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

JOIN US, FOR A LOOK AT TESLA'S MORE MAINSTREAM MODEL Y SUV... PAT GOSS GETS A HIGHER VIEW OF THE ROAD, AND TRAIL... GREG CARLOSS TAKES US OVER THE EDGE AT THE TRACK, AND IS IN IT TO WIN IT... THEN, WE'LL TEST KIA'S ALL-NEW K5 MIDSIZE SEDAN...

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: IN JUST A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, TESLA HAS GONE FROM BEING A FRINGE AUTOMOTIVE CURIOSITY TO A MAINSTREAM AUTOMOTIVE BRAND WITH A FULL LINEUP OF CARS, SUVs, SOON A PICKUP TRUCK.

NOT TO MENTION SPACE TRAVEL AND SOLAR POWER INNOVATIONS.

SO, NEXT UP FOR US, THE TESLA MODEL Y CROSSOVER!

♪ ♪ SAY, WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT TESLA, THEY'VE STAKED A REMARKABLE CLAIM ON THE AUTOMOTIVE LANDSCAPE IN LITTLE MORE THAN A DECADE, AND HAVE CERTAINLY PUSHED TRADITIONAL CAR MAKERS TO TAKE BOTH THEM AND FULLY ELECTRIC VEHICLES MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY.

THEIR LATEST LAND-GRAB ATTEMPT IS IN THE WILDLY POPULAR SMALL SUV SEGMENT, WITH THE 2020 TESLA MODEL Y. TESLA IS YET...ANOTHER BRAND THAT DIDN'T EVEN EXIST WHEN WE STARTED THIS WHOLE THING 40 YEARS AGO.

AND IN ORDER TO GARNER AS MUCH ATTENTION AS POSSIBLE, THEY DIDN'T BURST ONTO THE SCENE WITH A PRACTICAL 3-ROW UTILITY, BUT THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE ROADSTER.

AVAILABLE FROM 2008-2012, THIS LOTUS-BASED, CARBON-FIBER BODIED TWO-SEATER WAS A HIGH VOLTAGE SHOCK TO THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD; OFFERING NOT ONLY A FAST AND FUTURISTIC DRIVING EXPERIENCE; BUT RANGE OF WELL OVER 200 MILES.

AND SHOWED WHAT CREATIVE MINDS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SAVVY COULD ACCOMPLISH.

THIS MODEL Y...IS OF COURSE, BASED ON THE MODEL 3 SEDAN; MAKING IT MUCH SMALLER THAN THE MODEL X SUV.

AND, IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN TWO-VERSIONS; LONG RANGE AWD, AND PERFORMANCE.

BOTH FEATURE THE SAME DUAL-MOTOR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM, WITH A COMBINED OUTPUT OF 384 HORSEPOWER, AND 376 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, AND AN 80.5 KWH BATTERY PACK; BUT THE LONG RANGE PRIORITIZES GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THE BATTERIES FOR A 316 MILE RANGE.

PERFORMANCE CRANKS THE MOTORS UP A BIT, GETTING TO 60 MORE THAN A SECOND QUICKER, AND ONLY SACRIFICES 25 MILES OF RANGE TO DO IT, WITH A 291 MILE RANGE.

PERFORMANCE ALSO ADDS 21 INCH WHEELS, AND A 20 MILES PER HOUR HIGHER TOP SPEED OF 155.

AS FOR STYLING, THERE'S NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT, PARTICULARLY UP FRONT, WHERE THE LACK OF A TRADITIONAL GRILLE IS EXAGGERATED BY THE SMOOTH FACE.

THINGS GET BETTER AS YOU HEAD REARWARD WHERE THE "Y" IMPROVES UPON THE SEDAN WITH A TALL HATCHBACK SHAPE.

INSIDE, IT'S INCREDIBLY ROOMY; SEATING FOR FIVE IS STANDARD, WITH A TWO-PLACE 3RD ROW AN OPTION.

REAR SEATS ARE ENTERED THROUGH TRADITIONAL DOORS, NOT THE MODEL X'S FALCON-WINGS.

TRUNK SPACE IS VERY USABLE, WITH SECOND ROW SEATBACKS FOLDING TO PROVIDE A GREAT 68.0 CUBIC-FEET OF CARGO SPACE.

THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL STORAGE ROOM UP FRONT UNDER THE HOOD, AS WELL.

SIMILAR TO EVERY TESLA BEFORE IT, AND EXACTLY LIKE THE MODEL 3, THE MODEL Y IS BOTH MINIMALISTIC AND FUTURISTIC INSIDE, AS BASICALLY EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH THE HORIZONTAL DASH-MOUNTED 15 INCH TABLET.

IT CAN BE QUITE A DISTRACTION YOUR FIRST FEW TIMES BEHIND THE WHEEL, BUT EVENTUALLY, YOU LEARN TO QUICKLY, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

BUT NO MATTER HOW MUCH SEAT TIME WE HAD, WE COULDN'T GET USED TO NOT SEEING A TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENT PANEL DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US, AND FIT-AND-FINISH IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS FOR TESLA.

THE EXPERIENCE BEHIND THE WHEEL IS WHAT'S REALLY MOST IMPORTANT, AND THE MODEL Y GREATLY SUCCEEDS HERE, BUT DON'T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT, PHILIP GARNER IS A MODEL Y OWNER.

Phillip Garner: THE BEST THING THAT I LIKE ABOUT THE TESLA IS THE FACT THAT IT IS SO SMOOTH.

THERE'S NO VIBRATION AND WHEN YOU GO...YOU GO, AND IT'S FAST, AND IT'S STABLE.

IT JUST FEELS LIKE, IT'S PLANTED TO THE GROUND AND I JUST LOVE THE FEELING OF THAT SAFETY FEELING OF THAT.

John: OF COURSE, TRACK PERFORMANCE HAS BECOME A HALLMARK OF TESLA, AND THE MODEL Y DOES NOT DISAPPOINT HERE EITHER.

IT PUSHES OFF THE LINE WITH AN IMMEDIATE FLOW OF POWER TO PAVEMENT, AND YOU CAN FEEL THE UNLEASHING OF TORQUE IN EVERY PART OF YOUR BODY, AS YOU LAUNCH TO 60 MILES PER HOUR IN JUST 4.2 SECONDS.

IT'S ALMOST DISCONCERTING AS ALL OF THE AUDIO CUES, YOU'RE USED TO ARE NON-EXISTENT, JUST UNRELENTING POWER DELIVERY WITH THE GENTLE HUM OF THE ELECTRIC MOTORS.

AND AFTER CLEARING THE QUARTER IN 12.5 SECONDS AT 114 MILES PER HOUR, THE MODEL Y FEELS LIKE IT'S JUST GETTING GOING.

WHILE, WE FULLY EXPECTED ALL OF THAT, WE DID NOT EXPECT THE INSTANT RESPONSE AND CREDIBLE FEEDBACK FROM THE CAR THROUGH OUR SLALOM COURSE.

BALANCE WAS PERFECT, WITH NO UNDERSTEER OR OVERSTEER; JUST PLENTY OF GRIP, AND CLEAN RUN AFTER CLEAN RUN THROUGH THE CONES, WITH ONLY A LITTLE MORE TOP HEAVINESS COMPARED TO THE MODEL 3.

PLENTY SAFE AND STABLE UNDER HEAVY BRAKING; JUST 95 FEET WAS ALL THAT WAS REQUIRED FOR PANIC STOPS FROM 60.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY MPGE RATINGS ARE 116-CITY, 106-HIGHWAY, AND 111-COMBINED FOR A NEAR PERFECT ENERGY IMPACT SCORE OF JUST 0.2 BARRELS OF YEARLY OIL CONSUMPTION, WITH ZERO TAILPIPE CO2 EMISSIONS.

PRICING FOR THE LONG RANGE AWD STARTS AT $51,190; 10-GRAND MORE FOR OUR PERFORMANCE MODEL, AT $61,190.

TESLA VEHICLES IN GENERAL, AND THIS 2020 MODEL Y IN PARTICULAR, ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE, BUT TESLA CONTINUES TO INNOVATE, AND HAS DELIVERED A WHOLE LINEUP OF FULLY-ELECTRIC CARS AND SUVs, WHILE EVs STILL REMAIN A RELATIVELY LOW PRIORITY FOR MOST TRADITIONAL CAR MAKERS.

THE FUTURE IS HERE, AND IT'S DRIVING A TESLA.

♪ ♪ Flashback Henry Kopacz: EVER WONDER WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE EXPERIENCING STOCK CAR RACING FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT, WELL...I KNOW, I HAVE AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE AT DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY WHERE YOU CAN JUMP INTO ONE OF THESE BADBOYS, AND BE YOUR OWN RACING LEGEND FOR ONE DAY.

John: FOR MANY RACE FANS HERE IN AMERICA, NASCAR REIGNS SUPREME WITH ITS NEARLY CONSTANT HIGH-SPEED, PEDAL TO THE METAL OVAL TRACK ACTION.

WELL, OUR GREG CARLOSS WANTED TO GET IN ON THAT ACTION AND HE FOUND HIS CHANCE TO TRY OUT AT VIRGINIA'S DOMINION RACEWAY.

♪ ♪ Greg Carloss: SINCE, JOINING MOTORWEEK , I'VE DRIVEN RACE TRACKS ALL OVER THE WORLD, MOSTLY ROAD COURSES WITH NO COMPETITION.

SO, I THOUGHT...IT WAS TIME TO GET OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND INTO AN ACTUAL RACE ON AN OVAL TRACK.

SO, DOWN I WENT, JUST SOUTH OF FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA, TO ONE OF OUR FAVORITE VENUES, DOMINION RACEWAY.

Chris Stefi: WELL, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING, WE'VE GOT A TON OF DIFFERENT DIVISIONS, TON OF CARS HERE RUNNING IN THE NASCAR ADVANCED AUTO PARTS WEEKLY SERIES, AS PART OF THE NASCAR HOMETOWN TRACKS.

IT'S LIKE THE MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SERIES, AND IT'S YOUR HOME GROUND.

THEY RUN EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT, TYPICALLY.

THAT'S WHERE YOUR LOCAL STARS COME FROM.

MY NAME IS SERGIO PEÑA, AND I'M DRIVING THE NUMBER 01 LATE MODEL STOCK CAR TODAY IN THE LATE MODEL CLASS, RACING IS MY LIFE.

SO FOR ME, IT'S DEFINITELY A CAREER.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO TRY TO BE A PROFESSIONAL RACE CAR DRIVER IN WHATEVER SERIES IT MIGHT BE.

Greg: NOW, I'VE GOT SOME DRIVING CHOPS, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO HANG WITH THE LIKES OF SERGIO, WHICH IS WHY I'M COMPETING IN A LOWER CLASS KNOWN AS "ANY CAR."

THE ANY CAR SERIES, AS YOU MIGHT GUESS, IS OPEN TO JUST ABOUT ANY CAR.

AS LONG AS IT'S NOT TOO HEAVILY MODIFIED AND IT HAS THE PROPER SAFETY GEAR.

AND OF COURSE, YOU JUST GOTTA STICKER IT UP.

THIS IS PETE SULLIVAN.

A DECORATED DRIVER IN THE ANY CAR SERIES, HE WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO LEND ME ONE OF HIS RACE CARS.

PETE, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME OUT RACING AND YOU'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THE CAR.

CAN YOU TELL ME, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT?

Pete Sullivan: IT'S A '98 CAMARO Z28.

WE HAD TO DO A MOTOR SWAP FOR IT.

WE TOWED IT IN, IT HAD A BLOWN MOTOR IN IT.

THEY DROPPED IT OFF TO US, NEVER PICKED IT UP.

SO, I DECIDED TO TURN IT INTO A RACE CAR.

Greg: AND WITH THAT, IT WAS TIME TO STRAP IN FOR A LITTLE PRACTICE.

THIS CAR DEFINITELY IS AS ADVERTISED.

IT IS FAST...IT'S RESPONSIVE, WOO THIS THING FIRES OFF CORNERS, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SETUP, NICE AND EASY, AND PATIENT THROUGH HERE.

STAY DOWN ON THE LINE, GET ON IT.

OH, THAT WAS PRETTY.

WITH PETE'S CAR, SO DIALED IN MY CONFIDENCE GREW WITH EACH LAP, THAT IS UNTIL THE FINAL MOMENTS OF QUALIFYING.

AFTER THE SMOKE CLEARED, A BLOWN POWER STEERING PUMP PROVED TO BE THE CULPRIT, MEANING THAT DESPITE QUALIFYING SECOND, I'D BE DRIVING THE ENTIRE 20 LAP RACE WITH NO POWER STEERING.

ALRIGHT, AND HERE WE GO, DEFINITELY SKETCHY WITHOUT MY POWER STEERING... UH-OH, SOMEBODY GETTING LOOSE IN FRONT OF ME... [A CAR HITS GREG'S CAR] ALRIGHT!

RUBBING'S RACING AS THEY SAY AND WE HAVE OUR FIRST CAUTION.

NOT THE START, I WAS LOOKING FOR AS I QUICKLY FELL BACK IN THE FIELD.

BUT AS THE RACE WENT ON I HAD MY MOMENTS.

PASSING ON THE OUTSIDE, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD OVERTAKE...I THINK.

FOLLOWED BY MORE OF THESE MOMENTS.

MAN, I AM JUST STRAIGHT GETTING PASSED NOW...

THE LACK OF POWER STEERING PROVED TO BE A BIGGER ISSUE THAN I EXPECTED AND IF IT WEREN'T FOR A LATE RED FLAG OFFERING SOME REPRIEVE, MY GUMBY ARMS MAY HAVE GIVEN OUT AND CHECKERED FLAG...WE MADE IT!

WE MADE IT THROUGH THE RACE.

I DID NOT HAVE POWER STEERING.

MY ARMS ARE DOG TIRED, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF WRECKS.

I DID NOT FINISH FIRST, BUT I FINISHED AND I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

WHAT A GREAT TIME.

AS IT TURNS OUT, I'M NOT ON THE FAST TRACK THROUGH THE NASCAR RANKS, BUT HEY, AT LEAST I STILL HAVE MY DAY JOB.

John: PAT GOSS IS GETTING HIGH DOWN AT GOSS' GARAGE AND IT'S PERFECTLY LEGAL.

♪ ♪ Pat Goss: SO, YOU FINALLY GOT YOUR 4X4 AND WELL...IN IT'S STOCK FORM, IT'LL DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF THE AVERAGE OFF-ROADING, MAYBE YOU WANNA GET TO THE MOUNTAIN CABIN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT - BUT YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THAT AND YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS.

WELL, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THAT MEANS YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT GIVES YOU MORE ARTICULATION IN THE SUSPENSION OF YOUR VEHICLE.

SO, YOU GO ON THE INTERNET AND FIND ALL KINDS OF KITS ON THERE FROM THE RIDICULOUS TO THE SUBLIME AND HOW DO YOU MAKE A DECISION.

WELL, ONE THING THAT I'D SUGGEST IS TO GO BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER OF YOUR PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL CAUSE LOTS OF TIMES YOU'LL FIND THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE UP KITS THAT WILL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED.

THEY COME COMPLETE WITH CONTROL ARMS AND EXTENDERS FOR THE SWAY BAR LINKS AND EXTENDED SHOCK ABSORBERS.

THINGS LIKE THAT...THAT YOU MIGHT NOT GET IN ONE OF THESE ECONOMY KITS WHICH ALSO GIVES YOU WELL...ECONOMY.

LOTS OF TIMES, THEY DON'T GIVE YOU DRIVEABILITY WHERE THE FACTORY KIT WILL.

SO, DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE BUYING THE RIGHT THING.

NOW, IF YOU WANNA GO FARTHER THAN THAT AND WANT TO GET INTO SOME SERIOUS ROCK CRAWLING AND THINGS LIKE THAT WELL THAT MEANS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE WE SEE OVER HERE.

AND THAT'S HUGE TIRES, AND LOTS OF ARTICULATION IN THE SUSPENSION.

YOU MAY HAVE TO CHANGE HUBS, BEARINGS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS BUT AGAIN DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND MAKE SURE YOU DO QUALITY WORK OTHERWISE YOU'LL HAVE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T FUNCTION AS IT SHOULD.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER, WELL, IF YOU PUT BIGGER TIRES ON YOUR VEHICLE YOU'LL PROBABLY NEED A KIT LIKE THIS WHICH REINFORCES THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER BECAUSE BIGGER TIRES ARE HEAVIER.

YOU WILL NEED A REPOSITIONING KIT THAT REPOSITIONS THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT.

AND YOU WILL ALSO, IN MANY CASES, NEED SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THIS GIVES YOU AN EXTENDED JACKING HEIGHT FOR YOUR JACK BUT, DO IT ALL RIGHT AND YOU'LL HAVE A VEHICLE THAT DOES WHAT YOU WANT AND IS STILL SERVICEABLE, STILL DRIVES DECENT AND IS A LOT OF FUN.

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

John: "JAMES," IS THE NAME OF THIS PLAYFUL AUSTIN ROVER 1989 MINI; OUR MOTORWEEK 40TH ANNIVERSARY, CAR OF THE WEEK.

CAR LOVER LOUIS MORRIS FROM FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS RESTORED THIS DIMINUTIVE CLASSIC IN JUST TWO YEARS.

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

John: TIME NOW TO HEAD INSIDE TO THE MOTORNEWS DESK FOR ALL THE LATEST WITH LAUREN MORRISON.

Lauren Morrison: WE'VE BEEN ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE HUMMER EV PICKUP REVEAL, AND IT SEEMS BUYERS WERE TOO, WITH EDITION ONE RESERVATIONS SELLING OUT IN MINUTES.

ALL RESERVATIONS FOR THE 2022 G-M-C HUMMER EDITION ONE WERE CLAIMED WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF THE REVEAL.

THAT MEANS CUSTOMERS WITHOUT A RESERVATION MAY BE STUCK WAITING.

PRODUCTION ON THE EDITION ONE IS SLATED TO START IN LATE 2021 AT GENERAL MOTOR'S DETROIT - HAMTRAMCK ASSEMBLY CENTER, WHICH THE COMPANY JUST RENAMED "FACTORY ZERO" AND WILL BE ENTIRELY DEDICATED TO BUILDING EVs.

THE EDITION ONE WILL SELL FOR $112,595, WITH LOWER TRIM LEVELS ROLLING OUT FROM FALL 2022 TO SPRING 2024.

THAT HUMMER PRICE COULD GIVE ANYONE STICKER SHOCK, AND WHEN LOOKING TO BUY AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, IT'S USUALLY THE PURCHASE PRICE THAT HAS PEOPLE PUMPING THE BRAKES, BUT A NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT EV OWNERS ACTUALLY COME OUT ON TOP.

CONSUMER REPORTS LOOKED AT TOTAL OWNERSHIP COST, THINGS LIKE PURCHASE PRICE, FUELING COSTS, AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES.

THE STUDY FOUND THAT SAVINGS OVER THE LIFE OF THE EV RANGE FROM $6,000 TO $10,000.

WHEN IT COMES TO FUELING, CONSUMER REPORTS FOUND THAT THE TYPICAL EV OWNER WHO DOES MOST OF THEIR CHARGING AT HOME CAN SAVE ANYWHERE FROM $800 TO $1000 A YEAR, COMPARED TO ITS GASOLINE POWERED COUNTERPART.

AND BIG SAVINGS COME IN WITH MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR TOO.

WITH REGULAR FLUID CHANGES AND MORE MECHANICALLY COMPLEX WORKINGS UNDER THE HOOD OF A GAS ENGINE VEHICLE, AN EV OWNER CAN SAVE AN AVERAGE OF $4600 OVER THEIR VEHICLE'S LIFETIME.

RIGHT NOW, EVs AND PLUG-IN HYBRIDS ONLY ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT TWO PERCENT OF NEW CAR SALES, BUT WITH FALLING BATTERY PRICES, AND SAVINGS LIKE THESE, THAT NUMBER IS PROJECTED TO CLIMB ANYWHERE FROM 8-25 PERCENT OF THE NEW CAR MARKET BY 2030.

THE SUV CRAZE CONTINUES AND CLAIMS ANOTHER SEDAN, THIS TIME OVER AT JAGUAR.

2020 WILL BE THE FINAL YEAR IN THE U.S. FOR THEIR ENTRY LEVEL JAGUAR XE SEDAN.

THE AUTOMAKER SAYS, "TODAY IN THE U.S., 66 PERCENT OF BUYERS IN THE LUXURY SEGMENT WANT SUVs, SO THEY'VE HAD TO MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR 2021 LINEUP."

JAGUAR HAS REFRESHED THEIR XF SEDAN FOR THOSE BUYERS WHO ARE STILL STEERING CLEAR OF SUVs.

THE COMPACT XE WILL REMAIN ON SALE IN EUROPE AND CHINA.

AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS!

♪ ♪ Greg: COOL TEMPERATURES TELL US WINTER IS FAST APPROACHING OUR MID-ATLANTIC HOME.

BAD NEWS FOR THOSE THAT HATE FREEZING WEATHER, BUT GOOD NEWS FOR OUR 2020 HYUNDAI PALISADE AS IT GETS A SECOND TRY AT TAMING OLD MAN WINTER.

LAST WINTER'S FEW SNOW DAYS AND MILD TEMPS BARELY TESTED THE PALISADE'S AUTOMATIC ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE AND ALL-SEASON TIRES.

WITH US TIL SPRING, OUR PALISADE JUST MIGHT FACE MORE OF A CHALLENGE THIS TIME AROUND.

John: ONE OF THE MANY FIRST-CLASS FEATURES OF THIS PALISADE LIMITED IS A FRONT VIEW CAMERA.

DRIVER ACTIVATED, AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, IT GIVES YOU BOTH A FORWARD AND SURROUND VIEW FOR PARKING.

IT'S A GREAT AID SINCE THE PALISADE'S MASSIVE HOOD MAKES IT HARD TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE FRONT END IS.

Greg: NO VEHICLE IS PERFECT, BUT WE'VE HAD ONLY MINOR ANNOYANCES IN THE PALISADE; LIKE...NO MATTER WHAT THE SETTINGS, IT NEVER SEEMS TO UNLOCK ALL OF THE DOORS WHEN WE PUT IT IN PARK.

HOWEVER, WE LOVE THE SURROUND VIEW CAMERA FOR NAVIGATING TIGHT PARKING SPOTS, AS WELL AS THE REAR AUTOMATIC BRAKING FOR WHEN WE GO OFF COURSE.

OUR LIMITED'S 3-ROW INTERIOR IS VERY COMFORTABLE AND QUITE LUXURIOUS FOR A FAMILY SUV.

BUT HYUNDAI TAKES IT UPSCALE A NOTCH WITH A NEW CALLIGRAPHY TRIM FOR 2021.

AFTER 11 MONTHS AND 14,000 MILES, OUR FUEL ECONOMY AVERAGE IS UP TO AN EVEN 23.0 MILES PER GALLON; EXCELLENT FOR SUCH A BIG UTILITY WITH 291 V6 HORSEPOWER.

FOR A PAIR OF WORKHORSES ON A SMALLER SCALE; IT'S THE KIA SELTOS AND MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV ON THE NEXT MOTORWEEK LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE!

John: TIMES ARE CERTAINLY TOUGH IN THE MIDSIZE FAMILY SEDAN SEGMENT; BUT RATHER THAN ABANDON IT, KIA IS DEPLOYING A RATHER INTERESTING STRATEGY.

THEY'RE TURNING AWAY FROM THE OPTIMA, AND ALL OF THE MOMENTUM IT BUILT IN RECENT YEARS, AND LAUNCHING AN ALL-NEW K5 MIDSIZE SEDAN.

SO, LET'S FIND OUT, IF THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

♪ ♪ KIA'S OPTIMA IS NO MORE, BEING REPLACED BY THIS 2021 KIA K5.

THAT'S HOW THE OPTIMA WAS KNOWN IN MOST OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

SO, THE K5 IS STILL A MIDSIZE 4-DOOR, STILL SHARING A PLATFORM WITH THE HYUNDAI SONATA, BUT NOW REBRANDED, HOPING TO CAPITALIZE ON THE ALL OF THE EXCITEMENT CREATED BY KIA'S STINGER PERFORMANCE-ORIENTED FASTBACK SPORT SEDAN.

THE K5 IS LONGER, LOWER, AND WIDER THAN THE OPTIMA, AND WILL BE THE FIRST FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE BASED KIA SEDAN TO BE AVAILABLE WITH ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE.

A FEATURE THE SONATA DOES NOT OFFER.

THE KIA STINGER'S INFLUENCE CAN BE SEEN IN THE K5'S AGGRESSIVE WIDE-GRILLE FACE, AND THICK HATCHBACK-LIKE C-PILLARS.

THE ZIGZAG DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE MEANT TO RESEMBLE THE EKG TRACES OF A HEART MONITOR; 16, 18, OR 19 INCH WHEELS ARE AVAILABLE.

IT'S CERTAINLY A SPORTY TAKE, COMPARED TO THE SONATA'S GRACEFUL ELEGANCE.

INSIDE, THINGS ARE NOT A TOTAL DEPARTURE FROM THE PREVIOUS OPTIMA, BUT THERE IS A LITTLE MORE OPENNESS TO IT, AND AN INCREASINGLY POLISHED PRESENCE; ALONG WITH SLEEKER FINISHES, AND A MORE 3-DIMENSIONAL LINEAR DASH.

DEPENDING ON TRIM, YOU'LL GET EITHER AN 8 OR 10 INCH TOUCHSCREEN MOUNTED HIGH IN FRONT OF THE DASH, WHILE IN BETWEEN THE SEATS, IS A TALL CONSOLE WITH A TRADITIONAL AUTOMATIC SHIFTER.

OUR EX TESTER FEATURED WIRELESS CONNECTION FOR APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO; PLUS, WIRELESS CHARGING FOR YOUR PHONE; NORMAL, SPORT, CUSTOM, AND SMART DRIVE MODES, AND A PANORAMIC SUNROOF.

AN OPTIONAL PREMIUM PACKAGE ADDS A 12 SPEAKER BOSE STEREO WITH ACTIVE SOUND DESIGN, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL SAFETY AND DRIVER ASSIST FEATURES.

STANDARD SAFETY INCLUDES FORWARD COLLISION-AVOIDANCE ASSIST, BLIND-SPOT COLLISION-AVOIDANCE, AND LANE KEEP ASSIST.

THE SEATING POSITION IS FAIRLY HIGH FOR A FAMILY SEDAN, BUT THERE'S GOOD COMFORT TO BE HAD, AND YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO CLIMB OUT OF IT.

THE K5 HAS ALMOST 2.0 INCHES OF ADDITIONAL WHEELBASE COMPARED TO THE OPTIMA; PRIMARILY TO THE BENEFIT OF REAR SEAT PASSENGERS, THERE'S MORE THAN ENOUGH ROOM BACK HERE FOR 6-FOOT ADULTS.

AND THE SEATBACKS FOLD EASILY AFTER YANKING THE TRUNK-MOUNTED PULL-TABS, TO EXPAND ON THE 16.0 CUBIC-FEET OF TRUNK SPACE.

AT LAUNCH, ALL TRIMS COME WITH THE SONATA'S 1.6 LITER I4 TURBO ENGINE, PRODUCING 180 HORSEPOWER AND 195 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

IT'S ATTACHED TO AN 8.0 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

AS MENTIONED EARLIER; ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE CAN BE ADDED, FOR $2,100.

AND YOU GET A SENSE OF ITS PURPOSE, AS KIA ACTUALLY CALLS IT, "ALL-WEATHER-DRIVE," AND IT ADDS A SNOW SETTING TO THE DRIVE MODES.

ARRIVING LATER WILL BE A 290 HORSEPOWER 2.5 LITER TURBO-4 IN THE K5 GT, WHICH WILL COME WITH AN 8.0 SPEED DUAL-CLUTCH TRANSMISSION, AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER UPGRADES AS WELL, IN ORDER TO SHUTTLE IT TO 60 IN UNDER 6.0 SECONDS.

OUR EX TESTER STUCK WITH STANDARD FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE, AND AT THE TEST TRACK, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF WHEEL-SPIN AT THE LINE, BUT IT QUICKLY GATHERED ITSELF UP AND STARTED LAYING SOME POWER DOWN.

WE HIT 60 IN 7.9 SECONDS; A FEW TENTHS SLOWER THAN WE GOT IN THE HYUNDAI SONATA WITH THIS SAME ENGINE.

POWER DELIVERY STAYED CONSISTENT DOWN THE TRACK, BUT IT NEVER FEELS OVERLY EAGER OR IN A PARTICULAR HURRY.

THE QUARTER-MILE PASSED IN A LEISURELY 16.1 SECONDS AT 88 MILES PER HOUR.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT'LL CERTAINLY GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO GO, BUT WE'RE SURE LOOKING FORWARD TO TESTING THAT GT.

AND IT WILL HAVE A GREAT PLATFORM TO BUILD UPON, AS EVEN HERE IN BASE FORM, THE K5 RESPONDED QUICKLY AND ACCURATELY THROUGH OUR CONE COURSE.

THERE WAS A DECENT AMOUNT OF BODY ROLL, BUT SURPRISINGLY GOOD BALANCE; AS DEPENDING ON HOW AGGRESSIVELY YOU MAKE YOUR INPUTS, YOU CAN FIND EITHER UNDERSTEER OR SOME OVERSTEER.

LIKE SONATA, GREAT BRAKES; CONSISTENT FADE-FREE STOPS FROM 60 OF JUST 97 FEET; TRACKING STRAIGHT AND TRUE EVERY TIME.

ADDITIONAL SOUND DEADENING MATERIALS, AND A STANDARD ACOUSTIC LAMINATED WINDSHIELD HAS MADE THE K5 NOTICEABLY QUIETER INSIDE.

BASE PRICING RANGES FROM LX TRIM AT $24,455, TO JUST $4,500 MORE FOR THE EX, AT $28,955.

GT, WHEN IT ARRIVES, WILL START AT $31,455.

OUR RESERVATIONS ON THE NAME CHANGE ASIDE, KIA BUILDS A PRETTY DECENT MIDSIZE SEDAN.

AND WHILE, WE DO MOURN THE LOSS OF THE OPTIMA NAME, ULTIMATELY, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT PLASTIC NAMEPLATE IS ON THE DECK-LID.

THE 2021 KIA K5 IS WELL-EQUIPPED TO TAKE THE KIA BRAND INTO THE FUTURE.

John: 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 JOINS US NEXT TIME...

WHEN WE'LL TAKE FLIGHT IN THE LUXURIOUS BENTLEY FLYING SPUR.

THEN, TEST A TOYOTA SEQUOIA WITH A RACER'S FLAIR.

YOU'LL BE FLOORED BY ALL THE GOOD ADVICE FROM GOSS' GARAGE.

WHILE, STEPHANIE HART SHOWS US A DIFFERENT VIEW OF TRUCKIN'.

PLUS, A NEW ROUND OF QUICKSPINS.

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] ♪ ♪