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

Join us for a popular SUV, now with even more to love, the Acura MDX Type S!

Then, our "Your Drive" pro helps decipher auto repair bills... We'll spend quality time with an old-school Euro hot rod... Then, hoof it to the track with the Ford Mustang Dark Horse!

So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: Unless you closely follow what's going on in the auto industry, you might not know that the best-selling 3-row luxury SUV of all time is... ...the Acura MDX.

That's right!

The MDX has been delivering great comfort, practicality, and performance to American families since 2001.

For 2025, the MDX story not only continues, but gets more intriguing than ever.

♪ ♪ We do love that Acura has been placing more of a priority on performance than ever lately, adding their Type S badge to more and more vehicles.

That badge was applied to the MDX for the first time shortly after this 4th gen MDX arrived for 2022, and as we're always looking for an exciting summer fling, we couldn't say no to putting this 2024 Acura MDX Type S to the test.

Far from just a stylish trim package, Type S upgrades tend to be fairly comprehensive, and that is indeed the case here in the MDX.

Building on what is already a wide and stable platform, this Type S gets a complete chassis overhaul with a reworking of the double wishbone front suspension, adding sport-tuned active dampers to allow first-time instant adjustment to Acura's air suspension.

The variable-ratio electric power steering system is also updated, and larger Brembo brakes added behind new 21 inch wheels with Continental performance tires.

They've even moved the battery to the rear of the vehicle to help improve balance.

Also, helping in that cause, the hood, front fenders, and shock towers are made of aluminum.

There's a unique powertrain too, as the Type S ditches the standard MDX's long-running staple 3.5 liter V6 in favor of a 3.0 liter V6 turbo with 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque.

It works through a sport-tuned 10-speed automatic transmission, and the 4th generation of Acura's Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive.

So, with 65 more horsepower and 87 additional pound-feet of torque over an MDX A-Spec, we couldn't wait to get to our Mason Dixon Dragway test track.

There was great power at launch, as the Type S hooked up immediately, and placed us firmly in the well-bolstered seats, during the quick 5.4 second trip to 60 miles per hour.

That's a full second quicker than we got in the standard MDX back in '22.

Power delivery stayed very strong down the track, with a nice throaty exhaust note that was pleasing to our ears without being too loud or obnoxious.

Shifts in the 10-speed were aggressive, with an additional punch of power as each new gear was engaged.

And the MDX kept a slightly "nose-up" posture throughout the quarter-mile, completed in 13.9 seconds at 100 miles per hour.

There's truly a kaleidoscope of performance enhancers here.

The air suspension with active dampers; the torque vectoring Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive; and the Integrated Dynamics System with exclusive Sport+ mode.

And while it's easy to complain about Acura's heavy-handed tech-forward approach, it's hard to argue with the results as it stayed securely planted throughout our handling exercises.

It's true, we'd love to have more steering feel.

But this Type S turned in with precision.

There was minimal body roll, and only a touch of understeer approaching its limits.

The upgraded brakes were up to the task too, stopping us from 60 in 111 feet with good pedal feel and no fade.

Type S treatments for the interior include metal trim, Milano leather seating, contrast stitching, paddle shifters on the Type S-labeled flat-bottom steering wheel, sunroof, wireless phone charging, and Acura's 12.3 inch Precision Cockpit instrumentation.

The available Advance Package adds massaging front seats, a head-up display, and a 1,000 watt 25-speaker ELS Studio 3D audio system with speakers seemingly everywhere in the cabin.

The dashtop display is also 12.3 inches; it's clear and well within line of sight.

Inputs are made on the console-mounted touchpad, still not our favorite setup.

Climate controls and charge ports for second row passengers, and the Type S retains the MDX's 3-row flexibility.

Outside, there's a unique diamond pentagon grille with additional airflow, a front splitter, and new air intakes down low in the fascia with radiators behind.

In back is a rear diffuser-style lower fascia with a quartet of big round exhaust outlets.

And just in case you need it, the air suspension allows you to jack it all up 2.0 inches for clearing obstacles.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 17-City, 21-Highway, and 19-Combined.

We averaged a fine 20.3 miles per gallon of Premium.

That's slightly below average for the Energy Impact Score; consuming 15.7 barrels of oil annually, while emitting 7.8 tons of CO2.

Pricing for the Type S is $69,800, with the Advance Package an additional $5,350.

Packing 355 horsepower and some serious handling chops, the 2024 Acura MDX Type S is not only the most powerful and best performing Acura SUV ever, but the benchmark of its price point.

In sum, by adding heaps of legit Type S performance into their best-selling SUV, Acura has made an already great effort far more enticing than ever.

♪ ♪ For years, America's Audi fans could only dream of owning one of the sporty station wagons only available to the Quattro faithful across the Atlantic.

Finally, in 2021, Audi brought the 591 horsepower RS6 to our shores, and this year, they're sending an even faster version.

But as our Roger Mecca is going to show us, Audi's history of lightning-quick wagons under the RS name are what U.S. car fans have been lusting for, for more than 20 years.

♪ ♪ ROGER MECCA: In the early '90s, Audi was living in the shadow of its German peers Mercedes and BMW, and considered an alternative, quirky option like Saab or Volvo, not the premier luxury brand they are today.

Audi was eager to be taken as seriously as its Bavarian brethren and needed a big splash with a halo car that could not be ignored.

The result was the RS2, the first Audi to ever carry the RS badge and the world's first truly fast station wagon.

And it helped Audi succeed in getting the attention of serious car fans.

But they didn't do it alone.

They had help from another very iconic German brand.

In the early '90s, Porsche was in deep financial trouble, but still carried respect as a premier performance brand.

Though, Audi knew plenty about making fantastic racecars, with their storied rally racing history, they didn't have the cache or recognition as a company that made sports cars.

So, when Audi approached them with a proposal to collaborate, Porsche was happy to take the engineering fee.

Using the existing Audi 80 wagon as the base, the RS2 was developed over 18 months, and roughly 2900 of them rolled off the line at Porsche's Stuttgart factory from 1994 to 1995.

The very same line where another legendary 4-wheel-drive turbocharged car was produced, the Porsche 959.

So, just how much Porsche is there in the RS2?

A lot.

Starting in the front, you got the badge that says Porsche, the front fog lights are from a 911; the sideview mirrors are from a 911; these wheels are from a later 911, but they rolled off the factory with a 968 club sport wheels.

I think the rear taillight bar looks a lot like a 911 from the time.

The suspensions tuned by Porsche, the brakes are from Porsche, the calipers say Porsche, and then we haven't even gotten to what Porsche did under the hood.

(engine starts up) The engine started out as Audi's stalwart, if odd, 2.2 liter turbocharged 5-cylinder.

But then Porsche added a bigger turbo, a larger intercooler, a new ECU and a new camshaft.

Porsche also added a 6-speed manual gearbox, the only shifting option available for RS2 buyers.

As you might expect, the results of Porsche's tinkering were remarkable.

The engine puts out 315 horsepower and goes to 60 in 4.8 seconds.

Now, that does not seem super-fast today, I know, but back in 1994 that was faster than Ferrari's flagship V12 coupe, the 456.

In fact, Audi would not make another car that was faster to 60 for 10 years.

Unfortunately, that power isn't nearly as immediate or available as Ferrari's grand tourer, and the addition of the RS2's bigger turbo came at a price that was all too familiar in the '90s...turbo lag.

To get everything out of this car, and the engine, you need to keep the exhaust pressure up and the turbo spinning.

Let them wind down and the performance goes with it, along with the excitement, until the RPMs climb back up into the fun zone.

But once it hits...oof, it is intense!

You go from no drama at all to being thrust into the back of your seat like you're on a rocket."

In terms of how it rides, it feels wonderfully civilized and firmly planted at speed.

Though, the RS2 has a reputation for not being a great car in the twisty stuff, I found it to be a ton of fun to power into a corner, have it confidently hold its line, and shoot out the other side.

Porsche's work on the suspension is evident and there's great steering feel and feedback.

Plus, you get all of this excitement in a car with terrific visibility, comfort, and practicality.

The RS2 was the best of both worlds.

You could pack the whole family up for a wonderful vacation, but you could go 100 miles an hour down the Autobahn to get there.

Since the RS2, Audi has introduced a plethora of cars, wagons, and SUVs with the RS name, all of which could easily leave the RS2 in a cloud of dust and smoke.

But none of them made as much of an impression as this unassuming station wagon, the car that helped Audi grab the world's attention.

JOHN: Here at MotorWeek , we love to do basic car care ourselves and encourage you to do the same.

but sometimes you just have to enlist the pros.

And, when it's all said and done, the bill can be long and confusing.

So, we asked Audra Fordin to decipher the facts to save you some moolah on MotorWeek's "Your Drive!"

♪ ♪ AUDRA FORDIN: Here at MotorWeek, we love seeing people tackle their own car troubles, although sometimes it's best to leave it to the professionals.

But, one of the most common fears about going to the auto mechanic is overpaying.

Here we have typical dealer estimates, and at first it might look like hieroglyphics.

Today, we're going to talk about shop estimates and how to decipher them.

You know, it starts when you walk into the auto shop.

It's your car, it's your money, it's your experience.

So, before you get any work done, get an estimate.

And if you are unsure at that time, wait around or ask for a telephone call before any work is done.

Request a breakdown of all the parts, labor and fluids, and services required to fix your vehicle, and you should get a fairly accurate idea of what you'll be spending.

While that's not always possible when it comes to diagnosis, however for most routine services, like fluid flushes, maintenance and brakes, there's typically a flat rate or simple standard pricing.

We're going to review a disturbing estimate sent by a viewer.

So, let's take a look at this 2001 Honda Insight.

The car went into the shop needing an oil change, a new oil pan, and a lot of other work, but the owner knew it had rear brakes and a seized left front caliper.

Okay, that needs to be fixed.

Now, the estimate calls for 4-wheel brakes and rotors, including the pads, the rotors, the drums, and the brake shoes.

The cost for the parts alone is $742.

The concern here is that the rear brakes were new.

To make some matters worse, some unscrupulous shops will charge for parts that were never installed.

To avoid this, keep your records and reference your records before taking your car in to the auto shop.

Ask them to save the old parts for you.

The hourly labor rate should be posted on the wall somewhere, but what they don't tell you is that the amount of time that they will charge for the job is not actually the time that it will take, so ask in advance.

There are labor rate guides that give you the average time it should take for every maintenance on every repair for every car, and that's what the estimate is based on, on most cars.

But, when we get these extra fees, like, in addition to parts and labor, and fluids, there's the testing and diagnosis; but then hazardous waste and administrative fees, and shop supplies, and miscellaneous.

It's a lot of extras.

You know, while some are mandated by law, but when it comes to the administrative fees and the road test fees, those feel a little bit unnecessary.

In this case, the customer racked up an extra $42 here in admin fees alone.

In total, this estimate came out to $5,500, and our calculation was only a fraction of the cost.

So, the lessons here are to read through your invoices and make sure you understand what everything means.

If something is unclear, just ask.

And if there any jobs you can do yourself to save some cash, it might be worth the effort.

If you have any questions or comments, reach out to us, right here at MotorWeek .

JOHN: We saved the front seat for you on this week's QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: Upon first mention, we assumed the 2025 Mazda CX-70 would serve as a 2-row midsize utility slotting between the compact CX-50 and 3-row midsize CX-90.

But as it turns out, we were only half right.

While, the CX-70 is indeed a midsize, 2-row 5-seater, it's essentially the same size as the CX-90.

And similar in most other ways, too.

Why?

Well, Mazda says, "They're aiming the CX-70 at buyers less interested in big family hauling and more interested in hobbies and adventure; think empty-nesters."

So, we soon left our nest for a SoCal First Drive of the CX-70.

Inside, the 70's first, and 2nd-row experiences are very similar to the 90 in terms of seating and amenities, including the available 12.3 inch digital instrument panel and the all-trims-standard infotainment screen of equal size.

Outside, minor tweaks separate the two models ever so slightly, like the black trim and altered bumpers.

The real shakeup is in back.

The CX-70 ditches the 3rd row, giving way to a new subtrunk feature providing hidden stowage.

This extra space stays regardless of powertrain, even the PHEV.

And that's where similarities continue as both use the same powertrains.

As a refresher, the plug-in hybrid consists of a 2.5 liter inline-4, an electric motor and a 17.8 kilowatt hour battery.

Total system output is up to 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, with 25 miles of electric range.

Gas-oholics may prefer the 3.3 liter inline-6 turbo.

The standard "Turbo" conjures up to 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque; the "Turbo S" cranks up to 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.

All CX-70s come with an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive, working with Mazda's tighter-than-average steering and firmer suspension for a great on-road experience.

ALEXANDER KELLUM: There's something about the way, I-- that Mazda makes their crossovers.

I always say it's because they take their sports car DNA and it's trickled into their crossovers.

And I think that's very much the case when you look at the 50, when you look at the 90, and now when you look at the 70.

If you love to drive cars and you're in the market for a utility, you should really be checking out the Mazda lineup.

JESSICA: And if you do decide to check it out, the 2025 Mazda CX-70 will start around $42,000 for the Turbo, $54,000 for the Turbo S and $56,000 for the PHEV.

Starting price is technically higher than that of the 2024 CX-90, thanks to the CX-70's additional standard equipment and differing trim structure.

But trim levels shared between the two are priced the same.

We'll have a full Road Test of the 2025 Mazda CX-70 and plenty more QuickSpins, soon!

JOHN: The Mustang name alone is about as nostalgic as it gets, but it seems like whenever Ford ups Mustang's performance ante, they double down with throwback names like "Boss" and "Mach 1."

But now they've actually come up with something all-new for the 7th gen pony car.

It's the Mustang Dark Horse... and around the race track, it's anything but stealthy!

♪ ♪ Recently, MotorWeek awarded the all-new, 7th generation Ford Mustang with two top honors in our Drivers' Choice Awards: "Best Sport Coupe" and, even more impressive, our 2024 "Best of the Year."

There are lots of reasons for that ultimate decision, from the modernized take on the iconic profile, to Ford's unwavering support of the V8 engine and manual transmission.

but another reason is this, the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, the first new Mustang livery in decades.

Bred as the next evolution of Mustang performance, the Dark Horse takes that pony car formula and really kicks it up a notch.

It roars to life with Ford's 4th gen 5.0 liter, naturally-aspirated "Coyote" V8, cranked up to 500 horsepower-- 14 ponies more than a GT with active exhaust which is, by the way, standard here.

This modern "five-oh" cranks out 418 pound-feet of torque, sent to the rear wheels through your choice of transmission: 6-speed manual or, in our case, 10-speed automatic.

Note that 6-speed is the same Tremec used in the last Shelby GT350 and Mustang Mach 1, an upgrade from the GT's MT-82.

On track, our drivers certainly would have preferred the 6-speed, as the 10-speed felt more reactive than proactive, with automatic downshifts rather unaggressive.

Manual mode using wheel mounted paddle shifters does improve things, allowing us to find better footing through all nine corners of Roebling Road Raceway.

However, for acceleration runs, there's no doubt about it: this 10-speed rips!

After a few trips to warm up the tires, we caught grip for a 0-to-60 time of 4.3 seconds.

We have no doubt sub 4.0 seconds with this 10-speed is doable in ideal conditions.

But, the 40 degree air temps didn't slow us down too much, racing down Roebling's front straight to hit a 12.7 second quarter-mile at 117 miles per hour.

Talk about warming us up!

And the day's fun didn't stop as we wrung out this 5.0 liter V8 to its 7500 rpm redline.

Like, Coyotes that came before, the Dark Horse's V8 loves to rev, and with an exhaust note like this you'll be compelled to oblige.

We managed to hit 147 miles per hour before pulling back the reins: 6-piston front Brembo's that made easy work of hard stops.

Joined by 4-piston calipers clamping on the rear discs, these brakes were remarkable.

We enjoyed interrogating them lap after lap, but it took a lot for the Dark Horse tires to squeal: grippy Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS rubber; 305s in front and 315s in back, both wrapping 19 inch wheels.

Those wheels and tires are part of the available Handling pack, as are adjustable top strut mounts and revised chassis tuning.

This $5,000 upgrade also adds the performance rear spoiler and Gurney flap-- low enough to not limit visibility, but big enough to show you mean business.

And on the topic of appearance, the Dark Horse, despite the name, will stand out from your neighbor's fresh-off-the-line GT.

Available only as a coupe, it wears bespoke "Dark Horse" badging and graphics.

The front end is almost evil with large nostrils sending air directly to the dual intakes, bookended by the 7th gen's tri-bar headlights.

Opting for a bright color will show all these blacked-out elements even more, but we think it's rather appropriate in this Blue Ember Metallic paint, reserved for Dark Horse Premiums.

The interior isn't too far removed from the GT Premium.

All models come with two large displays, a 12.4 inch instrument panel and a 13.2 inch infotainment touchscreen, mounted in one continuous housing.

The Deep Indigo cloth seats can be swapped for these leather-trimmed RECAROs; quite comfortable on the street and very supportive on the track.

And although that's where this machine truly shines, the Dark Horse is perfectly capable of gallivanting you around town too, as the standard MagneRide adaptive suspension means great handling in both scenarios.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are on-par with a GT running on Regular, 14 city, 22 highway and 17 combined.

The Mustang Dark Horse pricing starts at $61,080, stepping up to $65,075 for a Dark Horse Premium.

Add all the bells and whistles, and you can easily exceed $70,000.

But that still smacks us as a supercar-style bargain.

So, is Dark Horse worthy of a permanent slot on Ford's high-performance mantle?

Or, does it simply live in the shadow of 60 years of Mustang greats?

Well, its name is "Dark Horse."

That's far from "Black Sheep."

It's loud, proud, and does everything a 5.0 liter Mustang should, and a lot more.

So, our answer is undeniably...yes!

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 an outing in a surprisingly rugged luxury off-roader, the new Lexus GX, followed by Honda's first all-electric SUV, the Prologue.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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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 TireRack."

Forty years later, we're not slowing down.

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