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We have a lot of EV and SUV rumors for you and some new introductions to talk about this week in this episode of America on the Road. Leading off, we discuss the just-announced extensions of the Jeep brand, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. Both will be built on the Ram 1500 pickup truck chassis. The Wagoneer will compete against the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Explorer, while the Grand Wagoneer will take on full-size luxury SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator.
Jeep promises the new SUV twins will have a brand-appropriate level of off-road capability plus a bevy of innovative features.
In the rumor mill, word on the street is General Motors is on the verge of introducing a new Hummer. The 2022 GMC Hummer EV SUV is a battery-electric version of the vehicle that many regard as the poster child of conspicuous consumption. Using components from GM’s Ultium Drive EV toolkit the GMC Hummer EV SUV could offer as much as 1,000 horsepower from three electric drive motors. The vehicle might have an air suspension that could raise ride height as much as six inches.
In the road test segment, host Jack Nerad put the incredible 797-horsepower 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye through its paces. The bright red test car attracted attention even standing still, and Nerad found few places in traffic-chocked Los Angeles where he could really sample the niceties of the supercharged V-8 engine, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t try. Meanwhile, J.D. Power’s Director of Corporate Communications Geno Effler, co-hosting this week, gave the voice-of-the-customer look at the Dodge brand.
Effler also revealed the findings of the just-released 2021 J.D. Power Customer Service Index Study, a closely watched industry bellwether.
In the interview segment, saving money was the theme with guest Raghu Iyengar, director of CPO and Remarketing for Volkswagen of America. Have you ever thought of buying a Certified Pre-Owned car instead of a new vehicle? After hearing this interview, you might give it even more serious consideration.
