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

JOIN US FOR AN ENTRY LEVEL AMG THAT PACKS A FURIOUS UPSCALE PUNCH... PAT GOSS SHOWS US THAT EVs NEED ROUTINE CAR CARE TOO... BRIAN ROBINSON TWISTS THE THROTTLE ON AN IMPRESSIVE MIDDLEWEIGHT FROM HONDA... AND WE TURBO DIESEL POWER OUR WAY FORWARD IN THE CHEVROLET SILVERADO DURAMAX...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

* Announcer: MOTORWEEK , 40 YEARS, STEERING YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... 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: NOW THAT THERE'S A NEW A-CLASS SEDAN IN THE MERCEDES BENZ LINEUP, THE CLA 4-DOOR COUPE HAS MORE ROOM TO STRETCH ITS LEGS, NO LONGER HAVING TO BEAR THAT ENTRY-LEVEL LABEL.

SO, WHAT BETTER VEHICLE TO LEAD THE CHARGE AS A NEW WAY INTO THE WORLD OF AMG PERFORMANCE!

* SO YES, THE CLA ITSELF IS NO LONGER THE BOTTOM STEP FOR THE MERCEDES-BENZ BRAND, BUT THIS 2020 MERCEDES-AMG CLA 35 IS FILLING THAT ROLE AS THE NEW GATEWAY INTO THE AMG FRATERNITY.

THE STANDARD CLA'S 221 HORSEPOWER 2.0 LITER TURBO GETS A SIGNIFICANT BOOST TO 302 HORSEPOWER AND 295 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

IT FEELS MEGA-POWERFUL, AND PUTS YOU IN A GREAT MOOD AS SOON AS YOU HIT THE START BUTTON.

TRANSMISSION IS THE SAME 7-SPEED DCT, BUT WITH REVISED GEARING TO AMG SPECS, AND RACE START FUNCTION ADDED.

REGARDLESS OF DRIVING MODE, IF YOU WANT MANUAL CONTROL AT ANY TIME, JUST GRAB ONE OF THE SHIFT PADDLES BEHIND THE WHEEL.

WHILE, FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE BASED, 4MATIC ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE IS STANDARD, BUT CAN ONLY SEND 50% OF POWER TO THE REAR.

THE CLA IS NOT REALLY A SMALL CAR, WITH ITS 107.4 INCH WHEELBASE AND 184.4 INCHES OF OVERALL LENGTH, MUCH CLOSER TO COMPACT C-CLASS THAN SUBCOMPACT A-CLASS.

THIS GENERATION'S WHEELS ARE SET APART 2.0 INCHES WIDER THAN PREVIOUS, MAKING FOR A MUCH MORE STABLE PLATFORM; WHILE AMG ADDS TO THAT, STRUCTURAL REINFORCEMENTS, ALUMINUM SUSPENSION BITS, UPGRADED STEERING PARTS, AND SILVER-PAINTED BRAKE CALIPERS.

YOU'LL ALSO GET A POWER DOME HOOD, EXTENDED WHEEL ARCHES, AND AMG-SPECIFIC FRONT FASCIA WITH TWIN-LOUVRE GRILLE.

EIGHTEEN-INCH WHEELS ARE STANDARD, WITH 19s OPTIONAL; WHILE IN BACK, THERE'S A NEW BUMPER WITH DIFFUSER-LIKE INSERT, AND A SMALL SPOILER LIP ON THE DECK LID.

INSIDE, THERE'S NOT QUITE THE STANDARD SET BY CURRENT MERCEDES SMALL SUVs BUT THE CLA IS A CLEAR STEP UP FROM THE A-CLASS SEDAN.

AMG ADDITIONS INCLUDE UNIQUE SCREENS FOR THE DIGITAL GAUGE CLUSTER AND MULTI-FUNCTION STEERING WHEEL THAT BOTH FEELS GREAT TO THE HANDS, AND FEATURES COMPREHENSIVE CONTROLS WITHOUT LOOKING CLUTTERED OR BEING CONFUSING TO OPERATE.

THE CLA 35 ALSO GETS THE LARGER 10 TOUCHSCREEN, AND WHILE THAT'S NOT AS BIG AS SOME OF THE HUGE TABLETS AVAILABLE THESE DAYS, WE NEVER FOUND OURSELVES DRIVING AROUND WISHING FOR A LARGER SCREEN.

LOTS OF MB-TEX AND MICROFIBER MATERIALS THROUGHOUT THE CABIN, AS WELL AS COLOR STITCHING AND SEAT BELTS.

SEATS ARE MORE RACE-INSPIRED THAN TRUE RACE SEATS.

STILL, SUPPORT IS GREAT WITHOUT EXCESSIVE SIDE BOLSTERING.

IT CERTAINLY FEELS MORE LIKE A DRIVER'S CAR THAN BEFORE, STABLE AND PURPOSEFUL, WITH NO FLABBINESS WHATSOEVER.

DIAL UP SPORT + MODE FOR THE ACTIVE SUSPENSION, FIND SOME CURVES, AND YOU'LL BE EVEN MORE IMPRESSED WITH ITS ABILITY TO STAY SMOOTH, YET, BE VERY RESPONSIVE.

AT THE TRACK, IT WAS REALLY QUICK THROUGH OUR CONE COURSE; EXCELLENT BODY CONTROL WITH A TENDENCY TO OVERSTEER, BUT WITH SUCH HIGH LEVELS OF GRIP THAT IT WAS ALMOST A MOOT POINT.

IT WAS EASY TO KEEP MOMENTUM WITH QUICK STEERING AND GOOD AMOUNTS OF FEEDBACK.

IT FELT SMALLER THAN IT IS, RESPONDING WELL TO JUST TOSSING IT INTO CORNERS LIKE A HOT HATCHBACK.

AS IN OTHER AMG PRODUCTS, AMG DYNAMICS INTEGRATES INTO THE DRIVE MODES, PROVIDING AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE DRIVING ASSISTANCE AS YOU WANT, WITH SELECTIVE BRAKING.

BUT THE REAL STAR OF THIS SHOW IS UNDER THE HOOD.

THE 2.0 LITER TURBO LAUNCHES THIS CAR HARD, WHETHER YOU USE RACE START OR NOT.

WE HIT 60 IN 4.9 SECONDS.

THE TRANSMISSION RATTLES OFF FAST AND FIRM SHIFTS, AND THE ENGINE HAS A NICE SNARL TO IT AS IT REVS.

QUARTER-MILE COMPLETED IN 13.4 SECONDS AT 107 MILES PER HOUR.

WITH A 111 FOOT AVERAGE STOPPING DISTANCE FROM 60, THE BRAKES OFFERED PLENTY OF STOPPING POWER, WITH BOTH GOOD FEEL AND GREAT STABILITY.

AWAY FROM THE TRACK, SPORT + MODE IS NOT TOO HARSH TO LIVE WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT THE HYPER NATURE OF THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION CAN BE A LITTLE MUCH TO DEAL WITH WHEN YOU JUST WANT TO CHILL OUT AND RELAX DURING YOUR COMMUTE.

AND THAT'S WHERE COMFORT MODE COMES IN, DELIVERING THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE WE'VE COME TO EXPECT FROM MERCEDES-BENZ REGARDLESS OF SIZE.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 23-CITY, 29-HIGHWAY, AND 25-COMBINED.

WE AVERAGED A GOOD 26.9 MILES PER GALLON ON PREMIUM.

FOR AN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE, BURNING 13.2 BARRELS OF OIL AND EMITTING 5.8 TONS OF CO2 YEARLY.

CLA 35 BASE PRICING IS $47,895, WHICH IS ABOUT 10-GRAND OVER A BASE CLA 250 AND ABOUT 10-GRAND UNDER TOP DOG AMG 45; SO, NOT NECESSARILY A PERFORMANCE BARGAIN, BUT A LOT OF FAST CAR FOR THE MONEY.

WITH AMG BECOMING MORE AND MORE ACCESSIBLE, IT'S FAIR TO QUESTION WHETHER THAT HAS ALSO MADE THEM LESS SPECIAL.

WE THINK THIS 2020 MERCEDES-AMG CLA 35 IS ENTRY-LEVEL DONE RIGHT; A GREAT SPORT SEDAN; EVEN THOUGH THEY CALL IT A 4-DOOR COUPE; WITH A SPECTACULAR ENGINE, THAT WILL SURELY HAVE NEW AMG FANS COMING BACK FOR MORE.

* * Bear: UH, YEAH.

THIS THING IS PRETTY GOOD FOR A YA KNOW, LIKE LIGHT OFF ROAD.

YOU DON'T WANT TO DO TOO MUCH HARD CORE STUFF, MAYBE FIRE ROADS, YA KNOW, SOME NICE DRY TRAILS; STAY OUT OF THE MUD.

THE TIRES ARE PRETTY AGGRESSIVE AND IT DOES PRETTY GOOD.

I USE IT ON A DAILY BASIS.

John: GETTING A MIDDLEWEIGHT MOTORCYCLE RIGHT IS TOUGH.

IT NEEDS TO APPEAL TO NEWER RIDERS, YET ALSO, OFFER ENOUGH PERFORMANCE TO SATISFY EXPERIENCED ONES.

WELL, OUR TWO WHEELING GUY BRIAN ROBINSON FILLS US IN ON HOW HONDA'S CB 650 R WALKS THAT TIGHTROPE.

* Brian Robinson: WELL, THE BAD NEWS IS, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A SWEET STRIPPED DOWN MIDDLEWEIGHT PERFORMANCE MACHINE FROM HONDA, THE CB 650 F IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS IT'S BEEN REPLACED BY THIS EVEN SWEETER CB 650 R. * AND, WE ALL KNOW THAT R STANDS FOR RACE, WHICH IMMEDIATELY MAKES THIS 2020 HONDA CB 650 R THAT MUCH COOLER.

BUT THE TRANSFORMATION HERE IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A LETTER CHANGE; THE SUSPENSION HAS BEEN UPGRADED, WITH AN INVERTED 41 MM SHOWA FORK NOW STABILIZING THE FRONT END, JOINING THE SINGLE REAR SHOWA SHOCK.

THE ATTACHED BRAKES ARE NEW AS WELL; FLOATING ROTORS WITH 4-PISTON CALIPERS, ABS IS NOW STANDARD.

THE 17 INCH WHEELS ARE ALSO NEW; 120/70s UP FRONT, 180/55s IN REAR.

THE STEEL FRAME ITSELF HAS ALSO BEEN REVISED, MOSTLY TO SHAVE WEIGHT; PART OF AN OVERALL 11.6 POUNDS WEIGHT LOSS PLAN THE CB 650 R HAS GONE THROUGH.

THERE'S A FULL LCD DIGITAL GAUGE ARRAY; INFO IS FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE AND IT REMAINS EASY TO READ EVEN IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT.

NOW, GETTING TO THE REALLY GOOD STUFF, THE INLINE 649 CC LIQUID-COOLED 4-CYLINDER ENGINE GETS A MAKEOVER AS WELL.

BOTH INTAKE AND EXHAUST HAVE BEEN REVISED, WITH NEW CAM TIMING, AND AN 11.6:1 COMPRESSION RATIO TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

IT ALSO, REVS HIGHER THAN BEFORE, CLOSE TO 13,000 RPM.

HONDA DOESN'T RELEASE HORSEPOWER NUMBERS, BUT IT'S SAFE TO SAY, YOU'RE GETTING MORE THAN 80 AT THE REAR WHEEL.

THERE'S A 6-SPEED TRANSMISSION NATURALLY, WITH AN ASSIST/SLIPPER CLUTCH TO SMOOTH OUT DOWNSHIFTS.

NOW, IF YOU'RE THE KIND OF RIDER THAT LIKES TO SHORT SHIFT YOUR WAY THROUGH LIFE, YOU'LL NEVER GET A GRASP OF WHAT THIS MACHINE IS TRULY CAPABLE OF; AS WHILE THIS INLINE-4 FEELS ADEQUATELY TORQUEY OFF THE LINE, IT DOESN'T REALLY SHOW WHAT'S IT'S GOT UNTIL THE VIRTUAL DIAL PASSES 6,000 RPM OR SO.

THINGS CAN GET A LITTLE BUZZY THROUGH THE BARS ONCE YOU GET UP THERE, BUT YOU'RE HAVING SUCH A BLAST DOING IT, BACKING OFF NEVER REALLY FEELS LIKE A NECESSARY OPTION.

THE BIKE ITSELF FEELS VERY LIGHTWEIGHT, WITH A RIDING POSITION THAT IS SPORTIER THAN MOST STANDARDS, BUT STOPS WELL SHORT OF BEING PAIN INDUCING OR LIMITING RIDE TIME.

SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENTS ARE MINIMAL, BUT IT SEEMED TO SOAK UP ALL BUT THE HARSHEST PAVEMENT IMPERFECTIONS RELATIVELY EASILY.

THE ABS IS STANDARD FOR 2020, AND NOT ONLY ELIMINATES WHEEL LOCK-UP ON HARD BRAKING, BUT INCLUDES HONDA'S SELECTABLE TORQUE CONTROL REDUCING REAR-WHEEL SLIP.

AS FOR THE ALL-IMPORTANT LOOKS, THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF FINISHES: PAINTED, POLISHED, BLACKENED, BURNISHED BRONZED, CHROMED, YOU NAME IT; ALONG WITH A CHISELED 4.1 GALLON GAS TANK AND AN EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT IS TRULY A WORK OF ART.

ALL WITHOUT THE OVERACHIEVING SCI-FI LOOK OF MANY SPORTY STANDARDS IN THE MARKET TODAY; NOTHING CRAZY HERE, JUST A WELL-DESIGNED MODERN-LOOKING MOTORCYCLE.

ALL LIGHTS ARE LED'S.

SWITCHGEAR IS TYPICAL HONDA, MIRRORS ARE OUT WIDE ENOUGH TO BE VERY USEFUL, AND THERE'S EVEN A LITTLE STORAGE SPACE UNDER THE TWO-PIECE SEAT.

HONDA KEEPS IT SIMPLE, JUST ONE NEO-SPORTS CAF CLASSICALLY-STYLED CB 650 R TO CHOOSE FROM IN CHROMOSPHERE RED FOR $9,199.

FOR THAT, YOU GET JUST ABOUT THE PERFECT MIDDLEWEIGHT MOTORCYCLE.

THE 2020 HONDA CB 650 R IS COOL TO LOOK AT, AND FUN TO RIDE, WITH A SERIOUS PERFORMANCE PUNCH THAT SHOULD KEEP YOU SATISFIED FOR A LONG TIME.

MIDDLEWEIGHT MAGIC; THE R HAS IT!

John: ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF AN EV IS SUPPOSED TO BE LESS MAINTENANCE.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY ARE CAR CARE FREE.

LET'S GET MORE DETAILS FROM PAT DOWN AT GOSS' GARAGE.

* Pat Goss: HERE'S SOMETHING WE DON'T SEE NEARLY ENOUGH OF, AND THAT'S AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE ON A LIFT, IN A SERVICE SHOP.

NOW, WHY IS IT THAT WE DON'T SEE THEM?

WELL, BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE WHO OWN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE SEEM TO THINK THAT ZERO EMISSIONS MEANS ZERO MAINTENANCE.

WELL, THAT'S TRUE FOR CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CAR, NOT IN ALL PARTS OF THE CAR.

SO, WHAT DO WE HAVE?

WELL, WE DON'T HAVE AN ENGINE, SO WE DON'T HAVE OIL CHANGES AND FILTERS, AND ALL OF THAT STUFF.

WE DON'T HAVE A FUEL TANK, WE DON'T PUT GASOLINE IN THEM.

AND WE DON'T HAVE A TRANSMISSION IN MOST OF THEM, SO WE DON'T HAVE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND SO ON.

BUT WHY DO THEY HAVE TO GO TO A REPAIR SHOP?

WELL, MOST OF THEM HAVE COOLING SYSTEMS FOR THE BATTERIES.

THEY HAVE ALL OF THE SAME MECHANICAL THINGS UNDERNEATH.

THINGS LIKE, CONTROL ARMS FOR THE STEERING, THE STEERING RACK, THE AXLES FOR THE DRIVE WHEELS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, ALL OF THESE THINGS SHOULD BE CHECKED ON A REGULAR BASIS.

NOW ADDITIONALLY, IT SHOULD GO INTO THE SHOP EVERY 7500 MILES OR SO TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED, SO THAT YOU GET THE BEST WEAR OUT OF THE TIRES.

AND AT THE SAME TIME JUST LIKE ON AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION CAR, WHAT THE TECHNICIAN SHOULD BE DOING IS GOING OVER ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS.

THE SUSPENSION, THE BRAKES, A BATTERY TEST, NOT THE ELECTRIC BATTERY BUT THE BATTERY THAT OPERATES THE RADIO AND ALL OF THESE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT ARE 12 VOLT ON THE CAR.

SO, THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE A ROUTINE FOR ANY ELECTRIC VEHICLE JUST LIKE IT IS FOR A GAS POWERED VEHICLE.

SO, THE OTHER THING IS, IF YOU ARE A DO-IT-YOURSELFER, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND AGAINST DOING MUCH OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN TIRE ROTATIONS AND MAYBE CHECKING THE BRAKES OR SOMETHING.

DO NOT GET NEAR THE ORANGE WIRES.

THEY CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.

SO, DO A LITTLE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON YOUR EV AND YOU'LL GET A LOT BETTER SERVICE LIFE OUT OF IT.

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

John: OUR MOTORWEEK 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAR OF THE WEEK IS THIS DELOREAN DOPPELGANGER 1988 VOLKSWAGEN SCIROCCO 16V.

JEREMY TERHAR FROM TACOMA, WASHINGTON LOVES THE FUN DRIVE AND THE REACTIONS HE GETS WHEN HE TAKES IT OUT FOR A SPIN.

SUBMIT PHOTOS OF YOUR SPECIAL RIDE FOR CAR OF THE WEEK CONSIDERATION TO MOTORWEEK@PBS.ORG.

TIME NOW FOR SOMETHING NEW WITH A FRESH BATCH OF QUICKSPINS!

* Jessica Ray: WHILE, THE BMW 4-SERIES IS ONLY ENTERING ITS SECOND GENERATION, IT SPENT THE BULK OF ITS EARLY DAYS KNOWN AS "THE 3-SERIES COUPE;" YOU KNOW, THE CAR THAT MANY EPIC M3s WERE BASED ON.

SO, DESPITE THE QUESTIONABLE NAME CHANGE, AN ALL-NEW ONE IS STILL A BIG DEAL.

AS YOU CAN EXPECT, A NEW GENERATION BRINGS MORE POWER AND BETTER PERFORMANCE; AS WELL AS PLENTY OF SAFETY AND TECH UPGRADES.

MOST OF THEM COURTESY OF THE 3-SERIES SEDAN WHICH WAS REDESIGNED FOR 2019.

Greg Carloss: BY COMPARISON, THE 4-SERIES IS LONGER, LOWER, AND WIDER THAN THE 3-SERIES, BUT IT SHARES THE SAME 112 INCH WHEELBASE.

AND BY NOW, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD OF THE ENLARGED KIDNEY GRILLE DESIGN OF THE 4-SERIES.

AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO, BUT WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO DO SO CONSIDERING IT IS THE NEW FACE OF BMW.

Jessica: TWO VERSIONS AVAILABLE AT LAUNCH; 430I, IN REAR OR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE, AND M440I XDRIVE WHICH COMES ONLY WITH ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE.

THE 430 GETS DOWN THE ROAD WITH A 2.0 LITER TURBO-4 OUTPUTTING 255 HORSEPOWER, WHICH IS SEVEN MORE THAN CURRENTLY.

TORQUE INCREASE IS MORE SUBSTANTIAL, UP 36 POUND-FEET TO 294.

THE M440 GETS AN INLINE-6 OF COURSE, WITH A TURBO AIDED OUTPUT OF 382 HORSEPOWER, UP 62; AND AN ADDITIONAL 39 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE FOR A TOTAL OF 369.

BOTH WORK WITH AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION; THE M440 GETTING A 48 VOLT MILD HYBRID SYSTEM ADDED INTO THE MIX AS WELL.

Brian: YOU DO GET A SLIGHT BOOST IN PERFORMANCE FROM THE 48-VOLT STARTER GENERATOR BUT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM IS TO STORE ENERGY TO RUN THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND TAKE THAT LOAD OFF OF THE ENGINE, GIVING IT BETTER OVERALL PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS PROVIDING FOR A SMOOTHER AUTO START-STOP FUNCTION.

Jessica: EVERYTHING REMAINS DRIVER FOCUSED AND FAIRLY FAMILIAR INSIDE, WITH UNIQUE FRONT SEATS AND STEERING WHEEL.

AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE MANY M SPORT OPTIONS TO INCREASE STYLE OR PERFORMANCE INCREMENTALLY.

THE 2021 BMW 4-SERIES COUPE WILL ARRIVE STATESIDE THIS FALL, WITH PRICES STARTING AROUND $50,000.

IT SEEMED LIKE THIS VEHICLE WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, BUT IT FINALLY HAS...

IT'S THE 2021 DODGE DURANGO SRT HELLCAT.

YES, FCA HAS SHOEHORNED THEIR EPIC 6.2 LITER SUPERCHARGED V8 ENGINE INTO JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT A DURANGO...UNTIL NOW... ...710 HORSEPOWER, 645 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, AND WITH AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE DURANGO HELLCAT HITS 60 IN 3.5 SECONDS; AND DESTROYS THE QUARTER-MILE IN 11.5.

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT LIKE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE GOING FAST, IT'S 1.5 SECONDS QUICKER THAN THE SRT 392 AROUND DODGE'S 2.1 MILE ROAD COURSE TEST TRACK.

[ENGINE REVS] Greg: CLEARLY, GETTING UP TO SPEED WILL NOT BE AN ISSUE IN THE DURANGO HELLCAT, AND LIKE IN THE JEEP TRACKHAWK, IT'LL BE EASY TO FORGET ABOUT ALL THAT MASS MOVING WITH YOU.

LUCKILY, THE DURANGO IS FITTED WITH 6-PISTON BREMBO BRAKES AND NEARLY 16 INCH ROTORS UP FRONT.

WHICH SHOULD BE PLENTY OF WHOA FOR ALL THAT GO.

Jessica: DURANGO NEWS IS NOT ALL HORSEPOWER AND HIJINKS EITHER.

ALL '21 DURANGO'S WILL GET A NEW INTERIOR THAT'S A LOT CLOSER TO THE CHALLENGER IN LOOK AND FEEL.

AND AN UPGRADED EXTERIOR, WITH CHARGER WIDEBODY INSPIRED DESIGN CUES, AS WELL AS NEW TRIM AND WHEEL OPTIONS.

THE 2021 DODGE DURANGO SRT HELLCAT IS A ONE-YEAR ONLY DEAL; SO IF THIS IS YOUR KIND OF UTILITY INSANITY, BETTER PONY UP THE BUCKS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THOUGH FCA HASN'T GIVEN SPECIFICS ON HOW MUCH JUST YET.

WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THE 2021 DODGE DURANGO SRT HELLCAT SOON.

UNTIL THEN, STAY SAFE AND KEEP IT LOCKED ON MOTORWEEK .

John: AS LONG AS YOU'VE GOT SOME HEALTHY NUMBERS IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO BUY A FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK.

LOW GAS PRICES AND FIERCE COMPETITION HAVE PUSHED CAPABILITY, TECHNOLOGY, AND EVEN COMFORT, TO NEVER BEFORE SEEN LEVELS.

WELL NOW, IT'S THE TURN OF THE CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 TO CRANK THINGS UP A BIT, WITH A NEW DURAMAX DIESEL.

* WHILE, THERE HAVE BEEN CHEVROLET TRUCKS ON THE ROAD FOR OVER 100 YEARS, THE SILVERADO AS A NAMEPLATE, IS A RELATIVE NEWCOMER, HAVING ARRIVED ON THE SCENE FOR THE 1999 MODEL YEAR.

ALREADY INTO ITS 4TH GENERATION, WHICH BEGAN LAST YEAR, THE 2020 SILVERADO 1500 IS NOW AVAILABLE WITH A FIRST TIME DURAMAX DIESEL ENGINE.

THE DURAMAX NAME IS WELL KNOWN OF COURSE, HAVING MORE THAN ITS SHARE OF FANS.

BUT, RATHER THAN THE TURBO V8 IN THEIR HEAVY-DUTY TRUCKS, OR THE BOOSTED 4-BANGER IN THE COLORADO, THE SILVERADO'S DURAMAX IS A 3.0 LITER INLINE-6 TURBO, ALL-ALUMINUM, DUAL-OVERHEAD CAM MINI-MONSTER, OUTPUTTING 277 HORSEPOWER AND 460 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

IT COMES EXCLUSIVELY WITH GM'S 10-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION; AND IS AVAILABLE IN LT, RST, LTZ, AND HIGH COUNTRY SILVERADO'S IN REAR OR 4-WHEEL-DRIVE.

RAM AND FORD ALSO OFFER 3.0 LITER TURBO DIESELS, BUT IN V6 FORMAT.

THE F-150 HAS LESS TORQUE AT 440 POUND-FEET, AND TOWS 11,500 POUNDS.

THE RAM BOASTS THE BEST NUMBERS WITH 480 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE AND A TOW RATING OF 12,560 POUNDS.

THE SILVERADO DURAMAX TOWS JUST 9,300 POUNDS, WHICH IS CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN BOTH GASOLINE V8s THAT CHEVY OFFERS.

BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS HOW MUCH YOU TOW, BUT HOW YOU TOW IT.

THE DURAMAX'S EXHAUST BRAKE AND TURBO-AIDED POWER DELIVERY PROVIDES A BETTER OVERALL TOWING EXPERIENCE, AND YOU CAN'T BEAT THE FUEL ECONOMY.

UNMATCHED BY RIVALS, GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS FOR A 4X4 DURAMAX ARE 23-CITY, 29-HIGHWAY, AND 25-COMBINED.

WE AVERAGED A GREAT 26.3 MILES PER GALLON OF DIESEL.

THAT'S AN ENERGY IMPACT SCORE ONLY SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN AVERAGE, WITH 15.3 BARRELS OF OIL CONSUMED, AND 6.7 TONS OF CO2 EMITTED ANNUALLY.

NOW, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME CHEVROLET HAS OFFERED A DIESEL IN THEIR LIGHT DUTY FULL-SIZE PICKUP, AS IT WAS AN OPTION IN C/Ks THROUGHOUT THE 1980s AND '90s, BUT THIS IS A FIRST FOR THE SILVERADO 1500, AND FIRST FOR AN INLINE-6.

GM KNOWS THAT DIESELS AREN'T FOR EVERYONE, THAT'S WHY IT'S JUST ONE OF FIVE ENGINE CHOICES; TWO V8s, TWO 6s, AND EVEN A TURBO-4.

AND, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN A DIESEL-POWERED VEHICLE SINCE THE '80s, YOU'RE IN FOR A REAL TREAT.

NOT SURE IF IT'S THE INLINE-6 CONFIGURATION, GM'S SECRET "NOISE-ATTENUATION ELEMENTS," OR JUST THE OVERALL ATTENTION TO DETAIL, BUT THIS DURAMAX IS ABOUT AS SMOOTH AND QUIET AS IT GETS; BARELY ANY RATTLE AT STARTUP, AND JUST A COMFORTING WHISTLE UNDER FULL ACCELERATION.

AT THE TEST TRACK, OUR LTZ FELT AS TORQUEY AS WE EXPECTED; YET, HOOKED UP EASILY AND GOT OFF THE LINE CLEANLY.

WE HIT 60 IN ONLY 7.6 SECONDS.

WITH EACH SMOOTH AUTOMATIC SHIFT, IT SEEMS TO SETTLE DOWN MORE AND MORE; CALMLY AND CASUALLY COMPLETING THE QUARTER-MILE IN 15.8 SECONDS AT 88 MILES PER HOUR.

OUTSIDE OF THIS DURAMAX OFFERING, THERE WERE NO OTHER MAJOR CHANGES; BUT SOME MINOR ONES THAT INCLUDE NEW AVAILABLE TRAILERING MIRRORS, UPDATED CAMERAS FOR THE CARGO BED AS WELL AS TO AID IN TOWING, AND OPTIONAL ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL.

IT'S A COMMON COMPLAINT THAT THE SILVERADO'S INTERIOR FALLS SHORT OF THE COMPETITION, BUT WE'D PUSH BACK ON THAT A LITTLE.

IT MAY NOT BE A VISUAL SHOWPIECE, OR EARN "BEST LUXURY CAR" AWARDS, BUT EVERYTHING IS HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL AND DURABLE.

YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF THINGS YOU ACTUALLY NEED IN A PICKUP TRUCK.

AND IN A LOT OF WAYS, CHEVROLET HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT FUNCTION OVER FORM.

TAKE OUR CHEYENNE ROAD TEST FROM 1988.

IT WASN'T MUCH TO LOOK AT, BUT WE PRAISED ITS EXCELLENT HANDLING AND ROOMY INTERIOR, AND NOTED ITS LARGE, CLEARLY MARKED, IDIOT-PROOF CONTROLS.

YOU CAN MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND ABOUT THIS SILVERADO'S POLARIZING EXTERIOR DESIGN, BUT YOU CAN'T DENY IT HAS SOME SERIOUS PRESENCE.

LTZ ADDS LOTS OF CHROME FOR THE OUTSIDE, AND LEATHER FOR THE INSIDE.

CHEVROLET STILL OFFERS A REGULAR CAB SILVERADO WITH AN 8-FOOT BED, BUT ONLY IN ITS LOWEST WORK TRUCK TRIM.

THE REST OF THE TRIMS COME WITH EITHER AN EXTENDED DOUBLE CAB WITH 6.5 FOOT BED OR CREW CAB WITH 6.5 OR 5.0 FOOT 8.0 INCH BED LENGTHS.

THE 3.0 LITER DURAMAX IS LISTED AS A $3,890 OPTION; THOUGH DEPENDING ON CONFIGURATION, YOU MAY HAVE TO ADD OTHER OPTIONS ALONG WITH IT.

AT MINIMUM, YOU'RE LOOKING AT $42,385 FOR AN LT DOUBLE CAB.

IT IS INDEED A GREAT TIME TO BE IN THE MARKET FOR A FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK.

NOT ONLY CAN THEY GET MORE DONE THAN EVER, BUT THEY DO IT IN A WAY YOUR GRANDPA NEVER WOULD HAVE IMAGINED.

THE CHEVROLET SILVERADO DURAMAX IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A MODERN PICKUP; REFINED, CAPABLE, EFFICIENT, AND READY TO GET TO WORK.

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 WE'LL SEE WHAT'S NEW WITH THE MADE IN AMERICA VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT.

THEN, CRUISE WITH THE HIGH ROLLERS IN THE LINCOLN NAVIGATOR BLACK LABEL.

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... 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] *