbornDenim.us.
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Again, all of their products are made here in the USA
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I love using my Western Razor
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You can find them at WesternRazor.com.
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This isn't a paid commercial,
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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 guest host Matthew Lorenzo, Jackie Redback with you.
Thanks so much for being with us.
As you can tell, I'm in a different place here.
I'm in Dallas, Texas.
My wife, my middle daughter is getting married
and so my wife and I are here in Dallas
preparing for that and all that stuff.
But we're excited about that.
But enough about that.
Let's talk about cars
because that's what this show is all about.
And you were driving a vehicle that both you and I
think liked surprisingly much, I think,
or at least that's my take on it.
Tell us about the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Well, last year at Volkswagen redesigned the Tiguan.
It's the third generation of this compact SUV.
Some pretty big changes.
It still rides on the same wheelbase,
but it's a little bit shorter in overall length.
And in the past, they were trying to wedge
three rows of seats into it,
but they said, they gave up.
They said, no, that third row just doesn't work.
It's a five passenger, two row.
They let the three row thing be handled
by the larger Atlas, which is a really good move
because it's a nice vehicle.
It comes in two states of tune.
You can get, the one I drove last year
when the vehicle was introduced
was normally aspirated two liter engine.
Made about 200 horsepower, 200 pound feet of torque.
Very nice eight speed transmission.
You can get it either in front drive
or with four motion all wheel drive.
For the 26 model year, they decided to come back
with a little bit more muscle with this SEL R line turbo.
And they really pumped that engine up.
It gets 268 horsepower and 258 pound feet of torque,
which really transforms the vehicle.
It really handles nice.
And that's one of the beauties of the VW
is that it really does have that German driving,
European driving feel to it.
So it really, for an SUV, it's really engaging to drive.
It's fun.
It's really good looking.
The interior is spectacular.
The top end ones, you can get like full leather,
American walnut trim.
It's got a 12, over 12 inch center display.
It's just really a nicely put together vehicle.
Yeah, when I stepped into it,
I just kind of went, wow, from the interior.
I mean, Volkswagen interiors are kind of inventive
and interesting and always have been.
I mean, they do things like plaid upholstery
and stuff like that.
They've done that in the past, you know?
But this one really struck me as just kind of upscale.
It could have been in a luxury vehicle for certain.
I think, of course, this is the top of the line vehicle
that we were testing in North American Car
that you're testing, but at the same time,
I just kind of went, wow,
they really stepped up the program.
Yeah, and even in the lower trim ones,
I drove in a normally aspirated one vehicle
with a cloth interior.
Still, very nice, nice trim,
really well thought out vehicle.
I think it's very understated.
I mean, it's luxurious in that,
but it's not a really showy vehicle.
The design, if you look at it, it's clean.
It's very European looking.
The R Turbo has a bigger front grille.
They have to get more air through the engine passes
so it looks a little bit more aggressive.
But overall, it's really a terrific,
it's a terrific vehicle.
My biggest complaint is their over reliance
on haptic controls though.
So there's a lot of these touch surfaces that, you know,
and I, like just trying to close the screen
of the overhead, you know, full panoramic roof
to get the sun out.
I turned on like the SOS system or something.
I couldn't find, and then I figured it out
and it was like a slide.
You had to slide the thing, a fixed surface.
You just drag your finger across
and then the top closed.
So, you know, it's just, it wasn't as intuitive
as I would have liked it to be,
but, you know, they may be putting-
They will tell you that was intuitive though, man.
That you're sliding it in, like you would slide the roof.
But yeah, if you don't know, you don't know.
Right, but you don't really get
some of these, you don't get the feedback
that you would get from a regular knob or a switch.
So it's your kind of guessing on, is this going to work?
And I think eventually over time,
you'll see them probably put more buttons
and stuff back into the vehicle.
The pricing on it's pretty good.
The normally aspirated one starts at around $30,000.
The full boat one with the more powerful engine,
all wheel drive, the leather interior,
all that stuff tops out at about $44,000.
And the fuel economy is actually quite good
for a vehicle like it.
You know, it's not a hybrid, is that?
But you can still get, you know,
25 miles per gallon, EPA average, 22 in the city,
28 on the highway.
It's really a nice vehicle.
It fills a nice niche in their line.
Yeah, I think going to two rows
made a lot of sense for them,
as opposed to trying to squeeze
that kind of useless or not very useful.
Third row into the thing made a lot of sense.
And in terms of styling,
I think this dates back right to the Beetle.
They have kind of timeless styling or, you know,
styling that endures my oldest daughter has a Jetta
that's 11 years old and it's pretty darn good, right?
Yeah, it'll look old.
So I think this car will wear well.
Yeah.
And I think it's a good value at that price.
And I think it's coming fairly soon.
I had the chance to interview the product planner
when we were at North American Car of the Year
in Ann Arbor and we're going to air that interview
coming up in a future show here.
So look for that.
She was a really interesting person.
And good stuff.
I was driving a vehicle that's important to Hyundai.
That's for certain and Hyundai's been on a roll anyway,
but the Palisade midsize SUV is a big win.
Of course, this is a segment that is very, very important.
I think for two reasons.
I think not only is it high volume,
but it's also pretty profitable
versus some of the smaller vehicles out there.
So I think it's important for them
to hit a home run with this one.
And I'll tell you, I think they kind of did.
I think, you know, I really liked the new Palisade.
I had it in calligraphy trim,
which is the zoodiest, most luxurious trim.
It's gotten bigger.
It's added more technology.
And of course there's even more comfort features.
I'm thinking, I'm just hard pressed
to figure out how luxury brands can separate themselves
from mass market brands like Hyundai.
With the luxury amenities that this vehicle had,
base MSRP of the calligraphy, as I saw it was around,
of the Palisade was $56,060.
The test vehicle jumped that up to $58,000,
including destination.
I think that's the base price
for the calligraphy trim.
Has a 3.5 liter V6, 287 horsepower.
So plenty of horsepower.
Reasonable amounts of torque, 260 pound feet of torque,
eight speed automatic transmission.
You can get all wheel drive, H-track all wheel drive.
It's standard on this model.
And towing capacity, 5,000 pounds.
You know, from the 35,000 foot level mat,
what's your first blush take on that?
You know, it's a great looking vehicle.
They went a little bit more
towards the traditional boxy SUV look.
The previous one had like this
waterfall cascading front grille.
It was a lot of chrome.
This one looks a little bit more,
more like, you know, more horizontal.
The very modern looking square,
but still elegantly done.
You know, I was looking at one end profile
and it's just got this beautiful like chrome strip
that runs along the roof line
and then it widens out to be the C-pillar.
Looks great, real classy.
And I think that that's one of the things
you mentioned earlier is
how these mainstream vehicles
really come across with a premium look and feel.
And, you know, it's really hard to tell them apart
from luxury vehicles in the same segment.
Yeah, I think somebody on the highway
might mistake this for a Range Rover.
Yeah, easily.
Easily.
This is a good looking vehicle.
It's got a very conventional engine,
which to me is a bit refreshing.
All these complicated engines that are out there.
I mean, this is just a normally aspirated engine,
20 miles per gallon combined.
So not stellar fuel economy,
but this is a big three-row vehicle
that could tow 5,000 pounds.
And, you know, kind of in the Hyundai tradition
for this type of vehicle,
it's more suited for comfortable driving
that is edgy handling.
Who wants edgy handling out of a three-row vehicle?
I think what you want is comfort and safety
and that kind of stuff.
It has laminated glass, added insulation,
so it's pretty quiet.
The refinement is very, very good.
I like the all-wheel drive system
that has normal sport and smart modes.
So it does a lot of good things.
And then there's a tow mode, too,
if you're pulling a trailer.
So that's probably fairly new for Palisade.
Ride comfort is a highlight.
It's got a longer wheelbase than before,
so suspension tuning is all about ride comfort.
And then these interiors,
I mean, they just look terrific.
Napa leather interior, ambient lighting.
It just looks good all the way around
and benefits for longer length and longer wheelbase.
I mean, what you take on the Hyundai Palisade's interior?
Well, you know, the thing I really appreciate about it
is that they don't treat the second
and third-row passengers as an afterthought.
You can get heated, ventilated,
second-row captain's chairs.
You can get a heated third row.
The third row actually indexes back and forth
to change the leg room as does the second row.
So you're allowed a maximum amount of flexibility
to suit the rows to the people
who are gonna be sitting in them.
So you actually can get an adult
in the third row of the Palisade.
You can move the second row forward a little bit.
You can move that row back a little bit.
The seat reclines.
They've paid attention to those little details.
They make a big difference in a vehicle like that.
Yeah, I mean, here's an example of that, too, man.
I'm driving out to India as I have a want to do
from the coast where we live in Southern California.
And I'm maybe an hour into the drive,
an hour and a half into the drive.
And suddenly the driver's seat starts massaging my back,
unbeckoned by me.
And the last time I experienced that
was in a Genesis product.
And here I am now in a Hyundai that's doing that.
And I'll tell you, I liked it.
It was pretty remarkable.
Yeah, I loved it.
And I went, wow.
So they've added this that used to be in the luxury brand
is now in the mass market brand.
Again, how do you differentiate yourself from others
when you've got that going for you?
But that's the kind of quality that's in this vehicle.
Safe, it just has a lot to like about it.
That's what makes it a smart buy.
I think when you look at the price and the value
and all the features you get, it's a smart buy.
Yeah.
So at $58, almost $59,000, I think
this is a top boat vehicle.
And you were driving the Tiguan that was also certainly
one to look at in its segment.
So two great test vehicles this time around.
And our special guest this week is Ian Cartobiano.
He is Calty Design President.
Matt and I just had a chance to go to the Calty Design
Studio in Southern California to view some of the Lexus
products, as it turned out, their most recent work.
So stay with us for that.
And we'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
Hi, I'm Jack Arnie-Red.
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.
Kane 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 finally
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.
[?].
Welcome back, everybody, to America on the Road,
Jack Arnie-Red with you.
And we're in a secret place, a very secret place
that very few people get access to.
I feel very honored to have access to it.
You're welcome here.
Ian Cartobiano is president of this secret place.
Tell us about it.
Yeah, you're currently inside Calty Design Research.
We're the advanced design facility
for Toyota and Lexus in North America.
We're actually the oldest car design studio in California.
So Toyota had the wisdom way back in the early 70s
to start a car design studio in California.
Even before I was in this business,
which is kind of hard to do these days
because now vehicles that are designed in places
like this are in car museums.
That's the amazing thing.
And so it's been around for about 52 years now.
We celebrated our 50th anniversary in 2023.
And we also have a studio in Michigan and in Arbor.
And the studio that you're sitting in
does mostly advanced projects.
And our studio in Michigan does production projects.
But we have a really amazing track record.
We're a small design team that has a pretty prolific output.
Doesn't seem so small to me.
How big is small?
Well, the building is big.
But our total staff is around 60.
And we probably have about 25 designers in total,
or 30 designers in total.
But when you think about both brands and all the products
we make as a global company, we
have quite an agile and energetic team.
And one thing that's really great,
and I don't talk about this that much,
but one thing that's great about our studio
is basically every designer at Calty
has at least a vehicle on the road, which is quite a feat.
Absolutely, it's a feat.
And you don't just do exterior design,
the kind of stuff, drawing on the notebook
that I did in high school and all that kind of stuff.
I still do that.
Yeah, me too.
And I do a lot of 30s cars because I just
like fenders and separate body parts and that kind of stuff.
Fenders are cool.
That's a whole different thing.
But you also do interiors here.
That's really critical these days too, isn't it?
Yeah, we do everything.
We do exterior design, interior design.
We do color material and finish.
We do UX and UI design, which is user experience, user
interface, graphic.
So you do that too.
We do that here as well.
Interesting, fascinating.
And every designer here, we're not,
we hate the term stylists.
So we're not just putting pretty wrappers
on things that already exist.
Our designers here think really deeply
about future concepts.
What kind of products are great for our customers?
We're really heavy into user research, future user research.
And how do the values of the buyers
of the next generation influence what products we make
and what our design team does?
So every project we do, it never just starts with,
I'm going to draw something cool.
We're always, we always start with a research phase.
And then we draw really cool stuff, yeah.
And yet, at the same time, you're not stuck
with a certain wheel base and width and all that kind
of stuff.
I mean, you're out there.
You're more future than that.
Well, it's kind of segues into what you're talking about.
Well, sometimes we do have an existing package
that we do work to because we do near-term cars as well.
But when we're doing future vehicles, for example, what
we were looking at today, nothing is set in stone.
Everything is open for exploration and trying.
And some things work.
Some things don't.
But yeah, we can shape not only what it looks like in the design
theme point of view, but what's the size?
What's the profile?
How do you fit in it?
How do you use it?
What are your touch points?
How do you get in and out?
How do you see out of it?
Do you want to see out of it?
All these questions are our design team.
We're always answering.
Sometimes the answer comes at the very end.
It's an interesting process.
But it's a really great creative team.
Tell us what we saw today.
Tell us a bit about that.
So today, we were really excited to give you
kind of a closer look at two of the recent Lexus concepts
that we unveiled a few weeks ago at the Japan Mobility
Show in Tokyo.
So in Tokyo, we call it JMS for short,
we unveiled a new kind of a new message
and a new direction for Lexus.
It was all about discovery, discovering new product,
a new way to move, a new experience,
360 degrees of mobility.
So it wasn't just a car.
It was this ecosystem that can fulfill and give you
a way to discover a new experience for yourself.
So a kind of cool experience, too.
A sailboat and a house.
I was sailor.
My dad was an architect.
I love everything you presented.
We showed a beautiful Lexus Caterran.
Gorgeous.
We showed a Lexus House, a Lexus Hub,
where everything comes together.
The LS concept, which was a re-envisioning
of the original LS, where LS doesn't mean luxury sedan.
It means luxury space.
So we did that six-wheeled van, really radical.
But the way the interior volume was used on that,
it's so innovative.
Also, the Lexus sports concept is just super sexy sports car.
And then the two cars we were showing you today,
which was the LS coupe concept and the LS micro concept.
So you got a closer look at two concepts
that were in Tokyo and now they're here.
Walk us through the coupe concept.
Really interesting stuff, I think,
a really interesting profile.
Yeah, so the coupe concept, the key word was discover duality.
And when we talk about that,
it was really kind of the best of all worlds.
We didn't even say the best of both worlds,
the best of all worlds.
So it's the driving experience of like a sports coupe.
So say the LC right there.
And then the comfort experience of an executive sedan.
So you have the space,
more space than an executive sedan inside,
but you have the driving experience,
the exhilarating driving experience of a sports coupe
wrapped in a really, I think, and I'm, you know,
I'm-
You're not biased at all, are you?
I'm not biased, but it's a very beautiful package
with a really sleek roof profile, really strong shoulder.
It's got really nice hips.
Beautiful sculpture on the side.
We really worked hard to make sure the highlights
are always moving around the car.
A very sleek, but strong face.
So one thing we presented today was this new Lexus identity.
Total take and a different take on the spindle grill.
Different take, right?
So we don't, it's not a spindle grill,
but we use the daytime running lamps, DRLs for short.
We move them to the outer corners.
And so there's like the spindle frame
that's made from light,
framing the center of the front end.
So it's a new face expression.
And then we get to the rear.
It's this really simple, kind of boxed out light expression.
And you notice, maybe you notice today,
there were no trunk separation lines.
Well, the rear end of this vehicle is just amazing.
It's just amazing.
Honestly, the rear, the rear and designers speak rear three
quarter, which is when you're at a little angle.
That's my favorite view where it's,
the stance is amazing.
But the rear is a drawer that slides out and down
and you can load your three golf bags into them,
into the back.
Critical for a Japanese vehicle.
Critical, you can put them into the back and it slides in.
So.
Well, then the backlight and that sculpting
and that kind of stuff.
That's amazing to me.
Well, we tried to keep something really sleek,
but still allow the rear passenger
to have a really a great space to be in.
It's very comfortable.
So you can't, there are back seats in that car,
but that car, the rear is a,
it's really a special place to be.
So we're really proud of the profile of that vehicle
that looks so sleek.
Yet the rear is just an amazing place to spend time in.
I'm so pleased that you showed it to us at street level.
That's key.
Because it's height, really kind of fascinated me.
This is kind of a tall vehicle, right?
And I think you have a more upright,
I wasn't inside yet.
I haven't done the virtual reality,
but my sense is you're probably more upright
and it's kind of more SUV-like from behind the wheel.
Tell me about that.
It's an interesting mix of experiences.
When you sit in it, it's spacious,
but you, the way you're in the seat
and touching the wheel and looking out the front,
you feel that sports car driving experience,
but getting into it is easier.
Cause of what we call the H-point, the hip point, right?
And then seeing out of the front
is like this panoramic view of the road ahead.
So you get the best of a crossover sitting environment,
but the feeling of being in there
is definitely performance focus.
Now, if you're in the rear,
it's a totally different thing.
You're in a total, like this comforting bespoke space
that you can have a bench seat
or if the armrests come up, you can have two bucket seats.
Yeah.
Well, talk about the front seats
because that's pretty interesting concept too
of going too separately.
What's interesting is the front seats are different.
So the front seat, not only are the colors different
and we use the color to signify
this is the seat for driving, right?
So the driver's seat is definitely more sculpted
to hold you in place, right?
And you get in the side bolsters down
and when you get in and the car is started
and the wheel comes towards you,
the armrest comes up and then you're in place.
And so it's designed to hold you in place
while you're driving spiritedly as I'd like to do.
The passenger seat is actually a totally different form.
It's really made for comfort and distance travel
and the headrests are different shape.
Maybe you'll notice that the headrest is bigger.
We built in full 360 degree sensorial sound in it
so you can have your own experience.
So my wife could be listening to Taylor Swift
and I don't have to.
You can do what you want in that car.
And again, we talked about that keyword duality.
That's part of it.
Every person in that car can have a different experience
but also if you choose to be, be connected.
Very, very cool.
You talked about the rear three quarters.
Is there something about the interior,
a specific thing that you think is the coolest thing?
Well, personally for me, the coolest thing
is how simple the instrument panel is.
We're in a world now where there are screens everywhere
and bulk everywhere.
And so what we tried to do was break it down
to the, its minimal essence.
And it's simple from door to door.
It stretches from door to door as one.
We call it monumental sculpture.
In between that is this recycled carbon fiber bridge
or I like to call it the bridge, not a beam.
And that beam is strong enough
to support a retractable OLED screen on the passenger side.
So it's there when you need it
and when you don't want it, it's gone.
Yeah.
It comes up, folds out and quite big.
And in front of the driver, there are two displays
that start off nested together.
They're two displays, but they're tight.
And when you get in, the steering wheel comes to you
and those displays separate.
And one is for all the driver information
and the one behind it is a full width
super wide resolution digital mirror.
So I really love the fact that we,
big picture, we minimized, but it doesn't look empty.
It's really beautiful.
And it can be as big as you want
and that mirror treatment is just so cool.
Yeah, it's pretty cool.
And the exterior that supports that is very cool.
Cool.
Yeah, I like it.
Tell us about the other concept.
Oh, well so.
Way different.
Way different.
And this goes to, you know,
what I was talking about this studio
is the fact that one design team can come up
with two totally different solutions
for the same brand in the same ecosystem.
So the LS micro concept was our take
on luxury micro mobility.
It works hand in hand with the LS concept
and it's really designed for, you know,
we call last mile travel.
Yeah.
Well, thanks so much for inviting me.
That was my pleasure.
And thanks so much.
I hope you enjoyed it.
I did.
And thanks so much for sharing with our listeners
and viewers about what's going on in Calty.
Thanks so much.
I appreciate it.
Thank you for your time.
And stay with us.
We'll be right back right here on America on the Road.
Welcome back to America on the Road with guest co-host
Matt DeLorengos and Jeff DeLorengos with you.
And it is listener question time.
We love having Matt with us to answer these questions.
We love to answer questions for you
based on our long experience in providing car advice.
Send those questions to editoratdrivingtoday.com.
That's editoratdrivingtoday.com.
Let's dive right into this question from Patrick, who
lives in Interlochen, Michigan.
He asks this, I'm thinking of buying a hybrid for the first
time, how do hybrids perform in cold weather?
Just like regular cars.
That's the thing is that a closed hybrid system
has its battery.
It's always being charged by the engine.
You don't have to worry about the weather.
It doesn't affect it like an EV.
That essentially wraps up our show for this week.
But Matt, you have a new book out.
Let's talk about that for a little bit.
Tell us the name of it and a bit about it.
Well, it's called Mercedes AMG, Racebred Performance.
It's a nice book from motorbooks.
And tells the history of AMG from its start
with two kind of disgruntled engineers who'd
started their own tuning company and went racing
and started building all these performance cars.
Mercedes eventually came around to like what they do so
much that they bought the company
and turned it into their performance car division.
So it's a great story.
Mercedes was really cooperative and got a lot of great photos
in there.
So it's really a book I'm proud of.
And I hope people like.
Absolutely.
It's terrific.
And I think people should look for it.
It's available on Amazon, I think, and other places as well.
And I think it may be in some of the Barnes and Nobles
and places like that, yeah.
Right.
And remind us of the name again, man.
Mercedes AMG, Racebred Performance.
Right, by Matt DeLorenzo.
So remember that name, too.
A brand name to look for.
And while we're talking about books, my crime novel,
only one thing stays the same.
It's now available in ebook and paperback form at Amazon.
It's a great Christmas gift.
And it's stupidly cheap right now.
So look for that.
If you like our show, pass it on.
Listen on this radio station each week
and let your friends know where you hear America on the road.
And of course, America on the Road is available.
It's a podcast, right, Matt?
Yep.
You can get it in all the normal places
you get your podcasts from.
Look for it.
We have a YouTube channel, so check that out.
Please subscribe.
And we have a bunch of America on the Road videos,
including several featuring Matt DeLorenzo.
Our thanks to Mercury Insurance for sponsoring the show
and to our sports byline network stations
for carrying it on Terrestrial Radio, which
of course we love.
Let's hear it for AM Radio.
That's what I've got to say.
Please join us again next time for another edition
of America on the Road.
I received a letter from the reader this week,
and I thought I'd share it with you.
Here's what he wrote.
I just got around to reading Dance in the Dark
and wanted to say how much I enjoyed it.
I'm a compulsive reader, and this one was right up
my alley, an unlikely hero, a lot of twists and turns,
some adult content, and humor that rose naturally
from the action.
Keep on writing, and I'll keep on reading.
Of course, that's just the kind of letter
any author would love to get.
I hope that others get the same enjoyment from reading
Dance in the Dark and my newest crime novel,
Only One Thing Stays the Same.
Both are available exclusively at amazon.com.
That's Dance in the Dark, and Only One Thing
Stays the Same, both written by me, Jack Arnie Red.
Thanks for looking for them today.
This is the time when we're all thinking
about Christmas presents, and if you're like me,
you might have a difficult 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 purchased and use.
Take a look at DearbornDenim.us and WesternRazor.com.
I think you'll like what you see.
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About this episode
A deep dive into the all-new 2026 Hyundai Palisade and Volkswagen Tiguan highlights their design, performance, and features. Guest co-host Matt DiLorenzo shares insights on the redesigned Tiguan, emphasizing its upscale interior and improved powertrain. Meanwhile, the Palisade's luxurious calligraphy trim impresses with its spaciousness and advanced technology, including a massaging driver's seat. The episode also touches on automotive news, including Kia's new Celtos SUV, Waymo's self-driving taxi issues, and a discussion on Hagerty's bull market list for classic cars.
Original notes
This week on America on the Road, guest co-host Matt DeLorenzo joins Jack Nerad as they look at a packed slate of automotive news, two major road tests, and a special design-focused interview. Jack drives the range-topping 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy, while Matt reviews the redesigned 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan, a compact SUV with more power, more tech, and a more refined cabin than ever before. Jack also sits down with Ian Cartabiano, President of Calty Design, to talk about Toyota’s long-running design studio, its newest work, and how design thinking translates into the next generation of vehicles.
🚗 Jack Nerad Test-Drives the 2026 Hyundai Palisade CalligraphyJack gets behind the wheel of Hyundai’s newly redesigned three-row flagship SUV. The 2026 Palisade grows larger, gains a smoother and quieter V6, and adds premium comfort features like Relaxation seats, a dual-pane sunroof, and a digital rearview mirror. With a refined interior and an extensive safety suite, the Palisade aims to offer near-luxury comfort at a value price. Jack breaks down real-world ride quality, technology upgrades, and where the Calligraphy trim stands in a crowded family SUV market.
🚙 Matt DeLorenzo Test-Drives the 2026 Volkswagen TiguanMatt reviews the all-new Tiguan, now riding on VW’s updated MQB Evo platform. With more power, sharper design, upgraded driver-assistance features, and a tech-rich interior anchored by large digital displays, the Tiguan takes a meaningful leap forward. Matt covers performance from both available turbo engines, cabin comfort, and how the latest Tiguan compares to its class rivals.
🎙️ Special Guest InterviewJack talks with Ian Cartabiano, Calty Design President, during a visit to Toyota’s Southern California design studio. Cartabiano shares insight into Calty’s latest projects, how design shapes the user experience, and what future vehicles may look like as new technologies and materials influence the creative process.
📰 This Week’s Headlines • Kia Introduces the All-New 2027 SeltosKia has revealed a comprehensive redesign of its global subcompact SUV. The new Seltos features more assertive styling, a wider cabin, upgraded materials, twin 12.3-inch displays, expanded driver-assistance tech, and multiple powertrain options, including a high-output turbo engine and a hybrid. Production begins late this year with global rollout in 2026.
• Waymo Cited After Passing Stopped School BusesA voluntary recall has been issued after 19 incidents in Texas where Waymo robotaxis illegally passed stopped school buses. Despite software updates, violations continued into November and December, prompting deeper scrutiny from NHTSA and local officials. Waymo says a programming error caused the vehicles to proceed when they should have remained stopped.
• Hagerty Unveils the 2026 Bull Market ListHagerty’s latest list highlights 11 vehicles expected to appreciate next year. They range from accessible icons like the Mazda MX-5 Miata and VW GTI VR6 to high-dollar collectibles such as the Porsche Carrera GT. The list leans heavily on ’90s and early-2000s performance, which Hagerty calls the final chapter of the analog era.
• Canada Accuses Stellantis of Defaulting on Aid AgreementThe Canadian government has issued a formal default notice after Stellantis shifted Jeep Compass production out of Ontario. With thousands of workers still laid off, the Canadian government says the automaker violated commitments tied to more than half a billion dollars in support. Stellantis maintains the Brampton plant is on an “operational pause.”
📩 Listener Question of the WeekPatrick from Interlochen, Michigan asks: “I’m thinking of buying a hybrid for the first time. How do hybrids perform in cold weather?” Jack and Matt explain how battery chemistry, engine warm-up cycles, and hybrid system design affect winter performance.
📚 BooksJack’s crime novel Only One Thing Stays the Same is out now in ebook and paperback. It’s an easy holiday gift at an easy price.
Matt’s newest book, Mercedes-AMG: Race-Bred Performance, is now available at Amazon.
🎧 Where to ListenCatch America on the Road on this station every week, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Rumble. You’ll also find road test videos, interviews, and shorts on our YouTube channel.
Special thanks to Mercury Insurance for sponsoring the show and to our Sports Byline Network affiliates nationwide.
🎙️ HostsJack Nerad — Award-winning auto journalist and author of Only One Thing Stays the Same
Chris Teague — Longtime auto critic and journalist
Matt DeLorenzo — Author and frequent guest host
📢 Presented by• DrivingToday.com
• EMLandsea.com
• Mercury Insurance – Switch today and save. Californians save an average of $670.
Find America on the Road on YouTube and Rumble. Subscribe for road test videos, shorts, and extended reviews.
📨 Email: [email protected]
Check Out Matt DeLorenzo’s Book:Pick up a copy of co-host Matt DeLorenzo’s terrific new book Mercedes-AMG: Race-Bred Performance
Special Price for Jack’s Newest Crime Novel:Jack is now offering his newest crime novel, Only One Thing Stays the Same, at a 67%-off price of just $4.99. Click here to buy from Amazon at this special limited-time price.
America on the Road
Jack Nerad - Host
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