Episode Details

This week on America on the Road, host Jack Nerad and co-host Chris Teague dive into a feature-filled show that includes two compelling road tests: Chris drives the newly rugged 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport, and Jack gets behind the wheel of the refined and powerful 2025 BMW M340i. The pair also unpack one of the tech world’s most surprising automotive announcements from NVIDIA, discuss a major tariff shift favoring Korean brands, and look at gigantic EV discounts. Plus, they cover the swan-song BMW Z4 Final Edition and comment on the new threats to racetracks that are looming nationwide. Jack also sits down with Tom Kearns, lead designer of the 2027 Kia Telluride, for an exclusive interview recorded at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

🚗 Road Tests

Jack Nerad Reviews the 2025 BMW M340i

Jack drives one of BMW’s most balanced sedans, the M340i, which is positioned between the 330i and the full-blown M3. The sweet four-door uses a 386-hp turbocharged inline-six supported by mild-hybrid technology and an eight-speed automatic that blends smoothness with quick shifts. Jack digs into the car’s poised handling, adaptive suspension tuning, strong braking, and premium cabin anchored by BMW’s curved dual-display setup. With nearly 17 cubic feet of trunk space and a refined ride, the M340i delivers daily usability with legitimate performance chops. That begs the question: is it the best midsize luxury sedan you can buy?

Chris Teague Drives the 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport

Chris takes the most capable Passport yet produced into the real world of frigid Maine. The 2026 TrailSport offers meaningful upgrades: an inch-wider stance, flared fenders, exclusive 18-inch wheels, and specially developed General Grabber all-terrain tires. Honda adds steel skid plates, bright orange recovery points, and a retuned second-generation i-VTM4 torque-vectoring AWD system that brings sharper control in mud, rocks, and sand. A stronger 285-hp 3.5-liter V6 and updated 10-speed automatic transmission round out a package built to go farther off the pavement than any Passport before it.

🎙️ Special Guest Interview

Tom Kearns, Designer of the 2027 Kia Telluride

Jack sits down with Kia’s Tom Kearns for an exclusive look behind the design of the upcoming 2027 Telluride. They discuss how the next-generation model builds on the success of Kia’s flagship three-ro