America on the Road

In this special edition direct from the North American Car of the Year announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Host Jack Nerad and frequent Guest Host Matty DeLorenzo take incisive looks at the vehicles that made it to the next round -- and those that didn't. Nerad is vice president of the North American Car of the Year jury. DeLorenzo has served on the jury for decades.

Each year, the 50-member jury of renowned industry experts evaluates all the new-to-the-market vehicles to determine which three special vehicles deserve the title North American Car of the Year, North American Truck of the Year, and North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. This year's competition is especially grueling because it pits battery-electrics against hybrids and conventionally powered vehicles. From full-size heavy-duty pickups to subcompact cars, the field is crammed with fascinating shapes and leading-edge tech.

After weighing the positives and negatives of each vehicle in real-world driving, the NACTOY jurors cast their votes in a secret ballot audited by Deloitte. The three top vote-getters in each category are then named the Finalists for the prestigious awards.

In this special report, DeLorenzo and Nerad will offer their opinions on each of the nine Finalists and share their thoughts on which could -- and perhaps should -- win in each category. And they'll also give their opinions on why some potential favorites in the field -- cars like the 2024 Ford Mustang and the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray -- didn't make the cut.

The following is a complete list of the 2024 North American Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, and Utility of the Year Finalists followed by a list of the semi-finalists that have been eliminated from the competition. See if you agree with the jury's results.

2024 North American Car of the Year Finalists

Honda Accord

Hyundai Ioniq 6

Toyota Prius/Prius Prime

2024 North American Truck of the Year Finalists

Chevrolet Colorado

Chevrolet Silverado EV

Ford Super Duty

2024 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year Finalists

Genesis Electrified GV70

Kia EV9

Volvo EX30

The Semi-Finalists Eliminated from the Competition

BMW 5 Series

BMW i5

Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray

Ford Mustang

Subaru Impreza

Toyota Crown

Toyota GR Corolla

GMC Canyon

Chevrolet Blazer EV

Dodge Hornet

Honda Pilot

Hyundai Kona

Mazda CX90

Toyota Grand Highlander

The smallest Volvo SUV ever might be the biggest in terms of impact in the United States and around the globe. With a suggested starting price of $34,950, Volvo EX30 could cause many American consumers to have second thoughts about buying a conventionally powered small SUV. With its strong safety ethos, the Swedish brand has made certain that the EX30 continues to carry that torch in addition to its zero-emissions environmental advantages — all at a price that many can afford.

Host Jack Nerad had the chance to drive both single-motor and dual-motor versions of the EX30 in a manufacturer-sponsored event in Barcelona. While there, he sat down with Conny Perrson, the EX30 vehicle business manager, to discuss the philosophy behind the SUV. In the interview, Perrson shares his thoughts on why the new small EV will be such an important addition to the brand’s global vehicle portfolio as it seeks to fulfill its goal of being a 100-percent battery-electric vehicle brand by 2030.

In this episode’s road test segment, Co-Host Chris Teague discusses his weeklong stint in the Hyundai Ioniq 6 battery-electric sedan. Bathed in evocative sheetmetal, the Ioniq 6 uses the same drivetrain as the Ioniq 5 small battery-electric SUV. The big question is how it will work for the four-person Teague family in the rigors of late fall in Maine.

Our other road test this week is of a vehicle with which you might not be familiar — the 2023 Lexus RC 350 F. What’s that, you ask? It’s a shapely luxury sports coupe that offers increasing performance levels in its various trims. Host Nerad played the part of a retired aging Baby Boomer (very believably) as he shuttled the RC 350 F down freeways and up twisty back roads. He’ll reveal what he found.

In the news this week, auto sales suffered from the now-settled United Auto Workers strike against American Big 3 automakers just as vehicle supply began to catch up with demand. We’ll tell you what that might mean for you if you plan to buy a car before the year ends.

The move to self-driving cars took another blow this past week as General Motors hit the pause button on its driverless car operations. The bloom has come off the autonomous car rose at the same time that EV market share has begun to take a dip after a long upward climb. Could American consumers be growing tired of new tech? Again, we’ll have our comments.

Finally, there is a move afoot in some localities to ban one of our hallowed American driving traditions — the ability to make a legal right turn on a red light. Some say the practice puts pedestrians in harm’s way. Others reply, “Balderdash!” You can guess which side we’re on.

America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

In this special direct from North American Car of the Year testing in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Host Jack Nerad and frequent Guest Host Matt DeLorenzo discuss the many candidates for three of the most prestigious honors in autodom. Nerad is currently vice president of the North American Car of the Year jury. DeLorenzo has served on the jury for decades.

Each year, the 50-member jury composed of renowned industry experts evaluates all the new-to-the-market vehicles to determine which deserve the title North American Car of the Year, North American Truck of the Year, and North American Utility of the Year. As part of a rigorous test schedule, the jury convenes in Michigan near the Motor City of Detroit to drive and evaluate the contenders for the honors in each of the categories. The competition is stiff, and the potential for disagreements is many.

With electrics, hybrids, and conventionally powered vehicles in each category, the jurors get a chance to weigh the positives and negatives in real-world driving. The car of the year field includes mainstream cars like the Honda Accord and exotic newcomers like the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. The truck field includes stalwarts like the Ford SuperDuty and new-tech wonders like the Chevrolet Silverado EV. The utility group includes conventional SUVs like the Honda Pilot and Toyota Grand Highlander, plus dedicated electric vehicles like the Kia EV9 and Volvo EX30.

The following is a complete list of the 2024 North American Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, and Utility of the Year semi-finalists that Jack Nerad and Matt DeLorenzo will discuss in this week’s hour-long special on the competition. Join us for our show later this month, when we’ll reveal the finalists.

2024 North American Car of the Year Semi-Finalists

BMW 5 Series

BMW i5

Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray

Ford Mustang

Honda Accord

Hyundai Ioniq 6

Subaru Impreza

Toyota Crown

Toyota GR Corolla

Toyota Prius/Prius Prime

2024 North American Truck of the Year Semi-Finalists

Chevrolet Colorado

Chevrolet Silverado EV

Ford Super Duty

GMC Canyon

2024 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year Semi-Finalists

Chevrolet Blazer EV

Dodge Hornet

Genesis Electrified GV70

Honda Pilot

Hyundai Kona

Kia EV9

Mazda CX90

Toyota Grand Highlander

Volvo EX30

America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

The 2024 Lexus TX three-row crossover might prompt some luxury SUV buyers to wonder why Lexus hasn’t had a vehicle like it before. The good news is Lexus has it now, and it promises to be a strong competitor to other three-row luxury crossovers like the Acura MDX. Host Jack Nerad had the opportunity to test the vehicle at its American launch outside Austin, Texas, and he came away impressed.

Its spacious interior, up-to-the-minute technology tech, and multiple powertrains give the TX all it needs to compete in its very competitive segment. The Audi Q7, Volvo XC90, and Infiniti QX60 each have their strong points, but the Lexus TX seems to have encapsulated the factors that luxury crossover buyers want most. Smooth-riding and extremely quiet, the 2024 TX might not outrun some of its rivals on the racetrack, but it does deliver the space and comfort buyers demand. The TX also offers a fascinating selection of powertrains — a turbocharged four-cylinder, a hybrid that combines a turbocharged four-cylinder with electric motors, and a plug-in hybrid that teams a V6 with electric motors. Add four-wheel-steer in some trims, and you have a technological tour de force.

In our other road test, Co-Host Chris Teague took the wheel of the scintillating BMW M2. Small, agile, and supremely powerful, the M2 proved to be a more than willing partner as Teague tore his way across southern Maine. In this episode, he’ll have a full report.

In the news this week, Honda is bringing back the popular Civic Hybrid compact sedan, and it promises to be better than ever. Honda was long a hybrid skeptic, but in the past couple of years, it has changed its tune and now embraces hybrid technology. Its Accord and CR-V hybrid models are bestsellers in the brand, so you can see why Honda execs are bullish on the Civic Hybrid.

Some major carmakers are far less bullish about the prospects for battery-electric vehicles. Spurred by federal, state, and local regulations, most automakers have invested billions in electric vehicle tech. Not only have they introduced scores of new EVs, but they have even more waiting in the wings. Now, though, they are facing the reality of the market, and the prospects are less than encouraging. We’ll give you our take on this conundrum in this episode.

Kia is an example of a carmaker that has swallowed the EV Kool-Aid. The Korean brand has just introduced a trio of lower-cost electric vehicles in Asia as it tries to reach its goal of selling one million EVs by 2026. We’ll tell you if we can expect to see any of them in the U.S. soon.

Our special guests this week have a fascinating new concept that can provide peace of mind to the millions of Americans who buy vehicles from private parties each year. Ed Brojerdi and Craig Nehamen are co-founders and co-CEOs of Caramel, a company they designed to relieve the many pain points of buying a car from an individual. From dealing with the Department of Motor Vehicles to offering service contracts, Caramel can help private buyers and sellers make beautiful music together … or at the very least, complete car transactions hassle-free. Please tune in for their conversation with host Jack Nerad.

America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

Honda has just pulled the wraps off its first dedicated battery-electric crossover SUV, and we’ll have all the details about it. Our special guest this week is Jonathan Rivers, who is manager of product information at American Honda. Host Jack Nerad had the chance to sit with him for a behind-the-scenes briefing at a secret location in Southern California. Honda is basing its first all-electric SUV on a General Motors platform the Prologue shares with the upcoming Chevrolet Blazer EV. But the Prologue presents itself as a Honda through and through. A long look at a pre-production version of the crossover makes it clear that Honda designers and engineers worked hard to make it their own.

The 2024 Prologue will offer the choice of front-drive or all-wheel-drive. The single-motor EX and Touring trims will be front-drive, while the dual-motor EX, Touring, and Elite models are all-wheel-drive. The two-motor all-wheel-drive models will deliver 288 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque. Honda hasn’t revealed the horsepower and torque ratings of the front-drive models. All Prologues will be fitted with an 85 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that will offer up to 300 miles on a charge.

Using GM’s Ultium batteries, the Prologue can use DC fast charging at rates up to 155 kW. Honda hasn’t announced charge times but it says the Prologue’s battery pack can add 65 miles of range in about 10 minutes using a DC fast charger. The interior is pure Honda, including the brand’s newest Google-based infotainment system.

Two hot but affordable sports models take center stage in our road test segment. Co-Host Chris Teague puts the 2024 Acura Integra Type S through its paces in the challenging conditions of rural Maine. Host Jack Nerad did the same with the Toyota GR86 10th Anniversary Premium Edition in the urban jungle of Southern California.

In this week's news, the fuel economy rules proposed by the Biden Administration could add $3,000 to the price of the average car by 2032, according to information just released by a growing list of carmakers fighting against the new rules. We’ll have the details along with our take on the situation.

About half of electric vehicle owners say they will buy a particular type of vehicle the next time they buy one. Their answers could surprise you. We’ll tell you what they plan to buy in this episode.

Here’s another good question we’ll talk about this week: Do self-driving cars pose a danger to pedestrians? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seems to think so, and we’ll tell you more about their recent investigations.

America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

No, we haven’t driven the Nissan Hyper Adventure concept yet. As a digital concept, it doesn’t offer anything to drive. But we were so struck by its out-of-this-world good looks that we had to cover it in this week’s news segment. Nissan says the object of this all-electric concept vehicle is “to accommodate the outdoorsperson’s diverse needs.” One way it does that is with its large-capacity battery that can serve as an energy source in the wild. Instead of carting jerry cans, future off-roaders will tote giant batteries with them to power up their devices, light up their campsites, and recharge battery-powered boats and personal watercraft.

Nissan’s e-4orce all-wheel-control system helps ensure that Hyper Adventure occupants reach their destinations safely. For extra traction, the Hyper Adventure’s wheels and bumpers are outfitted with crampons to enable the vehicle to transverse snow-covered tundra. The interior features space for tents, skis, and even a kayak. We’re excited to take our first virtual drive through a virtual forest soon.

On the real road test front, Host Jack Nerad will describe his experiences behind the futuristic wheel of the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 battery-electric sedan. Based on the same platform as the Ioniq 5 crossover utility, the Ioniq 6 combines unique styling with a pleasant driving experience. Nerad will have the details in this episode.

Our other road test this week gave Co-Host Chris Teague the opportunity to experience the 2024 Mazda CX-90 plug-in hybrid sport utility. A three-row vehicle that follows in the footsteps of the popular CX-9, the new CX-90 features a winning exterior design and Mazda’s typically upscale interior treatment.

Speaking of upscale, three-row vehicles, Lexus has just introduced a vehicle we predict will be a major hit. It’s the Lexus TX crossover utility that is getting heavy TV advertising support these days. Host Jack Nerad got the chance to drive it and then discuss it with Lexus product information expert Richard Hollingsworth, and we’ll have that interview for you in this show.

Also in this show, new rules could extend federal tax credits on electric vehicles to more buyers. And they’ll get the incentive sooner. We’ll have details on that major change.

Tesla has lowered its prices again as it races to hit sales targets for 2023. We’ll let you how much you could save.

And there’s more news about Elon Musk, too. It turns out he isn’t just rich; he’s also in a lot of legal scrapes. We’ll tell you all about it in America on the Road’s True Crime Files - Auto Edition, which we’ll be serving up in this episode.

America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

It’s very pleasant when you get behind the wheel of a car, and it proves to be a lot better than you thought it would be. That was Host Jack Nerad’s experience with the 2024 Volvo S60 Recharge eAWD Ultimate Dark. While the eurosedan has a name longer than the block Nerad lives on, he discovered it to be faster, more agile, and more inventive than he imagined. One big positive — the 455 horsepower available from its plug-in hybrid powertrain. The 143 horsepower kicked in by the rear-axle electric motor, which engages almost instantly, made the S60 Recharge feel even more powerful.

Inside, the competitor to the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class offers a well-designed cabin that doesn’t look like a clone of every other sports-luxury sedan. For one thing, it has cloth upholstery, which was attractive and felt cool to the touch. And the infotainment system is topnotch, too. We’ll have more on the S60 in this episode if we don’t run out of time just saying its full name.

Co-host Chris Teague was at the wheel of our other road test vehicle this week — the very competent 2024 Acura MDX Type S. It’s Acura's sportiest three-row trim, and while that might sound oxymoronic, it proved apt, as our review of the MDX will outline.

In the news this week, the proposed fuel economy regulations could cost American automakers almost $10 billion in fines. This is according to a letter the companies sent to the Department of Energy. Of course, carmakers will probably pass on the costs to consumers, so all of us will end up paying more.

In happier news, vehicle sales surged in the third quarter. We’ll tell you which types led the charge — and which didn’t — coming up. The figures might surprise you.

A related story shows that EVs are affordable, at least for some people, but that affordability depends a lot on who you are and what kind of money you have.

A new report says the United Auto Workers union’s strike tactics are forcing the U.S.-based carmakers into a game of "Survivor.” We will talk about that and about which of the car companies is likely to cave in first.

Our special guest this week is Honda product planner Kyle Campbell. He'll give us all the inside details on the 2024 Honda Passport TrailSport in an interview for you coming up.

America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

You might call it the Rodney Dangerfield of sports coupes. The Toyota GR86, in the words of that fabled comedian, “don’t get no respect,” but the fact is, it deserves some. Our Co-Host Chris Teague put a GR86 through its paces as summer transitioned to fall in Maine, and the car passed with flying (fall) colors. Toyota (Subaru?) added a bit more horsepower to the GR86 (BRZ) recently, and the results are palpable. And, more to the point, enjoyable.

And if you want to talk about enjoyment, you should take a road trip like Host Jack Nerad just completed. He enlisted the all-new 2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone to be his family’s ride of choice as they attended the Ft. Worth Stockyards Rodeo, the TCU-SMU football game, and a Rangers-Mariners baseball tilt at Globe Life Field. With all the comings and goings, the Sequoia proved to be an all-around champ. Comfortable, quiet, convenient, and fuel-efficient are just some of the positive adjectives that can be attached to the newest version of Toyota’s full-size traditional SUV.

If you’d like to know what cars, trucks, and SUVs really get their owners' heart rates pumping, we have the perfect guest for you this week. Frank Hanley is senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. We’ll talk with him about the results of the company’s APEAL Study that measures car owners' emotional attachment to their cars. Of course, Chris Teague now owns a car he doesn’t love at all, and he’ll tell you about that, too.

In the news this week, we have a warning for you. If you drive an older Hyundai or Kia model, you’ll want to hear the details of a recall of more than 3 million vehicles. The issue is that they might catch on fire, so owners are asked to park them outside. We’ll have the details on the vehicles involved in this episode.

A Reuters report shows that traditional automakers aren’t making much headway in the fight to wrest electric car dominance from Tesla. We’ll have the intriguing figures for you coming up.

And if you’re intending to buy a used car soon, you might be forced to set your sights much lower than you might have anticipated. It’s a jungle out there right now as a number of factors have conspired to make car buying extremely expensive these days. And don’t get us started on the issue of six- and seven-dollar-a-gallon gas in California.

America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

The Honda Civic Type R is the highest-performance version of one of the most popular cars in the United States. The all-new version continues a proud legacy as the most powerful model in the Type R's 30-year history. The car is based on the 11th generation Civic Hatchback, the 2023 Type R is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that whirs out 315 horsepower. Among its other claims to fame, it is the most powerful Honda-branded vehicle ever offered in the Unites States.

The engine is matched to a six-speed manual transmission that Honda has upgraded for the new application. As co-host ChrisTeague found during his week-long test of the Type R near his Maine home, the manual is the perfect companion for the high-output engine. The big question is how will the Civic Type R accommodate Teague’s lanky 6-foot tall frame?

In the other road test this week, Host Jack Nerad bathed in the lap of luxury at the wheel of the 2023 Genesis GV80. The imposing luxury SUV has incredible driveway presence, and its exterior good looks are matched by one of the most luxurious interiors in its class. Under the hood, the GV80 features the choice of a 300-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine or a 375-horsepower 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6. Both engines are paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Our test car was equipped with the more powerful of the two engine choices.

A report in The Wall Street Journal says Tesla is in talks to build a production plant in, of all places, Saudi Arabia. But Elon Musk says the report is categorically false. Details coming up.

The United States has passed the “tipping point” for electric vehicle adoption, but there’s just one problem — American consumers don’t seem to have gotten the message. We’ll have more on that. And — Holy AI — Toyota says it is teaching its robots new tricks that are startlingly human. Should we be concerned? And if the UAW strike continues, could it be good for General Motors? We’ll tell you why some think so in this episode.

For those of you seeking lower car insurance rates, our special guest this week is Rory Joyce, the head of insurance at Credit Karma. Host Jack Nerad sat down with him to discuss the Karma Drive program that could save you money while making you a better driver.

America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

The Kia EV9 is an important step in the effort to move electric vehicles from the status symbols of the rich to everyday vehicles for mainstream Americans. And what could be more mainstream American than a three-row SUV?

That’s the market the Kia EV9 is trying to crack as the first non-luxury battery-electric dedicated three-row SUV to hit the American marketplace. It brings plenty of positives to its effort — expressive exterior design, roomy cabin, advanced driver assistance features, and several configurations. As guest co-host Matt DeLorenzo discovered, the Kia EV9 is also rewarding to drive. The GT-Line version of the EV9 has 379 horsepower and 516 lb.-ft. of torque. Its 0-to-60 mph acceleration time is under five seconds.

For those who like road trips as we do, the EV9 offers up to 300 miles on a charge in the long-range version of the Light trim. Kia says that with the use of ultrafast recharging on high-speed DC chargers, the EV9 can go from 10 to 80 percent state of charge in under 25 minutes. We’ll have more information on the 2024 Kia EV9 in the road test segment.

Host Jack Nerad details the 2023 Toyota Camry Hybrid Nightshade Edition in his portion of this week’s road tests. The Camry Hybrid Nightshade isn’t a sports car or even a sports sedan, but, as Nerad found out, it has a lot of fun-to-drive attributes, including good initial acceleration. Add its driving dynamics to a comfortable cabin and 50+ mpg fuel economy, and you have a real bargain.

Speaking of real bargains, the Hyundai Kona has made a name for itself as a strong SUV value. Now, there’s an all-new version of the vehicle, and this week’s special guest will tell us all about it. Ricky Lao is the director of product planning for Hyundai Motor America, and we’ll get his behind-the-scenes insight into the 2024 Kona.

In the news this week, the United States is heavily divided over many issues, and to that list, we can now add electric cars. Some states are moving forward quickly with the new EV technology, while others are taking the opposite stance. Details on where your state stands on EVs coming up.

A world-famous sports car manufacturer is gearing up to become a mainstream brand. We’ll tell you which brand that is and how they plan to gain your attention coming up.

And an executive for a major global automaker says batteries will have to change drastically before we see widespread electric car adoption. We’ll tell you how he thinks they must change in this segment, along with our comments.

America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, YourTestDriver.com, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com