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

Join us for a mid-size GMC pickup made for full-size adventures... Then, we'll put recalibrating safety sensors on our radar... Our FYI reporter spreads the word on lingering airbag recalls... Then, we'll jump off the line in the snappy Hyundai Elantra N...

So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: Last year, an all-new GMC Canyon arrived, taking the truck to new levels of capability and off-road performance with the debut of the AT4X.

Well, something told us that story wouldn't end there and, indeed, GMC has now teamed up with the folks at American Expedition Vehicles.

So, let's see if their dirty deeds lift the Canyon to the next level.

♪ ♪ If you were to go by the looks of most pickup trucks and utilities in any given parking lot these days, you'd think that most everyone had to traverse some kind of barely possible trail, climb over giant boulders, and perhaps ford a few streams, just to get to the strip mall.

Well, it's doubtful that's the case you ever did need to do such things.

But, if you do, this mid-size 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X Crew Cab AEV Edition is the vehicle that can do it.

No trim packages here, the AEV additions that have been added to GMC's most capable Canyon are quite comprehensive, enough to tack five-figures onto the AT4X's price.

They include chunky fender flares to overlap the unique 17 inch bead-lock-capable wheels, which are wearing 35 inch Good Year Wrangler M/Ts.

Next up are heavy-duty bumpers and a full-size spare placed in a vertical mount at the front of the 5-foot bed; while underneath, are ultra-high strength hot-stamped boron steel skid plates protecting the rear differential, radiator, steering gear, transmission, transfer case, and fuel tank.

Finally, 1.5 inches of additional lift over the AT4X, sitting it 4.5 inches over a standard Canyon, delivering more than a foot of ground clearance.

It's a cohesive package that also looks great, not over the top, but the same well-balanced approach we've seen from other partnerships between GM and American Expedition Vehicles.

So, mission accomplished in creating an extremely capable off-roader, as driving through our off-road course was more of a Sunday stroll for this truck, with the tires gripping obstacles at slow speeds and the suspension easily soaking them up at higher speeds.

There are even available underbody cameras to let you monitor what you're rolling over.

About the only area that didn't get an upgrade is under the hood where you'll still find the same 2.7 liter I4 turbo engine delivering 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque.

This Turbomax sounds a bit like a Duramax at startup, but quickly smooths out and runs strong enough to pull 6,000 pounds of trailer.

Though, it didn't seem to be in the mood to pull us much at all at our test track, where it just lumbered off the line with very little urgency to 60 in 8.5 seconds.

Shifting in the 8-speed automatic transmission was a little lazy, too, with a noticeable drop off in power with each gear change, but it does pick up some steam as we worked our way down the track where it clocked a respectable 16.5 seconds to finish the quarter-mile at 85 miles per hour.

For a monster off-roader it felt very stable, tracking straight and true, with very little correction required on our part.

Clearly, it would have been happier driving over the cones of our handling course rather than between them, as body roll, weight transfer, and tire rollover were all quite noticeable.

But it also never felt unstable or did anything unexpected.

In braking runs, we could feel the initial lack of grip from the mud terrains, but the brakes themselves were strong and fade-free.

Its 115 foot stop average from 60 we rate as quite good.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are down slightly from the AT4X, at 16 across the board for City, Highway, and Combined, though we averaged just 14.0 miles per gallon of Regular.

That's a worse than average Energy Impact Score with use of 18.6 Barrels of Oil Yearly and 9.3 Tons of CO2 Emissions.

Canyon pricing starts at $37,895, stepping up the ladder to the AT4X takes you to $55,895, and then adding the AEV Edition package brings your total starting price to $65,995.

Whether, a mid-size truck is worth that amount of money depends on the amount of capability you need, or perhaps it's more what look you're going for.

On both counts, the 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition is the most capable and toughest looking Canyon ever.

One that is truly built to deliver.

♪ ♪ Usually, when Brian Robinson is off on some kind of adventure on a Kawasaki, he's doing some "Two Wheelin'."

But this week, he's buckling up for some off-roading of a different sort!

♪ ♪ BRIAN ROBINSON: A lot has changed since the 1980s when the original Mule showed up ready to work, essentially creating the Side-x-Side scene as we know it today.

But with the Ridge, Kawasaki is looking to take things to a new plateau.

This 2024 Kawasaki Ridge is much more than just another Side-x-Side from Kawasaki.

It's the start of a whole new family of off-roaders packing some big changes, including a new engine, unique frame, and perhaps the biggest game changer of all, an available factory-installed hard cab with glass windows and full HVAC.

Yes, that means no matter the elements outside, you can stay cool, calm, and dry inside.

Now, the overall environment inside is still pretty utilitarian, but that also means high durability and lots of storage space; though things are certainly getting more and more car-like, especially if you opt for the available Limited trim which comes with an audio system, front and rear cameras, and even an in-dash 8.0 inch touchscreen with Garmin navigation.

Building on what Kawasaki has learned over more than 35 years of off-road 4-wheeling, the Ridge gets a new ladder-type steel frame with high-strength steel used in critical areas.

It provides a stable truck-like platform for some heavy-duty suspension hardware and a dump bed that's rated at 1,000 pounds.

There's 12.7 inches of travel in the suspension, which is more than a standard Teryx, and as much as 14.6 inches of ground clearance.

The Ridge is available in both a standard and XR model; we got wild in West Virginia's Hatfield McCoy trail system in an XR which features larger 30 inch tires, additional LED lighting, locking front and rear differentials, colored suspension components, and some sporty bucket seats.

The XR also gets some additional power for the Ridge's all-new liquid-cooled 4-cylinder engine.

This is the first Kawasaki Side-x-Side to pack an inline-4; 999 ccs of displacement, outputting 92 horsepower in the standard Ridge and 116 here in the XR, along with 74 pound-feet of torque sent through a dual-range CVT that's been upgraded for better response and improved engine braking feel.

After a day of bombing through the backwoods while keeping the A/C cranked, it became clear that having constant-flowing cold air on a hot summer day is about more than just keeping you comfortable.

It allows you to spend longer days in the seat, without being nearly as tired and worn out at the end of them, or even in need of a shower.

Staying warm while doing chores in the wintertime, equally beneficial.

Now, you can get a new Ridge without the full cab, and it starts at $23,999, adding the cab takes it to $29,999; this XR HVAC starts at $31,999.

With three unique families of Side-x-Sides, Kawasaki has things covered like no one else in the industry, from diesel-powered farm hands to mini monster-truck high-performance off-roaders.

This 2024 Ridge falls in the middle and is perfect for those looking to work hard and play harder, just do it smarter.

JOHN: Modern vehicles are packed with safety and driver assistance features, many of which rely heavily on cameras and sensors to work as intended.

And keeping all that high tech properly calibrated requires an expert, just like the one that now joins Audra Fordin on MotorWeek's "Your Drive!"

♪ ♪ AUDRA FORDIN: As the automotive industry rapidly evolves, safety and convenience have become paramount concerns for both manufacturers and consumers.

Advanced driver assistance systems, commonly known as ADAS, represent a significant leap forward in vehicle technology, designed to enhance driver safety and improve the overall driving experience.

We are joined today by Steve Dawson from Hunter Engineering, who will discuss the latest ADAS technology.

Welcome.

STEVE DAWSON: Thanks.

Thanks for having me.

AUDRA: Glad that you're here.

So, my customers are coming into the shop all the time, and they're asking me about wheel alignments and the new technology.

What can you tell me about that?

STEVE: So, wheel alignments these days, we've added a new step to it with having to ADAS calibrations after the wheel alignment.

Once, we get our wheels straight underneath the car and going down the road straight, now we have to adjust our ADAS systems to get them focused in the right direction as well.

If we don't do that, things that are out of perspective or out of line, we won't read with the cameras or the radars.

AUDRA: So, something like, if the car's in an accident, it's so important to make sure that you calibrate the system again, so that it's reading.

What happens if you don't do that?

STEVE: The challenge with not calibrating the vehicle is that it will read things that it's not supposed to read, because maybe they're on the side of the road or it will miss things in the middle of the road.

So, in a lot of the cases, when you're looking at 200 feet down the road, if the camera's too high, it misses things that are below it.

If it's too low, it misses things above it, or if it's off to one side or the other, because the car is now aligned straight and it had been turned off to one side, it'll miss what's-- happening in the lane of travel, and it could mean that it doesn't work the way it's supposed to or it could mean that it's going to react to something that is a sign on the side of the road and make your automatic braking stop.

AUDRA: Oh, that's a very important feature, for sure.

So now the-- nowadays, people come in and they don't want to do that extra step.

Can you turn it off?

STEVE: Unfortunately, the way that the cars are designed today, all of these systems are all fully integrated, so there's really no way to turn it off other than a-- maybe a temporary turn off, and the next time you cycle the key-- it's going to turn right back on for you.

But all of those inputs affect all the other systems, so things you may want to have working, like your cruise control or your automatic headlights, may not work, because-- your ADAS system is not calibrated correctly.

So, they're all working together, today, in these cars.

AUDRA: Well, that's excellent information.

Thank you so much, Steve.

Looking forward to seeing you again and joining us.

STEVE: Thanks, thanks for having me.

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

JOHN: The world of autos is as vast as it is quick to change.

So, let's see what's new in this week's QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: The Ford Explorer has been a high-volume choice for American utility buyers for over three decades, not to mention also being a popular police pursuit vehicle.

And while the 6th gen Explorer has already generated many dollars for the Blue Oval, a 2025 mid-cycle refresh aims to bank even more with some insightful improvements.

But more actually starts with less: Eight trims boiled down to four, the Active, ST-Line, ST, and Platinum.

The 2.3 liter turbo-4 remains standard in most trims, generating 310 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque.

But available, and standard on the "Sports Technologies" grade, is the returning twin-turbo 3.0 liter V6 rated at an exciting 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque.

While, innovation is appreciated, we found ourselves content with this powertrain rerun during our Detroit First Drive.

There's no real powertrain changes here in the 2025 Ford Explorer, but that's not a bad thing.

Um...I love the fact that you still have an optional V6 powertrain available.

I mean, we've got 400 horsepower.

Um...obviously, it comes standard in the ST, and it's available here in this Platinum trim that I'm driving.

But gosh, is it nice to just be able to put down some power?

And it sounds good too.

Speaking of good sounds, an available Bang and Olufsen sound system bumps with 14 speakers; but music to our ears was the improved 13.2 inch infotainment system, joined by a 12.3 inch digital instrument panel, both running the New Ford Digital Experience.

They're standard, as are heated front seats, wireless smartphone integration and Ford CoPilot360 Assist+.

Explorer-first BlueCruise availability can further destress daily driving.

The 2025 Ford Explorer, available now, starts just over $40,000.

We'll explore this refreshed offering in greater detail, and we'll have more QuickSpins...soon!

JOHN: In 2014, we were all shocked when we first heard about the massive Takata airbag recall.

Roughly, 40 million vehicles on our roads had defective and potentially deadly airbags.

Now, a decade later, about 85 percent of those suspect airbags have been replaced.

But as our Stephanie Hart reveals, there are still millions of defective units out there; and spreading the word is key to saving lives.

♪ ♪ STEPHANIE HART: It's extremely important to create awareness around the Takata airbag recall.

That's because right now in our streets there are 6.2 million defective airbags that need to be replaced.

Here's the problem: When they're deployed, they can explode, sending sharp metal fragments flying at 200 miles per hours throughout the cabin which could cause serious injury or death.

This defect, so far, has caused at least 400 injuries and is linked to 27 deaths.

This is particularly alarming since an airbag is supposed to save your life, not take it.

FAISAL HASAN: There's a chemical reaction that takes place in an airbag that allows that airbag to deploy and save your life or the passenger's life.

There was a drying agent that needed to go inside the airbag that did not go into some of these airbags.

So now, when you have these airbags in states like Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, where you have high heat and humidity, and you don't have that drying agent, those airbags now will explode with incredibly more force.

STEPHANIE: Even more troubling is the fact that about 40 percent of all the malfunctioning airbags are located in states with high heat and humidity, which is a recipe for disaster.

They are: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas; that's according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A total of 19 auto makers are involved in this recall.

The defective airbags were installed in specific vehicles between model years 2001 and 2015.

As you may recall, this massive recall started a decade ago, affecting 67 million airbags.

FAISAL: Those 19 manufacturers all responded very quickly, whether they had a few cars or a ton of cars in.

Some of the manufacturers have actually been sending people to your house, knocking on your door.

They funded and worked with non-profits, anything we can do to close out the rest of these recalls.

Right now, we need to create touchpoints, we need to create awareness.

People need to go check their VINs and get these airbag recalls closed.

STEPHANIE: Essentially, this is a life-or-death situation.

However, it had to be handled over time.

FAISAL: Whenever, there's an open recall, uh, sometimes the parts are not immediately available, and that does make it difficult cause-- because the OEMs are ready to close it, but if the parts have not been made, and the problem was they're ju-- this was such a massive recall, there just weren't enough airbags and...and airbag parts to fix the recall, so it had to be done over time.

STEPHANIE: To find out if your vehicle is involved in the Takata airbag recall, head over to Carfax.Com/Recall and enter your VIN number.

You will find out immediately if you have a faulty airbag that needs to be replaced.

If so, head over to your local dealership and they will fix it for free.

The whole process should only take two to four hours, not very long considering this could potentially save your life or your family's life.

JOHN: When we first sampled Hyundai's Elantra N, we were impressed.

Not only did it live up to the high expectations Hyundai set for themselves with their new N performance brand, but it made a great showroom companion to the funky and fun Veloster N. Well, that was just two years ago and already the Elantra N is getting better!

♪ ♪ It's totally fitting that Hyundai chose the humble Veloster and Elantra to introduce us to their N performance brand, as it mirrored their own humble beginnings here in the U.S. in the 1980s.

What started with a single subcompact economy car has grown into a full lineup of cars, SUVs, a pickup truck, and even multiple battery-electric vehicles, one of which recently got the N treatment and set a new benchmark for high-performance EVs.

All that to say, when we had an opportunity to test the recently updated 2024 Hyundai Elantra N sedan, we jumped at the chance.

Now, not to be a downer right away, but there is nothing new to report in the powertrain department, as most updates follow the system wide midcycle refresh that the Elantra has received for '24, which mostly highlight styling and tech.

But there are other meaningful upgrades, specifically to address the N's ride and handling.

More on that later.

We'll start with styling tweaks which include a new front with a larger two-piece grille, slimmer daytime running lights, and flat stainless-steel logo.

Inside, materials get a premium boost with lots of N logos, some of which are even now illuminated.

Both the steering wheel and shift knob are also new in the N, as are the sport bucket seats which are definitely aggressive, though ride quality remains plenty street friendly.

Now, those N suspension enhancements include new urethane bushings, along with a complete overhaul to the steering system, and additional structural upgrades including engine mounts.

And they were all readily apparent in our handling course where the N showed great balance, an eagerness to turn in, and fantastic grip.

It really is crazy how competent front-wheel-drive cars have become.

It's also more responsive to driver inputs, and there was a lot of feedback coming through the chassis, encouraging us to push harder and harder.

You can find a little bit of remaining understeer if you go looking for it, but it's not the natural tendency at anything less than the absolute limit.

Under the hood is the same 276 horsepower 2.0 liter I4 with 289 pound-feet of torque as last year; and when keeping a hand on that new shift knob for some acceleration runs, the Elantra N didn't feel overly quick, as it was hard to find a good compromise between a soft launch and massive amounts of wheel hop.

Still, we got to 60 in the same 5.4 seconds.

The available 8-speed DCT automatic is a few tenths quicker if that's your priority.

The engine sounds cool, nice and raspy, not high-strung, and the shifter works and feels great, with no missed shifts during our track time.

Our best quarter-mile run was 14.0 seconds flat at 101 miles per hour.

Not bad for any family sedan.

In braking runs, stops from 60 were strong and fade free, averaging a mere 100 feet.

There was very little nosedive, as the N had a more of a hunkered down feel to it; and there was also very little ABS pulsing through the pedal.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings with the manual are 21 City, 29 Highway, and 24 Combined.

We recorded a good 25.8 miles per gallon of Premium on our mixed driving loop.

As for Hyundai's traditional high value, Elantra N pricing starts at only $34,850, with the DCT a $1,500 option.

If you subscribe to the original Hot Rod ethos of making things go as fast as possible, for as little as possible, Hyundai is glad to have you along for the ride.

This 2024 Hyundai Elantra N is a fun-filled modern-day Hot Rod in an economy car disguise.

Those that are willing to take their next compact purchase to the power of N will get a driving experience that very few other affordable cars can approach.

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 the redesign of an American pickup icon, the new Ford Ranger.

And we'll see if the latest BMW X2 is one slick pint-size sport Ute.

Until next time, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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