Jeep continues to move toward electrification while retaining all the capabilities that it is known for. The latest example of that is the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, a plug-in hybrid version of the new five-passenger SUV. In this episode Host Jack Nerad interviews Jim Morrison, head of Jeep in North America, about the brand’s recent efforts to add electrified versions of many of its top products. The interview was conducted as Morrison piloted Nerad around the Camp Jeep obstacle course. In it Morrison talks at length about the Jeep’s philosophy concerning EVs. It’s an enlightening 15 minutes of conversation from within a Jeep Wrangler 4xe.

In the road test segment Guest Host Matt DeLorenzo takes a long look at a vehicle that he believes deserves more respect — the 2022 Toyota Prius Nightshade Edition. Once the darling of the “green set,” the Prius has taken a back seat lately, but DeLorenzo and Nerad believe it is worth a second look.

Also in the road test segment, Host Jack Nerad gets behind the wheel of the 2022 Genesis G80 luxury sedan. While luxury-brand sedans aren’t as popular as they used to be Jack Nerad suggests the Genesis G80 is more than reason enough to give high-zoot sedans another look. In its quest to break into the luxury ranks dominated by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi, Genesis has filled the G80 with tons of valuable features. It could well be the best buy among all the top-of-the-line luxury sedans these days.

In the news, a recently released safety study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that pedestrians need to be wary if they are near SUVs and pickup trucks, and we’ll tell you in this episode. And in the midst of the chip shortage, Volkswagen is committing a huge amount of money to electric vehicle production in North America. We have the details on what that could mean to you in the next few years.

All that and more is coming up in this edition of America on the Road.