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

JOIN US FOR A NEW IMPORTED UTE DESIGNED FOR BIG AMERICAN FAMILIES, THE HYUNDAI PALISADE... PAT GOSS UNCOVERS UNUSUAL CAR CARE CURES... STEPHANIE HART CHECKS IN WITH STUDENTS PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE WITH AN EYE ON THE PAST... AND JEEP GOES A TRUCKIN WITH THE GLADIATOR...

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.

STATE FARM IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MOTORWEEK .

John: IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A BIG HYUNDAI SUV FOR THE FAMILY AND CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF WHETHER THE LATEST SANTE FE HAS 3-ROW SEATING OR NOT... WELL, HYUNDAI HAS FINALLY CLEARED THINGS UP!

YOU WANT THE NEW PALISADE, THE BIGGEST HYUNDAI UTE YET.

INDEED, JUST LIKE IT SOUNDS, IT OFFERS TRULY PALATIAL SPACE FOR UP TO EIGHT.

SO, LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE IT HAS TO OFFER.

* THE NAME PALISADE IS DEFINED AS A TYPE OF FENCE WITH POINTED STAKES FOR PROTECTION AND DEFENSE.

SO, PERHAPS WITH THE 2020 PALISADE, HYUNDAI IS PROJECTING THEIR 3-ROW, LUXURY MINDED SUV AS THEIR BEST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST THE ENDLESS BARRAGE OF BIG CROSSOVERS THESE DAYS, AND A FAMILY'S BEST PROTECTION FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD!

OR...MAYBE, THEY JUST THOUGHT THE NAME SOUNDED COOL!

THOUGH, IT DOES TRULY LOOK LIKE THEY WANT TO PROTECT YOU, BY MAKING JUST ABOUT EVERY SAFETY SYSTEM STANDARD; INCLUDING FORWARD AND REAR CROSS-TRAFFIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, THE PALISADE IS NOT AS BIG AS IT APPEARED WHEN FIRST DEBUTED ON THE AUTO SHOW STAND; TALL FOR SURE, BUT LENGTH IS ACTUALLY JUST SHY OF RIVAL HONDA PILOT.

AND, THE 114.2 INCH WHEELBASE IS THE SAME AS THE NISSAN PATHFINDER.

FOR BETTER OR WORSE, LOOKS ARE WHAT CAN OFTEN MAKE OR BREAK A VEHICLE SALE.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, HYUNDAI IS NOT SNEAKING AROUND.

THE PALISADE WEARS A HUGE FACE THAT DEMANDS RESPECT.

FENDER EXTENSIONS, BEEFY LOOKING ROCKERS, AND A HIGH BELTLINE, ALL HOPE TO PORTRAY AN AIR OF RUGGEDNESS; WHILE SIGNATURE LED LIGHTING, A PANORAMIC GLASS ROOF, AND THIS LIMITED'S 20 INCH WHEELS ENSURE YOU DON'T MISS THE DESIGN'S LUXURY.

THE PALISADE IS OF COURSE, KIN TO KIA'S TELLURIDE; THOUGH WHILE THE KIA IS ASSEMBLED IN GEORGIA, THE PALISADE IS IMPORTED FROM SOUTH KOREA.

THEY SHARE THE SAME NATURALLY-ASPIRATED 3.8 LITER V6 ENGINE PARTIALLY RUNNING ON THE ATKINSON CYCLE, AND OUTPUTTING AN IDENTICAL 291 HORSEPOWER AND 262 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

THE TRANSMISSION IS AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC; SENDING POWER TO THE FRONT WHEELS, OR TO ALL FOUR, IF HYUNDAI'S HTRAC ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM IS ADDED.

SHIFT-BY-WIRE DOES AWAY WITH THE TRADITIONAL SHIFTER AND CLEANS UP THE CONSOLE; LEAVING A ROW OF SMALL SELECTOR BUTTONS, AND A TRANSMISSION THAT'S SLOW TO RESPOND TO THEM.

WHILE, HTRAC CAN CERTAINLY HANDLE SOME LIGHT OFF-ROADING SITUATIONS WITH EASE; IT ALSO COMES WITH A REAR-BIASED SPORT MODE TO IMPROVE ON-ROAD HANDLING, AS WELL AS A SNOW MODE FOR OPTIMIZED WINTER TRACTION.

SEATING FOR EIGHT IS STANDARD, THOUGH SECOND ROW CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS COME WITH LIMITED TRIM.

SECOND ROW SPACE IS ENORMOUS, AND COMFORT LEVEL HIGH.

ONE-TOUCH FOLDING OF THE SECOND ROW ALLOWS FOR EASY ENTRY INTO THIRD; WHERE YOU'LL FIND ADEQUATE SPACE FOR ADULTS IN A PINCH, BUT ALSO HARD CUSHIONS.

THERE'S MORE CARGO SPACE THAN A CHEVY TAHOE BEHIND THE THIRD ROW, 18.0 CUBIC-FEET, BUT THAT'S 3.0 CUBIC-FEET LESS THAN THE TELLURIDE, THOUGH IT CAN BE POWER-FOLDED HERE, A FEATURE NOT AVAILABLE ON THE KIA.

WITH THE MIDDLE ROW DOWN, THERE'S 45.8 CUBIC-FEET; MAXING OUT AT 86.4 WITH ALL SEATS FOLDED.

CAN'T FIT IT INSIDE?

WELL, YOU CAN TOW IT BEHIND YOU WITH A 5,000 POUND LIMIT.

BEING A HYUNDAI FLAGSHIP MODEL, AND ONE AIMED AT FAMILIES, MEANS A TECH QUOTIENT AS HIGH AS FOR COMFORT.

WELL, IF YOUR DEFINITION OF HIGH-TECH IS A 10-INCH TOUCHSCREEN FOR NAVIGATION AND THE LIKE, WIRELESS PHONE CHARGING, AND SEVEN USB PORTS; THEN YOU WILL BE HAPPY.

WHILE, THERE ARE SOME SIMILARITIES, THE OVERALL THEME OF THE INTERIOR, AND DASH IN PARTICULAR, ARE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN THE TELLURIDE.

IN THE PALISADE, THERE SEEMS TO BE A CLEAR MERCEDES-BENZ INFLUENCE.

IT LOOKS QUITE LUXURIOUS, EVEN IF SOME THINGS FEEL AND RESPOND MORE ASIAN THAN GERMANIC.

OUR FIRST DRIVES WERE AROUND THE STATE OF IDAHO WHERE WE FOUND THE PALISADE TO BE QUITE MANEUVERABLE AND EASY TO HANDLE.

SIMILAR TO THE TELLURIDE, IT DRIVES MUCH SMALLER THAN IT IS, AIDED BY GREAT VISIBILITY ALL AROUND.

IT ALSO, RESPONDS APPROPRIATELY QUICK AND POWERFUL OUT OF TURNS, WITH GOOD AMOUNTS OF FEEL FROM THE LIGHT STEERING, TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH THEM SMOOTHLY AND SAFELY.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE GOOD FOR A BIG RIG; 19-CITY, 26-HIGHWAY, AND 22-COMBINED WITH 2-WHEEL DRIVE; 19-CITY, 24-HIGHWAY, AND 21-COMBINED WITH ALL-WHEEL DRIVE.

THAT RATES ONLY SLIGHTLY BELOW ALL VEHICLES AS TO ENERGY IMPACT SCORE; AT 15.0 BARRELS OF YEARLY OIL CONSUMPTION, WITH 6.7 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.

PRICING STARTS AT JUST $32,595, MID-LEVEL SEL IS NOT MUCH MORE, AT $34,545, BUT IT'S A BIG STEP UP FROM THERE TO LIMITED, WHICH STARTS AT $45,745.

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE IS A $1,700 OPTION FOR ALL TRIMS.

SO, WHAT ELSE IS HYUNDAI TRYING SO HARD TO PROTECT WITH THIS 2020 HYUNDAI PALISADE?

PERHAPS IT'S THEIR SECRET FORMULA FOR DELIVERING AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF LUXURY, PRACTICALITY, AND COMFORT IN A HIGHLY DESIRABLE PACKAGE THAT REMAINS QUITE ATTAINABLE.

THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WORTH DEFENDING AND THE PALISADE EASILY LIVES UP TO ITS NAME.

* IN THE SPECIALIZED WORK OF AUTOMOTIVE CAREERS, ONE MIDWEST COLLEGE IS DOING SOMETHING UNIQUE.

THEY'RE EDUCATING AND PROMOTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AUTOMOTIVE RESTORERS.

THAT'S RIGHT, MCPHERSON COLLEGE IS THE ONLY INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN AMERICA THAT OFFERS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN RESTORATION TECHNOLOGY.

AND AS OUR FYI REPORTER STEPHANIE HART EXPLAINS, GRADUATES ARE SCHOOLED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE CAR COLLECTING WORLD.

* Stephanie Hart: AN HOUR NORTH OF WICHITA, KANSAS NESTLED NOT FAR FROM A WORKING FARM AND A WINDSWEPT LAVENDER FIELD, SITS MCPHERSON COLLEGE, WHERE STUDENTS CAN MAJOR IN RESTORATION TECHNOLOGY.

Amanda Gutierrez: WE COMBINE THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS WITH THE LIBERAL ARTS.

AND SO, OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT ONLY IN THE SHOP LEARNING HISTORICAL RESTORATION SKILLS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO INVOLVED ACROSS CAMPUS.

SO, THEY'RE TAKING COURSES IN ENGLISH, IN BUSINESS, IN ART.

Stephanie: COURSES FOCUS ON THE TECHNIQUES REQUIRED TO WORK ON CARS BUILT BEFORE 1970.

[WELDING NOISE] Stephanie: COMEDIAN JAY LENO WAS AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF THE PROGRAM AND STILL IS.

[DRILL NOISE] EIGHT-HUNDRED STUDENTS ATTEND MCPHERSON COLLEGE, 160 ARE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE RESTORATION PROGRAM.

Sean Robinson: I LOVE CARS SO MUCH BECAUSE I WAS DOING WOODWORKING ALL MY LIFE AND JUST BEING ABLE TO PUT WOODWORKING AND MY LOVE FOR CARS TOGETHER IS JUST LIKE, THE GREATEST THING I CAN DO HERE.

Stephanie: SEAN ROBINSON IS RESTORING A 1959 AUSTIN HEALEY BUGEYE SPRITE TO GIVE TO HIS MOM.

Sean: I'M PLANNING MY CLASSES ALL THE WAY AROUND THE ASPECTS OF THE BUILD.

SO, I'M TAKING TRIM CLASSES, I'M GOING TO WORK ON THE TRIM OF THE CAR, THE METAL WORK CLASSES ARE GONNA HELP ME WITH A COUPLE BODY SPOTS AND THEN ULTIMATELY PAINT IT AND DO A FULLY RESTORATION ON IT.

Stephanie: ENTHUSIASM THAT'S FUELED BY FACULTY MEMBERS.

MOST ARE ALUMNI OF THE PROGRAM.

Garrick Green: WE REALLY STRIVE FOR MAYBE NOT PERFECTION AT FIRST, BUT ALWAYS CARING AND SHOWING CRAFTSMANSHIP IN THE WORK THAT IS DONE KNOWING THAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING TO FOLLOW AND SAY, YOU KNOW...EITHER, "WOW GREAT JOB ON WHOEVER MADE THIS PART" OR "WOW WHO MADE THIS PART?"

Stephanie: SKILLS THEY'RE LEARNING HERE ARE BECOMING A LOST ART, SO THEY'RE IN HIGH DEMAND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CRAFTING METAL.

Ed Barr: THIS IS A 1954 JAGUAR D TYPE.

ORIGINAL D TYPES ARE WORTH TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND SHOPS REALIZE THAT STUDENTS WHO CAN DO THIS KIND OF WORK ARE READY TO WORK ON THE REAL CAR.

AND SO, I BUILT A SKELETON FOR THEM TO WORK ON CALLED "A BUCK" AND THE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN SHAPING THE SHEET METAL TO GO OVER THAT.

Stephanie: FROM THE SHOP HERE, TO THE STREET, IT'S A CAMPUS TRADITION AND IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

SENIORS HOP IN CARS JUST LIKE THIS ONE AND DRIVE THROUGH THE GAZEBO TO CELEBRATE.

LET'S DO IT!

[ENGINE REVS] * Nathaniel McLaughlin: I LOVE OLD CARS AND MY PASSION IS IN PAINTING.

SO, I WANT TO BE AN AUTOMOTIVE PAINTER DOING CONCOURSE LEVEL RESTORATION.

Nick Navarro: MY GOAL, ONCE I GRADUATE, IS TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT VEHICLES WITH PEOPLE.

THE IMPORTANCE OF VEHICLES AND HOW... AND ESPECIALLY, CLASSIC VEHICLES AND HOW THEY HAVE TO BE PRESERVED AND RESTORED, SO THEY CAN CONTINUE ON TO, YOU KNOW, TO BRING JOY TO THE NEXT GENERATIONS.

Stephanie: WHAT'S BEEN THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCE FOR YOU BEING A PROFESSOR HERE AT THE COLLEGE?

Ed Barr: WHEN I GET A CALL ON SATURDAY NIGHT FROM A STUDENT WHO'S NOW RESTORING PRICELESS JAGUARS AND FERRARIS AND THEY SEND ME PICTURES OF THE BEAUTIFUL WORK THEY'RE DOING, THAT'S THE BEST REWARD.

Stephanie: THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

[MOTOR PINGING SOUND] THE NEXT GENERATION OF AUTO ARTISANS ARE RESTORING THIS 1953 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 S CABRIOLET.

IT WILL LOOK LIKE THIS WHEN IT'S COMPLETE.

THE AUTOMOTIVE RESTORATION PROGRAM SET A BOLD GOAL: BY 2023 IT WILL COMPETE AND WIN THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS.

GOOD LUCK!

* LIKE MANY AUTOMAKERS, MERCEDES-BENZ HAS A DETAILED STRATEGY FOR NEAR FUTURE ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

NOW, WE'RE SEEING A LITTLE MORE OF WHAT AN EV WRAPPED UP IN THEIR STYLE OF LUXURY WILL LOOK LIKE.

OUR SPY PHOTOGRAPHERS SPOTTED THIS CAMOUFLAGED MERCEDES-BENZ EQS.

WE EXPECT THIS FULLY-ELECTRIC LARGE LUXURY SEDAN TO GO UP AGAINST THE TESLA MODEL S. THE SMOOTH DESIGN BEGINS UPFRONT, AND SWEEPS DOWN THE SIDES WITH POP-UP DOOR HANDLES, AND BACK TO THE REAR TO A WELL-HIDDEN HATCHBACK.

THE LONG WHEEL BASE SHOULD PROVIDE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THE BATTERY.

NO OFFICIAL WORD ABOUT WHEN THIS 5-DOOR WILL HIT THE ROAD BUT WE THINK IT COULD BE AS EARLY AS 2021.

John: MOST CAR REPAIRS ARE ROUTINE, BUT UNUSUAL PROBLEMS CAN COME UP.

AND THAT'S WHERE PAT GOSS COMES TO THE RESCUE.

Pat Goss: THIS TIME, I GOT A COUPLE OF PROBLEMS THAT WELL, THEY'LL DRIVE YA NUTS TRYING TO FIND 'EM.

FIRST IS, CERTAIN FORD VEHICLES USE THIS LITTLE CRITTER RIGHT HERE...IT'S CALLED A "FUEL CONTROL MODULE" AND IT CONTROLS THE FUEL PUMP ON THESE VEHICLES.

NOW, ON THE PICKUP TRUCKS, THIS THING IS MOUNTED ON A CROSS MEMBER BACK BY THE SPARE TIRE, SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY ALMOST ABOVE THE SPARE TIRE.

SO, YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW IT'S THERE.

IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF A BAD FUEL PUMP, WHERE THE CAR DOESN'T START OR IT INTERMITTENTLY STALLS, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

MAKE SURE YOU FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE FUEL CONTROL MODULES AND IF THE VEHICLE DOES THEN PULL IT OFF, CHECK THE BACKSIDE OF IT FOR CORROSION SUCH AS WE SEE HERE.

THESE THINGS ARE MOUNTED DIRECTLY AGAINST THE CROSS MEMBER OR PARTS OF THE BODY, AND DIRT, AND SALT GET IN THERE, THEY HOLD MOISTURE, THEY CORRODE THE BACK OF IT AND EVENTUALLY IT FALLS APART, THE VEHICLE DOESN'T RUN.

ALRIGHT NOW, HERE'S A TRICK: YEARS AGO I FIGURED OUT THAT WE COULD PUT WASHERS ON THE BOLT, LONGER BOLTS IN THERE, SPACE IT OUT AWAY AND THEN THE DIRT DOESN'T BUILD UP BEHIND IT, THIS ONE IS FROM DORMAN PRODUCTS AND IT COMES WITH RUBBER SPACERS WITH IT.

SO, IF YOU HAVE TO REPLACE IT MAKE SURE YOU BUY ONE THAT HAS SPACERS OR SPACE IT OUT YOURSELF, SO THE PROBLEM DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

ALRIGHT...NEXT, LOTS OF CARS COME INTO MY SHOPS WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS AND ONE OF THE CODES THAT WE PULL IS, IF THE ENGINE IS TOO COLD.

WELL, EVERYBODY SEEMS TO THINK OF THERMOSTATS AS BEING RELATIVE TO ENGINES RUNNING TOO HOT, WELL THERE ARE LOTS THINGS THAT COULD CAUSE A THERMOSTAT TO GO BAD AND THE ENGINE RUN TOO COOL.

THINGS LIKE, HERE WE HAVE A SEAL OR GASKET THAT WENT BAD AND IT GOT TRAPPED BETWEEN THE MOVING PART OF THE THERMOSTAT AND THE SEAT ON THE THERMOSTAT HELD IT OPEN, ENGINE TOO COLD.

OVER HERE WE HAVE ONE WHERE THE DO-IT- YOURSELFER... WAS TIGHT SPACES IN THERE, THERE'S A LITTLE TRICK TO IT.

WELL, WHAT HE DID WAS BULL IT INTO PLACE, AND WHEN HE DID THAT HE BENT IT AND IT COULDN'T CLOSE.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT: TOO COLD.

ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND A LOT OF THESE AUTOMOBILES TODAY HAVE PLASTIC THERMOSTAT HOUSING MAKE SURE YOU DON'T USE THESE WORM DRIVE CLAMPS ON ANYTHING THAT'S PLASTIC BECAUSE THEY CAN CAUSE PRESSURE POINTS OVER TIME AND THAT CAN CAUSE HAIRLINE CRACKS AND YOU LOSE COOLANT VERY SLOWLY.

USE THE SPRING TYPE THAT COMES WITH THE CAR, THERE'S A REASON THE MANUFACTURES USE THOSE.

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

Greg Carloss: ANOTHER MONTH HAS PASSED WITH OUR LONG-TERM 2019 KIA NIRO PHEV.

BUT, IT WAS A BUSY ONE, WITH A QUICK TRIP TO THE MIDWEST ADDING ALMOST 3,000 MILES TO ITS ODO FOR A TOTAL OF JUST OVER 12,000 MILES.

AT THIS POINT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HOW THE NIRO PLUG-IN DRIVES.

WE'RE USED TO THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING FEEL AND HOW THE HYBRID SYSTEM REACTS IN MOST SITUATIONS.

NOW, WE'RE ALL FORMULATING STRATEGIES ON HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE ALL-ELECTRIC RANGE.

SOME LIKE TO USE IT ALL AT ONCE BY STAYING IN FULL EV, OTHERS LIKE TO SPREAD IT OUT A LITTLE BIT BY GOING IN AND OUT OF HYBRID MODE.

EITHER WAY, IT'S JUST NICE TO HAVE OPTIONS.

WITH SO MANY NEW HIGHWAY MILES, AS WELL AS WORKING ITS 1.6 LITER I4-BASED POWERTRAIN OVERTIME TO GET OVER WESTERN MARYLAND'S MOUNTAINS, FUEL ECONOMY HAS DROPPED.

STILL, OUR AVERAGE OF 56.4 MILES PER GALLON IS COMMENDABLE FOR ANY MODEL WITH SUCH A ROOMY INTERIOR.

WE JUST WISH THE GAS TANK HELD MORE THAN 11.4 GALLONS.

OUR YEAR-LONG TEST IS FAR FROM OVER, BUT ALREADY THE NIRO PHEV HAS PROVED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST PERFECTLY PRACTICAL SMALL CARS WE'VE DRIVEN.

JUST ARRIVING ON OUR LOT IS THIS 2019 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN.

STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES ON THIS "FAR-MORE-THAN-COMPETENT" COMPACT UTE IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.

NEXT UP, IT'S A SEDAN CHECKUP, OF OUR MAZDA6 AND HONDA INSIGHT, ON THE NEXT MOTORWEEK LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE!

John: THE AUTO INDUSTRY IS ALWAYS IN FAST FORWARD.

TO HELP US KEEP UP HERE'S LAUREN MORRISON WITH THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS.

Lauren Morrison: AS VEHICLES ARE BECOMING MORE AUTOMATED, THERE APPEARS TO BE A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT DO.

THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY LOOKED AT HOW DRIVERS PERCEIVE CURRENT SEMI-AUTONOMOUS DRIVING AIDS.

IIHS FOUND THE SYSTEM "NAMES" EASILY MISLEAD DRIVERS INTO THINKING THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD.

TODAY, AUTONOMOUS DRIVING IS AT LEVEL 1 OR 2 OUT OF 5.

SO, SYSTEMS CAN PERFORM ONE OR MORE DRIVING TASKS UNDER SUPERVISION OF THE DRIVER.

TAKING HANDS OFF THE STEERING WHEEL AND TALKING ON A CELL PHONE WERE THE TOP TWO THINGS THOSE ASKED SAID, THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD DO WHILE A LEVEL 2 SYSTEM WAS OPERATING.

MOST ALARMING, DEPENDING ON THE SYSTEM'S NAME, BETWEEN THREE AND SIX PERCENT OF THOSE ASKED, THOUGHT THEY COULD TAKE A NAP WHILE USING A SEMI-AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM.

ANOTHER IIHS STUDY FOUND MANY DRIVERS ARE NOT AWARE OF WHEN THE SYSTEMS ARE NOT OPERATING, LIKE DURING LANE CENTERING.

RESEARCHERS SAY DRIVERS BADLY NEED MORE HANDS-ON TRAINING.

WHEN IT COMES TO NEW CAR SATISFACTION, AUTOMAKERS ARE MAKING THEIR CUSTOMERS HAPPIER THAN EVER.

A J.D.

POWER STUDY FINDS THE APPEAL OF NEW VEHICLES IS UP FOR THE 5TH YEAR IN A ROW.

POWER'S 2019 AUTOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE, EXECUTION, AND LAYOUT, OR APEAL SURVEY, FOUND BETTER INFOTAINMENT SYSTEMS AND THE AVAILABILITY OF ADVANCED DRIVER AIDS ARE THE TWO AREAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BIGGEST GAINS.

AMONG ALL CARS, THE AUDI A7 SCORED THE HIGHEST.

PORSCHE WAS THE TOP OVERALL BRAND, RAM TOPS THE LIST AMONG MASS MARKET BRANDS, AND FORD WON THE MOST VEHICLE SEGMENTS.

ONE REASON THIS IS IMPORTANT IS THAT AMERICANS ARE HOLDING ON TO WHAT THEY DRIVE LONGER THAN EVER, NOW AN AVERAGE OF 11.8 YEARS.

RESEARCH BY IHS MARKET LIMITED POINTS TO TWO REASONS: BETTER TECHNOLOGY AND IMPROVING VEHICLE QUALITY.

THEY SAY, MONTANA DRIVERS OWN THE OLDEST LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES, 16-AND-A-HALF-YEARS ON AVERAGE, WHILE OWNERS IN VERMONT TRADE-IN THE QUICKEST, RIGHT AROUND 10-YEARS.

WHO KNOWS, MAYBE ITS ALL THAT ROAD SALT THEY USE IN WINTER.

AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS.

John: WELL, IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING.

AFTER YEARS OF SPY SHOTS, CONCEPTS, AND TEST MULES; THE JEEP GLADIATOR PICKUP TRUCK IS FINALLY A LIVING, BREATHING, ALL-TERRAIN THING.

AND BEST NEWS OF ALL, FCA DIDN'T FOOL AROUND BY SIMPLY SLAPPING A BED ON A FOUR-DOOR WRANGLER.

THEY'VE BUILT THE MOST CAPABLE MIDSIZE TRUCK EVER!

* John: WE OFTEN HEAR FOLKS LAMENTING HOW LITTLE THE JEEP WRANGLER HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS.

WELL, WE WOULD STRONGLY DISAGREE.

SURE, IT STILL MOSTLY LOOKS THE SAME, BUT IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT THE ONLY WRANGLER YOU COULD GET WAS A 2-DOOR.

NOW THE 4-DOOR UNLIMITED MAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF WRANGLER SALES.

AND THIS 2020 JEEP GLADIATOR MID-SIZE PICKUP CLEARLY SIGNALS THAT BUSINESS AS USUAL HAS COME TO AN END FOR GOOD.

DON'T THINK OF THE GLADIATOR SO MUCH AS A WRANGLER UNLIMITED WITH AN OPEN BED TACKED ONTO THE BACK; THINK OF IT MORE AS A JEEP VERSION OF THE RAM 1500.

FCA DID START WITH THE WRANGLER FRAME AND CAB, WITH MOSTLY THE SAME FRONT SUSPENSION FASTENED TO IT.

BUT THEN, THEY LENGTHENED THAT FRAME, WHEELBASE IS UP 19.4 INCHES, AND BOLTED MUCH OF THE RAM 1500s SUSPENSION UNDER ITS 5-FOOT BED.

THE RESULT IS A SMOOTH RIDING TRUCK THAT CAN TOW 7,650 POUNDS.

OR HAUL 1,600 POUNDS OF PAYLOAD.

THAT'S TOPS FOR A MIDSIZE TRUCK.

AND ONCE YOU'RE DONE BLOWING THE DOORS OFF OF THE COMPETITION; DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN ACTUALLY REMOVE THE DOORS ON THIS ONE.

NO OTHER TRUCK, REGARDLESS OF SIZE OFFERS THAT.

MUCH LIKE THE JEEP GLADIATOR AUTO SHOW CONCEPT THAT WAS SHOWN WAY BACK IN 2005, THE FRONT END OF THE 2020 EDITION CLEARLY SAYS WRANGLER.

BUT THE GRILLE SLOTS ARE WIDER TO ALLOW FOR BETTER ENGINE COOLING.

BED DEPTH IS SHALLOW ENOUGH THAT, UNLIKE MOST TRUCKS THESE DAYS, YOU CAN ACTUALLY REACH OVER THE SIDE TO GRAB STUFF.

[ENGINE STARTS UP] UNDER THE HOOD IS THE SAME 3.6 LITER PENTASTAR V6 FOUND IN THE WRANGLER, WITH THE IDENTICAL 285 HORSEPOWER AND 260 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

TRUE TO FORM, A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANS IS STANDARD.

YOU'LL PAY 2-GRAND MORE FOR THE 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC.

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE IS STANDARD, WITH THREE TRIM LEVELS AT LAUNCH: BASE SPORT, THE OVERLAND, AND OF COURSE...A RUBICON.

THE RUBICON GETS THE UPGRADED ROCK-TRAC 4X4 SYSTEM WITH DISCONNECTING FRONT SWAY BAR, LOCKING DIFFS, AND 4:1 LOW GEAR RATIO.

STANDARD TIRES ARE 33s, AND YOU CAN GET EITHER ALL-TERRAINS OR MUD TERRAINS.

35's WILL FIT WITHOUT ANY MODIFICATIONS, AND JEEP EVEN ALLOWED ROOM FOR A 35 INCH SPARE TIRE.

OUR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DRIVE TIME, COINCIDED WITH THE HIGH AMOUNTS OF RAIN THE AREA HAS BEEN GETTING THIS SPRING.

SO, WHAT WAS A WELL-PREPARED OFF-ROAD COURSE, TURNED INTO A SLOPPY MESS OF MUD AND ROCKS; BUT ALL THE BETTER AS FAR AS THE RUBICON WAS CONCERNED.

NO MATTER WHAT WE ENCOUNTERED, PLANNED OR OTHERWISE, WAS A MATCH FOR THE RUBICON'S 11.1 INCHES OF GROUND CLEARANCE, 84.2:1 CRAWL RATIO, AND ROCK RAILS WHICH THEY'VE EXTENDED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE END OF THE BED.

FURTHER PROOF THAT THEY THOUGHT OF JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING; SINCE YOU CAN REMOVE ALL OF THE THREE AVAILABLE ROOFS AS WELL AS THE DOORS, THERE'S A PLACE TO STORE ALL OF THE BOLTS WHEN YOU REMOVE BODYWORK, A LOCKABLE UNDERFLOOR STORAGE BIN WITH MULTIPLE DIVIDERS, AND THE SEATBACKS THEMSELVES LOCK INTO PLACE, SO YOU CAN EVEN PROTECT VALUABLES THAT YOU STASH BEHIND THEM.

REAR SEAT SPACE IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE WRANGLER UNLIMITED, WHICH IS TO SAY BETTER THAN MOST MIDSIZE CREW CABS, BUT IT'S STILL NOT THE EASIEST TO GET INTO.

UP FRONT, SEATS ARE VERY COMFORTABLE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS A MIX OF NEW WRANGLER WITH OLD CJ FLAIR.

ALL MATERIALS ARE AUTHENTIC, MEANING IF IT LOOKS LIKE METAL WITH REAL BOLTS, IT IS, NOT MOLDED PLASTIC.

U-CONNECT FOR INFOTAINMENT OF COURSE, WITH THE USUAL GOODIES PLUS ADDED OFF-ROAD DISPLAYS.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 16-CITY, 23-HIGHWAY, AND 19-COMBINED FOR THE MANUAL; 17-CITY 22-HIGHWAY, AND 19-COMBINED FOR AUTOMATIC.

ALL GLADIATORS ARE 4-DOORS WITH ONLY ONE BED LENGTH; PRICING STARTS AT $35,040, THE OVERLAND FOR $41,890, AND RUBICON FOR $45,040.

BIG SPENDING EARLY ADOPTERS CAN ORDER ONE OF 4,190 LAUNCH EDITIONS, WHICH ARE FULLY LOADED RUBICONS WITH SOME UNIQUE EXTRAS FOR $62,310.

SO, WHILE IT SEEMS LIKE IT TOOK FOREVER FOR THE 2020 JEEP GLADIATOR TO BECOME A REALITY; FCA DIDN'T WANT TO JUST SHOW UP AT THE RESURGING MIDSIZE TRUCK PARTY WITH A HASTILY-ASSEMBLED WRANGLER PICKUP.

THEY WANTED TO INTRODUCE THE MOST CAPABLE MIDSIZE PICKUP TRUCK THAT MONEY CAN BUY.

AND THAT'S HOW THE GLADIATOR ROLLS.

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 KIA UPDATES THEIR FLAGSHIP SALOON, THE K900.

AND IT'S MORE STYLE AND SUBSTANCE FOR THE RANGE ROVER EVOQUE.

PAT GOSS SHOWS US HOW TO MAKE THE INSIDE OF OUR CARS LOOK LIKE NEW AGAIN.

WE GET A DOUBLE DOSE FROM TWO WHEELIN BRIAN ROBINSON.

PLUS, A BRAND NEW QUICKSPIN.

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

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