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

JOIN US FOR AN ICONIC JAPANESE SPORT COUPE, NOW WITH A GERMAN HEART, THE ALL-NEW TOYOTA SUPRA... PAT GOSS READS THE SIGNS OF SMALL PARTS THAT SET OFF A BIG BANG... STEPHANIE HART HEADS TO RACING'S HALLOWED GROUND... AND SMALL UTEs BATTLE IT OUT TO SEE WHICH ONE STANDS ABOVE THE REST...

SO, COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

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

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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: WELL, THIS ONE CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, THE ALL-NEW TOYOTA SUPRA.

AND WE ALREADY FEEL SORRY FOR IT, EVEN THOUGH MOST FOLKS HAVE NEVER EVEN DROVE ITS PREDECESSOR, THE NEW CAR HAS TO LIVE UP TO THOUSANDS OF BLOG POSTS AND TWITTER FEEDS LONGING FOR ITS RETURN.

SURELY, THIS NEW SUPRA WILL HAVE A TOUGH TIME BEING MEASURED AGAINST ALL THAT HYPE, OR WILL IT?

* REMEMBER THE SCION FR-S, AKA, THE TOYOTA 86?

IT WAS CO-DEVELOPED WITH SUBARU.

TWO COMPANIES LOOKING TO MUTUALLY BENEFIT FROM CREATING AN INEXPENSIVE, BACK TO BASICS REAR DRIVE SPORT COUPE.

WELL, THE 2020 TOYOTA GR SUPRA IS A MUCH LOFTIER PROPOSITION, SO TOYOTA NEEDED A PARTNER TO MATCH.

ENTER, BMW.

YES, AS I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD BY NOW, THE ALL-NEW SUPRA SHARES AN ARCHITECTURE WITH THE BMW Z4 ROADSTER.

AND, MOST ENTHUSIASTS WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW AN INLINE-6, WHICH JUST HAPPENS TO BE A BMW SPECIALTY, RETURNS.

YES, IT'S NO 2JZ, BUT TOYOTA DID THEIR OWN SOFTWARE FOR BOTH THE 3.0 LITER AND ITS 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

TURBO-AIDED OUTPUT IS 335 HORSEPOWER AND 365 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

BUT, DON'T THROW THIS OFF AS A BMW CLONE.

ACTUALLY, IT WAS SPEARHEADED BY THE SAME TOYOTA CHIEF ENGINEER THAT OVERSAW THE FR-S/BR-Z, AND IN SIMILAR FASHION, BOTH TOYOTA AND BMW STARTED WITH A BASIC MODULAR CHASSIS, BUT WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS FROM THERE, THOUGH THE SUPRA IS ASSEMBLED ON THE SAME AUSTRIAN ASSEMBLY LINE AS THE Z4.

ENGINEERED BY TOYOTA'S GAZOO RACING TEAM, THE SUPRA IS TRULY A CAR IN NEED OF A TRACK.

FORTUNATELY, THE NATIONAL PRESS INTRO WAS RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD AT WEST VIRGINIA'S SUMMIT POINT MOTORSPORTS PARK.

ON TRACK, A MACPHERSON STRUT FRONT, AND FIVE-ARM MULTI-LINK REAR SUSPENSION, ALONG WITH ADAPTIVE VARIABLE DAMPERS, KEEP THE SUPRA WELL COMPOSED.

CLICK THINGS OVER TO SPORT MODE, AND IT REALLY COMES ALIVE; THROTTLE RESPONSE IS HEIGHTENED, SHIFTS FROM THE AUTOMATIC ARE QUICKENED, STEERING BECOMES SHARPER, THE ACTIVE REAR DIFFERENTIAL GETS MORE AGGRESSIVE, AND THE ARTIFICIALLY ENHANCED ENGINE AND CRACKLY EXHAUST NOTES PERMEATES THE CABIN A BIT MORE.

REAR DRIVE OF COURSE, THE ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED ACTIVE DIFF.

CAN SEND THE FULL AMOUNT TO POWER, TO THE OUTSIDE WHEEL, TO GIVE YOU THE MOST DRIVE OFF OF CORNERS, BUT IT ALSO WORKS TO HELP SETTLE THE REAR UNDER HARD BRAKING.

BREMBO BRAKES WERE MORE THAN UP TO THE TASK OF CUTTING SPEED IN A HURRY, TO GET THROUGH THE SHENANDOAH CIRCUIT'S MANY LOW SPEED CORNERS.

PLENTY OF POWER FOR COMING OUT OF TURNS; IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE SOMEONE SHOVED A V8 INTO AN 86.

MANUALLY TRIGGERING SHIFTS, WORKED QUITE WELL, THOUGH NOT SO WELL THAT WE DIDN'T WISH FOR A TRUE MANUAL.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRY TOO HARD TO FIND SOME OVERSTEER OUT OF CORNERS, AND WHILE THERE WAS A LITTLE MORE SOFTNESS AND ROLL THAN WE'D LIKE, IT JUST ADDS TO THE GREAT OVERALL FEEDBACK.

WITH A CLAIMED 0-60 OF JUST 4.1 SECONDS; IT IS THE FASTEST PRODUCTION TOYOTA EVER, AND NOT TO WORRY, THE EXHAUST SOUNDS ARE NOTHING LIKE A BMW, OR ANY OTHER TOYOTA REALLY, MORE LIKE SOMETHING CONJURED UP IN A TUNER SHOP.

OUR BEST RUN, 4.4 SECONDS, WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY OFF.

LAUNCH CONTROL ENSURES YOU GET THE BEST OUT OF IT, AND KEEPING THE THROTTLE PINNED FOR THE FULL QUARTER MILE RESULTED IN A TIME OF 12.8 SECONDS AT 111 MILES PER HOUR.

BODY PANELS ARE A MIXED-METAPHOR OF ALUMINUM AND STEEL.

IT LOOKS MUCH SMALLER IN PERSON; RACY ENOUGH WITHOUT GOING FULL FAST AND FURIOUS.

SOME AIR PASSAGEWAYS ARE FUNCTIONAL, MOST ARE NOT.

NINETEEN INCH WHEELS COME SHOD WITH MICHELIN PILOT SUPER SPORTS.

AWAY FROM THE TRACK, IN NORMAL MODE, NOT UNLIKE THE 86, IT'S A QUITE PLEASANT DAILY DRIVER.

ONLY BIG BUMPS CAUSE ANY SHUTTER.

SEATS ARE LOW, HOWEVER, SO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE STRAINING TO SEE OVER THE DASH.

THE BMW INFLUENCE IS STRONGEST INSIDE.

PERHAPS, TOYOTA COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED A LITTLE MORE HERE, BUT THAT WOULD HAVE ADDED A LOT MORE ONTO THE PRICE.

YOU DO GET A UNIQUE STEERING WHEEL AND SHIFTER; THOUGH OPERATION OF IT IS JUST LIKE BMW.

SEATS ARE ALSO DISTINCTIVE AND QUITE NICE.

AND YES, THAT MEANS THERE'S IDRIVE TO CONTEND WITH TOO.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 24-CITY, 31-HIGHWAY, AND 26-COMBINED.

WE AVERAGED 29.3 MILES PER GALLON ON PREMIUM.

MAKING AN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE OF 12.7 BARRELS OF YEARLY OIL USE, WITH 5.5 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.

THE SUPRA IS A MUCH MORE SERIOUS PERFORMANCE CAR THAN THE 86; SO, PRICE IS EQUALLY HIGHER, STARTING AT $50,920.

BY THE WAY, A Z4 IS ALMOST 13-GRAND MORE.

FOR SOME, ESPECIALLY INTERNET HATERS, NOTHING SHORT OF BRINGING BACK THE LAST A80 WOULD HAVE SATISFIED THEM.

BUT, IF THEY'D GIVE THIS 5TH GEN SUPRA A CHANCE, THEY'D LEARN THAT LIKE MANY OF US AMERICANS, DESPITE THE EUROPEAN ROOTS, IT HAS BECOME SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.

SO, DON'T THINK OF THE 2020 TOYOTA GR SUPRA AS A CONTINUATION OF WHAT WE HAD BEFORE, RATHER IT'S AN AMAZING MELTING POT OF SOMETHING UNIQUELY AWESOME.

* ON THE BUCKET LIST FOR MANY CAR ENTHUSIASTS IS TO DRIVE THEIR FAVORITE MUSCLE CAR ON HALLOWED SANDS OF DAYTONA BEACH.

AFTER ALL, IT'S WHERE STOCK CAR RACING GOT ITS START OVER A CENTURY AGO.

WELL TODAY, THAT LOVE OF SPEED CONTINUES, JUST OFF THE BEACH, AT THE DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY'S MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME OF AMERICA.

OUR STEPHANIE HART TAKES US INSIDE THIS FAST PACED MUSEUM THAT HONORS THE GREATS IN MOTORSPORTS OF ALL TYPES.

* Stephanie Hart: WE'RE HERE IN DAYTONA BEACH CRUISING THE STRIP IN OUR CANDY APPLE RED FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE.

I MEAN, WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THIS?

* BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, YOU GOT TO DO IT RIGHT, THAT MEANS TURNING OFF A1A AND HEADING TOWARDS THE BEACH WITH OUR CONVERTIBLE.

* TWENTY-THREE MILES OF WHITE SAND BEACH TO EXPLORE.

YOU CAN SMELL THE OCEAN BREEZE, THE WIND IN YOUR HAIR, THIS IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

* TODAY, YOU CAN'T GO OVER 10 MPH ON THE BEACH OR LIFEGUARDS WILL ACTUALLY PULL YOU OVER, BUT BACK IN THE 1920s THERE WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY PEOPLE RACED ON THIS BEACH, THEY RACED STOCK CARS.

IT WAS REALLY POPULAR, IT WAS THE IN THING TO DO BACK THEN.

HISTORICAL MARKERS TELL THE STORY...

WHEN THERE WERE FEW PAVED ROADS AND DAYTONA'S HARD SAND WAS USED AS A RACECOURSE.

SPEED AND SUNSHINE COLLIDED HERE.

AND LEGENDS WERE BORN.

THOSE HEROES OF HORSEPOWER ARE HONORED TODAY AT THE MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME OF AMERICA AT THE DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY.

THIS 1935 VINTAGE BLUE BIRD LAND SPEED RECORD CAR IS A MAIN ATTRACTION.

BUILT BY BRITISH RACER, JOURNALIST, AND HALL OF FAME MEMBER SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL, IT TOOK TO DAYTONA BEACH WITH AN AIRCRAFT ENGINE UNDER ITS HOOD.

Ron Watson: IT'S A ROLLS ROYCE MERLIN ENGINE FROM A SPITFIRE AIRPLANE.

Stephanie: IT LITERALLY FLEW NEARLY 277 MILES PER HOUR.

AND LATER THAT SAME YEAR AT THE BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS IT WAS THE FIRST CAR TO GO OVER 300 MILES PER HOUR.

WHEN DAYTONA-BREED STOCK CAR RACING AND NASCAR WERE STILL IN THEIR INFANCY, MOST OF THE BRAGGING RIGHTS WENT TO THE HUDSON MOTOR CAR COMPANY.

THEIR HORNETS DOMINATED THE SPORT, THANKS IN PART TO ITS LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY.

Ron: SOMEBODY ALWAYS HAS AN ADVANTAGE BY HAVING ONE LITTLE THING BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT THEIR TIME LASTED ABOUT THREE YEARS IN THE EARLY '50s, BUT THEY WERE TOTALLY DOMINANT.

AND REINCARNATED LATER IN THE MOVIE "CARS" IN THE CHARACTER "DOC HUDSON" THAT WAS VOICED BY PAUL NEWMAN.

Stephanie: THE MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME OF AMERICA WAS FOUNDED IN 1989.

IT MOVED FROM MICHIGAN TO ITS NOW PERMANENT FLORIDA HOME AT THE DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY IN 2017.

UPWARDS OF 110,000 FANS OF SPEED VISIT EACH YEAR.

THE HALL OF FAME HAS MORE THAN 200 INDUCTEES, COVERING ALL STYLES OF MOTORSPORTS.

Ron: I THINK RACING IS IN THE BLOOD, ESPECIALLY OF AMERICANS.

AND SO, THIS HALL OF FAME WAS FOUNDED TO CELEBRATE THAT SPIRIT OF COMPETITION IN ALL OF US.

Stephanie: THERE ARE ALSO, TWO DALE EARNHARDT STOCK CARS HERE, ONE FROM EARLY IN HIS CAREER THE WRANGLER #2 AND THEN THE FAMOUS GOODWRENCH #3 CHEVROLET.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT FAST CARS, ANYTHING WITH A MOTOR IN IT THAT COMPETES IS WELCOME.

THAT INCLUDES MOTORCYCLES, POWERBOATING, AND AVIATION.

Ron: GENERAL JIMMY DOLITTLE WHO LATER BECAME A WAR HERO WAS AN AIR RACER, ROSCOE TURNER, AND AMELIA EARHART.

THESE PEOPLE WERE OBVIOUSLY HOUSEHOLD NAMES.

YOU WOULD SEE ROSCOE TURNER'S NAME ON THE SPORTS PAGE NEXT TO BABE RUTH WHEN AVIATION WAS IN ITS HEY-DAY, AND SO, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PART OF HISTORY THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALLY REMEMBER.

THERE'S SOME KIND OF AIR RACING GOING ON NOW BUT NOT LIKE IT WAS IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF AVIATION, SO I THINK THAT'S VERY, VERY UNIQUE.

Stephanie: THIS IS A ONE OF A KIND EXPERIENCE, CAPTURING THAT TIMELESS SPIRIT OF COMPETITION.

THE CAR CULTURE IS RICH HERE, WHETHER YOU THE VISIT THE MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME OF AMERICA OR CRUISE DOWN THE BEACH WITH THE TOP DOWN.

THERE'S NO DENYING THE AUTOMOBILE PUT DAYTONA BEACH ON THE MAP.

John: TIME NOW TO HEAD DOWN TO GOSS' GARAGE.

PAT TELLS US ABOUT A WARNING SIGN TO LOOK OUT FOR.

Pat Goss: YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY, CARS HAD A LOT OF IGNITION PARTS THAT TODAY, DON'T EVEN EXIST.

LIKE, SPARK PLUG WIRES.

BUT NO MATTER HOW EXOTIC OR HOW MUNDANE, ALL CARS STILL USE SPARK PLUGS.

AND SPARK PLUGS WEAR OUT, NOW...IF YOU NO HOW TO READ THE SPARK PLUGS THAT YOU TAKE OUT OF YOUR ENGINE, WELL, YOU CAN DETERMINE THE GENERAL CONDITION OF YOUR ENGINE.

NOW, LOOK AT THIS SPARK PLUG: WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT AT THE CENTER, AND WE SEE THE CENTER ELECTRODE IS NOTICEABLY WORN AWAY.

WELL, THAT'S NORMAL WEAR; NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE THERE, THAT'S JUST TOO MANY MILES ON A SET OF SPARK PLUGS.

NOW...THE NEXT ONE, THE END OF THE SPARK PLUG IS BLACK, DRY...AND DRY IS THE KEY, BLACK, DRY, AND SOOTY LOOKING.

NOW, THAT WOULD INDICATE A RICH MIXTURE.

IF IT'S ONLY ONE CYLINDER, YOU PROBABLY HAVE A LEAKY FUEL INJECTOR.

IF IT'S ON MORE THAN ONE CYLINDER, THEN YOU PROBABLY HAVE AN OVERALL FUEL CONTROL PROBLEM.

NOW, THIS NEXT ONE... REALLY, REALLY CLEAN, SPOTLESSLY CLEAN, CLEANER THAN ANY OF THE OTHER PLUGS IN THE ENGINE.

THAT USUALLY SIGNIFIES THAT COOLANT IS GETTING INTO THAT CYLINDER AND IT IS CLEANING, STEAM CLEANING THE END OF THE SPARK PLUG.

ALRIGHT NEXT, THIS IS WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCOLORATION; THE ELECTRODES ARE WORN EVENLY AND EVERYTHING IS CLEAN, THERE ARE NO DEPOSITS.

THAT IS NORMAL.

NOW, HERE'S ONE WE DON'T WANT SEE.

THIS IS WHERE THE END OF THE SPARK PLUG HAS DRY SANDY, NOW IN TEXTURE, NOT IN COLOR...DRY, SANDY LOOKING DEPOSITS THAT HAVE BUILT UP PRIMARILY ON THE OUTER ELECTRODE.

LOOK AT THAT, SAY...UH-OH, GOT SOME BAD VALVE SEAL, MEANS OIL IS BEING SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE IN AN ATOMIZED STATE, AND IT'S USUALLY COMING AROUND THE VALVE SEALS OR THE VALVE GUIDES.

THE LAST ONE, THIS IS REALLY A BAD ONE.

THE END OF THE PLUG IS ALL GUNKED UP AND FILLED UP WITH DEPOSITS AND SO ON...IT'S WET, IT'S OILY, IT'S GREASY LOOKING, THAT MEANS THAT LIQUID OIL IS COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE EITHER AROUND OR THROUGH THE PISTON AND YOU PROBABLY NEED MAJOR INTERNAL ENGINE REPAIRS.

SO, LEARN TO READ THE SPARK PLUGS AND YOU'LL KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THE GENERAL CONDITION OF YOUR ENGINE, AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, DROP ME A LINE, RIGHT HERE AT MOTORWEEK .

John: A FULL TANK AND A WIDE OPEN ROAD, SOUNDS LIKE THE MAKINGS OF A QUICKSPIN.

AMONG LUXURIOUS FAMILY HAULERS, MERCEDES-BENZ IS A DOMINATE PLAYER.

THE 2020 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS AIMS TO STAKE AN EVEN BIGGER CLAIM.

ACTUALLY, THEIR LARGEST UTILITY, THE NEW GLS GROWS IN JUST ABOUT EVERY DIRECTION, WEARING THE SENSUAL PURITY DESIGN MAKING ITS WAY UP THROUGH THE LINE-UP.

WE HEADED TO UTAH TO DRIVE THIS 3RD GENERATION GLS.

THE GLS 450 IS MOVED BY A 362 HORSEPOWER 3.0 LITER IN-LINE 6 TURBO WITH EQ BOOST.

USING A 48 VOLT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND INTEGRATED STARTER-GENERATOR, EQ BOOST ADDS 21 HORSEPOWER AND 184 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, SWIFTLY TURNING STOP TO GO, AND EFFORTLESSLY ACCELERATING WITH NO WAITING FOR THE TURBO AT SPEED.

THE MORE POWERFUL GLS 550 BECOMES THE GLS 580.

THE BIGGER NUMBER BRINGS 34 MORE HORSES, SO NOW...IT RATES 483 FROM ITS 4.0 LITER V8 BI-TURBO ALSO WITH ELECTRIC ASSISTANCE.

A SMOOTH 9G-TRONIC AUTOMATIC, STAYS RIGHT IN STEP WITH THE RISING OUTPUT OF BOTH ENGINES.

COMPOSURE THROUGH THE CURVES IS AIDED BY AN UPDATED AIRMATIC AIR SUSPENSION.

THE OPTIONAL E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL CREATES EXCELLENT BALANCE...

USING THE BEEFIER ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO INDIVIDUALLY DECIDE DAMPING FOR EACH WHEEL.

THE NEW VARIABLE 4MATIC ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM CAN ALLOCATE UP TO 100% OF TORQUE TO THE REAR, IMPROVING ON ROAD HANDLING AS WELL AS OFF-ROAD PROWESS.

Garick Zikan: SO, OUT HERE AWAY FROM THE PAVEMENT THE GLS PROVES IT'S WILLING AND ABLE TO ADAPT TO LESS THAN IDEAL ROAD CONDITIONS.

WITH ALL FOUR WHEELS IN PLAY THERE'S PLENTY OF TRACTION.

AND DESPITE THE UNEVEN SURFACE OUT THERE, THE E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL KEEPS IT VERY STABLE AND COMFORTABLE IN HERE.

John: GRAB HANDLES ARE THERE WHEN YOU NEED THEM.

AS ARE TWO 12.3 INCH SCREENS SEAMLESSLY BLENDING INTO THE EXPANSIVE DASHBOARD WITH THE LATEST IN HIGH TECH, INCLUDING AN UPDATED MERCEDES-BENZ USER EXPERIENCE PERSONAL ASSISTANT...

THE LONGER WHEELBASE GIVES SECOND ROW PASSENGERS ADDED LEGROOM... AND FOR THE FIRST TIME CAN BE EQUIPPED WITH CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS.

THE 2020 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS PROVIDES AFFLUENT BUYERS THE ROOM THEIR FAMILIES EXPECT...

ALONG WITH MORE CAPABILITY, TECHNOLOGY, AND AN EVEN LOFTIER LEVEL OF LUXURY.

THEY ARRIVE IN DEALERS LATER THIS YEAR STARTING AT JUST OVER $75,000.

WHAT STARTED FROM HUMBLE COMMUTER CAR BEGINNINGS IN 1972, HAS EVOLVED INTO THE HIGHLY POPULAR AND ENTERTAINING 2019 HONDA CIVIC.

NOW, THREE YEARS INTO ITS 10TH GENERATION THERE IS SOME UPDATING WITH NEW FRONT AND REAR FASCIAS.

THIS CIVIC COUPE HAS THE SAME WHEELBASE AS THE SEDAN, BUT IS SLIGHTLY LOWER AND 5.0 INCHES SHORTER OVERALL.

OF THE TWO ENGINE OPTIONS, WE CHOSE THE PEPPIER 174 HORSEPOWER 1.5 LITER I4 TURBO MATCHED WITH A CVT.

THEY DELIVER THE DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN FUEL EFFICIENT DRIVING, BUT STILL WITH A DOSE OF FUN.

STEERING HAS THE HEFT AND RESPONSIVENESS THAT FITS WITH SPORTY DRIVING.

THE COMPACT EXTERIOR GIVES WAY TO A WIDE OPEN INTERIOR AND DASH.

REDESIGNED CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL RESPOND WELL.

RESPONDING TO MEDIA AND OWNER COMPLAINTS, HONDA HAS ADDED MORE PHYSICAL CONTROLS AND A VOLUME KNOB TO THE INFOTAINMENT TOUCH SCREEN MAKING IT EASIER TO NAVIGATE.

HONDA SENSING IS STANDARD WITH FEATURES LIKE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL AND COLLISION MITIGATION BRAKING READY TO RESPOND.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE EVERYONE, BUT HONDA HAS PROVEN A COMPACT CAR CAN SATISFY A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR A LONG TIME WITH RELIABILITY, STYLE, AND THOUGHTFUL EXECUTION.

THE 2019 HONDA CIVIC IS ON SALE NOW...STARTING AT UNDER $21,000.

AND WE'LL HAVE MORE QUICKSPINS SOON!

PEOPLE JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH COMPACT CROSSOVERS, AND NEITHER CAN WE, AS SMALL UTEs HAVE QUICKLY BECOME THE FAMILY RUNABOUT OF CHOICE.

SO, WE'RE BACK AT IT ONCE AGAIN WITH OUR FRIENDS AT CARS.COM, RIFLING THROUGH SEVEN POPULAR COMPACTS TO FIND THE BEST UTILITY VALUE.

HERE'S HOW THINGS SHOOK OUT!

* THE SUBURBS OF CHICAGO ARE CERTAINLY NOT THE WARMEST OF PLACES TO BE IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH.

BUT, IT IS THE REAL WORLD AFTER ALL!

SO, IF THERE ARE CARS TO BE TESTED, WE'LL BUNDLE UP AND BE THERE.

AND THAT'S WHERE OUR SEVEN COMPACT UTILITIES WERE AWAITING US, PREPARING FOR BATTLE.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS HERE...

THE ALWAYS COMPETENT HONDA CR-V...

THE HIGH-VALUE HYUNDAI TUCSON...

THE TRAIL RATED JEEP CHEROKEE...

THE SPACIOUS AND STYLISH NISSAN ROGUE...

THE MORE CAPABLE THAN EVER SUBARU FORESTER...

THE TOYOTA RAV4, FRESH OFF A RUGGED MAKEOVER... AND THE WINNER OF OUR LAST COMPACT SUV CHALLENGE, THE VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN... NO PRICE CAP THIS TIME AROUND, WHICH MEANS A WIDE RANGE FROM MID-30s TO LOW 40s.

ALL CONTESTANTS ARE 2019 MODELS, FEATURING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.

WHERE THINGS DIFFER, IS IN THE ENGINE BAYS, WITH A MIX OF TURBO AND NON-TURBO 4-CYLINDERS, AND EVEN A V6.

THE ROGUE, CHEROKEE, AND RAV4 ALL HAVE PLENTY TO OFFER, BUT IN THIS CHALLENGE, WHERE SCORES WERE TIGHTER THAN EVER, THEY JUST MISSED THE CUT.

SO, OUR TOP QUARTET STARTS WITH THE HONDA CR-V IN 4TH SPOT.

THE CR-V MAKES DO WITH A TINY 1.5 LITER TURBO-4, WORKING HARD TO PUT OUT A MORE THAN ADEQUATE 190 HORSEPOWER, AS IT SHARES THE GROUP'S BEST COMBINED FUEL ECONOMY RATING OF 29 MILES PER GALLON.

AND SOMEWHAT SURPRISINGLY, THE CR-Vs PRICE OF $35,145 WAS ACTUALLY SECOND LOWEST IN OUR TEST.

Brian Robinson: THE CR-V HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THIS SEGMENT FOR A LONG TIME.

AND THAT CONTINUES TO BE THE CASE ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ROOM INSIDE AND OVERALL RIDE QUALITY, BUT EVERYONE ELSE IN THE SEGMENT HAS CERTAINLY CAUGHT UP TO IT.

Joe Wiesenfelder: THE CR-V HAS A REALLY BIG, ROOMY BACK SEAT, AND THE SEAT DOESN'T SLIDE FORWARD AND BACK, AND THAT USUALLY MEANS, IF YOU HAVE A BIG BACK SEAT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH CARGO ROOM, BUT SOMEHOW THE CR-V MANAGES TO HAVE BOTH, WHICH IS JUST REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

John: THE HYUNDAI TUCSON WAS THIRD, WITH A 181 HORSEPOWER NATURALLY ASPIRATED 2.4 LITER I4.

IT WAS NOT THE PEPPIEST, NOR DID ITS INTERIOR MATERIALS WIN OVER MANY JUDGE'S HEARTS.

BUT IT WAS FEATURE PACKED, HAS ONE OF THE BEST MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMS OUT THERE, AND AS EXPECTED, CAME IN WITH THE LOWEST PRICE HERE AT $34,130.

Brian: THE TUCSON SUFFERS FROM A LOT OF HARD PLASTICS INSIDE AND A GENERAL UNINVITING NATURE TO THE INTERIOR, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, YOU JUST CAN'T BEAT IT WHEN IT COMES TO FEATURES FOR THE MONEY.

Fred Meier: THE TUCSON WAS THE BEST VALUE HERE FOR A LOADED SUV; IT HAD COMPETITIVE FEATURES, COMPETITIVE CAPABILITIES, AND IT CAME IN A THOUSAND TO $7,000 LESS THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE FIELD.

John: WITH A RECENT RE-DESIGN, THE SUBARU FORESTER WAS PRIMED TO DO WELL, AND INDEED IT DID, FINISHING IN SECOND SPOT.

POWERED BY A 182 HORSEPOWER 2.5 LITER BOXER-4, THE FORESTER CONTINUES TO DELIVER A LOT OF SPACE, A HIGH QUALITY INTERIOR, AND OF COURSE, HI-DEF LEVELS OF VISIBILITY ALL AROUND.

ALL FOR JUST A COUPLE BUCKS MORE THAN THE CR-V, AT $35,270.

Brian: THE FORESTER CONTINUES TO DELIVER EXACTLY WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IN THIS SEGMENT, WHICH IS GREAT COMFORT, LOTS OF SPACE AND THE FEELING THAT YOU CAN EASILY DRIVE THROUGH WHATEVER WEATHER COMES YOUR WAY.

Joe: YOU CAN'T MENTION SUBARU, OR THE FORESTER, WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT VISIBILITY; YOU CAN SEE OUT OF IT SO WELL...

I LIKE THE FACT THAT THERE'S SO MUCH SEAT TRAVEL, IT'S NOT THE BIGGEST SUV, BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET REAL FAR AWAY FROM THE PEDALS; MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE THAN SOME OF THESE VEHICLES.

John: NOW OUR WINNER, AGAIN THE VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN, IT CAME WITH THE TOP PRICE TAG TOO, AT $40,485.

THAT DOES INCLUDE ITS UNMATCHED 6-YEAR/72,000 MILE WHOLE VEHICLE WARRANTY.

IT ALSO BROUGHT, A TORQUEY 184 HORSEPOWER 2.0 LITER TURBO-4 WITH OPTIONAL R-LINE TRIM, WHICH MEANS LOTS OF SPORTY ACCENTS YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED.

BUT THEY DID MAKE IT THE COOLEST LOOKING RIDE OF THE BUNCH, WHILE DELIVERING SPORT-SEDAN LEVELS OF DRIVING ENJOYMENT.

ALSO, THE TIGUAN IS YOUR ONLY OPTION IF YOU NEED IN A 3RD ROW.

Brian: THE TIGUAN HAS BEEN A BIG SUCCESS MOSTLY BY GIVING PEOPLE MORE SPACE FOR LESS MONEY.

AND THAT CONTINUES HERE, ALTHOUGH IT ALSO HAS A VERY SUBSTANTIAL RIDE TO IT AND A GREAT TECH INTERFACE.

Mike Hanley: I REALLY LIKED DRIVING THE VW TIGUAN; IT'S SPORTY, IT HANDLES WELL, IT WAS REALLY OPERATING AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN THE OTHER MODELS IN THIS TEST...

THE TIGUAN'S 2ND ROW SEAT IS REALLY COMFORTABLE, IT HAS GOOD LEG ROOM, GOOD HEADROOM, AND A NICE SEATING POSITION.

John: ULTIMATELY, ALL SEVEN OF OUR COMPACT UTILITIES ARE ALL A LOT MORE ALIKE THAN THEY ARE DIFFERENT, AND EQUALLY PROFICIENT AT GETTING FAMILY CHORES DONE.

BUT, IN A SEGMENT THAT CONTINUES TO GROW, IT'S STILL THE VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN THAT RIDES TO THE TOP FOR NOW.

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 BMW FILLS THE TOP SPOT IN THEIR SPORTS ACTIVITY VEHICLE LINE-UP WITH THE THREE-ROW X7.

AND SUPERCAR PERFORMANCE WITH BRITISH BREEDING, THE MCLAREN 720S.

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.

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STATE FARM IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MOTORWEEK .

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[SOUND OF CAR ENGINE REVVING] *