Podcasts about north american truck

The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid has been named North American Car of the Year, and nobody knows more about the car and process than NACTOY jurors Jack Nerad and Matt DeLorenzo, who host and co-host this week's show. They'll take you behind the scenes to discuss not only the winning vehicle but also the procedures that resulted in the choice of Honda's highly popular compact car. At the same time, Nerad and DeLorenzo will offer long looks at the winners of the North American Utility of the Year and North American Truck of the Year — the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz and the 2025 Ford Ranger. You'll hear commentary on these vehicles you won't get anywhere else. In our interview segment this week, you'll also hear a discussion you won't hear anywhere else. Russell Wager, Kia America's vice president of marketing, is our guest. Jack Nerad sat down with him to talk about the opportunities and challenges presented as the country transitions from the Biden years to the Trump era. Speaking of Biden, as one of his last acts in office, he and his Administration essentially banned Chinese-built cars from entering the U.S. market and, at the same time, banned vehicles with Chinese technology and hardware. We'll discuss the ramifications of that coming up. In our road test segment, guest co-host Matt DeLorenzo will detail the special virtues of the 2025 Infiniti QX55, and Jack Nerad will provide an in-depth report on the 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric — a vehicle that might be the best value among battery-electric vehicles right now. Listener Question of the Week “It seems like electric cars are more expensive than gasoline vehicles, but some people tell me that you can quickly make up the difference because they cost much less to own and operate. Is that true or are folks just blowing smoke?” Rudy, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Matt DeLorenzo's Book Pick up a copy of co-host Matt DeLorenzo's terrific new book How to Buy an Affordable Electric Car: A Tightwad's Guide to EV Ownership. Special Offer Jack is now offering his suspense novel, Dance in the Dark, for just $.99, a $9.00 saving from its original published price of $9.99. Click here to buy from Amazon at this special limited-time price. Brought to you by: • DrivingToday.com • Mercury Insurance: Find out how much you can save at DrivingToday.com/auto-insurance. • EMLandsea.com, publisher of Dance in the Dark. We have a lot of shows for you this week. Thanks for joining us, and don't forget to look for new content on our YouTube and Rumble channels. Please subscribe. If you do, we'll like you forever. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad's latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com             Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Show 03:00 North American Car of the Year Discussion 09:16 Banning Chinese Vehicles: National Security Concerns 10:25 Honda's Aggressive Strategy in the Market 11:10 Matt's Book on Affordable Electric Vehicles 12:48 Road Test: 2025 Infiniti QX55 Review 17:00 Road Test: 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric Review 25:55 Exclusive Interview: Kia Marketing VP Russell Wager 39:30 Listener Question: Cost of Electric Vehicles vs Gasoline Vehicles Keywords automotive, electric vehicles, North American Car of the Year, Honda, Chinese vehicles, 2025 Infiniti QX55, 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric, car reviews, automotive news, EV ownership Summary In this episode of America on the Road, hosts Jack Nerad and Matt DeLorenzo discuss various automotive topics, including the North American Car of the Year awards, the implications of the Biden administration's ban on Chinese-built vehicles, Honda's renewed market strategies, and insights from Matt's book on affordable electric vehicles. They also review the Infiniti QX55 and the Hyundai Kona Electric, highlighting their features and market positioning.

The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz is the most buzzworthy vehicle to hit American highways this decade. Combining the exterior style of the classic Microbus with the chassis of a thoroughly modern electric vehicle, the ID.Buzz is a crowd-pleaser that stops traffic, as Host Jack Nerad discovered during his two weeks with the vehicle. Its exterior design features LED lighting, retro-inspired wheels, and optional two-tone paint that pays homage to its iconic predecessor. But the drivetrain is anything but retro. The ID.Buzz is powered by a 91-kWh battery and offers two drivetrain configurations: rear-wheel-drive with 282 horsepower and an EPA-estimated range of 234 miles and 4Motion all-wheel-drive with 335 horsepower and a range of 231 miles. Charging is efficient, with DC fast charging replenishing 10-80% in just 26 minutes. Inside, the ID. Buzz boasts a spacious and customizable interior, offering up to 145.5 cubic feet of cargo space, flexible seating, and advanced technology, including a 12.9-inch infotainment display, IQ.Drive driver assistance, and wireless charging. It's a stark contrast to Nerad's 1968 Type 2 “Early Bay” Bus, powered by a 57-horsepower 1600cc engine that delivered a 0-60 mph time of 37 seconds and a top speed of 65 mph. But is the ID.Buzz as good a value as that long-gone college-era VW? Nerad will have the answer. In our other road test this week, Co-Host Chris Teague will have the answer on the all-new 2025 Ford Ranger. A finalist for North American Truck of the Year, the Ranger boasts a new engine that makes it much more competitive versus rivals that include the Chevrolet Colorado, Nissan Frontier, and the Toyota Tacoma. Teague is a Toyota fan, but does he see the Ranger as the better midsize truck? He'll give his verdict in this episode. Driving News Our look at Driving News this week features a headline-grabbing development that could reshape the industry. Nissan and Honda, two global giants with big U.S. footprints, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore a potential integration. If it goes forward, this partnership could see the companies combining their efforts in electrification, platform sharing, and advanced vehicle intelligence. With plans for a joint holding company by 2026, this is a story with far-reaching implications for drivers everywhere. In more amusing news, Hyundai has achieved an incredible and largely esoteric feat with its Ioniq 5 electric vehicle, earning a Guinness World Records title for the greatest altitude change ever by an electric car. Over 14 grueling days, the Ioniq 5 covered more than 4,900 kilometers across India, traveling from the Himalayas' highest drivable point to below sea level in Kerala. But what does this record prove? Jack and Chris will offer their opinions. Switching gears to luxury, Jack and Chris will also offer their opinions on the 2025 Genesis G80 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD, a sedan that blends advanced technology, stunning design, and exceptional performance. Powered by a twin-turbocharged V6, the G80 delivers a smooth, refined ride while packing a punch under the hood. Inside, it's all about premium touches, from Nappa leather seating to a cutting-edge OLED instrument cluster. Our two reporters will deliver their verdicts in this show This week's guest is Brian Jannusch, a Nissan GT-R expert with a passion for the legendary sports car. From its iconic engineering to his quest to drive one at the Nurburgring, Brian shares fascinating insights into what makes the GT-R so special. It's a conversation that will resonate with sports car fans and anyone who appreciates automotive excellence. The episode also tackles practical advice with safety tips for 2025 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As the year begins, it's a good time to revisit basics like seatbelt use, sober driving, and staying alert on the road. Simple steps can make a big difference in preventing accidents and keeping your loved ones safe.

Driving from Dallas to Oxford, Mississippi, and back over the course of a three-day weekend sounds like a daunting proposition for a lot of people. After all, Dallas is 530 miles from Oxford, so the journey entails a lot of driving. But there is reason behind our madness. Our future son-in-law went to Ole Miss, and he and my daughter asked us to join them to make the trip to see the Rebels play Oklahoma. How could you turn that down? The good news is we found the perfect vehicle for the trip — the 2025 Honda Odyssey Elite minivan. Intelligently upgraded for the new model year, the Odyssey proved to be the ideal vehicle for our, well, odyssey. Of course, it. It wasn't enough to drive directly from Ft. Worth to Oxford, Mississippi — 500 miles as the crow flies. No, with the Odyssey's newly revised infotainment system to guide us, we decided to take a side trip to visit Hot Springs National Park, one of the few national parks in the middle of a city. Then we pointed the Odyssey's attractive nose to Grenada, Mississippi, because getting rooms in Oxford on football weekends involves mortgaging your home or selling an offspring. The Odyssey's long-standing reputation as a reliable, spacious transporter proved invaluable. With five travelers aboard, we appreciated the roomy interior that can accommodate as many as eight and the adaptable seating. Honda's Magic Slide seats and the fold-flat third row offered versatility, making cargo management easy, even with tons of luggage and snacks aboard. The Odyssey's V-6 engine with a 10-speed automatic transmission provided smooth and efficient performance, providing plenty of power for passing on the rural two-lanes we often found ourselves on. Notable tech features like a rear-seat entertainment system, cabin camera, and PA system kept everyone comfortable and connected. In short, the Odyssey slayed as a cross-country family cruiser, and Host Jack Nerad will tell you more in this episode. This week, our special guest is also our guest host. A few days ago, Matt DeLorenzo and host Jack Nerad traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the annual North American Car of the Year test session. After driving about a dozen car of the year contenders each, they sat down to talk about what they had learned and what vehicles impressed them. In this episode, Matt Delorenzo will also review one of the North American Truck of the Year semi-finalists, the 2025 Ford Ranger with its new 2.7-liter turbocharged engine. In the news, the Biden Administration's proposed ban on cars and trucks that include Chinese technology is facing big-time blowback from several sources, including the Mexican government. One auto brand says the ban will eliminate it completely from the U.S. market, including the vehicles it builds in Carolina. We'll have more on that. Speaking of the Chinese, Volkswagen is having big troubles in Europe and worldwide with many of its issues caused by new Chinese competition. We'll tell you how that might sort out and what it could mean here in America. Meanwhile Toyota is ramping up its EV efforts with a new deal with Suzuki Motors, one of several efforts it is making on the EV front. Toyota has also unveiled its 2025 GR Corolla, and we'll have details on that coming up. So we have a lot of show for you this week. Thanks for joining us, and don't forget to look for new content on our YouTube and Rumble channels. Please subscribe. If you do we'll like you forever. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad's latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com

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

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

➤ Porsche finetunes E-Performance for future series models ➤ F-150 Lightning Wins 2023 North American Truck of the Year ➤ New 2023 Jaguar I-Pace arrives with design tweaks and new trim levels ➤ MINI Confirms Two Electric Vehicles Will Be Launched In 2023 ➤ 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQG Spied During Winter Testing For The First Time ➤ Suzuki takes first crack at EV with the most conceptual of concepts ➤ Tesla ends Toyota Camry's 28-year winning streak ➤ Tesla Megapack installed in Australia's biggest electric bus depot ➤ Euro NCAP announces best in class results in a record year ➤ CharIN gains new members such as Nio - electrive.com ➤ Opinion: Mazda's rotary range extender is a silly idea ➤ EV transition will benefit most US vehicle owners ➤ Half of Americans think Li-Ion EV batteries are unrecyclable ➤ China EV market getting through rough patch and should return to normal ➤ New VW boss seems lukewarm on EVs, wants to bet on synthetic fuels

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Edmunds.com's first ever Editor's Choice award, 2022 Motor Trend Truck of the Year, North American Truck of the Year finalist.  All this has happened as the first all-new, fully electric  1,000 horsepower production pickup trucks roll out of Rivian's Normal, Illinois assembly plant.  What is going on with this new EV manufacturer and what does the future hold?  

210925 - North-American Truck of the year by Derrière le Volant

One of the biggest introductions of the year is the 2022 Jeep Wagoneer and Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Both build on the goodwill created by the nameplates several decades ago. As part of America on the Road's extensive coverage of the two full-size sport utilities, Host Jack Nerad interviews Mike Uhlmeyer, Stellantis's chief engineer, on the two closely related vehicles. Uhlmayer describes how the project came together and details the things he feels give the new vehicles competitive advantages versus established favorites like the Chevrolet Tahoe and the Cadillac Escalade. Another all-new SUV is one of our vehicle reviews for the week. Co-host Chris Teague and his family try out the battery-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E. Maine doesn't have the EV infrastructure of some of the more heavily populated states, so the Mustang Mach-E had to face that reality. Could the Mach-E overcome that handicap to earn a positive review? And can the Mach-E present a good opportunity for your family? In another vehicle review, Host Jack Nerad, who is based in Southern California, had a vehicle that might be better suited to the Maine woods — the Subaru Outback Wilderness. The new Wilderness model is the most off-road-ready models in the Outback lineup. And Nerad puts it through its paces both off-road and on Southern California's notorious freeways. In the news segment, Chris and Jack tell you why Tesla is delaying its Roadster and Cybertruck. Will the Cybertruck compete in the North American Truck of the Year competition? That's a question that needs an answer.

210116 - North-American Truck of the year by Derrière le Volant

In this edition of the award-winning America on the Road we take the brand-new 2021 Ford Bronco Sport on a real-world 500-mile road trip. Host Jack Nerad and his youngest daughter, Greta, set off on a trek to take her back to college. The open question was could the Bronco Sport swallow all the gear a college student needs these days? The results were surprising. On the other side of the road test equation, this week co-host Chris Teague put the 2021 Lincoln Corsair crossover utility through its paces. Does the Corsair offer advantages its opposite number, the Ford Escape, doesn't offer? And can the Corsair hold its head up versus the European luxury SUVs? We'll have the answers for you. In the interview segment of America on the Road, Jack Nerad will have a lengthy discussion with North American Car of the Year jury president Gary Witzenbug about the just-released winners. They discuss how the winners of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards matched up against the other finalists, that are pretty good vehicles in their own right. 2021 Hyundai Elantra wins North American Car of the Year award, and we'll talk to the president of the jury that chose it.   Filled with new tech, the 2021 Ford F-150 has just been named North American Truck of the Year. Big news this week is the cancellation of the annual North American International Auto Show for this year. Originally the 2021 NAIAS was scheduled to take place in September after a series of date changes that were complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the show won't happen at all and in its place the organizers will stage a "celebration of the automobile:" called Motor Bella. And in other news, rumors abound regarding a hot performance version of the Hyundai Kona small crossover SUV. Look back at what was named North American Car of the Year for 2020 The following is a partial transcript of Episode 38 created with AI, so please forgive some occasional grammar, spelling, and usage errors. Jack Nerad 0:03 This is America on the Road, winner of the International Automotive Media Conference Gold Medal Award for radio and now in its 24th year on the air. Thanks for being with us as we bring you the latest automotive information from around the world. And we'll have special coverage of the North American Car of the Year for you today. America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com and the Coalition for Vehicle Choice. I'm Jack Nerad, with me is co host, Chris Teague. Chris is very excited because he's moving from one house in Maine to another house in Maine. And he writes for Ford Authority, Forbes, Driving Today, among others. Tell us all about that exciting new house there, Chris. Chris Teague 0:42 I think it'll be most exciting not to live in a house stacked tall with boxes. But the new house will be great. I'll have a garage to do projects on cars and actually park a car for the first time. And we'll have a little bit of waterfront too so the view never hurts. Jack Nerad 0:55 Wow, a little waterfront. I like that What kind of water? Chris Teague 0:58 A river, not the ocean, unfortunately, but it's still better than nothing. Jack Nerad 1:02 Yeah, I like a little little river view. That would be very nice. This week, our special guest is Gary Witzenburg. He is president of the North American Car of the Year organization. I have a little bit of an in and getting an interview with him because I'm Vice President of that organization. He will give us a close up look on what to expect from the 2021 North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year winners. They were just announced this week. He and I both participated in that program outside Detroit. In the car review segment, Chris will give us his opinion of the 2021 Lincoln Corsair sounds like a nice vehicle, I'm going to tell you about my recent 500 mile drive with my daughter, my youngest daughter in the 2021 Ford Bronco sport,

You can listen here to the "Crazy Canuck Truckin" Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1068193Dave's Contact Info:Twitter @crazycanuckdaveInstagram - CrazyCanuckTruckinPodcast - Crazy Canuck TruckinBridgette's Contact Info:Twitter: @bmreadel Instagram: bridgettereadel Keeping it Safety Dawg Simple!

You will be entertained with this episode of the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram podcast. Host John Haggard talks to Brad Billingsley about the new and award-winning 2020 Jeep Gladiator. In this episode: Brad’s Foolproof Hunting TipsJeep Gladiator AwardsWhat Sets the 2020 Jeep Gladiator Apart From Its CompetitionThe “Jeepers”, “Jeople”, and the Jeep LifestyleThe Jeep Owners Club in TennesseeUpcoming EventsHow to Reach Brad Transcript John Haggard 0:02 Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast where in each episode, you’ll be able to learn the best ways to purchase, lease, service, maintain, accessorize, and sell your vehicle for the highest resale value possible when you’re ready to do that. We do also discuss vehicle model details, also the latest technology. The cool things that you would want to know that make driving a new vehicle, just a great experience compared to just a few years ago. I’m your host, John Haggard. As always, you can find show notes and a transcript along with the links to content that we talked about right on our website MiracleCDJ.com, and also on Apple Podcast, Google Play Podcast and on Spotify. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on any of those platforms and share we would really appreciate that. Alright, today’s episode we have the honor of bringing back Brandon Billingsley with us. Brad is from Miracle CDJR commercial and fleet sales department. Brad, excited to have you back. Brad Billingsley 1:04 Absolutely. I’m glad to be back on. John Haggard 1:06 When we talked late last year, I know that you do love to hunt, so assuming you got some hunting done in December? Brad Billingsley 1:14 I definitely went out in the field quite a bit, but more on the guide role. I did not personally take any animals this year but I was on successful hunts, one with my cousin and another with a niece, another first time honors. So that was a bunch of fun. John Haggard 1:32 Alright, so you are a trainer as well then? Brad Billingsley 1:35 Yes, absolutely. John Haggard 1:37 So if you were going to give a hunting tip to someone who’s always wanted to hunt, but has never really had a guide like you, would there be one or two things you would say “Hey, if you don’t get anything else, right and you want to hunt, you need to know this.” Brad Billingsley 1:52 Yeah, play the wind right. Always keep the wind in your face. John Haggard 1:56 Always keep the wind in your face. That’s interesting. So for a non-hunter, why is that? Brad Billingsley 2:04 The human scent. So it’s tough to eliminate human scent and a lot of game animals will spook if they smell humans, keeping the wind in your face allows you not to spook animals as easily by them smelling you. Keep them upwind up here. John Haggard 2:23 That makes total sense. That makes total sense. So today we’d like to talk about the Jeep Gladiator, the new 2020 Jeep Gladiator. A brand new vehicle for Jeep and believe it came out last year, is that right? Brad Billingsley 2:36 It did. They took what they called the launch edition orders early spring, early summer, and then they started rolling in for inventory towards the fall, winter month of last year. John Haggard 2:52 Okay, and I do see that the Gladiator has been making a lot of news recently. Several awards, like Four Wheeler awarded it Truck of the Year and something. Tell us a little bit about the awards and what people were excited about? Brad Billingsley 3:06 Yeah, definitely. So Four Wheeler, in particular, did many, many hours, different tests, from zero to 60. But they focused a lot on the off-road capabilities of this Jeep Gladiator. And compared it to several other models. I don’t have a list of all of those in front of me but I know like the Silverado, the F150 even some full-size trucks of ours were even in the running for that. And the Jeep Gladiator did prevail. It did come out on top as well with the North American Truck of the Year award this year also. So both of those are really huge for the Jeep Gladiator. John Haggard 3:51 Alright, so 2020 North American Truck of the Year. And these people are they call themselves as I understand it, they’re about 50 Expert jurors from print media, television, digital outlets, and radio across the United States and Canada. Right. So how did that come about? Any idea? It’s interesting that those people would say, “Hey, here’s the deal!” Brad Billingsley 4:13 Yeah, it’s you know, they’ve reported coming out, especially within the last few years. All of these third party, these are individuals that are coming out and just doing peer reviews on particular vehicles, which is great, especially when we’re on the winning end of that. But yes, that’s another one that did many, many, many hours test drives in different roles, different anything from off-road to everyday driving, all of that is taking into account with these awards. So it’s a big thing that Jeep Gladiators came out on top, not just once but on two separate occasions. John Haggard 4:57 Now would this be the biggest news for Jeep in, you know, the last three or four years, the Gladiator? Brad Billingsley 5:03 Yeah, the Gladiator is created a lot of hype. It has been longly anticipated. They have waited for this for many years, they had to aftermarket kits that you could do for previous models but that was very pensive. So now coming from the factory-built this way, it is definitely still got quite a bit of hype behind it with these awards being put out that that this is icing on the cake for sure. John Haggard 5:34 All right, so could you give us just an overview of exactly what the Gladiator is, and you know what other vehicles might be similar to it just for people who are not really sure? Brad Billingsley 5:47 Yeah, absolutely. So, obviously, it’s got a lot of similarities to our Wrangler. And a lot of people are mistaken by calling it a Wrangler truck. It is actually a truck, it is on the ramp chassis or the ramp brain. And it does you know, aesthetically it does look a lot like the Wrangler, the doors come off, tops come off, windshield lays flat, gives you that open-air driving experience the Jeep is known for. But in addition to that, in the mid-size truck category, we’re best in class but thought tow capabilities with our max tow package. Of course, all the Gladiators rated, it’s hard to overlook, you know the removable doors removable top. That is something that definitely sets us apart from the others involved in these third party testings as well. John Haggard 6:46 So you don’t find other brands, or do you, wear side doors come off tops come off. Brad Billingsley 6:52 Not any longer, no. We own the market on that. Used to be you know, you had your older internationals scout that, you know, some can take their tops off. The Broncos used to incorporate that as well but again the Broncos not out any longer. But the Wrangler has always been that open-air driving experience. We have not gone anywhere. And it is still very much a Wrangler like the old wheel is used to be, windshields lay flat, doors will come off, tops come off, making sure to have a very fun driving experience. John Haggard 7:33 Pretty cool, really. And do you find it when people come in and they see the Jeep Gladiator are they saying to you, “Well, you know, I’m looking at maybe something over here that Chevrolet’s got.” Or is it so different? I guess so distinct that there’s really I don’t want to say there’s no competition because there’s always competition to something but do people generally if they’re looking at a Gladiator is either that or nothing else? Brad Billingsley 7:57 Yeah, it’s actually pretty much 50/50. It’s got a lot of attention for having the highest rating in the mid-size truck category. But at the same time, it is so different from other trucks in that category, the Tacoma, the Canyon, the Colorado, Rangers, all of those are just your typical you know midsize trucks. But with the Gladiator you can tow 7,600 pounds and have no roof and no doors on headed to you know, a camping trip or to the beach or wherever you may be. So that just again adds to the driving experience as well. John Haggard 8:39 And if we talk about the Jeep brand, itself, the lifestyle, how could you – what about that lifestyle? What is it about the Jeep buyer, the Jeep owner that’s different from people who own trucks other you know, that aren’t that. Brad Billingsley 8:55 Yeah, yeah, we actually call those people Jeepers or Jeople. John Haggard 8:59 Jeepers, did you say Jeepers? Brad Billingsley 9:00 Yeah, Jeepers or Jeople. Yeah, it is definitely a lifestyle you know you got the tradition of the Jeep Wave, anybody in a Wrangler waves to all other Wranglers you know. That’s a big tradition. I mean you’ve got you know, your seven-slot grill lifestyle, the circle lights with the seven-slot grill that Jeep is known for, you know. But Jeepers are a vast community. There’s the off-roaders, there’s the overlanders, and there’s the people that just like to ride on the beach with the doors off, tops off. These jeeps are it gotta fits for just about any type of lifestyle. So the Jeep lifestyle is definitely a real thing for sure. John Haggard 9:47 Brad, we heard a few months ago that Apple Corporation removed the Jeep emoji from its emojis and the Jeep owners seem to be really happy about that. Jeep celebrated they put out the hashtag #ThisIsNotJeep. What was all that about? Brad Billingsley 10:03 Yeah, yeah. So when you would type in Jeep on your iPhone or your Android and then emojis pop up in your predicted there, it would pop up with with a I think the best way to describe that would be like a minivan or something along the lines of a regular SUV which the Jeep, in most cases is the Wrangler, is not that at all, you know? If it was going to pop up with an emoji, Jeep owners want to see that seven-slot grill I was talking about and those circle headlights or even the square headlights, from a Jeep YJ owners for the older body styles there. But that that is kind of the Jeep thing. You know, they don’t want to… they want to save the Jeep brand or the seven-slot grill when you type in an emoji for Jeep. Or at least have it look more like a Jeep Wrangler, rather than a minivan. John Haggard 11:02 I hear you, yes! Is there anything I didn’t ask you about the Jeep Gladiator that you would want people to know? Brad Billingsley 11:11 Hey, you know, definitely just come in get your hands on one out there. Here’s the keys, we can do a test drive, you know? The Jeeps, anything from the Sport S with the max tow, or if you want something fully functional in an off-road setting, the Rubicon is a great fit. If you want something just that looks good and it’s comfortable going down the road then we have Overland. They are very popular and for good reason. You know, every month we’re selling multiple Gladiators every month. The hype has not died on those. People are loving and getting great feedback from Gladiator owners. And that would be my biggest thing. If you’re questioning or looking at that mid-size truck category or just looking for something new and fun in general, then definitely come see me and let’s talk about the Gladiator. John Haggard 12:11 So what would you say as you look out to 2020? What are you most excited about Brad? Brad Billingsley 12:17 I’m excited about the growth of Miracle Chrysler as a whole. We’ve got a lot of exciting things coming up before this year. I’m going to be posting some more Jeep events once the weather gets a little better. I’m going to host our second Mopar event. And we’re talking now about possibly hosting even a Miracle Chrysler trade show this year. So a lot of big things are happening incoming that I can’t wait for that. I’ve got to be patient. We got to make this – make everything fit just right. So definitely be on the lookout for those things. And like I said, we’ve had several of the Jeep events. We have a massive turnout for that with our Jeeps and Wrenches Jeep club that we sponsor as well as other Jeep clubs that kind of come on board with that as well let’s open that up and everybody, donors or not. So that is definitely something I’m going to hammer out and getting, getting a bunch of hype created about for this spring. John Haggard 13:23 Now if somebody wants to connect with Jeep owners, maybe someone who does not yet own a Jeep, are there some websites, user groups, friend groups where people can go? Brad Billingsley 13:36 Yeah! We sponsored a Jeep club called Jeeps and Wrenches and they are on Facebook. They have a Jeeps and Wrenches fan page, where anybody is welcome. I think they’ve got over 5,000 or 6,000 followers on that page, but some lifelong Jeepers as well as some newcomers. And it’s just a large community all through Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, Kentucky. Other states as well have Jeeps and Wrenches, but they are very happy with newcomers. They are happy to answer questions, there’s no judgment there. They just like seeing more and more people getting involved with the Jeep lifestyle. So I would highly recommend Jeeps and Wrenches. John Haggard 14:25 And spell that out, if you will, for the folks just so they can get it. Brad Billingsley 14:28 Yeah, it’s Jeep, J-E-E-P, and Wrenches, W-R-E-N-C-H-E-S. And that is on Facebook. They also have jeepsandwrenches.com, which is their official website. They do have memberships available which gives you some discount here at the dealership as well, as well as other third party companies but they are an absolute God’s standard of a Jeep club that we’ve had the pleasure of doing business with for many years now. John Haggard 15:06 So Brad, if somebody wants to get ahold of you to find out more or, you know, come drive a Gladiator, whatever it might be, what’s the best way to get in touch with you? Brad Billingsley 15:17 So I am very active on Facebook. I have a Facebook market page marketplace page of my own. That is brad@miraclescdj. Also, you can find me on Facebook Brad Billingsley. I’m on Instagram, it’s b_billingsley615. I basically live here at Miracle Chrysler. You can always just swing by and most of the time you can catch me. If I’m not here, they can definitely get you in touch with me without a problem. John Haggard 15:52 Right, man. Great to talk to you again will be looking forward to the Mopar event and the trade show that you said it’s coming up a little bit later on this year. We’ll talk to you some more about that. Brad Billingsley, everybody. He’s the commercial and fleet sales at Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Gallatin. So, remember you can find show notes and a transcript along with links to content that we talked about right on our website. Here it is miraclecdj.com. We’re also on Apple Podcast, Google Play Podcast and on Spotify. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review on any of those platforms and share. I’m your host John Haggard, and we will see you next time!

The competition is as tough as some of the trucks themselves. The vehicles up for North American Truck of the Year include: the Nissan Titan XD, the Volvo XC90 and the Honda Pilot. On this edition of Autoline THIS WEEK, John McElroy is joined by fellow NACTOY jurors Mike Austin of Autoblog.com, Jeff Gilbert from CBS Detroit and Ron Sessions of AutoWeb.com.

The competition is as tough as some of the trucks themselves. The vehicles up for North American Truck of the Year include: the Nissan Titan XD, the Volvo XC90 and the Honda Pilot. On this edition of Autoline THIS WEEK, John McElroy is joined by fellow NACTOY jurors Mike Austin of Autoblog.com, Jeff Gilbert from CBS Detroit and Ron Sessions of AutoWeb.com.

In this episode we talk with Barbara Pudney of the Boston Auto Show about what is new and hot. Then we talk with Eric Peterson marketing manager of Ford F-150 about winning North American Truck of the Year.

In this episode we talk with Barbara Pudney of the Boston Auto Show about what is new and hot. Then we talk with Eric Peterson marketing manager of Ford F-150 about winning North American Truck of the Year.

It’s award time again and Autoline has the scoop on the biggest prize for automakers each year: the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. Joining NACTOY founding member John McElroy on this week’s truck panel are fellow jurors Jack Nerad from Kelly Blue Book and Chris Paukert of Autoblog.com.

It’s award time again and Autoline has the scoop on the biggest prize for automakers each year: the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. Joining NACTOY founding member John McElroy on this week’s truck panel are fellow jurors Jack Nerad from Kelly Blue Book and Chris Paukert of Autoblog.com.

2013 has been a pretty good year so far for Chrysler’s Ram brand. It started with its 1500 winning the North American Truck of the Year award before unveiling two new Cargo Vans at the Chicago Auto Show. Fred Diaz picked the right time to be in charge of a brand that’s clearly on the move. Join John McElroy and Ram's Fred Diaz along with panelists Scott Burgess from Motor Trend and Car and Driver’s Tony Swan as they talk trucks on Autoline This Week.

2013 has been a pretty good year so far for Chrysler’s Ram brand. It started with its 1500 winning the North American Truck of the Year award before unveiling two new Cargo Vans at the Chicago Auto Show. Fred Diaz picked the right time to be in charge of a brand that’s clearly on the move. Join John McElroy and Ram's Fred Diaz along with panelists Scott Burgess from Motor Trend and Car and Driver’s Tony Swan as they talk trucks on Autoline This Week.

2013 has been a pretty good year so far for Chrysler’s Ram brand. It started with its 1500 winning the North American Truck of the Year award before unveiling two new Cargo Vans at the Chicago Auto Show. Fred Diaz picked the right time to be in charge of a brand that’s clearly on the move. Join John McElroy and Ram's Fred Diaz along with panelists Scott Burgess from Motor Trend and Car and Driver’s Tony Swan as they talk trucks on Autoline This Week.

It's award time again and it starts with the finalists for the North American Truck of the Year. John McElroy is joined by two fellow jurors from the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury to review the top three finalists and make their predictions for this year's winner. John welcomes Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Tony Swan from Car and Driver and Kelly Blue Book.

It's award time again and it starts with the finalists for the North American Truck of the Year. John McElroy is joined by two fellow jurors from the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury to review the top three finalists and make their predictions for this year's winner. John welcomes Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Tony Swan from Car and Driver and Kelly Blue Book.

It's award time again and it starts with the finalists for the North American Truck of the Year. John McElroy is joined by two fellow jurors from the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury to review the top three finalists and make their predictions for this year's winner. John welcomes Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Tony Swan from Car and Driver and Kelly Blue Book.

A survey of automotive executives found a majority believe the electric car market will be less than 15 percent of car sales by 2025. The Chinese government is removing incentives and streamlined approval processes for foreign automakers, but will keep them in place for state-owned car companies. The new Chevrolet Sail just made its debut at the New Delhi Auto Expo. All that and more, plus a preview of Autoline This Week about the finalists for the North American Truck of the Year award.

About the same time the great Tina Turner made the phrase “Simply the Best” household words, a group known as NACTOY was creating its own “best.” But this one – built by 50 veteran automotive journalists -- was a list of the top cars and trucks released in North America that year. Since then, every December that jury narrows its list to three candidates and prepares to crown the winner of the North American Car and Truck of the Year at Detroit’s International Auto Show in January. On this week’s Autoline, founding member John McElroy is joined by two of his NACTOY colleagues to talk about the top trucks, SUVs and Crossovers of the year and to predict the winner of this year’s North American Truck of the Year.

About the same time the great Tina Turner made the phrase “Simply the Best” household words, a group known as NACTOY was creating its own “best.” But this one – built by 50 veteran automotive journalists -- was a list of the top cars and trucks released in North America that year. Since then, every December that jury narrows its list to three candidates and prepares to crown the winner of the North American Car and Truck of the Year at Detroit’s International Auto Show in January. On this week’s Autoline, founding member John McElroy is joined by two of his NACTOY colleagues to talk about the top trucks, SUVs and Crossovers of the year and to predict the winner of this year’s North American Truck of the Year.

About the same time the great Tina Turner made the phrase “Simply the Best” household words, a group known as NACTOY was creating its own “best.” But this one – built by 50 veteran automotive journalists -- was a list of the top cars and trucks released in North America that year. Since then, every December that jury narrows its list to three candidates and prepares to crown the winner of the North American Car and Truck of the Year at Detroit’s International Auto Show in January. On this week’s Autoline, founding member John McElroy is joined by two of his NACTOY colleagues to talk about the top trucks, SUVs and Crossovers of the year and to predict the winner of this year’s North American Truck of the Year.

Bentley sales are back to pre-recession levels and the super-luxury brand is considering building an SUV. The price tag? At least 140,000 dollars. Ford will unveil a redesigned version of its popular EcoSport B-segment SUV at the New Delhi Auto Expo this week. It's an important product for the company and CEO Alan Mulally will be on hand for the reveal. In related news, German supply giant Bosch is making a big investment in India. All that and more, plus a look at the North American Truck of the Year finalists.

King of the "NACTOY" Hill Thanks to producer/animator Mike Judge, most people connect "King of the Hill" with the former Fox TV series. And though there's a lot to be said for a 12-year old cartoon series that centered on one character and his life with propane, here at Autoline any "King of the Hill" reference points to one word and one word only, and of course that word is TRUCK! And this time of year when you talk truck, you're talking about three specific trucks or SUVs -- as the case may be -- who end up as our own "Kings of the Hill," better known as the finalists for the North American Truck of the Year. That's right, twelve months have flown by and left us with the latest top three trucks voted on by the jurors of NACTOY -- the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards. These finalists -- Ford's Explorer, Jeep's Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango -- have been narrowed down from a long list of top-notch candidates with the winner to be revealed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit January 10th. Joining Autoline host and original juror John McElroy to talk about these finalists and who may be crowned this year's "King of the Hill" are fellow NACTOY jurors Larry Webster from Popular Mechanics and Chris Paukert of Autoblog.com.

King of the HillThanks to producer/animator Mike Judge, most people connect "King of the Hill" with the former Fox TV series. And though there's a lot to be said for a 12-year old cartoon series that centered on one character and his life with propane, here at Autoline any "King of the Hill" reference points to one word and one word only, and of course that word is TRUCK! And this time of year when you talk truck, you're talking about three specific trucks or SUVs -- as the case may be -- who end up as our own "Kings of the Hill," better known as the finalists for the North American Truck of the Year.That's right, twelve months have flown by and left us with the latest top three trucks voted on by the jurors of NACTOY -- the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards. These finalists -- Ford's Explorer, Jeep's Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango -- have been narrowed down from a long list of top-notch candidates with the winner to be revealed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit January 10th.Joining Autoline host and original juror John McElroy to talk about these finalists and who may be crowned this year's "King of the Hill" are fellow NACTOY jurors Larry Webster from Popular Mechanics and Chris Paukert of Autoblog.com.

An analysis of Toyota by Goldman Sachs Japan predicts the automaker will lose global market share. Hyundai plans to start commercial production of fuel cell cars by 2015. Volkswagen says it wants to be number one in electric vehicle sales in China by 2018. All that and more, plus a look at the new vehicle that shocked everyone by ending up as one of the finalists for the North American Truck of the Year award.

On this edition of Autoline EXTRA John and his panel discuss the nominees for the North American Truck of the Year and share their opinions about the vehicles. Joining John for the discussion are Jim McCraw from NewCarTestDrive.com and Jeff Gilbert of WWJ Newsradio 950 -- CBS Detroit.

On this edition of Autoline EXTRA John and his panel discuss the nominees for the North American Truck of the Year and share their opinions about the vehicles. Joining John for the discussion are Jim McCraw from NewCarTestDrive.com and Jeff Gilbert of WWJ Newsradio 950 -- CBS Detroit.

On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy and his panel continue their mid-year review of trucks competing to win the 2009 North American Truck of the Year Award. They discuss the Volkswagen Tiguan, Chevy Traverse, and the BMW X6. Watch to see whether or not the panel believes these vehicles have what it takes to take home the award. Joining John for the discussion is Natalie Neff from AutoWeek, and Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press.

On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy and his panel continue their mid-year review of trucks competing to win the 2009 North American Truck of the Year Award. They discuss the Volkswagen Tiguan, Chevy Traverse, and the BMW X6. Watch to see whether or not the panel believes these vehicles have what it takes to take home the award. Joining John for the discussion is Natalie Neff from AutoWeek, and Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press.