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

JOIN US FOR OUR EXCLUSIVE TEST OF FORD'S ALL-ELECTRIC F-150 LIGHTNING... WE'LL SEE HOW RURAL AMERICA IS EVOLVING WITH THE EV TIMES... WE HIT THE ROAD FOR A PAIR OF QUICKSPINS... AND WRAP UP WITH A STILL, INTERNAL COMBUSTION CROSSOVER, THE VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN...

SO, COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

* Announcer: MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE BROUGHT TO YOU BY... FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS LUCAS OIL PRODUCTS HAS HELPED PEOPLE TACKLE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE, MARINE, AND INDUSTRIAL FIELDS.

FROM OUR ORIGINAL FOUR CORE PRODUCTS... LUCAS OIL HAS DEVELOPED OVER 400 CUSTOM PRODUCTS TO HELP BOTH PROFESSIONALS AND DO IT YOURSELFERS.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT LUCASOIL.COM.

LUCAS OIL, KEEP THAT ENGINE ALIVE.

TIRERACK.COM IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MOTORWEEK .

AND NOW, A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF TIRERACK.COM.

FIRST, THERE WAS THE WHEEL.

THEN, THE TIRE.

"WE'LL CALL IT TIRE RACK."

FORTY YEARS LATER, WE'RE NOT SLOWING DOWN.

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: IF THE FUTURE OF DRIVING IS INDEED BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES, WE'RE GOING TO NEED A LOT MORE CHOICES THAN JUST ODD-LOOKING HATCHBACKS AND SUPER-EXPENSIVE LUXURY CARS.

NOW, FORD KNOWS THIS, AND IS ELECTRIFYING THE LONGTIME BEST-SELLING VEHICLE IN AMERICA, THE F-150.

AND THIS IS HOW LIGHTNING STRIKES!

* AFTER ROCKING THE CAR WORLD BY INTRODUCING A FULLY-ELECTRIC MUSTANG SUV, THE MACH-E, FORD TURNED THEIR BEV EFFORTS TO THE F-SERIES LIGHT DUTY PICKUP.

AND HERE'S THE RESULT: THE LONG-AWAITED 2022 FORD F-150 LIGHTNING.

IT'S FINALLY HERE AND IS FULLY-CHARGED TO HELP FORD CHANGE THE PICKUP GAME ONCE AGAIN.

DISTINCT, BUT NOT DIFFERENT IS THE STYLING THEME.

NO FLASHY SIX-FIGURE SHOWCASE TO DRUM UP EXCITEMENT HERE; THINK OF IT MORE AS JUST ANOTHER ALUMINUM-BODIED F-150 THAT HAPPENS TO HAVE A PLUG.

NOT ONLY DOES THAT KEEP IT FAMILIAR, BUT SURELY HELPS THEM WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING PRICES REASONABLE.

IT'S HARD TO MISS THE DISTINCT LED LIGHTING, BUT LOOK CLOSER AND YOU'LL SEE THREE NEW TRIM-SPECIFIC GRILLE DESIGNS.

THE HOOD AND RUNNING BOARDS HAVE ALSO BEEN RESHAPED TO CREATE THE MOST AERODYNAMIC F-150 EVER.

FOR THE TIME BEING, ALL LIGHTNINGS COME IN SUPERCREW FORM WITH THE 5.5 FOOT BED, AND BOTH CAB, AND BED DIMENSIONS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE REGULAR F-150.

TWO BATTERY PACKS ARE AVAILABLE; STANDARD RANGE GOOD FOR 230 MILES, AND EXTENDED RANGE WHICH STRETCHES IT TO AS MUCH AS 320, JUST SHY OF GMC'S HUMMER EV PICKUP'S 329.

ONBOARD COMPUTERS GIVE ACCURATE REAL TIME MILEAGE ESTIMATES; TAKING INTO ACCOUNT NOT JUST THE USUAL THINGS LIKE DRIVING STYLE AND PAYLOAD, BUT WEATHER AND TRAFFIC, TOO.

PLUS, AVAILABLE ONBOARD SCALES ESTIMATE THE WEIGHT OF ANYTHING YOU'RE TOWING AND FACTOR THAT IN AS WELL.

CHARGE TIMES VARY GREATLY BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE PLUGGED INTO; BUT AT BEST, 150 KILOWATT FAST CHARGING ADDS MORE THAN 50 MILES IN JUST 10 MINUTES.

LEVEL-2 AT-HOME CHARGING IS MORE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 13-20 MILES PER HOUR.

NOT HAVING TO STOP FOR GAS IS JUST THE START OF THE BENEFITS TO GOING ELECTRIC.

THERE'S A HUGE 14.1 CUBIC-FEET "FRUNK" STORAGE AREA WHERE THE ICE ENGINE WOULD BE, AND IF THE LIGHTNING IS PLUGGED INTO YOUR HOME WITH THE AVAILABLE FORD CHARGE STATION PRO; IF THE POWER GOES OUT, YOUR LIGHTNING WILL KEEP THE HOUSEHOLD CURRENT FLOWING WITH 9.6 KILOWATTS OF POWER FOR UP TO 3-DAYS; POSSIBLY LONGER, IF YOU POWER JUST THE NECESSITIES.

STANDARD 4-WHEEL-DRIVE IS PROVIDED BY A DUAL-MOTOR SETUP; 318 KILOWATTS OF JUICE FOR 426 HORSEPOWER WITH THE STANDARD BATTERY, 420 KILOWATTS PROVIDING 563 HORSEPOWER WITH THE EXTENDED RANGE BATTERY; BOTH DELIVERING A STOUT 775 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

ANOTHER BIG DEPARTURE FOR THE LIGHTNING IS ITS INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION DESIGN, WHICH SMOOTHS OUT THE RIDE AND STILL ALLOWS FOR A 10,000 POUNDS TOW RATING, THANKS TO THE BATTERY-ENCOMPASSING FRAME WHICH HAS THE STRONGEST STEEL EVER USED FOR AN F-150.

WHILE, NOT EXACTLY RAPTOR-SPEC, FROM OUR EARLY DRIVE TIME IN TEXAS, WE FOUND THE LIGHTNING PLENTY CAPABLE OFF-ROAD.

ITS INSTANT TORQUE WAS INCREDIBLY USEFUL FOR EASILY AND SILENTLY CRAWLING OVER LARGE OBSTACLES.

PLUS, THE ELECTRONIC-LOCKING REAR DIFFERENTIAL HELPED PROVIDE THE TRACTION WHERE WE NEEDED IT MOST WHILE NAVIGATING DEEP RUTS, CLIMBING ROCKY INCLINES, AND EVEN CONQUERING A MUD PIT.

EVEN THE REGULAR F-150 CAN BORDER ON TECH OVERLOAD, SO IT DOESN'T SEEM ALL THAT VASTLY DIFFERENT INSIDE.

THERE IS A BIG SYNC-ENABLED 15.5 INCH TOUCHSCREEN FRONT AND CENTER; WITH A GRAPHIC INTENSIVE 12 INCH DIGITAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FOR THE DRIVER.

SAME SPACIOUS FEEL BOTH UP FRONT AND IN BACK AS ALL OTHER F-150 SUPERCREWS, WITH JUST ABOUT EVERY FEATURE AVAILABLE LIKE THE FOLD-OUT INTERIOR WORK SURFACE AND MAX RECLINE SEATS.

SO, WHAT'S THIS LIGHTNING LIKE TO ACTUALLY DRIVE?

WELL, AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, IT'S PRETTY MUCH JUST LIKE A REGULAR F-150, ONLY QUIETER AND WITH BIG LUMPS OF NEAR-INSTANTANEOUS TORQUE.

ALL OF THOSE BATTERIES DO BRING SOME SERIOUS WEIGHT WITH THEM, WHICH GIVES THE F-150 EVEN MORE OF A TANK-LIKE HEFT; AND, OF COURSE, BEING MOUNTED AS LOW AS THEY ARE HELPS IT FEEL INCREASINGLY WELL-PLANTED IN CORNERS.

THOSE WORRIED ABOUT FORD DOING DAMAGE TO THE LIGHTNING NAME HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, AS THIS ONE HITS 60 IN THE MID 4.0 SECONDS, WHICH IS ABOUT A SECOND QUICKER THAN THE LAST SVT LIGHTNING.

SO, HOW LOW WAS FORD ABLE TO KEEP THAT PRICING?

HOW ABOUT JUST $41,769 TO START FOR THE WORKAHOLIC PRO MODEL.

XLT COMES IN AT $54,769, LARIAT AT $69,269, AND TOP PLATINUM AT $92,669; ALL FIGURES NOT THAT FAR OFF THEIR GASOLINE-POWERED COUNTERPARTS.

MOST OF YOU WILL REMEMBER THE ORIGINAL F-150 SVT LIGHTNING, A HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPORT TRUCK THAT CHANGED THE PICKUP GAME FOREVER.

THAT BECAME SORT OF BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR FORD, AS THEY SHOOK THINGS UP AGAIN WITH THE RAPTOR OFF-ROADER, NEXT ALL-ALUMINUM BODIES, AND THEN EVEN GOT TRUCK PEOPLE TO BUY INTO TURBO GAS ENGINES.

WELL, FORD IS RAISING THE BAR ONCE MORE, WITH THE NOW ALL-ELECTRIC 2022 FORD F-150 LIGHTNING.

YES, LIGHTNING HAS INDEED STRUCK YET AGAIN.

* John: THOSE WHO LIVE IN OR NEAR LARGE CITIES ENJOY READY ACCESS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION, WHERE BUS, RAIL, TAXI, AND RIDE SHARE OPTIONS ARE PLENTIFUL.

BUT FOR SMALLER COMMUNITIES, GETTING AROUND CAN BE A REAL CHALLENGE.

WELL, WE RECENTLY VISITED ONE TEXAS TOWN THAT HAS FOUND A SMART, CLEAN SOLUTION FOR SHRINKING THIS BIG PROBLEM.

* BASTROP, TEXAS, IS LOCATED ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF AUSTIN.

IT COVERS NINE SQUARE MILES AND IS HOME TO AROUND 9000 PEOPLE.

IT'S A PLEASANT PLACE TO LIVE OR VISIT, ON THE EDGE OF TEXAS HILL COUNTRY WITH THE COLORADO RIVER PASSING NEARBY; A THRIVING MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN AND A RELAXED VIBE ALL AROUND.

TYPICAL OF SMALL TOWNS IN THE AREA, THERE ARE NO CITY BUSES OR SUBWAYS HERE.

CARTS, THE CAPITAL AREA RURAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, OFFERS LOW-COST VAN RIDES FOR FOLKS TO GET AROUND WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, OR TO CONNECT WITH REGIONAL TRANSIT OPTIONS.

AND SINCE DECEMBER OF 2019, BASTROP HAS COLLABORATED WITH THE LONE STAR CLEAN FUELS ALLIANCE AND E-CABS OF NORTH AMERICA TO PROVIDE A COST-FREE AND EMISSIONS-FREE MICRO-TRANSIT RIDE SERVICE USING GEM LOW-SPEED BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FUNDED THIS TWO-YEAR PILOT PROJECT TO EXPLORE HOW WELL THESE LOW-SPEED EVs COULD MEET A RURAL COMMUNITIES' FIRST, AND LAST-MILE TRANSIT NEEDS.

THE GEMS CARRY FIVE PASSENGERS AND CAN LEGALLY TRAVEL ON ROADS WITH SPEED LIMITS UP TO 45 MILES PER HOUR, THOUGH THE CABS THEMSELVES TOP OUT AT 25.

THEY CAN SUSTAIN 3 TO 4 HOURS OF CONTINUOUS DUTY PER CHARGE.

E-CABS OPERATES ON EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS, AND COVERS A LIMITED AREA SURROUNDING DOWNTOWN BASTROP, BUT THERE ARE NO PRE-DETERMINED ROUTES.

IT'S ALL ON-DEMAND AND ON THE RIDER'S SCHEDULE, AND THESE THINGS STAY BUSY!

THEY ALSO OFFER A PARA-TRANSPORT OPTION WITH A FOLDAWAY ACCESSIBILITY RAMP.

THE SYSTEM ALLOWS RIDERS TO REQUEST ELECTRIC CAB SERVICE THROUGH A PHONE CALL OR A MOBILE APP.

THE E-CAB DRIVER IS ALERTED IMMEDIATELY, AND PICKUP TIME IS TYPICALLY 15 MINUTES OR LESS.

BASTROP MAYOR CONNIE SCHROEDER IS A FREQUENT RIDER, AND SHE KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT RIDING IN STYLE!

Mayor Connie Schroeder: IT DOESN'T MATTER, IF YOU'RE IN A SMALL TOWN OR A BIG TOWN, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND.

EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GO TO THE POST OFFICE, GO TO A DOCTOR, MAYBE GET SOMETHING TO EAT, AND THAT LAST MILE CAN BE EXTREMELY HARD.

IT CAN BE HARD, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A VEHICLE, IT CAN BE HARD, IF YOU'RE ELDERLY.

John: FREQUENTLY TAKING THE PLACE OF LARGER CONVENTIONAL VEHICLES, THE SYSTEM'S ELECTRIC VEHICLES TRANSLATE INTO LOWER PER-TRIP FUEL CONSUMPTION AND EMISSIONS.

BASTROP'S E-CABS ARE RE-CHARGED USING ELECTRICITY FROM THE TEXAS GRID, WHICH RELIES ON ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S HIGHEST PROPORTIONS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.

NATIONWIDE, ADOPTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES HAS LAGGED IN RURAL AREAS WHEN COMPARED TO URBAN MARKETS.

THE HOPE IS THAT THE ELECTRIC SHUTTLES CAN INCREASE COMFORT AND FAMILIARITY WITH EV TECHNOLOGY IN THE COMMUNITY, AND COULD LEAD TO GREATER INTEREST IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE OWNERSHIP, TOO.

Chris Nielsen: THIS IS A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLY INEXPENSIVE TO OPERATE, IT'S EFFICIENT, THE PEOPLE LIKE IT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF TRACTION, AND WE'VE BEEN ADOPTED BY THE COMMUNITY HERE.

AND WE'RE A PART OF IT NOW, AND THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERYWHERE THAT WE'VE DEPLOYED.

John: THE E-CABS ARE BRINGING NEW MOBILITY OPTIONS TO THE CITIZENS OF BASTROP, AND SHOWING THAT EVEN A SMALL TOWN CAN SET A BIG EXAMPLE FOR CLEAN TRANSPORTATION.

Mayor Schroeder: THEY TAKE CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THEY'RE CONVENIENT, THEY'RE EASY, AND THERE ISN'T ANYTHING BETTER THAN WAVING TO YOUR FRIENDS WHEN YOU'RE IN A FREE E-CAB RIDE.

* Stephanie Hart: THE HORNET IS COMING BACK-- NOT AS A SMALL AMC CAR, BUT AS A SMALL DODGE SUV.

THIS PROTOTYPE APPEARS TO BE BASED ON THE ALFA ROMEO TONALE, ANOTHER CROSSOVER UTILITY UNDER THE STELLANTIS UMBRELLA.

IF SO, IT WILL LIKELY USE THE SAME PLUG-IN HYBRID POWERTRAIN; A TURBOCHARGED 1.3 LITER INLINE-4.

THANKS TO THE SWIRLING CAMO-WRAP, WE CAN'T SEE A PLUG-IN PORT ANYWHERE; BUT THE SIDE PROFILE SHOWS THE GREENHOUSE SHAPE-- NEARLY IDENTICAL TO THE TONALE'S.

PROPORTIONS ARE SIMILAR, TOO, WITH BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BEING THE SHARPENED HEADLIGHTS AND MORE DODGE-BRAND APPROPRIATE FRONT FACE.

WE EXPECT A FORMAL REVEAL IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND WE'LL COVER IT RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK !

John: IT'S TIME TO BUCKLE UP FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF QUICKSPINS!

* THE 2022 HYUNDAI KONA BRINGS A LOT OF CHANGE FOR THIS SUB-COMPACT UTILITY, NOW UPDATED AND WITH MORE OPTIONS UNDER THE HOOD.

HYUNDAI OFFERS A VARIETY OF POWERTRAINS FOR THE KONA, INCLUDING ELECTRIFIED SOLUTIONS AND NEW N PERFORMANCE MODEL.

BUT THIS DECKED-OUT, MAINSTREAM LIMITED MODEL USES A TURBOCHARGED 1.6 LITER INLINE-4.

THAT MEANS 195 HORSEPOWER, A GAIN OF 20, AND 195 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE THROUGH A STANDARD FRONT OR OPTIONAL ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM.

POWER CAME ON SMOOTHLY THANKS TO THE 7-SPEED DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION.

OUR DRIVE-TIME WAS FURTHER ENHANCED BY THE NEW INTERIOR, STARTING WITH THE 10 INCH DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL.

DIGITAL REAL ESTATE IS EXPANDED BY THE EQUALLY SIZED INFOTAINMENT TOUCHSCREEN, BOASTING FULL SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION.

UP FRONT, DRIVER AND PASSENGER ALIKE BENEFIT FROM HEATED SEATS AND AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL.

BACK ROW OCCUPANTS AREN'T COMPLETELY LEFT OUT, WITH EXPANDED LEGROOM AND USB PORT ACCESS.

THOSE SEATS CAN BE FOLDED TO OFFER MORE CARGO SPACE, UP TO NEARLY 46-CUBIC FEET.

THE EXTERIOR OF THE 2022 KONA IS UNMISTAKABLY NEW.

THINNER HEADLIGHTS HELP DEFINE THE FRONT FASCIA, ALONG WITH AN ENLARGED GRILLE AND STRETCHED HOOD.

WHEEL ARCH CLADDINGS PROVIDE A MORE RUGGED APPEARANCE, TRAILING ALONG THE BOTTOM TO THE REAR, WHERE CHANGES ARE LESS APPARENT.

THE STANDOUTS INCLUDE THE TAILLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS.

IN TOTAL, THE NEW KONA IS JUST 1.6 INCHES LONGER THAN ITS PREDECESSOR.

ANOTHER AREA WHERE THE KONA HASN'T CHANGED MUCH IS THE PRICE; STARTING UNDER $23,000 WITH DESTINATION.

OUR LIMITED STARTS UNDER $30,000, AND IT'S JUST A BIT OVER $35,000 FOR THE KONA N. DESPITE ALL THE CHANGES, DRIVING THE NEW KONA FELT VERY FAMILIAR.

A SMALL FORM FACTOR WITH PRACTICALITY OUT THE GRILLE-- KEEPING THE KONA A MOST-COMPETITIVE COMMUTER.

Alexander Kellum: THE 2022 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER IS THE 5TH-GENERATION OF THE LUXURY SUV FLAGSHIP.

SO, TO FIND OUT WHAT'S NEW, WE FLEW OUT TO SONOMA, CALIFORNIA, FOR AN EARLY PREVIEW.

CURRENTLY, THERE ARE TWO ENGINES AVAILABLE TO POWER THE STANDARD ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM, INCLUDING A HYBRID ELECTRIC INLINE-6.

WE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME IN THE 4.4 LITER TWIN TURBO V8.

IT'S CAPABLE OF 525 HORSES AND 553 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, AND IT WAS CERTAINLY TIME WELL SPENT.

UTILIZING THE AUTOMAKER'S ALL-NEW MLA-FLEX ARCHITECTURE MEANS FUTURE ELECTRIFIED VERSIONS, INCLUDING AN ALL-ELECTRIC RANGE ROVER IN 2024.

THE RANGE ROVER IS STILL AVAILABLE IN EITHER A STANDARD SHORT OR OPTIONAL LONG-WHEELBASE MODEL, EQUIPPED AS A TWO-ROW, FOUR OR FIVE SEATER; HOWEVER, LONG WHEELBASE MODELS CAN BE CONFIGURED AS THE ALL-NEW THREE-ROW SEVEN-SEATER OPTION-- A FIRST FOR RANGE ROVER.

SPEAKING OF FIRSTS, THE P530 FIRST EDITION I DROVE TOOK ON THE ROAD WITH GRACE, ABSORBING THE BUMPS AND WAVES OF THE NORTHERN PCH WITH EASE.

AND THE OPEN GREENHOUSE PROVIDED EVERY POSSIBLE SIGHTSEEING ANGLE AS WE DARTED THROUGH THE REDWOOD GIANTS.

AN EXCELLENT ROAD-TRIPPER ALSO AIDED BY TECH, LIKE A 13 INCH TOUCHSCREEN AND 20 WAY ADJUSTABLE SEATS.

THEN, IT CAME TIME TO SEE HOW WELL THE RANGE ROVER COULD... ROVE THE LAND.

SO, WE WENT ON TWO OFF-ROADING DEMOS.

YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY, I'M TOO SURPRISED BY THE NEW RANGE ROVER'S ADEPTNESS WHEN IT COMES TO OFF-ROAD PATROLS, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND REALLY WHEN YOU SIT INSIDE OF ONE, YOU KINDA THINK TO YOURSELF: "YOU KNOW, DO I REALLY WANT TO TAKE SUCH A NICE CAR OFF-ROAD, THROUGH THE MUD, THROUGH THE GRAVEL;" UM, WELL, AFTER THE COUPLE OF LITTLE OFF-ROAD SESSIONS WE'VE DONE-- UM-- ITS PROVEN ONCE AGAIN IT LIVES UP TO THE PEDIGREE AND-- I MEAN, YOU SEE THIS SMILE?

I DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT IT.

THAT SMILE OF MINE WAS SPURRED BY THE ADJUSTABLE AIR SUSPENSION, OFF-ROAD DRIVING MODES, TRAIL CAMERAS AND STANDARD ALL-WHEEL TURNING.

A CAPABLE ADVENTURER NO DOUBT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE NEW RANGE ROVER VERY MUCH REMAINS A PART OF THE PREMIUM SEGMENT.

AS SUCH, PROSPECTIVE BUYERS SHOULD EXPECT TO PAY A STARTING PRICE OF AROUND $104,000 OR AROUND $170,000 FOR OUR SPECIFIC TESTER.

WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THE 2022 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER, AND PLENTY MORE QUICKSPINS, SOON ON MOTORWEEK .

* John: THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF BOOKS OUT THERE ABOUT STEVE MCQUEEN, BUT WHILE MOST ARE FOCUSED ON HIS MOVIES, CARS, OR RACING EXPLOITS, MATT STONE'S "MCQUEEN'S MOTORCYCLES" KEEPS THE TOPIC TO JUST THAT: HIS MOTORCYCLES.

MCQUEEN REPORTEDLY OWNED AROUND 200 OF THEM IN HIS LIFETIME.

THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOKS GIVES SOME BACKSTORY INTO HOW HE DEVELOPED HIS LOVE-AFFAIR WITH TWO WHEELERS, WHILE THE SECOND HALF GOES INTO MORE DETAIL OF SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT MOTORCYCLES THAT HE OWNED.

IT'S A QUICK "MUST READ," PERFECT FOR BOTH FANS OF MOTORCYCLES AND THE ULTIMATE KING OF COOL.

John: THERE'S BEEN AN AWFUL LOT OF "BUZZ" AROUND VOLKSWAGEN AND THEIR ELECTRIC VEHICLES LATELY.

BUT, THEY'RE FAR FROM DONE PLAYING IN THE FOSSIL-FUELED PLAYGROUND JUST YET.

IN FACT, THERE'S AN UPDATED TIGUAN COMPACT SUV HITTING THE STREETS RIGHT NOW!

* YES, THE MAJORITY OF THE BUZZ SURROUNDING THE VOLKSWAGEN BRAND THESE DAYS IS ALL ABOUT THEIR ID BATTERY ELECTRICS LIKE THE ID.4 SUV AND ID.BUZZ MINIVAN.

BUT THE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION TIGUAN UTILITY REMAINS THEIR BEST-SELLER, AND IT'S BEEN FRESHENED FOR 2022 TO ENSURE IT STAYS COMPETITIVE IN THE INCREASINGLY POPULAR COMPACT SUV SEGMENT.

NOT ONLY DOES THE TIGUAN REMAIN GASOLINE ENGINE-POWERED, BUT IT STICKS WITH VW'S TRIED AND TRUE 2.0 LITER I4 TURBO, HERE OUTPUTTING 184 HORSEPOWER AND 221 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE AND AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ARE STANDARD; 4MOTION ALL-WHEEL DRIVE REMAINS AN OPTION.

AND IF YOU DON'T THINK, YOU'LL EVER USE AWD, THERE'S A BONUS FOR YOU, AS ALL FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE TIGUAN'S STILL COME WITH A 3RD ROW FOR 7-PASSENGER SEATING STANDARD, SOMETHING FEW EVEN OFFER IN THE COMPACT SEGMENT.

ALL OF THE HARDWARE NECESSARY TO POWER THE REAR WHEELS, MEANS ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE TIGUAN'S ARE STRICTLY 5-PASSENGER, BUT DO COME WITH A FLEXIBLE 40/20/40 SPLIT/FOLDING SECOND ROW, AND A GREAT 37.6 CUBIC-FEET OF CARGO SPACE, EXPANDING TO 73.4.

NO SURPRISE, THE NEW ELEMENTS FOR THE EXTERIOR, FOLLOW THE PATH BLAZED MOST RECENTLY BY THE ATLAS SUV.

THEY INCLUDE A BOLDER FACE WITH SHARPER LINES AND WIDER GRILLE.

FULL LED HEADLIGHTS ARE UPGRADED, AND NOW STANDARD ON ALL TIGUAN'S.

CHANGES IN BACK ARE LIMITED TO LARGER DISPLAYING OF THE TIGUAN NAME BELOW THE VW LOGO; WHILE ALL TRIMS GET FRESHENED ALUMINUM-ALLOY WHEEL DESIGNS.

ALWAYS AMONG THE MOST CONSERVATIVELY STYLED, CHANGES SEEM TO ADD A LITTLE MORE YOUTHFULNESS; YET, EASILY KEEP IT ONE OF THE CLASSIEST LOOKING MAINSTREAM CROSSOVERS.

R-LINE TRIM IS NOW AVAILABLE AT SE AND SEL LEVELS, AND ADDS SOME NICE AESTHETIC TOUCHES LIKE ILLUMINATED GRILLE HIGHLIGHTS, PUDDLE LIGHTS IN THE POWER-FOLDING MIRRORS, AND UNIQUE 20 INCH ALLOY WHEELS.

THINGS LOOK GENERALLY THE SAME INSIDE, BUT THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT MORE FEATURES NOW STANDARD; INCLUDING VW'S DIGITAL COCKPIT GAUGE DISPLAY AND EVEN HEATED SEATS.

SE TRIM AND UP GET NEW TOUCH SENSITIVE CLIMATE CONTROLS, R-LINES HAVE THEM ADDED TO THE STEERING WHEEL AS WELL.

ALL TIGUAN'S FEATURE MIB TOUCHSCREEN INFOTAINMENT; BASE S COMES WITH A 6.5 INCH MIB2 UNIT; ALL OTHER TRIMS GET AN MIB3 8.0 INCH DISPLAY.

EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IS HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL.

THOUGH, WE WOULDN'T COMPLAIN, IF THEY ADDED A FEW MORE PHYSICAL BUTTONS BACK INTO THE MIX.

AS BEFORE, TIGUAN OWNERS CAN ROCK OUT TO ONE OF TWO AVAILABLE FENDER PREMIUM AUDIO SYSTEMS THROUGH EITHER 6 OR 9 SPEAKERS.

IQ.DRIVE DRIVER ASSIST TECHNOLOGY IS STANDARD IN ALL BUT THE BASE MODEL.

SO, WE HAD NO PROBLEM ARRIVING SAFELY AT OUR MASON DIXON DRAGWAY TEST SITE, WHERE OUR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE TESTER GOT OFF THE LINE FAIRLY WELL.

IT'S NO ROCKET, BUT IT DOES HAVE AN ALMOST HYPER THROTTLE RESPONSE THAT GIVES YOU SOME INITIAL URGENCY.

BUT, THERE WAS NEVER ANY BIG RUSH OF TURBO POWER FROM THERE.

SO, IT TOOK A LENGTHY 9.1 SECONDS TO HIT 60.

SHIFTS FROM THE 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC ARE SMOOTH AND PROGRESSIVE; AND HELPED IMPROVE THINGS A BIT FOR A QUARTER-MILE TIME OF 16.9 SECONDS AT 83 MILES PER HOUR.

THAT TELLS US THERE'S PLENTY OF TORQUE TO GET YOU UP TO SPEED AND MANEUVER IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC WITH NO PROBLEMS.

WITH A STRUT-TYPE FRONT SUSPENSION AND MULTI-LINK REAR, NO SURPRISE THE TIGUAN IS A MORE THAN CAPABLE HANDLER.

DESPITE THE VERY LIGHT STEERING, AND PERHAPS A LITTLE MORE BODY ROLL THAN WE'D LIKE, WE COULD CARRY PRETTY DECENT SPEED THROUGH OUR CONE COURSE WITHOUT UPSETTING ANYTHING.

WE ALSO FOUND A MORE SUBSTANTIAL FEEL TO IT THAN THE LIGHTWEIGHT NATURE OF MANY SMALL CROSSOVERS.

DRIVING MODE SELECTION IS ALSO STANDARD IN ALL TIGUAN'S; WITH NORMAL, SPORT, ECO, AND INDIVIDUAL CHOICES.

THROTTLE RESPONSE AND STEERING FEEL ARE THE BIGGEST CHANGES WE NOTICED SHUFFLING THROUGH THEM.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS FOR AN R-LINE 4MOTION ARE 21-CITY, 28-HIGHWAY, AND 24-COMBINED.

WE AVERAGED A "RIGHT-ON" 24.4 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR.

THAT MAKES FOR AN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE; 12.4 BARRELS OF YEARLY OIL CONSUMPTION; 6.1 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.

PRICING STARTS AT $27,685; WITH TOP SEL R-LINE COMING IN AT $38,515.

THE 2022 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN'S ICE DAYS MAY BE NUMBERED, BUT IT REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST FUN SMALL CROSSOVERS TO DRIVE.

THANKFULLY, VW HASN'T ABANDONED IT JUST YET, GIVING IT UPDATES THAT SHOULD KEEP IT ONE OF THE BEST OPTIONS AVAILABLE IN THE AFFORDABLE COMPACT UTILITY SEGMENT.

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 TEST JEEP'S ALL-NEW TWO-ROW GRAND CHEROKEE SUV.

THEN, WE'LL LOOK AT TOYOTA'S ALL-NEW TUNDRA PICKUP.

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... FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS LUCAS OIL PRODUCTS HAS HELPED PEOPLE TACKLE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE, MARINE, AND INDUSTRIAL FIELDS.

FROM OUR ORIGINAL FOUR CORE PRODUCTS... LUCAS OIL HAS DEVELOPED OVER 400 CUSTOM PRODUCTS TO HELP BOTH PROFESSIONALS AND DO IT YOURSELFERS.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT LUCASOIL.COM.

LUCAS OIL, KEEP THAT ENGINE ALIVE.

TIRERACK.COM IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MOTORWEEK .

AND NOW, A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF TIRERACK.COM.

FIRST, THERE WAS THE WHEEL.

THEN, THE TIRE.

"WE'LL CALL IT TIRE RACK."

FORTY YEARS LATER, WE'RE NOT SLOWING DOWN.

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.

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