HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK !

JOIN US AS GMC GOES FAMILY UTE BOLD WITH THE ACADIA AT4... PAT GOSS EXPLORES THE SCIENCE BEHIND A CUSTOM RIDE... STEPHANIE HART ON HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS RESHAPING CAR BUYING... AND A TRACK DAY FULL OF DARING DELIGHTS, IN THE MERCEDES-AMG GT R...

SO, COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

* Announcer: MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... Announcer: YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR TIRES ONLINE AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

Man 1: I DO.

Announcer: WE'RE TIRERACK.COM, AND WE HAVE ANSWERS, AND TOOLS TO HELP.

Man 2: LIKE OUR TIRE DECISION GUIDE.

IT'S A...TAKE A LOOK.

Man 1: OH.

Announcer: FIND...DELIVER...INSTALL...

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

John: WHILE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF SUVs NEVER SEE ANYTHING MORE ADVENTUROUS THAN A GRAVEL DRIVEWAY, PART OF THEIR APPEAL IS THAT YOU COULD VENTURE A LOT FARTHER OFF PAVEMENT, IF YOU WANTED TO.

AND OF COURSE, LOOKING THE PART IS AN EVEN BIGGER PIECE OF THE PACKAGE.

WELL, GMC HAS YOU COVERED, WITH A NEW ACADIA WHERE THAT RUGGED LOOK SHINES.

* ON SALE FOR THREE YEARS NOW, IT'S TIME FOR THE 2ND GENERATION GMC ACADIA TO GET SOME UPDATES.

AND WHILE THEY WERE AT IT, THEY DECIDED TO TOUGHEN UP ITS IMAGE A BIT WITH THIS NEW 2020 GMC ACADIA AT4.

IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE GMC SIERRA AT4, YOU'LL REMEMBER IT'S A BEEFED UP VERSION OF THE SIERRA HALF-TON PICKUP WITH SOME SUBSTANTIAL OFF ROAD CHOPS; THANKS TO A SUSPENSION LIFT, LOCKING DIFFS, RANCHO MONOTUBE SHOCKS, AND PROTECTIVE SKID PLATES.

WELL...UNFORTUNATELY, NONE OF THAT APPLIES TO THIS ACADIA AT4.

THIS IS MOSTLY JUST A TRIM PACKAGE THAT CONSISTS OF UNIQUE GRILLE, BLACK CHROME ACCENTS, AND 17-INCH WHEELS WITH ALL-TERRAIN TIRES, THOUGH NICE LOOKING 20s ARE OPTIONAL.

IT COMES WITH THE V6 ONLY, AS NEITHER OF THE ACADIA'S 4-CYLINDERS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.

BUT, THE 3.6 LITER WOULD BE OUR CHOICE ANYWAY, WITH ITS 310 HORSEPOWER AND 271 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, IT'S MORE THAN UP FOR THE JOB OF MOVING THIS 4,000 POUNDS PLUS, UTILITY AROUND.

NATURALLY, ALL-WHEEL DRIVE IS STANDARD.

IT'S GMC'S LATEST AUTOMATIC TWIN-CLUTCH SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES A DEDICATED OFF-ROAD MODE, AS WELL AS TOW/HAUL, AND THE ABILITY TO LOCK IT INTO TWO-WHEEL DRIVE.

THE NEW PART OF THE POWERTRAIN FOR ALL 2020 ACADIA'S, IS A 9-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION; AND WITH IT, THE REMOVAL OF THE CONSOLE SHIFTER, REPLACED BY A ROW OF BUTTONS AT THE BASE OF THE CENTER STACK.

THE THREE ADDITIONAL GEARS CERTAINLY HELP THE ACCELERATION CAUSE.

AT OUR TEST TRACK, WE GOT TO 60 A HALF SECOND QUICKER THAN BEFORE, AT A FINE 6.3 SECONDS.

IT DOESN'T FEEL OVERLY TORQUEY AT LAUNCH, BUT THAT, AS WELL AS ALL-WHEEL DRIVE, HELPS YOU GET AWAY CLEANLY, AND THE POWER REALLY STARTS TO POUR ON AS THE REVS CLIMB.

AS YOU'D EXPECT, GEAR CHANGES HAPPEN EARLY AND OFTEN, BUT THEY'RE BOTH QUICK AND SMOOTH.

OUR BEST QUARTER MILE PASS WAS 14.8 SECONDS AT 93 MILES PER HOUR.

AGAIN, ABOUT A HALF A SECOND QUICKER THAN A V6 ACADIA WITH THE 6-SPEED.

MORE SIDEWALL FLEX, AND THE ALL-TERRAIN COMPOUND OF THE TIRES, RESULT IN A SLIGHT DOWNGRADE IN HANDLING, BUT NOTHING THAT WOULD GIVE US PAUSE.

IT MAINLY PRESENTS ITSELF BY TURNING IN A LITTLE SLOWER, AND LOOSENING UP THE BACK END A BIT.

STEERING IS VERY TIGHT AND DIRECT, SO WE HAD NO PROBLEM STAYING ON TOP OF IT.

STOPPING DISTANCE WAS ACTUALLY LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD ACHIEVED BEFORE, AT 111 FEET FROM 60; GOOD PEDAL FEEL, AND GREAT STABILITY THROUGHOUT.

FOR CUSTOMERS NOT INTERESTED IN THE AT4'S MACHO MAKEOVER; THERE'S OTHER ACADIA NEWS FOR 2020.

ALL TRIMS GET THEIR OWN UNIQUE STYLING TWEAKS, THERE'S A NEW 230 HORSEPOWER I4 TURBO ENGINE AVAILABLE, AND THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM GETS AN UPGRADE TO BECOME MORE USER-FRIENDLY, INCLUDING EASIER TO USE NAVIGATION AND HIGHER RESOLUTION FOR THE BACK-UP CAMERA DISPLAY.

OTHER TECH UPGRADES INCLUDE A NEW HEAD-UP DISPLAY, AND GM'S REAR CAMERA MIRROR.

SAVE FOR SOME AT4 LOGOS, NOT MUCH ELSE CHANGES INSIDE.

YOU CAN OUTFIT YOUR AT4 WITH EITHER 5,6, OR 7-PASSENGER CAPACITY; OUR TEST RIG STUCK WITH THE STANDARD TWO ROWS OF SEATING WITH A REAR BENCH FOR THREE.

PLENTY OF SPACE FOR THOSE PASSENGERS, AND THE SPLIT BENCH BOTH SLIDES AND RECLINES.

LOTS OF BIG, TRADITIONAL CONTROLS REMAIN, AND WHILE WE MOURN THE LOSS OF THE CONSOLE SHIFTER, IT'S REMOVAL HAS CREATED SOME WELCOMED ADDITIONAL STORAGE SPACE.

GAUGES ARE A FAIRLY TRADITIONAL TWIN-DIAL SETUP WITH JUST A SMALL INFO SCREEN; BUT EVERYTHING IS CLEAR AND EASY TO MONITOR AT A GLANCE.

CARGO CAPACITY REMAINS UNCHANGED, AND IS ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THE SEGMENT, AT 41.7 CUBIC-FEET; EXPANDING TO 79.0 WITH THE REAR SEATBACKS FOLDED.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 18-CITY, 25-HIGHWAY, AND 21-COMBINED; OUR AVERAGE, JUST ABOUT SPOT ON, AT 21.7 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR GRADE.

AT $42,495, AT4 PRICING IS ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME AS AN SLT WITH THE V6; WHICH IS ABOUT 10-GRAND OVER A BASE 4-CYLINDER ACADIA, BUT STILL MUCH LESS THAN TOP DENALI TRIM.

SO, THE 2020 GMC ACADIA AT4 MAY NOT BE THE SERIOUS OFF-ROAD MACHINE THAT SOME OF US MAY HAVE WANTED, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT PRICED LIKE ONE; IT'S SIMPLY A NEW RUGGED-LOOKING, YET, ATTRACTIVE ACADIA OPTION THAT COMES WITH LITTLE TO NO COMPROMISE.

* SOCIAL MEDIA'S INFLUENCE ON THE AUTO INDUSTRY HAS BEEN ENORMOUS.

AUTO MAKERS ARE USING A WIDE VARIETY OF SITES TO INFLUENCE CUSTOMERS.

AS A RESPONSE, WE'RE PURCHASING CARS MUCH DIFFERENTLY THAN SAY, A DECADE AGO, THANKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA THERE'S INSTANT CONNECTIVITY.

WELL, OUR FYI REPORTER STEPHANIE HART EXPLAINS.

* Stephanie Hart: AUTO MAKERS ARE INCREASINGLY USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO DIRECTLY REACH TARGET BUYERS.

FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, SNAPCHAT, IT'S ALL GAME ON.

IN FACT, IT'S TOUGH TO SELL A VEHICLE TODAY WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA'S INFLUENCE, JUST ASK AMERICAN UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSOR SCOTT TALAN.

HOW HAS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANGED THE NEW CAR BUYING PROCESS IN YOUR OPINION?

Scott Talan: I THINK, IT DEPENDS ON THE AGE OF THE BUYER, INSTAGRAM IS SORT OF THE NIRVANA FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE, BUT SO FAR, CAR SELLERS HAVEN'T CRACKED THAT.

THEY'RE MOSTLY USING FACEBOOK, THEY'RE USING SOME TWITTER.

VIDEOS OBVIOUSLY, HAVE APPEAL BECAUSE THE CARS MOVE AND THAT FITS THE MEDIUM OF A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE.

SO I THINK, WHETHER ITS HOSTED ON YOUTUBE OR NOT, THE IDEA OF A VIDEO AND CARS JUST FITS TOGETHER SO, SO VERY WELL.

AND IF A CAR SELLER IS NOT THERE, THEY'RE ALMOST BEING NEGLIGENT AND CERTAINLY MISSING OPPORTUNITIES BY NOT USING VIDEO WHETHER ITS ON YOUTUBE OR SOME OTHER VIDEO SHARING PLATFORM.

Stephanie: ON SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGE IS EVERYTHING.

FROM THE CAMERA ANGLE TO THE COLOR, TO THE LOCATION.

ALL THE DETAILS MATTER.

SOCIAL MEDIA'S INFLUENCE HAS EVEN CHANGED HOW NEW CARS ARE BEING DESIGNED, ESPECIALLY THE INTERIORS.

THAT'S EVIDENT IN THE GIGANTIC, TESLA-INSPIRED INFOTAINMENT SCREENS, WE'RE SEEING IN MORE AND MORE CARS.

IN OUR FAST PACED WORLD, PEOPLE WANT TO BE CONNECTED 24/7 WHILE THEY'RE ON THE GO.

Sunny Prasad: THE VOLVO X90 SHOWED UP AND YOU KNOW IT'S JUST THE DESIGNS AND FEATURES ARE SO GOOD.

I LOVE AUDI'S AND YOU KNOW, I USED TO HAVE ONE, SO I GET A LOT OF THOSE, YOU KNOW.

[LAUGHS] SO, IT JUST SHOWS GOOD FEATURES, AND ITS JUST NICE TO SEE THE DESIGNS AND ALWAYS TEMPTING, YOU KNOW.

[LAUGHS] Stephanie: ARE SOCIAL MEDIA CONSCIOUS PEOPLE MORE PRONE TO BELIEVE INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT CARS THAN FROM OTHER SOURCES?

Scott: YES, WITHOUT QUESTION.

IF THEY VIEW THE SOURCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS BEING A PEER OR SOMEONE WHO IS JUST INTERESTED THEN THE ANSWER IS YES.

IT IS MORE BELIEVABLE AND MORE TRUSTWORTHY, AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S SUCH A BIG APPEAL, AND STRENGTH TO SOCIAL MEDIA ITS BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THAT THIS IS COMING FROM SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS NOT MAKING A COMMISSION OR MAKING A BUCK OFF THE SALE.

Stephanie: AND IT WORKS BOTH WAYS, SAVVY SOCIAL MEDIA FOLKS CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH THE PRETTY PHOTOS AND CLEVER CAPTIONS.

Arielle Small: I'M MORE AWARE OF THE ADS I SEE ONLINE AND HOW, IF I'M TALKING ABOUT HALO TOP ICE CREAM FOR EXAMPLE WITH A FRIEND, I'LL FIND THAT AN AD WILL POP UP FOR HALO TOP ON FACEBOOK.

AND IT SORT OF AFFECTS WHAT I BUY IN THE SENSE OF, I USUALLY DON'T BUY THE THINGS, THAT I SEE IN THE ADS BECAUSE I THINK, THE MORE ADS THAT I SEE FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC, THE LESS COMPELLED I'M ACTUALLY TO BUY THEM BECAUSE OF JUST THE AWARENESS I HAVE.

Stephanie: WHETHER, YOU LOVE OR HATE SOCIAL MEDIA, BOTTOM LINE...IT'S A TOOL TO RESEARCH CARS AND SEE WHAT YOUR PEERS THINK OF A CAR AND THAT'S WHY IT'S INCREASINGLY SO VITAL IN THE CAR BUYING ECO-SYSTEM.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE: RON PHILLIPS, SEEN HERE IN THIS PHOTO, WENT TO FLORIDA, HE RENTED A CONVERTIBLE.

HE SNAPPED THIS PHOTO OF HIMSELF BEHIND THE WHEEL WITH A CIGAR IN HIS MOUTH, GIVING THE THUMBS UP.

WELL, HE GOT SO MANY LIKES, THE EXPERIENCE STUCK WITH HIM AND WHEN HE GOT BACK HOME, HE ENDED UP BUYING A SIMILAR CONVERTIBLE.

AND IN A PERFECT WORLD THAT'S EXACTLY HOW THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA SHOULD WORK.

* John: LIKE, MANY THINGS IN LIFE YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR... THAT'S TOTALLY TRUE WITH TIRES.

SO, HERE'S PAT GOSS WITH THE TRUTH ABOUT TREADS.

Pat Goss: THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE PROFESSIONALS FIGURE OUT WHICH TIRES AND WHEELS WILL FIT ON YOUR CAR.

AND FOR THAT INFORMATION WE HAVE MATT EDMONDS OUR TIRE EXPERT.

MATT, WELCOME BACK TO GOSS'S GARAGE.

Matt Edmonds: PLEASURE TO BE HERE PAT.

Pat: ALL RIGHT...NOW, AFTERMARKET TIRES AND WHEELS AND SO ON, VERY POPULAR.

Matt: THEY ARE...THEY ARE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN DO YOU CAN UPGRADE YOUR VEHICLE MAKE YOUR VEHICLE LOOK NICE, MAKE IT PERSONAL.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, MANY TIMES WILL SAY, "WHEELS ARE LIKE JEWELRY FOR YOUR CAR."

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY ARE THERE'S SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT REALLY MAKES IT YOURS AND MAKES IT STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD.

Pat: OKAY...BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT WHEELS OUT THERE.

HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO FIT?

Matt: WELL, THAT BEING SAID, THEY'RE JEWELRY THEY'RE VERY TECHNICAL AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.

AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WITH THE TIRE AND WHEEL OFF, WE SEE ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS THAT ARE BEHIND IT THE BRAKES, THE SUSPENSION.

YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CLEAR PROPERLY.

SO, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO IS, YOU CAN GO IN AND USE WHAT'S CALLED A "FARO-ARM" TO REALLY DIGITIZE THIS AREA AND ONCE IT'S BEEN DIGITIZED YOU CAN THEN VIRTUALLY FIT WHEELS ON IT.

THAT MAKES SURE THAT WE CLEAR EVERYTHING BUT BEFORE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WHEELS HAVE THE RIGHT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY.

THEY HAVE THE RIGHT BOLT CIRCLE, THE CENTER BORE, THE PROPER OFFSET VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE TECHNICAL ASPECTS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.

Pat: NOW, THIS IS FARO-ARM THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR CERTAIN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINE THINGS AND SO ON... USE A UNIT THAT HAS A LITTLE POINTER... YOU TOUCH ALL THESE DIFFERENT SPOTS AND IT GIVES YOU THE READINGS.

IS IT SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

Matt: WELL, THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL FARO-ARM, THE NEW VERSION OF THE FARO-ARM THAT WE NOW USE HAS A SONAR ON IT SO IT'S ACTUALLY TAKING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF POINTS OF INFORMATION AND GIVES YOU A MODEL THAT REALLY LOOKS 3D AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE IT, AND SPIN IT...ROTATE IT AND VIRTUALLY PLACE THESE TIRES AND WHEELS ONTO THIS AREA OF THE VEHICLE SHALL WE SAY.

Pat: OKAY, NOW DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS EVEN THOUGH THE TIRE MAY BE THE SAME DIMENSION AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS ARE CONCERNED, THE ACTUAL DIMENSIONS ARE DIFFERENT.

Matt: THEY DO.

THE PROFILE CHANGES, SO WHAT WE DO IS WITHIN A SIZE OF TIRE, WE'LL TAKE THE EXTREME.

WHATEVER IS THE LARGEST A VARIANT OF THAT AND WE WILL THEN VIRTUALLY PLACE THAT ON THE WHEEL SECTION, SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE TIRE CLEARS FOR INSTANCE, A SUSPENSION POINT UP HIGH THAT MIGHT GIVE IT AN ISSUE ON TURN IN AND THEN PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE SUSPENSION POINT TO SEE IF IT MOVES, SO THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE THOSE CLEARANCES.

Pat: OKAY, SO IT'S SCIENCE NOT GUESSWORK.

Matt: ABSOLUTELY, IT'S JUST NOT A BUNCH OF NUMBERS AND LOOKING AT PRETTY WHEELS ALTHOUGH THAT'S REALLY THE BEST WAY AS A CONSUMER TO SHOP FOR IT, SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU WORK WITH SOMEONE THAT HAS DONE THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT.

Pat: MATT, THANK YOU.

AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, DROP US A LINE, RIGHT HERE AT MOTORWEEK .

John: THINGS MOVE FAST THESE DAYS, AND TO HELP US KEEP UP HERE'S LAUREN MORRISON WITH THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS.

Lauren Morrison: AMONG THE NUMEROUS ANNUAL AUTOMOTIVE AWARDS, THE NORTH AMERICAN CAR, UTILITY, AND TRUCK OF THE YEAR AWARDS ARE THE ONLY ONES SELECTED BY A JURY OF 50 INDEPENDENT AUTO WRITERS.

SO, HERE ARE THE WINNERS THIS YEAR.

THE 2020 NORTH AMERICAN CAR OF THE YEAR IS THE TOTALLY RE-ENGINEERED CHEVROLET CORVETTE STINGRAY.

THE FIRST PRODUCTION CORVETTE WITH THE ENGINE MOUNTED BEHIND THE DRIVER.

THE 2020 NORTH AMERICAN UTILITY OF THE YEAR WENT TO THE KIA TELLURIDE.

THE TELLURIDE HAS THREE ROWS OF SEATING AND ENOUGH CARGO ROOM, AND TECH TO SATISFY MOST EVERY MODERN FAMILY.

AND FINALLY, THE 2020 NORTH AMERICAN TRUCK OF THE YEAR WAS AWARDED TO THE JEEP GLADIATOR.

THE GLADIATOR IMPRESSED THE JURY WITH ITS UNIQUE COMBINATION OF COMFORT, UTILITY, AND GO-ANYWHERE RUGGEDNESS.

BIG WINNERS ALL AROUND!

AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS.

John: TIME IS SHORT, BUT THE ROAD IS LONG.

SO, LET'S GO FOR A QUICKSPIN!

* WHEN IT COMES TO MID-SIZE 3-ROW FAMILY HAULERS, FEW NAMES COME TO MIND QUICKER THAN THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER.

2020 MARKS THE 4TH GENERATION, WITH A MORE EXPRESSIVE DESIGN PLUS, ADDED DIMENSIONS WITH A 2.4 INCH LONGER WHEELBASE AND OVERALL LENGTH.

WHEN INTRODUCED IN 2001, THE HIGHLANDER VEERED AWAY FROM COMPETITORS RIDING ON A FULL-FRAME TRUCK CHASSIS, BY RELYING ON A CAR-STYLE UNIBODY.

THAT ELEVATED ROOMINESS AND RIDE WHICH PROVED A HIT.

THIS NEW HIGHLANDER HAS A NEW RIGID PLATFORM SHARED WITH OTHER VOLUME TOYOTAS... THAT ADDS TO THE SOLID, SAFE, AND SECURE FEELING WE'VE COME TO EXPECT.

NO MORE STANDARD 4-CYLINDER.

THE BASE 295 HORSEPOWER 3.5 LITER V6 MOVES THIS FAMILY-FRIENDLY UTILITY WITH EASE, WHILE AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC SHIFTS SMOOTHLY.

A NEW-GENERATION HYBRID POWERTRAIN PAIRS A 2.5 LITER 4-CYLINDER WITH TWO ELECTRIC MOTORS AND A CVT...FOR A TOTAL SYSTEM OUTPUT OF 243 HORSEPOWER AND WHAT TOYOTA ESTIMATES IS NOW 36 MPG COMBINED.

BOTH POWERTRAINS PROVIDED PLENTY OF PULL OFF THE LINE DURING OUR DRIVE IN SAN ANTONIO.

AT SPEED THE HIGHLANDER OFFERS THE COMFORTABLE NO-NONSENSE STABILITY THAT FAMILY'S DESIRE.

FRONT AND ALL-WHEEL DRIVE ARE NOW AVAILABLE WITH BOTH ENGINES.

THE QUIET CABIN GETS AN UPGRADE AS WELL WITH A MORE PREMIUM LOOK, A LARGE TOUCH SCREEN DOMINATES THE CENTER DASH, PLUS, MORE SOFT TOUCH MATERIALS.

SAFETY REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY.

SECOND-GENERATION TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE 2.0 COMES STANDARD WITH NEW FEATURES LIKE LANE TRACING ASSIST.

APPLE CAR PLAY, ANDROID AUTO, AND ALEXA IN-CAR COME WITH ALL MODELS.

THE 2020 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS BEEN AMONG THE 3-ROW MIDSIZE CROSSOVERS KNOWN FOR SETTING THE BENCHMARK... NOW, IT ONCE AGAIN IS THE ONE TO BEAT.

ON SALE NOW STARTING AT $34,600 WITH THE HYBRID BEGINNING AT $38,200.

WITH SUVs GETTING SO MUCH ATTENTION THESE DAYS, NISSAN KNOWS SEDANS NEED TO LOOK YOUTHFUL AND STYLISH.

THE LATEST EVIDENCE IS THE ALL-NEW 2020 NISSAN SENTRA.

DESIGN CUES TRICKLE DOWN FROM THE MAXIMA, AND ALTIMA MAKING THIS POPULAR COMPACT COMMUTER APPEAR BOLDER, AND MORE AGGRESSIVE.

LIKE, OTHERS IN ITS CLASS, THE 8TH GENERATION SENTRA GROWS, BECOMING LONGER, LOWER, AND WIDER.

ALL THESE SHARP CREASES ARE UNDERPINNED BY A NEW PLATFORM WITH MCPHERSON STRUTS UP FRONT AND A NEW INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION.

THERE'S A BIGGER ENGINE UNDER THE HOOD TOO.

THE 2.0 LITER I4 PRODUCES 25 MORE HORSEPOWER, 149 TOTAL.

THEY'RE A WELCOME ADDITION AFTER THE LACKLUSTER ACCELERATION IN PAST SENTRA'S.

A CVT WITH SIMULATED SHIFTS IS THE ONLY TRANSMISSION.

INSIDE, ZERO GRAVITY SEATS CRADLE THOSE RIDING UP FRONT.

Greg Carloss: FROM THE DRIVER SEAT RIGHT NOW THE SEATS ARE REALLY COMFORTABLE THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE NOTICED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT NISSANS THE SPRINGS SEEM TO BE SET ON THE SOFT SIDE BUT THAT'S REALLY NOT A PROBLEM IT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY COMFORTABLE RIDE HERE, AND AGAIN THIS ISN'T A CAR THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE REALLY TOSSING AROUND CORNERS SO IF YOU TREAT IT RIGHT AND DRIVE RESPONSIBLY, I THINK, YOU'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY.

John: THAT ROOMY INTERIOR ALSO BENEFITS FROM NICER MATERIALS.

A D-SHAPED WHEEL CONNECTS TO A NEW DUAL PINION RACK ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM.

APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO ARE AVAILABLE.

BASE PRICING STARTS AROUND 19,000 DOLLARS AND THAT INCLUDES SAFETY SHIELD 360, NISSAN'S SUITE OF SIX DRIVER ASSISTANCE FEATURES INCLUDING AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING.

SO, THE 2020 NISSAN SENTRA BECOMES MORE APPEALING IN A LOT OF WAYS THAT COUNT.

THEY'RE AT DEALERS NOW.

AND WE'LL HAVE MORE QUICKSPINS SOON!

OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS MERCEDES-BENZ HAS AGGRESSIVELY EXPANDED THEIR LINEUP HERE IN THE U.S.

ADDING NEW LEVELS OF UTILITIES AND ENTRY-LEVEL MODELS.

BUT WITH THAT THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE HIGH PERFORMANCE SIDE OF MOTORING HASN'T WAVERED ONE BIT, EVIDENCED BY AN UPDATED AMG GT R. SO, LET'S HIT THE TRACK AND FIND OUT IF AMG'S 2-DOOR TERROR IS A TRICK OR A TREAT.

* IT WAS JUST TWO YEARS AGO THAT THE MERCEDES-AMG GT R ARRIVED TO TAKE THEIR GT COUPE TO HIGHER LEVELS OF ROAD PROWESS THAN EVER BEFORE.

WELL, AFTER RECENTLY LAUNCHING AN ALL-NEW HIGH PERFORMANCE 4-DOOR COUPE, AMG ENGINEERS APPARENTLY HAD SOME TIME LEFT ON THEIR HANDS TO MAKE SOME UPDATES TO THE 2020 GT R. NOW, IT WILL TAKE A KEEN EYE TO PICK UP ON THE VISUAL ENHANCEMENTS, AS THEY'RE VERY MINOR; JUST NEW HEADLIGHTS AND REVISED TAIL LIGHTS.

INSIDE, THE CENTER STACK HAS BEEN ADDRESSED WITH A NEW TOUCHSCREEN ON TOP OF THE DASH; WHILE CONTROL PANELS ON THE CONSOLE GET UPGRADED FROM BACKLIT BUTTONS TO INDIVIDUAL TOUCH-SENSITIVE TFT DISPLAY BUTTONS.

THE BIGGEST UPDATE, AND WHY WE'VE COME TO DOMINION RACEWAY IN THORNBURG, VIRGINIA IS NEW AMG DYNAMICS.

BASICALLY, A NEW LEVEL FOR DYNAMIC SELECT DRIVE MODES; AMG DYNAMICS CAN FURTHER ENHANCE THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE THROUGH STABILITY CONTROL, POWER ALLOCATION, AND STEERING CHARACTERISTICS OVER FOUR NEW SETTINGS, BASED ON WHICH DRIVE MODE IS SELECTED.

BASIC IS FOR SLIPPERY AND COMFORT MODES, WITH INTERVENTION ARRIVING EARLY AND OFTEN, AND DRIVER SAFETY PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.

ADVANCED IS AVAILABLE IN SPORT MODE, AND HEIGHTENS CHASSIS, AND STEERING RESPONSE; A PERFECT SETUP FOR WINDING BACK ROADS.

PRO IS FOUND IN SPORT+ MODE; HERE, THE CAR ANTICIPATES CORNERING LOADS AND AVAILABLE TRACTION, AND DIVERTS MAXIMUM POWER TO THE REAR WHEEL THAT CAN USE IT MOST.

MASTER IS AVAILABLE IN RACE MODE; AMG NOW GIVES YOU AS NEUTRAL A SETUP AS POSSIBLE FOR A STREET CAR, WITH EXTREMELY HEIGHTENED STEERING RESPONSE.

SO...CAREFUL, YOU MIGHT GET SPOOKED!

GETTING THE EASY STUFF OUT OF THE WAY FIRST; REGARDLESS OF SETTINGS, THIS CAR IS VERY FAST AND SOUNDS VERY AWESOME.

THE GT R COUPE MAY FEEL TIGHT AND A TAD HYPER ON THE STREET; BUT ON A TRACK, IT FEELS PERFECTLY AT HOME.

SUSPENSION TRAVEL IS MINIMAL, SO YOU DO GET BOUNCED AROUND, BUT LIKE A TRUE RACE CAR, THE FASTER YOU GO, THE MORE THINGS SMOOTH OUT.

AS BEFORE, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF HOOD IN FRONT OF YOU, AND IT TAKES A FEW LAPS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE FRONT WHEELS ARE, BUT ONCE YOU'VE GOT A FEEL FOR IT, EVERYTHING IS POINT-AND-SHOOT SIMPLE.

IT WOULD BE VERY REMISS OF US TO NEGLECT WHAT'S UNDER THAT LONG HOOD, A 4.0 LITER TURBOCHARGED PIECE OF AUTOMOTIVE BRILLIANCE.

NO CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR, AND NONE WERE REALLY NECESSARY; AS THIS V8 POURS OUT 577 HORSEPOWER AND 516 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

THAT POWER GOES STRICTLY TO THE REAR WHEELS OF COURSE, AND BACK THERE, FOR BALANCE, YOU'LL FIND A REAR-MOUNTED 7-SPEED DCT TRANSMISSION AS WELL.

THERE ARE THE USUAL TRICK PADDLE SHIFTERS, BUT WE FOUND THEM A LITTLE SLOW TO RESPOND.

THE CAR DOES SO WELL ALL ON ITS OWN HOWEVER; WE GOT THE BEST RESULTS BY JUST LEAVING IT IN AUTO.

DON'T KNOCK IT 'TIL YOU'VE TRIED IT.

YOU CAN FIND SOME OVERSTEER, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THIS CAR JUST WANTS TO GRIP AND RIP.

THE WHOLE TIME THAT YOU'RE DOING ALL OF THIS, YOU'LL BE GRIPPING A NEW STEERING WHEEL THAT'S HEAVILY CONTOURED AND FEELS GREAT TO THE HANDS.

IT ALSO, NOW HOUSES A DRIVE MODE SELECTOR; GREAT IDEA, BUT IT'S ALSO EASILY BUMPED WHEN YOU'RE SHUFFLING THE WHEEL THROUGH TIGHT CORNERS.

[ENGINE REVS / TIRES SCREECH] KEEPING A FIRM GRIP ON THAT WHEEL AT THE DRAG STRIP, AFTER ENGAGING LAUNCH CONTROL, THE GT R SHOOTS OFF THE LINE WITH ZERO WHEEL SPIN.

IT'S AN EASY AND REPEATABLE PROCESS, EVIDENCED BY OUR 3.6 SECONDS TO 60 BEING EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE LAST GT R WE TESTED DOWN AT ROEBLING ROAD RACEWAY TWO YEARS AGO.

SHIFTS WERE FIRM, WITH A NICE DEEP BARK FROM THE ENGINE, AS WE COMPLETED THE QUARTER MILE IN 11.5 SECONDS AT 129 MILES PER HOUR.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 15-CITY, 20-HIGHWAY, AND 17-COMBINED.

OUR AVERAGE, 18.1 MILES PER GALLON ON PREMIUM... PRICING IS STILL SPOOKY TOO, STARTING AT $163,895, OR ABOUT 2500 BUCKS MORE THAN LAST YEAR.

THE ORIGINAL MERCEDES-AMG GT WAS CONCEIVED WITH THE PORSCHE 911 SQUARELY IN ITS THREE-POINTED SIGHTS; THE 2020 MERCEDES-AMG GT R HAS BECOME MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

IT'S AN ENTICING CAR, THAT DESPITE THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE PEDIGREE AND ON-TRACK CAPABILITIES; REMAINS A VERY LUXURIOUS AND COMFORTABLE CAR TO GO ABOUT YOUR DAILY BUSINESS.

IT'S AN ENVIOUS MARRIAGE OF MERCEDES-BENZ INDULGENCE WITH AMG PERFORMANCE, AND A PERFECT TREAT INDEED!

WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.

NOW FOR MORE MOTORWEEK ; INCLUDING DAILY NEWS UPDATES, PODCASTS, AND EVEN COMPLETE EPISODES, CRUISE ON OVER TO PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME...

WHEN OUR STAFF PICKS THEIR FAVORITE RIDES FOR THE 2020 MOTORWEEK DRIVER'S CHOICE AWARDS INCLUDING OUR BEST OF THE YEAR.

UNTIL THEN, I'M JOHN DAVIS, WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK !

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT... MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY... Announcer: YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR TIRES ONLINE AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

Man 1: I DO.

Announcer: WE'RE TIRERACK.COM, AND WE HAVE ANSWERS AND TOOLS TO HELP.

Man 2: LIKE OUR TIRE DECISION GUIDE.

IT'S A...TAKE A LOOK.

Man 1: OH.

Announcer: FIND...DELIVER...INSTALL...

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

* Announcer: THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

[SOUND OF CAR ENGINE REVVING] *