Sure, the Ford Maverick isn’t the most manly truck on the block. In fact, some people have the effrontery to call it a “toy truck.” But Co-Host Chris Teague came to a completely different conclusion when he road-tested the 2024 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid in the grueling throes of a Maine winter. We’ll have his report on proving his manhood in this episode.

At the same time, Host Jack Nerad and his family were about 60 degrees warmer as they tested the 2024 Lexus TX 500h F Sport AWD in yet another drive to the desert of the Coachella Valley. The Lexus TX is the answer to many a luxury SUV buyer’s ardent wishes. It’s a true three-row vehicle with seating for six or seven. And the passengers in the third row are not relegated to the automotive equivalent of the Gulag. Nerad will have a complete evaluation of the vehicle, including its hybrid drivetrain, in this show.

The news this week is led by the just-announced Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Picks for 2024. We’ll tell you all you need to know about those choices, including our comments.

Toyota has announced a fascinating alternative to electric vehicles that could be revolutionary…or could be a flash in the pan. They are touting a new technology that isn’t just carbon neutral; it actually sucks carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. You probably never guessed your car would be competing with your house plants for air, but that’s the future for you. We’ll tell you more coming up.

Also newsworthy is the fact Elon Musk is now looking to disrupt the supercar market with an all-new Tesla Roadster. Of course, the Roadster was the first Tesla model so very long ago, and now he’s thumping the tub on a new hot rod. We’ll deliver our thoughts on the matter.

This week our special guest is Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. If you want to know which cars are reliable and which aren’t, Frank Hanley is the guy to talk to. J.D. Power has just released its 2024 Vehicle Dependability Study, and he’ll tell us all about it. The findings are coming up.

All that and more are headed your way on America on the Road.

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