Ugly Grills, Great Cars

Some faces you can’t forget. We kick off with a sharp, entertaining tour of automotive front ends that sparked love, hate, and head-scratching in equal measure—from the Jeep Cherokee KL’s split lighting and the Lincoln MKT’s controversial split wing to the Dodge Nitro’s gym-bro stance and the Chevy SSR’s retro grin. The thread through all of them is clear: when the nose leads the story, it can amplify a car’s character or drown out everything it does well.

Then we pivot to a grounded, detail-rich review of the 2025 Jeep Wagoneer in its two-row electric 4xe configuration. We break down the sleek seven-slot grill, the long-wheelbase proportions, and a cabin that feels more expensive than the price tag suggests. Think full-length dash, integrated displays, ambient lighting, and upscale seating that deliver daily comfort without forcing a third row. On the road, direct-drive electric power brings up to 600 horsepower potential, stout torque, and an up-to-300-mile range target, with the quiet, planted ride you’d expect from a 5,600-plus-pound SUV. Towing up to 3,500 pounds adds weekend flexibility, and for gas loyalists, the Hurricane inline-six in the L variant keeps the door open.

We compare pricing and positioning against the Cadillac Lyriq, Lexus RZ 450e, and Genesis GV70 Electric, and we talk honestly about the complexity of trims and badges across Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. The takeaway: design should match purpose, and the Wagoneer’s balance of refined styling, practical space, and real-world range makes a strong case in a crowded field.

If you’re into car design hot takes and want straight talk on whether the new Wagoneer belongs in your driveway, you’ll feel right at home here. Enjoy the ride, and if this sparks a memory of your favorite ugly grill or seals your next test-drive plan, share it with a friend. Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help more car lovers find the show.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_01 (00:06):
Time now for Jeff's car culture.
Cars with the ugliest mugs ofall time.

SPEAKER_00 (00:10):
Yeah, friends that went too far, ugly mugs stuck in
our memories.
So, what's the first thing yousee when a car rolls into a car
meet?
No, not the ugly tacky rap.
It's the grill.
The grill alone can't entirelyruin a car, sometimes it can,
but it can certainly shape howpeople remember it, often for
all the wrong reasons.
Many had solid features,thoughtful engineering, and even

(00:31):
loyal followings somewhere.
But when the front end startsthe conversation on a strange,
awkward, or just plain uglynote, it's like trying to find a
perfectly sized wrench in amessy toolbox.
First one we got is a Chrysler300 from 2005 to 2010.
Chrysler 300 made an entrancethat shook the sedan segment
harder than an ugly earthquake.

(00:53):
When its wide stance squared offportions, proportions, and
strong shoulder lines, it lookedlike a concept car that actually
accidentally went intoproduction.
Or a muscle car dressed for aformal occasion.
It stood out from other sedanslike a sumo wrestler in a ballet
class, and that was exactly thepoint.
It quickly became a darling ofrappers, customizers, and anyone

(01:15):
who wanted to look deep on thebudget.
There you go.
And then the next one we have isa Jeep Cherokee from 14 to 18.
This Jeep Cherokee, the KLgeneration, brought some
genuinely useful uh updates tothe Jeep lineup.
It offered a smooth ride onpavement, shocking revelation
for Jeep, solid fuel economy,and better tech than many

(01:37):
rivals.
Inside, it felt like a real stepup toward daily drivers.
The front end, however, told adifferent story.
While Jeep's traditionalseven-slot uh design grille was
technically perplexing, theultra-narrow upper lights, which
were actually the daytimerunning lights, and the main
headlights were tucked awkwardlydown in the bumper, left for

(01:57):
many buyers scratching theirheads.
Imagine that.
The next one is an AMC MatadorCoupe from 74, and Kathy and I
knew she had a real good friendthat owned one of these, and it
was a cool little car.
Oh, for who?
At the time it was.
AMC had a habit of doing thingsits own way, often with mixed
results.
The 74 Matador coupe was noexception.

(02:19):
The grill pushed the limits,shaped like a giant pair of
aviator sunglasses on a verysurprised face.
It gave the car an expressionthat bordered on comic, like a
confused alien.
While it certainly helped theMatador stand out in a crowd,
bland the mid-70s cars, itdidn't win any beauty contests.
The car version of a bad toupee.

(02:40):
The next one is a Lincoln MKT.
Lincoln wanted the MKT to feelluxurious and forward-thinking.
Offered strong engine, includingthe twin turbo Eco Boost V6,
which is a cool motor, quiet,comfortable ride, and available
three-row seating, making it agenerally practical full-size

(03:01):
crossover.
The grill, however, went all inon Lincoln's controversial split
wing design, sometimeseffectively uh affectionately or
mockingly referred to as thebutterfly or the mustache grill.
With wide chrome bars sweepingacross the front, it gave the
vehicle a wide-eyed, almostbug-like look that felt more
awkward than refined.
It simply didn't feel alignedwith the elegant upscale

(03:24):
interior behind it, creating ajarry disc jarring disconnect.
It was like putting a cartoonface on a serious business
executive.
Dodge Nitro, still around.
The Dodge Nitro certainly packeda serious personality into a
compact SUV.
Personality that looked like itspent too much time in the gym.
It squared off shape,progressively flared fenders,

(03:46):
and a bold styling made it looklike a miniature bruiser or a
bulldog on wheels.
The grill leaned heavily on thattheme, which thick vertical
bars, often in chrome, and amassive dodram badge that took
up the prime real estate.
It bordered on the theatrical.
Theoretically.
Theoretically is theatrical.
Screaming tough guy, louder thana muscle car convention.

(04:09):
The grill made a strongimpression that left little room
for nuance, like a brick wallwith a giant grin.
It was all attitude all the timeand very tacky.
Last one, everybody's favorite,the Chevrolet SSR.
One of Chevy's most playful,bizarre, and utterly committed
designs for the 2000s, itcombined a convertible, fun,
power retractable hardtop with aretro pickup body, creating

(04:32):
something no one else offered atthe time.
For drivers looking to stand outand relive their 50s hot rod
fantasies with a modern V8, itabsolutely delivered.
It was like a cartoon come tolife.
The grill kept the retro themegoing, but the wide, almost
goofy smile and oversized curvesgave it a slightly cartoon-like
quality, like something out ofthe cars movie, even resembled

(04:54):
Lightning McQueen a little bit.
The grill certainly fit with thecustomer's overwall whimsical
theme.
Uh it even made its uh thestyling feel more eccentric than
generally cool, bordering oncharacter.
So it was a bad, so muchunapologetically silly.

SPEAKER_01 (05:12):
Leave that up there for a minute.
So the story with the fenders,General Motors.

SPEAKER_00 (05:19):
I already hit it.

SPEAKER_01 (05:20):
The fenders, GM had to go back to the 1950s to take
the technology in the actualmolds of the fenders from that
generation to create thisbecause the curves were so sharp
to make them round that theydidn't have that technology
anymore, so they had to go backand look at how they did it.

(05:43):
Yeah.
And it was truly amazing.
The other interesting thingabout that, and I remember when
it came out because I was in thepress crew then at the time and
driving it, it had no upperstructure, so the whole thing
flexed all the time, kind oflike the PT not the PT, but the
PT cruiser, the hot rod lookingthing.

SPEAKER_00 (06:03):
I had a business company car.

SPEAKER_01 (06:05):
And there was no structure in the upper part of
it.
Plus, that one had a V8 in it,it had no horsepower, just like
the V6 and the PT cruiser.

SPEAKER_00 (06:13):
But they were fun to look at.
I'm sure they're fun to drive.
I've never driven one, neverbeen in one, but they were quite
unique with that uh ugly mug.

SPEAKER_01 (06:20):
Yep, lot got lots of looks.
I think uh uh Harold Gunn hasone of those things.
Okay, Mr.
Morris.
Um, yeah, it was yeah, adifferent day, shall we say?
Thank you, Michael.
All right, time now for thishour's car review.
I had a chance to drive the 2025Jeep Wagoneer, final assembly

(06:44):
location, which I thought was uhinteresting.
Toluca, Mexico.
Do you know that?
No, yeah.
Um, available trim levels, thebase, the limited, and the
launch edition.
Uh it was all new in 2024.
I had the S Limited 4xE, whichis an electric two-row SUV.

(07:11):
The S is the gasoline version.
Uh it's still a two-row in justthe Wagoneer itself.
Not talking about the GrandWagoneer, that's a different
vehicle with the same name.
Standard SUV, Tahoe size, if youwill.
Uh seats including the driver,five.
Uh all new in 2024, as Imentioned.

(07:33):
Sleek, narrow, seven-slot grill,not any bigger than the slim
headlights that are uhbookending that.
Rear lighting mirrors the front,sloping rear cargo area and uh
sunshade over an interesting,very slanted roof uh or slash

(07:56):
spoiler area.
It's a very interesting vehicle,and if you haven't really paid
much attention to it, I think itwould be worth your while to
check it out.
Long, long, long wheelbase withstraight line glass, gives it a
saloon look.
Oh.
Extra long.
Yeah.
It's got a huge cargo area tooabout that in a minute.
Uh what could use improvement?

(08:17):
Nothing.
It looks a lot more expansiveand expensive than it really is.
Uh, full-length dash on theinterior, high zoot all the way
in my mind.
Now, I have not driven the GrandWagon here, which even supposed
to be a step above that.
Built-in screen into thedashboard.

(08:37):
Oh my god, imagine such a thing.
It's above the uh second climatescreen below it.
Uh changeable dash lightingwraps around through the door,
really cool.
Comfortable seating withhigh-end leather and flat bottom
steering wheel.
Some unique features with itthat you're not going to find
anywhere else.

(08:58):
I'm not trying to sell it, I'mjust telling you that it is a
very unique vehicle when itcomes to the SUVs.
And uh I think that you'll beinterested, especially with the
price of this upscale.
Uh, tons of room in the back inthe cargo area.
They didn't try to cram a thirdrow in it.
Yay for you.
Uh what I liked about it, theambiance of luxury that this

(09:21):
thing exudes.
What could use improvement?
Well, get the Grand Wagone herefor even more wow factor.
All right.
Engine electric.
Two powerful levels areavailable.
Horsepower up to 600.
You know, Chrysler Stellantis,uh, that whole group, Dodge,

(09:42):
they're all about horsepower.
If you want it, they got it.
Torque, more than allowed bylaw.
Um, somebody law, I'm not surewhose.
Transmission, there is none.
It's direct drive from theelectric motors.
Tower rating 3,500 pounds, whichis significant.
Uh miles per gallon, E electric.
City 100, highway 85, 36kilowatt hours per 100 miles.

(10:09):
You do the math, I don't dothat.
I got 0.3 miles per gallon orMPGE over 400 miles.
What I liked about it, up to 300miles per charge, and I did get
a charge, I'll tell you aboutthat.
What could use improvement?
Jeep also offers, as Imentioned, L the L version,

(10:31):
which is a gasoline engine, theuh hurricane six cylinder.
I'm dying to get a hold of.
I have not had one of those yet.
Looking forward to it though.
All right, uh, full-timeall-wheel drive, nice ride
quality.
It feels heavy, and it is 5,667pounds.

(10:51):
So it does feel heavy, but as domost SUV electrics.
Base trim price,$65,200.
Price is tested$67,195.
That's the shipping added intoit.
The base model price for thisone,$65,200.
The L starts at$62,945, which isa couple hundred dollars less

(11:18):
than the electric.
Gasoline version, as Imentioned, has a straight six
with 420 horsepower.
The Grand Wagoneer is morepremium version.
So I'm trying to do all of thisresearch on not just the
Wagoneer, but the GrandWagoneer, along with the
electric and the six-cylinderengine.
It took me a lot of time to tryto understand it all.

(11:40):
Lots of versions, do yourhomework.
So, uh, as a part of uh theactual review here, here are
some that are competitors to thevehicle.
The Cadillac Lyric,$58,595.
That's where it starts.
The Lexus RZ 450E 52,995.
I've never driven one.

(12:00):
I've never done it.
Genesis Electric G V 70, 66,950.
So they're all right around$60,000 or so.
Next week, we're going to reviewthe 1926, the 2026 Infinity QX
60 SUV.

SPEAKER_00 (12:17):
That was your first car, wasn't it?
That was the 1920, yeah.
Thanks.
You said it's heavy.
It in about the size of a Tahoein the beginning of your story.
Tahoe's look really heavy.
I mean, that that's a bigmachine.
They are.

SPEAKER_01 (12:28):
They are.
Uh the Tahoe is based on thetruck.
Uh it is pardon me?
Truck-based, you know, withframe on frame.
Yes.
And I'm wondering if this one isa modified RAM.

SPEAKER_00 (12:41):
You know, I didn't go that far.

SPEAKER_01 (12:44):
I spent way too much time worried about making sure
that I conveyed the GrandWagoneer and the Wagoneer.

SPEAKER_00 (12:50):
Yeah, I really like the way the outside looks on it,
though, the lines on it.

SPEAKER_01 (12:54):
From the side, you're going to go, wow, that's
very sharp.
Hey, if you'd like to get intouch with us, send us an email.
The address is info atinwheeltime.com.
We're back after this quickbreak.