America on the Road - Episode 221: 2024 Lexus LS 500h, 2024 Toyota bZ4X, plus guest Dave Sargent from JD Power

When the Lexus LS was introduced as the brand’s seminal offering, full-size sedans were the flagships of every luxury lineup. But that was in 1989 when Taylor Swift was born and when Elon Musk was a teenager leaving South Africa for a new life in Canada. In the ensuing decades, American luxury car buyers have largely turned their backs on big sedans, preferring the upright stance of SUVs.

But before spending a week driving the LS 500h, Host Jack Nerad had to wonder if the addition of an all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain could breathe new life into the big luxury sedan market. After all, the LS 500h offers a lot to like—superb comfort, impeccable craftsmanship, and a wealth of comfort and convenience features. But is it enough to stem the SUV tide? We’ll have our thoughts coming up.

Our other road test vehicle has a fascinating story of its own. Co-host Chris Teague slipped behind the wheel of the 2024 Toyota bZ4X, the brand’s toe-dip into the battery-electric vehicle market. Despite the fact that the brand seemed lukewarm about the whole battery-electric idea, many expected that the pleasant-looking crossover would deliver a Toyota-level execution. In other words, they expected a segment-leading vehicle. But does the bZ4X live up to those high expectations? Teague and Nerad will offer their opinions.

This week, our special guest is David Sargent, vice president and head of the connected vehicle practice at J.D. Power. Sargent has previously appeared on the show several times, talking about the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. Now, he has new responsibilities and a new J.D. Power service to introduce. We’re sure you’ll enjoy what he has to say.

In the news this week, car dealers across the county are still reeling from the cyber attack that handicapped their ability to do business. We’ll have the details regarding this frightening occurrence.

Mercury Insurance has released its latest list of the trucks and SUVs that cost the least to insure, and we’ll have more on that.

There is more bad news for Tesla this week as it has recalled all of its Cybertrucks for potential safety issues. We’ll give you all the details and have so much more for you as well.