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

JOIN US FOR AN ALL-NEW ACURA TLX, ACURA'S QUICKEST SEDAN YET... PAT GOSS HAS ADVICE ON MAKING SURE YOUR TRAILER IS SAFE FOR THE ROAD... STEPHANIE HART HAS SMART TIPS FOR SAFELY DRIVING IN THE POURING RAIN... AND WE'LL TEST THE FIRST EVER HYBRID MINIVAN, FROM CHRYSLER OF COURSE...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

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

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John: WHEN THE ACURA TLX ARRIVED FOR 2015, IT WAS A MERGING OF BOTH THE LUXURY-MINDED TL AND THE SPORT-FOCUSED TSX SEDANS.

A TOUGH TASK FOR SURE, AND WHILE IT SHOWED POTENTIAL, THE UNION STILL RESULTED IN A BIT OF AN IDENTITY CRISIS.

WELL...NOW, IT'S TIME FOR A NEW TLX, ONE WHOSE AIM IS MUCH MORE ON TARGET.

* IT'S CLEAR THAT DELIVERING MORE EXCITEMENT WAS A MAJOR PART OF THE PLAN FOR THIS 2021 ACURA TLX.

LONGER, LOWER, WIDER; ALL THE USUAL TRANSFORMATIVE WORDS WHEN YOU'RE GOING FOR A MORE AGGRESSIVE DESIGN ARE HERE.

BUT, MORE THAN THAT, PROPORTIONS CHANGE DRASTICALLY AS WELL, WITH ALMOST 4.0 INCHES OF ADDED WHEELBASE.

WITH THAT A MUCH LONGER HOOD AND A FRONT AXLE PUSHED ALMOST 8.0 INCHES FARTHER FORWARD FROM THE DASH.

OUR A-SPEC DRIVES THAT POINT HOME EVEN MORE WITH BLACK TRIM, SOME GLOSSY, SOME MATTE, 19 INCH SHARK GREY ALLOY WHEELS, L-E-D FOG LAMPS, A DECK-LID SPOILER, AND TINTED LENS FOR BOTH HEAD AND TAIL LIGHTS.

TO BACK UP THOSE SNARLY LOOKS, ACURA PRIORITIZED LIGHTER ALUMINUM MATERIALS FOR THE FRONT-END INCLUDING BODYWORK, SUBFRAME, AND SHOCK TOWERS.

THAT...PLUS, MOVING THE BATTERY TO THE REAR, HAS GONE A LONG WAY TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE NOSE HEAVY FEEL OF ITS PREDECESSOR.

ADD A VASTLY STIFFER STRUCTURE, UPGRADED SUSPENSION DESIGN, AND THE AVAILABLE 4TH GENERATION OF ACURA'S SUPER-HANDLING ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE, AND ALL TRIMS GET A SIGNIFICANT PERFORMANCE BOOST WHEN IT COMES TO HANDLING.

THE FRONT SUSPENSION CHANGES FROM MACPHERSON STRUTS TO A DOUBLE WISHBONE DESIGN, WITH HYDRAULIC BUSHINGS THAT GREATLY IMPROVE LATERAL STIFFNESS, WHILE ALSO INCREASING COMFORT.

OUR A-SPEC'S UPGRADED S-H-A-W-D CAN SEND 70% OF ENGINE TORQUE TO THE REAR WHEELS; FASTER THAN BEFORE; NOT TO MENTION ALL OF THAT CAN GO TO JUST ONE REAR WHEEL, TO PROVIDE SERIOUS TORQUE VECTORING PERFORMANCE.

LIKE, THE PREVIOUS TLX, IT HAS A UNIQUE DEMEANOR THAT TAKES SOME GETTING USED TO.

AT FIRST, ALL OF THE ELECTRONICS SEEM LIKE THEY ARE HOLDING YOU BACK.

BUT AS YOU PUSH HARDER AND HARDER, THE CAR RESPONDS BETTER AND BETTER; TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S INCLINED TO OVERSTEER.

SUSPENSION TUNING IS STILL ON THE SOFTER SIDE OF RIVALS, AND WHILE STEERING RESPONSE HAS NOTICEABLY QUICKENED, IT STILL FEELS ARTIFICIALLY HEAVY.

STILL, THERE'S LOTS OF PROWESS AND ENJOYMENT TO FIND HERE, EVEN IF IT IS A LITTLE HAMSTRUNG BY ITS ELECTRONICS.

INCLUSIVE DRIVE MODES ADDRESS THROTTLE REACTION, SHIFT MAPPING, STEERING RESPONSE, TORQUE DISTRIBUTION, ADAPTIVE DAMPERS, IF SO EQUIPPED, AUTOMATIC STOP/START, AND EVEN INTERIOR LIGHTING.

POWERING ALL OF THIS, IS A NEW 2.0 LITER I4 TURBO.

AT 272 HORSEPOWER AND 280 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, IT NOT ONLY HAS CLOSE TO 100 POUND-FEET MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS BASE ENGINE, BUT 13 MORE THAN THE OUTGOING V6 UPGRADE.

AND ACURA'S NOT DONE.

A TLX TYPE S, WITH A 355 HORSE 3.0 LITER TURBO V6, ARRIVES SOON.

BACK AT THE TRACK, OUR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE TLX A-SPEC HOOKED RIGHT UP AND GOT TO WORK; 0-60 IN 5.8 SECONDS.

INDEED, IT IS THE FASTEST ACURA SEDAN WE'VE YET TESTED.

GREAT LOW-END TORQUE LAST ALMOST UP TO THE 6,800 RPM REDLINE.

THE INCLUDED 10-SPEED AUTOMATIC DELIVERS SHIFTS THAT ARE BOTH REALLY SMOOTH AND PLENTY QUICK.

IT FEELS AND SOUNDS LIKE A STOUT PACKAGE, WITH THE QUARTER-MILE AT 14.4 SECONDS AND 97 MILES PER HOUR.

BRAKES WERE GOOD AND CONSISTENT.

AN ALWAYS STABLE 125 FEET STOPPING AVERAGE FROM 60 WAS OUR RESULT.

THE ACURA BRAND WAS BORN IN 1986, PART OF AN EMERGING TREND OF JAPANESE BRANDS GOING UPMARKET TO INCREASE PROFITABILITY.

ACURA LAUNCHED WITH BOTH THE YOUTHFUL INTEGRA, AND TECH-SAVVY LEGEND LUXURY-SPORT SEDAN, WHICH DID INDEED BECOME LEGENDARY.

THEIR ARRIVAL COINCIDED WITH OUR 5TH SEASON; WE LOVED THE STRONG HONDA HERITAGE, BUT WONDERED IF THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO LURE BUYERS AWAY FROM ESTABLISHED UPMARKET BRANDS.

WELL, THEY'VE CERTAINLY MADE MAJOR STRIDES IN THAT ENDEAVOR; AIDED BY THEIR UNIQUE INTERIORS THAT NAIL THE TECH-HEAVY SPORTY LUXURY ATMOSPHERE BETTER THAN MOST.

HERE, EVEN SPORTIER THAN BEFORE, BUT ALSO ROOMIER, EXCEPT IN THE BACK WHERE LEGROOM IS STILL TIGHT.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS FOR OUR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE A-SPEC ARE 21-CITY, 29-HIGHWAY, AND 24-COMBINED.

OUR AVERAGE WAS A FINE 24.9 MILES PER GALLON OF PREMIUM.

THAT RATES AN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE, WITH USE OF 13.7 BARRELS OF OIL YEARLY, AND 6.1 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.

WITH MAJOR UPGRADES TO STYLING, PERFORMANCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND STANDARD EQUIPMENT; A SIGNIFICANT PRICE INCREASE IS TO BE EXPECTED.

YET, AT $38,525, IT STILL UNDERCUTS RIVALS.

OUR A-SPEC TESTER, ONE STEP BELOW TOP ADVANCE TRIM, GOES FOR $45,275.

ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE IS NOW AVAILABLE WITH ALL TRIMS FOR $2,000 MORE.

THE 2021 ACURA TLX IS CLEARLY AIMED MORE SHARPLY THAN EVER AT MIDDLE-WEIGHT EUROPEAN SPORT SEDANS.

AND WHILE THERE IS EASILY ENOUGH PERFORMANCE TO RUN IN THAT CLASS, THE TLX HAS A MUCH DIFFERENT VIBE.

IT'S PRECISION-CRAFTED, TECH-SAVVY NATURE THAT MAKES THE TLX JUST SEEM SMARTER THAN THE REST, WITH FINE SPORT SEDAN ABILITIES AS AN ADDED BONUS.

* * Flashback A FIERCE NORTHEASTERN STORM WAS ON ITS WAY.

WITH LITTLE TO DO EXCEPT WATCH OUR HOTEL ROOM CEILINGS LEAK, WE VENTURED OUT ONTO THE FLOODED ROADS IN OUR QUARTET AND FOUND THAT ALL ARE QUITE STORM WORTHY.

AS THE SEASONS CHANGE, SO SHOULD OUR DRIVING TECHNIQUES.

NOW, MOST OF US THINK WE KNOW HOW TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN, BUT THE FACT IS WE ALL COULD USE A REFRESHER.

THE NUMBERS ARE STARTLING - 1.2 MILLION CRASHES EVERY YEAR.

SO HERE'S OUR STEPHANIE HART WITH SOME SMART ADVICE ON DRIVING IN A DOWNPOUR.

* Stephanie Hart: IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN CAUGHT IN A DOWNPOUR WHILE DRIVING, THEN YOU KNOW IT CAN SOMETIMES BE PRETTY SCARY.

ESPECIALLY, IF YOU START TO LOSE TRACTION, A SITUATION COMMONLY KNOWN AS HYDROPLANING.

IT HAPPENS WHEN A LAYER OF WATER SEPARATES A VEHICLE'S TIRES FROM THE GROUND.

WORN TIRES ON WET SURFACES WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE YOUR HYDROPLANING RISK - ALTHOUGH IT CAN HAPPEN AT SPEEDS AS LOW AS 35 MILES PER HOUR EVEN WITH NEW TIRES.

SO, IF YOUR CAR STARTS TO HYDROPLANE...WHAT DO YOU DO?

TRIPLE A HAS THIS ADVICE... Kurt Gray: WELL, THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO IS TO TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR, RIGHT.

THAT'S GOING TO SHIFT MORE WEIGHT TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND ALLOW YOU TO REGAIN TRACTION.

WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS TO APPLY THE BRAKES.

ALRIGHT, SO YOU WANT TO STAY OFF THE BRAKES, ALLOW YOUR VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN NATURALLY.

AND IF YOU END UP LOSING CONTROL THEN YOU WANT TO STAY OFF THE BRAKES AGAIN, AND LOOK, AND STEER WHERE YOU WANT THE VEHICLE TO GO.

Stephanie: CONDITIONS ARE MOST DANGEROUS DURING THE FIRST TEN MINUTES OF A HEAVY DOWNPOUR.

AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO HAVE GOOD TIRES GOING INTO THE RAINY SEASON.

SO KURT, HOW CAN PEOPLE CHECK THEIR TIRES TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE READY?

Kurt: WELL, ONE WAY YOU CAN DO IT IS TO USE A TOOL LIKE THIS WHICH IS A TIRE TREAD DEPTH MEASURER.

OR YOU CAN REACH IN YOUR POCKET AND USE A QUARTER.

Stephanie: OKAY, SO SHOW ME HOW IT WORKS?

Kurt: SO THIS TOOL HERE, WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS EXTEND THE CLIP ON THE FRONT, PUSH IT BETWEEN THE TIRE TREAD DEPTH AND YOU CAN SEE WE'RE AT 1/32 SECOND, A VERY UNSAFE TREAD DEPTH HERE ON THIS TIRE AS OPPOSED TO A NEW TIRE 11/32 SECOND.

Stephanie: OKAY.

Kurt: SO, YOU HAVE A BRAND NEW TIRE AND A VERY OLD, WORN DOWN DANGEROUS TIRE.

Stephanie: SO, HOW MUCH DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT COST?

Kurt: FOUR BUCKS.

Stephanie: FOUR BUCKS...OKAY, SO EASY TO USE.

Kurt: EASY TO USE.

Stephanie: AND HOW DOES THE QUARTER WORK, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT DEVICE?

Kurt: THE QUARTER WORKS IS THAT WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS, YOU WOULD INVERT GEORGE WASHINGTON'S HEAD AND STICK IT BETWEEN THE TREAD DEPTH, AND YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE THE TOP OF THE HEAD... Stephanie: OKAY.

Kurt: ALRIGHT, SO IF YOU SEE THE TOP OF THE HEAD THAT MEANS YOU ARE AT 4/32 SECONDS OF AN INCH ON TREAD DEPTH WHICH MEANS, IT'S TIME TO START SHOPPING FOR TIRES.

Stephanie: IF YOU DON'T NEED NEW TIRES, MAKE SURE TO INFLATE YOUR TIRES TO THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

THEY ARE NORMALLY FOUND INSIDE THE DRIVER'S DOOR.

UNDERINFLATED TIRES AREN'T ABLE TO DISPLACE WATER LIKE TIRES THAT ARE PROPERLY INFLATED, MAKING DRIVING IN THE RAIN POTENTIALLY MORE DANGEROUS.

MAINTAINING VISIBILITY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF DRIVING SAFELY IN THE RAIN.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR WINDSHIELD IS CLEAN, AND ALSO YOUR WINDOWS, AND YOU WANT TO CHECK YOUR WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES.

THE TYPICAL BLADES ONLY LAST SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, SO YOU WANT TO REPLACE THESE AS SOON AS YOU START SEEING STREAKS BUILD UP ON YOUR WINDSHIELD.

ALSO, USE YOUR DEFROSTER.

YOU DON'T WANT FOG TO BUILD UP ON YOUR WINDOWS AND FINALLY TURN ON YOUR HEADLIGHTS.

WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, HAVE YOUR BRAKES SERVICED.

IT'S ALSO A GOOD TIME TO CONDUCT A THOROUGH CHECKUP, WE'RE TALKING BATTERY, LIGHTS, AND BRAKES.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE MAKE SURE YOU PUT TOGETHER AN EMERGENCY KIT.

IN THE END, IT'S ALL ABOUT DRIVING WITH MOTHER NATURE'S WORST IN MIND.

AFTER ALL, NO ONE IS INVINCIBLE, WHETHER YOU'VE BEEN DRIVING FIFTY YEARS OR FIVE.

John: THERE'S A LOT MORE TO KNOW ABOUT TRAILERING THAN JUST HITCHING UP AND HITTING THE ROAD.

AS ALWAYS PAT GOSS HAS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW DOWN AT GOSS' GARAGE.

* Pat Goss: WHEN IT COMES TO TRAILERS IT SEEMS TO BE TWO ETERNAL PROBLEMS, AND THAT'S TIRES AND WIRES.

LET'S START WITH TIRES.

TRAILER TIRES ARE DIFFERENT THAN CAR TIRES.

AND THEY NORMALLY REQUIRE MORE PRESSURE.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALWAYS CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE AND THE CONDITION OF THE TIRES BEFORE YOU HIT THE ROAD.

ALSO, IF YOU HAVE TO BUY REPLACEMENT TIRES, WELL, TRAILER TIRES NORMALLY ARE STRONGER AND BUILT DIFFERENTLY THAN CAR TIRES.

SO ALWAYS BUY TRAILER TIRES.

AND YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THAT'LL RUIN YOUR WHOLE MORNING AND HAS NOTHING BUT LOW TIRE PRESSURE.

ALRIGHT, SECOND THING IS WIRES, LIGHTS THAT DON'T WORK, AND BRAKES THAT DON'T WORK AND SO ON.

WELL, LOTS OF TIMES THAT'LL BE THE RESULT OF THESE OLD-FASHIONED CRIMP-ON WIRE CONNECTORS, AND ENDS, AND SO ON.

THEY WORK, THEY HOLD THE WIRE TOGETHER BUT OVER TIME WHAT HAPPENS IS MOISTURE GETS IN THERE, IT CORRODES, THAT CAUSES HIGH RESISTANCE AND THE HIGH RESISTANCE CAUSES THE LIGHT NOT TO WORK.

ALRIGHT...NOW, THE WAY THAT YOU WOULD CHECK THAT IS REAL SIMPLE.

YOU WOULD USE A DIGITAL VOLTMETER JUST AS WE SEE HERE.

AND YOU WOULD GO ON EACH SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR AND YOU WOULD MEASURE THE RESISTANCE.

THE RESISTANCE MUST BE ZERO JUST LIKE WE'RE SEEING HERE.

IF THERE'S ANY RESISTANCE AT ALL, THAT CONNECTOR IS BAD.

ALRIGHT...BUT NOW, DON'T REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME OLD THING.

OVER HERE, WE HAVE A NEW STYLE OF CONNECTOR.

THESE HAVE EITHER A CEMENT OR A LOW TEMPERATURE SOLDER INSIDE THEM AND THE ENDS OF THEM ARE HEAT SHRINK TUBING.

SO, YOU HEAT THEM USING A HEAT GUN AND WHAT YOU WIND UP WITH IS SOMETHING THAT HOLDS THE WIRE TOGETHER, ELECTRICALLY SOUND, AND THE ENDS OF IT ARE SEALED WITH THE HEAT SHRINK IN ORDER TO KEEP MOISTURE OUT.

THEY DO A FAR, FAR BETTER JOB.

ALSO PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE GAUGE OF THE WIRE, THE THICKNESS OF IT, IT MUST MATCH FROM THE TOW VEHICLE ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE PART OR WHATEVER THE LIGHT OR THE BRAKES OR WHATEVER IT'S WORKING.

GOTTA BE THE SAME.

AND ABOVE AND BEYOND ALL, DO NOT USE HOUSEHOLD TWIST-ON WIRE CONNECTORS.

THEY DO NOT WORK AROUND AUTOMOBILES, YET, WE SEE THEM ALL THE TIME.

DO IT RIGHT, AND YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF FUN WITH YOUR TRAILER.

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

[CAR HORN BEEPS] John: OUR MOTORWEEK 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAR OF THE WEEK IS THIS ALL ORIGINAL 1982 CHEVROLET CAMARO BERLINETTA.

SCOTT WATSON FROM NEW BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA LOVES THE SMOOTH RIDE AND UNIQUE FEATURES LIKE ITS PLUSH INTERIOR, COLOR-KEYED STRIPING AND GOLD TONED TURBINE WHEELS.

SUBMIT PHOTOS OF YOUR FAVORITE RIDE FOR CAR OF THE WEEK CONSIDERATION TO...

SITTING STILL IS SOMETHING WE'RE NOT VERY GOOD AT HERE AT MOTORWEEK, SO JOIN US NOW FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF QUICKSPINS!

* Greg Carloss: WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE FORD MUSTANG MACH-E EVER SINCE IT DEBUTED AT THE 2019 L.A. AUTO SHOW.

WELL, 12 MONTHS, A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION LATER, WE FINALLY GOT OUR TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE BLUE OVAL'S FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC SUV.

YES, IF YOU'RE JUST NOW RETURNING TO THE GRID, FORD IS USING THE MUSTANG NAME ON A BATTERY-ELECTRIC, 4-DOOR UTILITY, WHICH WAS RECENTLY EPA CERTIFIED FOR AN ESTIMATED RANGE OF 300 MILES IN PREMIUM EXTENDED-RANGE REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE FORM.

PREMIUM ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE MODELS RATE 270 MILES, WHILE BASE REAR AND ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE VERSIONS COME IN AT 230 AND 210 MILES RESPECTIVELY.

FOR THOSE CONCERNED MORE WITH SPEED THAN RANGE, THE GT PERFORMANCE EDITION PUMPS OUT 480 HORSEPOWER AND ZIPS TO 60 IN 3.5 SECONDS.

WE MET OUR PREMIUM ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE MACH-E ON A SNOWY MICHIGAN MORNING AND IMMEDIATELY JUMPED IN THE BACK SEAT WHERE HEAD AND LEGROOM ARE MUCH MORE ABUNDANT THAN THE PROFILE'S SLOPING STYLE SUGGESTS.

OPENING THE DOOR IS DONE WITH THE PUSH OF A BUTTON RATHER THAN A PULL OF THE HANDLE AND FORGET THE KEY, ALL YOU NEED IS YOUR SMARTPHONE.

LOOKING FORWARD FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THE VIEW OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND SLIM GAUGE CLUSTER IS DELIGHTFULLY MINIMALIST, YET...STILL COMPREHENSIVE.

THE VERTICAL TABLET-STYLE TOUCHSCREEN DOMINATES THE DASH AND IS EXTREMELY USER-FRIENDLY.

NOT QUITE AS SLEEK AS WHAT YOU'LL FIND IN THE TESLA MODEL Y, BUT LESS INTIMIDATING TO DRIVERS WHO DON'T WORK IN THE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FIELD, AND IT HAS A VOLUME KNOB.

FIRST THINGS FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE DRIVE MODES.

WHISPER, ENGAGE, AND UNBRIDLED.

BONUS POINTS FOR THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX A LITTLE BIT.

I GOTTA SAY, EVEN THOUGH, I DON'T LOVE THE NAME WHISPER MODE, I DO LIKE DRIVING AROUND IN IT.

IT'S QUIET AND REALLY SMOOTH OVER SOME NOT SO SMOOTH ROADS HERE IN DETROIT.

GOING UP TO ENGAGE, WHICH IS THAT MIDDLE LEVEL, IT ENGAGES YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE, THERE'S SOME PUMPED IN NOISE AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.

AND THEN, AT THE TOP OF THE LINE FOR YOU PERFORMANCE JUNKIES IS UNBRIDLED.

IT GIVES YOU THE MOST ACCELERATION YOU CAN GET FROM THE THREE MODES AND IT REALLY PUMPS IN THAT FAKE ENGINE NOISE.

IN THIS SPEC, IT TAKES THE MACH-E UNDER 5.0 SECONDS TO REACH 60, WHICH ISN'T "LUDICROUS" BUT STILL PRETTY FAST.

WE CAN SIT HERE AND ARGUE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS SHOULD BE CALLED A MUSTANG OR NOT, WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT IT GETS IN THE WAY OF A REALLY NICE VEHICLE.

IT'S COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE, IT'S QUIET, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR AN EV.

AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS AN SUV, IT'S TOTALLY COMPETITIVE IN THIS SEGMENT.

PRICING IS ALSO COMPETITIVE WITH BASE MODELS STARTING AT $43,000 AND THE 300 MILE PREMIUM EXTENDED RANGE MODEL TAKING OFF AT $47,000 BEFORE TAX INCENTIVES.

AND WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE COMING UP SOON ON MOTORWEEK !

* John: SOME PEOPLE NEVER GET THE CREDIT THEY DESERVE IN LIFE, AND THERE ARE A FEW CARS THAT KNOW THAT FEELING TOO.

THAT'S CERTAINLY THE CASE FOR FORD'S MUSTANG II AND PINTO.

LOOKED DOWN UPON BY MANY GEARHEADS AND MOST SAFETY NICKS OVER THE YEARS; THEIR SIGNIFICANCE IN AUTOMOTIVE, AND YES...EVEN RACING HISTORY SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED.

DON'T BELIEVE US, GET A WHOLE NEW APPRECIATION FROM MARC CRANSWICK IN HIS BOOK "FORD MUSTANG II & PINTO 1970-1980."

YOU'RE SURE TO LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT THIS OFTEN MALIGNED PAIR OF PONIES THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW.

AND IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH, THERE'S EVEN A FOREWORD WRITTEN BY SOMEONE YOU JUST MIGHT RECOGNIZE.

MAKING IT A MUST READ PERFECT FOR BOTH FORD AND MOTORWEEK FANS.

AS THE ORIGINATOR OF THE FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE MINIVAN, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT CHRYSLER WOULD BE THE FIRST TO BRING TO MARKET A HYBRID MINIVAN.

BUT WITH SO MANY FAMILIES OPTING FOR CROSSOVERS THESE DAYS, IS A PLUG-IN MINIVAN A SMARTER ALTERNATIVE?

* A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE CHRYSLER BROUGHT THEIR CAR-BASED MINIVAN TO THE WORLD FOR THE 1984 MODEL YEAR.

THAT FIRST DODGE CARAVAN AND PLYMOUTH VOYAGER REVOLUTIONIZED HOW FAMILIES TRAVELED, AND PROMPTED COMPETITORS FROM NUMEROUS BRANDS BOTH DOMESTIC AND IMPORTED.

WELL, MANY OF THOSE RIVALS HAVE COME AND GONE, AND OF COURSE, FAR MORE SUVs ARE SOLD TODAY THAN MINIVANS.

STILL, THE CHRYSLER FOLKS, NOW PART OF F-C-A, CONTINUE TO BRING INNOVATION TO THE SEGMENT; INCLUDING THIS 2020 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID.

IT'S NOT ONLY THE FIRST HYBRID MINIVAN, BUT THE FIRST PLUG-IN HYBRID MINIVAN AT THAT.

THAT MEANS THIS PHEV HAS 16 KWHS WORTH OF BATTERIES ONBOARD.

FORTUNATELY, THE PACIFICA HAD A HUGE AMOUNT OF UNDERFLOOR STORAGE SPACE TO START WITH.

BUT THAT DOES MEAN - YOU LOSE A PREVIOUS INNOVATION, THE STOW N' GO SEATING SYSTEM.

THOSE BATTERIES PROVIDE AN ELECTRIC-ONLY RANGE OF 32 MILES, ENOUGH TO PUSH OVERALL RANGE ON A TANK OF FUEL TO OVER 500 MILES.

AND, THEY'LL RECHARGE IN ONLY TWO-HOURS WITH AN AT HOME LEVEL-2 CHARGER.

IT'S ALL CONNECTED TO A 3.6 LITER PENTASTAR V6, CONVERTED TO RUN ON THE ATKINSON CYCLE.

WHEN EV-RANGE IS DEPLETED, THE V6 THEN WORKS IN TANDEM WITH THE TWO ELECTRIC MOTORS FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY.

TOTAL SYSTEM OUTPUT IS 260 HORSEPOWER, WHICH IS ABOUT SEVEN-LESS THAN THE STANDARD PACIFICA.

BUT YOU WON'T NOTICE IT, AS THE ELECTRIC MOTORS MORE THAN MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IN FEEL.

THE STANDARD PACIFICA'S 9-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS REPLACED WITH AN EFLITE VARIABLE TRANSMISSION THAT HAS THE ELECTRIC MOTORS BUILT INTO IT.

ONCE BEHIND THE WHEEL, YOU USE THE SAME ROTARY GEAR SELECTOR AS BEFORE.

MOST OF US HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE ITS COMPACT OPERATION, THOUGH NOT EVERYONE.

BUT, THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 30-COMBINED, WITH AN 82-COMBINED MPGE RATING.

WE AVERAGED 31.2 MILES PER GALLON.

THAT'S 30% BETTER THAN THE 23.7 THAT WE GOT IN OUR PACIFICA LONG-TERM, A FEW YEARS AGO.

AND AS WITH ALL PHEV'S, THE MORE PLUGGING IN YOU DO; THE BETTER OFF YOU'LL BE.

THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE IS BETTER THAN AVERAGE TOO, WITH YEARLY CONSUMPTION OF JUST 4.5 BARRELS OF OIL AND 2.0 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.

OTHER THAN LOSING STOW N' GO PASSENGER AND CARGO FLEXIBILITY, NOTHING MAJOR CHANGES INSIDE.

THOUGH REGARDLESS OF WHETHER, YOU GET THE HYBRID OR NOT, THERE ARE MORE STANDARD FEATURES FOR ALL '20 PACIFICA'S; INCLUDING THINGS FAMILIES APPRECIATE, LIKE...SECOND ROW SUNSHADES.

SO, THE INTERIOR IS STILL THE MOST LUXURIOUS IN THE MINIVAN CLASS.

YOU MAY LOSE THE MID-SHIP UNDERFLOOR STORAGE, BUT THE NON-STOWING SECOND ROW SEEMS MORE COMFORTABLE.

IN FACT, THERE'S NOT A BAD SEAT IN THE HOUSE, AS EVEN THIRD ROW PASSENGERS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE IN FULL-DAY ROAD TRIPS WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

CAVERNOUS INTERIOR CARGO SPACE REMAINS AS WELL; 32.3 CUBIC-FEET BEHIND THE THIRD ROW, 87.5 BEHIND THE SECOND, AND A WHOPPING 140.5 WITH THIRD ROW FOLDED, AND SECOND ROW REMOVED.

UPDATES TO THE GAUGE CLUSTER KEEP YOU INFORMED ON POWER SOURCE AND REMAINING RANGE.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ALL AUTOMATIC, SO YOU CAN'T CHOOSE WHEN TO USE ELECTRIC OR GAS ONLY.

LIKE, MOST MODERN HYBRIDS, CHANGEOVERS BETWEEN POWER SOURCES ARE RELATIVELY SEAMLESS, WITH MORE AUDIBLE CUES THAN PHYSICAL ONES, AS YOU CAN DEFINITELY HEAR THE V6 WHEN IT FIRES UP.

WE'LL ALSO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE CVT TRANSMISSION.

CVT'S ARE RARELY A FAVORITE OF OURS, BUT HERE WE MUCH PREFER ITS SMOOTH OPERATION OVER THE STANDARD PACIFICA'S SOMETIMES - CLUNKY 9-SPEED AUTOMATIC.

THERE ARE NO MAJOR VISUAL CUES EITHER, EXCEPT FOR THE CHARGE PORT DOOR IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT FENDER.

IT'S STILL THE CLASSIEST LOOKING VEHICLE IN THE SEGMENT BY FAR.

AND IF THE WORLD'S FIRST PHEV MINIVAN WEREN'T ENOUGH, CHRYSLER IS ALSO REVISITING THE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE MINIVAN, MAKING IT A PACIFICA OPTION FOR 2021.

YOU CAN'T GET IT AS A HYBRID.

IT'S FOR GAS-ONLY MODELS.

IT IS AN ALL-NEW MECHANICAL SYSTEM THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU ONE MORE REASON TO STAY ABOARD THE MINIVAN SHIP, INSTEAD OF JUMPING INTO THE SEA OF SUVs.

AS FOR THE HYBRID, IT'S AVAILABLE IN MOSTLY THE SAME TRIMS AS THE NON-HYBRID, BUT THE BASE HYBRID TOURING STARTING AT $41,990.

THE PRICE PREMIUM OVER NON-HYBRIDS VARIES WITH TRIM LEVEL, BUT CAN BE LARGELY NULLIFIED WITH VARIOUS PLUG-IN TAX INCENTIVES WHERE STILL AVAILABLE.

BEING FIRST AT SOMETHING TRULY HAS ITS ADVANTAGES, AS THERE ARE NO REAL COMPETITORS TO BE JUDGED AGAINST.

BUT, IF HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF, THE 2020 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID COULD BE THE START OF SOMETHING BIGGER.

TOYOTA HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED A NEW SIENNA HYBRID, ALTHOUGH IT HAS NO PLUG.

REGARDLESS, WHEN IT COMES TO MOVING BIG FAMILIES AND THEIR GEAR, CHRYSLER IS STILL INNOVATING, AND STILL LEADING THE WAY.

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 GET DOWN AND DIRTY WITH THE RUGGED NEW LAND ROVER DEFENDER.

THEN, A TEST OF A SLEEKER AND MORE EFFICIENT HYUNDAI SONATA.

PLUS, A FRESH QUICK SPIN AND UPDATES FROM OUR LONG-TERM TEST FLEET.

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

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