Hi, I'm John Davis and this is MotorWeek !

We're testing a new entry-level EV from a premium brand, the Mercedes-Benz EQB SUV... Then, our "Your Drive" expert steers us away from bare minimum fixes... We're celebrating a unique car club for its diverse cars and members...

Closing out with a bona fide track star, the Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica...

So, come drive with us, next!

Closed Captioning provided by Maryland Public Television.

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JOHN: Driving all-new top of the line battery electrics from luxury brands is almost becoming routine for us.

But checking out entry-level BEVs from the same luxury brands... ...well that's still relatively new, and really does grab our attention.

So, let's focus in on this Mercedes-EQB utility and see how it fits in.

♪ ♪ Unlike the other Mercedes-EQ vehicles we've driven recently, the EQS and EQE families, this 2023 EQB is a bit of an outlier, as it's not based on an EV-specific chassis, rather a modified version of the Mercedes-Benz's rugged looking GLB compact utility.

That's fine by us, as it has the EQB looking, and perhaps more importantly behaving, like just another Mercedes-Benz, and less like a completely different EV that requires you to adjust your mindset behind the wheel.

In fact, if you were to let your neighbor borrow it for a short trip, there's a good chance they might hop in and just go, not even realizing it's an EV at all.

Our tester is the base 250+ which features a single front-mounted 138 kilowatt motor powering strictly the front wheels with 188 horsepower and 284 pound-feet of torque.

A 70.5 kilowatt hour battery delivers 245 miles of range, a number we found realistic.

There are two more powerful options, both with a second motor in the rear for 4MATIC all-wheel-drive; the 300 which ups power to 225 horsepower and drops range to 243 miles, and a 350 delivering 288 horsepower for up to 227 miles.

Inside, things are very similar to the GLB, with cool features like the big turbine air vents and wide display housing twin 10 inch screens for instrumentation and MBUX infotainment.

There are paddles on the steering wheel to adjust the level of regen braking which goes from barely on to full 1-pedal driving, plus, a neat auto mode that uses camera, radar, and GPS data to determine which mode best matches your driving style.

For a small vehicle, it's quite spacious inside, both up front and particularly in second row seats.

Yes, the EQB maintains the GLB's 3rd row option too.

Obviously, space is tight back there for adults, so unless you absolutely need it, this 5-passenger version best prioritizes space for hauling 22.0 cubic-feet of cargo, which maximizes to 61.8 cubic-feet with the rear seatbacks folded.

While, not everyone is a fan of the GLB's G-Wagon lite, upright styling, a big reason it's so spacious inside, most of us here liked the approach when we first drove it in 2020.

The biggest changes you'll notice for the EQB include the smoothed-out grille insert, unique LED light bars, and aerodynamically optimized wheels.

With only 188 horsepower to work with, and 4,600 pounds of utility to move, the acceleration experience at our Mason Dixon test track was not exactly the typical torque-heavy EV thrill ride.

The launch was much more subdued here, taking it easy off the line on the way to a 7.7 second 0-60.

We expect the top 350 to be about 2.0 seconds quicker.

Still, in this 250, power delivery stayed smooth and consistent the whole way down the track, also very quiet with no exaggerating whirring or whining sounds of electric motors, just calm and controlled steadiness throughout the quarter-mile which ended in 16.1 seconds at 85 miles per hour.

Not fast by EV standards, but certainly in line with typical non-performance small ICE crossovers.

Handling, on the other hand, was much more akin to performance-minded offerings, with minimal understeer through our cone course.

Steering had both nice weight and feel to it, and the front wheels responded very quickly to inputs.

There was some moderate body roll, but it didn't seem to slow this EQB down at all, or even make us consider backing off a little.

Braking performance mirrored acceleration, with a slow and steady approach, stopping us from 60 in a lengthy 130 feet.

While, not blistering fast at the track, in everyday use, the EQB in fact felt quite peppy; ride quality is definitely Euro-firm, but it seemed to soak up road imperfections quite well.

Pricing starts at $53,900, climbs to $58,050 for the 300 4MATIC, and tops out at $61,700 for the 350 4MATIC.

Saying that this 2023 Mercedes-EQB is the brand's most normal EV yet, may sound like we're being negative, but it's really a great thing.

It may not draw crowds or win beauty contests, but we think it will do quite well; as it's a great EV that anyone can live with, and competitively priced with many mainstream offerings.

And that makes for a much more realistic way, even for skeptics, to make the transition to Battery Electric Vehicles.

♪ ♪ In our experience, the car enthusiast community is a welcoming one.

Still, it can be hard to find a club to call home, especially for those of us with eclectic taste.

Well, this week our "Over the Edge" guy Greg Carloss attends a car show that celebrates the inclusiveness and diversity of America's car culture.

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: As a cool September breeze blows on a quiet morning in Bethany Beach, Delaware, a rare car backs into an empty space next to another rare car.

Then, another.

And another, until the whole street transforms into the automotive equivalent of a smorgasbord.

This is the annual Beach Ball for one of the Mid-Atlantic's most unique car clubs.

Joining a car club is a great way to socialize with your local automotive community and while some value exclusivity, the Straight Eights chapter of the Lambda Car Club is all about inclusivity.

BILL TEANEY: So, the Straight Eights Car Club, we are one of 32 chapters under our national parent organization, which is Lambda Car Club.

We fall in this region and the club was, uh, created in 1982, so actually this is our 40th anniversary, which is pretty awesome.

GREG: Lambda is the country's largest collector car club for the LGBTQ community and their allies.

The Beach Ball serves as the yearly invitational for the D.C.-based Straight Eights chapter.

BILL: It really started off about 30 years ago as just really this kind of beach, uh, weekend getaway, but then the guys then also started incorporating it with their classic cars, so then it just kinda grew and evolved over the years and here we are fast forward 30 years later and today we have 80 cars, and 135 registrants just for this, uh, Beach Ball Getaway Weekend.

GREG: While, a trip to the beach is barely a half-day's jaunt for most members, some drove across the country to be here.

JOHN NORTHUP: You get a lot of bugs in 2600 miles.

We just love a road trip and being from Utah we thought come out here, see the coast, meet some folks that we don't run into ordinarily, and just enjoy the weather, which happens to be really nice right now.

We drove a 1987 Cadillac Allante, which was the first year for the Allante.

GREG: A lot of car shows you go to, you end up seeing the same cars over and over again, but this show is different.

Here, the selection of cars is as diverse as the people that drive them.

Walk down the street and look left, there's a restored 1926 Chrysler Phaeton next to a modified Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

Look right, there's a Rambler Marlin.

And over here there's a...wait a second...I know that Edsel.

BILL: We have categories; we have a voting ballot today, if you notice all the placards on the dashes of the cars.

We're gonna have an awards banquet tonight, which we do every year.

And we have about 20 categories.

We try to-try to include everybody.

Give them a shot at, you know, winning something.

GREG: Which is good news for cars like the often-overlooked PT Cruiser.

But while trophies are nice, this show is clearly about more than winning awards.

RUSS PRECHTL: Russ Prechtl, I have a 1966 Dodge Charger.

Bought this one about a year ago.

Uh, I've always had one in my family.

Um, my dad and I picked up one brand new in 1966 and, uh, had one or the other of those for many, many years.

I'm here with my daughter Sky.

We do this together.

We go to a lot of these events together and I'm teaching Sky about the car.

The art of a 1960s muscle car.

JIM BYERS: It's a great opportunity to socialize with a friendly group of people who enjoy all sorts of cars.

You know, sometimes in certain car clubs you can feel a little uncomfortable, if you don't have the hot car, if you don't have the whatever and you don't even have to own a vintage car for our club.

I mean, it's really all about the enjoyment of vehicles in general.

GREG: The Straight Eights serve as an important reminder that when it comes to cars or anything in life, be proud of your individuality and embrace that of others.

JOHN: There are few shortcuts when it comes to car repair, and if you ever told that a major fix is quick and simple, go on alert.

Here's Logan McCombs with tips on getting the job done right on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

♪ ♪ LOGAN MCCOMBS: One common car care mistake that car owners and sloppy technicians make is what I call the bandage fix.

That means you treat the symptoms of a problem without looking further, finding the cause, and making a proper repair.

For instance, if you find yourself stranded with a dead battery, don't just replace the battery and move on down the road.

you should have the battery tested to make sure that it is indeed bad.

You should also test your car's alternator and charging system to see what caused the battery to discharge.

If your car's air conditioning starts blowing lukewarm or hot air, simply adding more refrigerant isn't the answer.

It is very likely that the system had a leak and sooner or later you'll be hot under the collar again, finding yourself repeating the same repair cycle.

For electrical problems, sensors, computer issues, and such, a lot of people like to use a scan tool, get a trouble code, and replace whatever part the code refers to.

Again, this may not solve the problem, and if it does, then you probably just got lucky.

The way a scan tool works is you plug it into the OBD, or your onboard diagnostics port, this is usually found under the dash of the car, in the driver's footwell.

Your OBD manual will specify the order, but typically you'll start the car with the OBD and you'll navigate the menus and find the scan option; the tool will scan the computer and-boom-you'll have your code or codes, and all you have to do is reference the supplied book, and it'll give you a starting point for where to start testing and find the actual solution.

Now, certain codes you may feel comfortable tackling yourself, like checking the mass airflow sensors.

You never know, you may just need to confirm that the connection is clean and secure, or that the airbox is sealed.

But, no matter what the code is: know what you don't know.

There's no shame in taking your ride to a reputable shop to get things sorted.

They'll be better equipped to troubleshoot your problem based on the code and provide the proper solution.

Do it right, and you'll have car on the road and out of the shop in no time.

And if you have any questions or comments, reach out to us right here at MotorWeek !

JOHN: The open road and a set of car keys, time for more QuickSpins!

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: When it comes to off-road readiness, how do you tell people your pickup truck is the boss?

Chevrolet figures...just come out and say it.

MotorWeek faithful will know we tested the Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss when it was new in 2019.

Now in 2023, this Crew Cab pickup is largely the same, still available with a short or standard bed and a range of powertrains, including this new-to-us 3.0 liter Duramax Turbo Diesel.

This inline-6 pushes 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque through a 10-speed automatic.

As expected, the low-end torque makes it punchy and capable.

Max payload for the diesel boss is just under 2,000 pounds, and max trailering is around 13,000 pounds, making this quite adept at doing most of the usual truck things.

And when it comes to doing trail things, it's equally competent.

The Z71 off-road equipment consists of 18 inch matte black wheels wrapped in Goodyear mud terrain tires and Rancho shocks, adding up to an extra 2.0 inches of lift.

There's also some skid plates, hill descent control and a locking rear differential.

The cabin feels appropriately "in the middle" with the 13.4 inch infotainment system and 12.3 inch digital instrument panel, paired to the heated front cloth seats and heated steering wheel.

As of 2023, a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss starts around $60,000; our Duramax unit starts closer to $63,000.

With some good off-road add-ons atop a hearty foundation, the Trail Boss can clock in and out of the overlanding workforce at will.

JESSICA RAY: The current generation of Lexus IS 350 has seen some meaningful enhancements since its debut, and we're checking out the sum of those changes with this 2023 IS 350 F Sport.

All 350's are powered by a 3.5 liter V6, still boasting the small performance boost from 2018, now 311 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.

That's only a small gain from the original 306 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque; but, if we had fun with it before, a little extra power can't hurt.

Our model is configured with all-wheel-drive, complete with a 6-speed automatic; though, the IS 350 is standard rear-wheel-drive with an 8-speed automatic.

The IS 350 can be had in two flavors, the familiar F Sport and the new-for-2023 F Sport Design.

They receive the appropriate F Sport exterior styling, like the bumpers, grille, rear spoiler, and 19 inch wheels.

The F Sport gets a little more performance via F Sport exhaust and a cool air intake.

A newly available Handling Package adds adaptive suspension and a limited slip rear differential on rear-wheel-drive models.

Inside, both feature plenty of premium leather, but it's the F Sport which gains heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel.

The IS-standard 8.0 inch touchscreen can be bumped up to a 10.3 inch unit with the right packages.

The 2023 Lexus IS 350 starts under $44,000 with delivery.

That's for an F Sport Design with rear-wheel-drive.

A similar F Sport starts around $45,000, while all-wheel-drive-equipped F Sports start at $47,000.

And we'll have more QuickSpins...soon!

JOHN: While, we'd all like to see a Lamborghini Huracán STO sitting in our garage, it's one car that truly does belong on a racetrack.

Now, if there was only a way to get the STO's performance in a street-friendly ride that's as easy to drive as it is easy on the eyes.

Well, Lamborghini has granted our wishes with the Huracán Tecnica!

♪ ♪ Unless you spend a lot of time following all the goings-on in the exotic performance car world, you might find it hard to keep up with Lamborghini.

Since, they established a whole new level of supercar accessibility with the entry-level Huracán for 2015, they've been constantly evolving it, even adding Evo to the name of its current base model to drive the point home.

Their latest wind of change is this 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica which takes most of what makes the top STO great, including its engine, and puts it in a something a little more street-able; essentially creating an additional tweener model between mild and wild.

Regardless, it's a Lamborghini, so we couldn't wait to get on the track at Savannah, Georgia's Roebling Road Raceway.

With all of its performance potential, it's clear right away that the friendly Huracán nature remains fully intact.

Your senses tell you to take it easy the first few laps, but you soon find yourself pushing harder and harder.

Much of the STO's outlandish aero treatments are gone, that means a smaller wing and fewer air intakes.

But the car's shape itself still creates an amazing amount of downforce, providing grip aplenty for the tires; which are 245/30 Bridgestone Potenza Sports in front, 305/30 in rear; all mounted on diamond-cut 20 inch wheels.

The front splitter is unique, as is the rear fascia, along with a subtle reshaping of the panel at the base of the windshield.

Lamborghini's LDVI integrated driving dynamics control works through Strada, Sport, and Corsa drive modes, staying mostly behind the scenes enhancing your abilities, not holding back the car's.

For track use, Corsa puts you mostly in total control, though there always seems to be a safety net in place.

The Tecnica is rear-wheel-drive only, so the front end feels lighter than AWD variants, and more willing to turn in; aided by good steering feel for precise inputs, as well as standard rear-wheel steer.

Carbon-ceramic brakes are included, giving great feel and consistent results throughout our track days.

It absolutely wails going around the track thanks to the free-flowing exhaust of that glorious mid-ship mounted V10 engine.

This 5.2 liter naturally aspirated V10 was an outlier when it first arrived; no turbos, superchargers, or battery assist.

It's even more so now, and we love hearing every one of its 631 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque being made.

It still works through the same 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Put to the straight-line test, despite being rear-drive only, there was no lack of grip off the line.

Just immense power flowing non-stop.

We hit 60 in only 2.9 seconds and finished the quarter in 10.7 seconds at 134 miles per hour.

Lamborghini has already said, "That they'll be winding down Huracán production soon;" so, were not sure whether to be sad about that, or excited for what's next.

At its base level, the Tecnica is more luxurious and less purposeful than the STO, but with the full cannon of Lamborghini customizations available, buyers can basically add in as many of the STO's goodies as they want, including lots of carbon fiber.

Driven on the street, it's not quite like a Camry, but it is comfortable and surprisingly easy to drive; though thankfully, you can still hear plenty of mechanical noises, and you're obviously well conscious of your investment.

While, performance-wise the Tecnica is situated in between the base Huracán Evo and top STO, Lamborghini no longer offers a rear-wheel-drive base Huracán, so the Tecnica actually starts a few thousand less, at $244,795.

Meaning, unless you absolutely need all-wheel-drive, you can get the best of both Huracán worlds, and still pay a tad less for it.

So, while most people in our world today tend to look at compromise as a dirty word, it's the very thing that made the Huracán a true game changer when it arrived, and what has continued to make it a longtime success story.

The 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica takes that theme to the extreme; though engineered for the street, it feels equally at home on the track, making it "TECNICAly," the best Huracán yet.

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 for our annual Drivers' Choice Awards!

Our top vehicle picks of the year.

Plus, seat time in the all-new Toyota Grand Highlander.

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... To order a DVD of this program, call... MotorWeek has been brought to you by... ANNOUNCER: 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!

MotorWeek is proudly sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper To Bumper, featuring major brand auto and truck parts, and service from coast to coast.

Learn more at AutoValue.com and BumperToBumper.com.

TireRack.Com is proud to support MotorWeek .

First, there was the wheel.

Then, the tire.

"We'll call it Tire Rack."

Forty years later, we're not slowing down.

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(car engine revving) ♪ ♪ You're watching PBS.