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The 2023 Jeep Compass has undergone an engine transplant for the new model year, and the transformation is nothing short of amazing. The substitution of a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine for the previous normally aspirated 2.4-liter four has markedly brightened the Compass’s all-around performance. Host Jack Nerad was one of the first journalists to drive the renewed small SUV in the hills above Malibu, California, and to say he was impressed is putting it mildly. After long stints of challenging on-road and off-round driving, he came away with a new respect for the small SUV. He’ll tell you much more as the show unfolds.
Our special guest this week is Bob Welby, senior director, Infiniti USA Operations. Host Jack Nerad not only had a chance to talk with him at length about the future of the luxury brand, but then he and Welby drove together at the Infiniti Winter Driving Event in Big Sky, Montana. The unique event gave them the chance to put the luxurious Infiniti QX60 three-row SUV through its paces on glare ice, packed snow, and wet pavement. Oh, and the temperature the whole time hovered at about -10 degrees Fahrenheit, so the pavement wasn’t wet for long.
What do women want? Well, we can’t tell you everything they want, but we can tell you which car brands they like. And we have a good handle on which ones they don’t, too. Details and our thoughts on all the ramifications of that story coming up.
Also in the news this week, Volkswagen is getting blowback after its top executive in China asserted that the company doesn’t use forced labor in a plant it shares with Chinese automaker SAIC. Many human rights groups claim he’s wrong, and the result is yet another VW controversy. We’ll have more on that coming up.
There is good news for people with bipolar disorder as lithium prices plunge on the world market. Why is the price of the critical commodity going down? A giant Chinese auto battery supplier is turning to different materials, and Chinese consumers are starting to turn away from electric vehicles. Those are two key reasons. We’ll have the details on that coming up.
In the road test segment, Co-Host Chris Teague examines a vehicle whose name is longer than some roads. The 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate could be the most luxurious pickup truck we have ever driven at “America on the Road.” If Cadillac made a pickup, it would likely be very much like this one, and we’ll have more thoughts for you coming up.
Host Jack R. Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, is a suspense thriller that will keep you guessing until the final pages. It is available in paperback and Kindle right now at Amazon.com.
