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The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is an all-new 7-passenger version of the storied SUV that has helped the Jeep brand achieve its unprecedented success. For our interview about the vehicle, host Jack Nerad traveled to Detroit for an early drive of the vehicle. There he spoke with vehicle line engineering head Tom Seel. In the dialogue, Seel reveals the innovative design and engineering that went into creating the all-new three-row Grand Cherokee L while retaining its Jeep-specific off-road abilities.
The momentum continues to build for electric vehicles with General Motors expanding its multi-billion-dollar investment in EV and autonomous vehicle technology. But as guest co-host Geno Effler, who is J.D. Power director of corporate communications, noted, a high percentage of American consumers are still skeptical about the prospect of buying an EV for themselves. One of the biggest obstacles, Effler says, is electric vehicle pricing. Most often EVs command large premiums over similar-sized conventional vehicles with the same capabilities.
In the road test segment, host Jack Nerad details the intricacies of the 2022 Volkswagen Taos, the European brand’s all-new subcompact crossover SUV. Though by some measures the Taos is small, it is big in the amount of technology it brings to the party. One example: properly equipped and in the right circumstances it can drive itself…as long as its driver continues to pay close attention to the process. J.D. Power’s Effler will give his perspective on the subcompact SUV market and insight into the continued escalation in new-vehicle prices that shows no sign of abating.
Do you have a car in your driveway that you don’t use much? You might want to think about selling it because, as we note in the news segment, the used-car market is so hot that a little-used car might give you a financial windfall.
Will new electric vehicles like Lucid Motors, Rivian, Canoo, and Lordstown Motors be able to find a market and be successful? Host Jack Nerad and guest host Geno Effler discuss that as well during their wide-ranging dialogue on the future of the industry also in the news.
