The all-new version of the 2023 Honda Accord surprises in several areas. The most startling change is under the hood where Honda has made a hybrid the top powertrain. Up until a few years ago, Honda showed a distinct lack of interest in hybrid powertrains but now it has done an about-face and installed a hybrid driveline is its flagship sedan. The addition of a hybrid drivetrain permits the Accord to go head-to-head with the 2023 Toyota Camry, which has its own well-regarded hybrids.

Host Jack Nerad had the opportunity to drive and evaluate the all-new 2023 Honda Accord Sport Hybrid for a week during a period of wild weather in Southern California. He’ll report his findings in this episode of “America on the Road.”

At the same time, Co-host Chris Teague was at the wheel of the 2023 Kia Telluride, which now offers two new off-road trims. Higher ground clearance, raised roof rails, and Downhill Brake Control are a few of the models’ added all-terrain features. Chris Teague will share his opinions on the Telluride coming up.

Our special guest this week is Scott Tallon, director of product at Jeep. At the recent 2023 Jeep Compass driving event in Malibu, Host Jack Nerad sat down with him for a detailed interview on the changes that have transformed the Compass into a solid contender in the compact SUV segment.

In the news, a prominent safety organization — the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — has just gone on record knocking electric vehicles for being too heavy. It suggests their added weight is a safety issue and posits that lowering speed limits is the appropriate solution. Listen up to hear what we have to say about that.

Also in the news this week, Porsche says criticism of its e-fuel initiative is “emotional,” and it is serious about proceeding with its plan. Do e-fuels represent a logical alternative to battery-electric vehicles? We present the pros and cons.

And General Motors says it is considering installing ChatGPT in all its vehicles in the future. We’ll have more details on the implications of that and our comments as well in this episode of “America on the Road.”

Host Jack Nerad's latest book, a crime novel filled with intrigue, suspense and a car chase or two. It's now available as a paperback and Kindle edition at Amazon.com.