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

JOIN US FOR A LOOK AT TOYOTA'S ALL-NEW "BEYOND ZERO" ELECTRIC CROSSOVER, THE BZ4X... WE'LL EAVESDROP ON EFFORTS TO ELECTRIFY THE STREETS OF THE WINDY CITY... THEN, TURN SHARP INTO ANOTHER ROUND OF QUICKSPINS... AND WE'LL END WITH A RUN IN ACURA'S SPORTY RDX CROSSOVER!

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.

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John: WELL, TOYOTA COULD ONLY SIT THIS ONE OUT FOR SO LONG; IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE FINALLY GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT JOINING THE BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE GAME WITH THIS 2023 BZ4X UTILITY.

AND IF THEIR HYBRID GAME-CHANGING ABILITIES ARE ANY INDICATION, THEY'RE NOT JUST SHOWING UP TO PLAY, THEY'RE SWINGING FOR THE FENCES.

* TOYOTA HAS INDEED JOINED THE RANKS OF FULLY-ELECTRIC CARMAKERS, SEEKING TO GO "BEYOND ZERO" WITH THIS 2023 TOYOTA BZ4X UTILITY VEHICLE.

IT'S ANOTHER JOINT-VENTURE VEHICLE WITH PARTNER SUBARU WHOSE SOLTERRA IS ARRIVING AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME.

AND THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR, SHARING THE SAME BASIC PROFILE AND PURPOSEFUL, BUT AWKWARD SPLIT ROOF SPOILER THAT'S FEATURED ON SOME OTHER EVs THESE DAYS.

WHERE THEY DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY IS UP FRONT, THE BZ4X WEARING A SMOOTH AERO-INSPIRED, MOSTLY GRILLE-LESS FACE TYPICAL OF MODERN EVs.

IT'S 3.0 INCHES LONGER THAN THE RAV4, BUT WITH 6.0 INCHES MORE WHEELBASE THAT HELPS IT FEEL MUCH ROOMIER INSIDE.

IT'S NOT THE MOST HANDSOME INTERIOR DESIGN WE'VE SEEN LATELY, BUT IT IS VERY FUNCTIONAL.

STANDARD POWERTRAIN IS A FRONT-MOUNTED 150 KILOWATT ELECTRIC MOTOR RATED AT 201 HORSEPOWER.

BUT, WHEN IT COMES TO ADDING ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE, WHERE MANY EVs WILL ADD THE SAME SIZE MOTOR TO THE OTHER SET OF WHEELS, OR EVEN A LARGER ONE, HERE, TOYOTA GOES INCREDIBLY CONSERVATIVE, PLACING SMALLER 80 KILOWATT UNITS ON BOTH AXLES, WHICH ONLY RAISES TOTAL OUTPUT TO 214 HORSEPOWER AND 248 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

SO, WE WEREN'T EXPECTING A WHOLE LOT WHEN MAKING OUR WAY TO MASON DIXON DRAGWAY, AND WHILE IT MAY NOT EXPLODE OFF THE LINE LIKE MANY EVs, GRIP FOR LAUNCHING WAS PLENTIFUL AND IT SEEMED TO MAKE VERY GOOD USE OF WHAT IT HAS, CAPABLE OF GETTING TO 60 IN THE MID 6.0 SECOND RANGE.

AND IT MORE THAN HELD ITS OWN THOUGH OUR SLALOM COURSE.

JUST A BIT OF UNDERSTEER AND ONLY MINOR BODY ROLL HAD US GETTING THROUGH THE CONES WITH GOOD SPEED AND GREAT CONFIDENCE.

EVEN THE STEERING WHEEL HAS GOOD WEIGHT TO IT; WITH QUICK, DIRECT RESPONSE FROM ALL INPUTS.

AND THE RIDE IS QUITE NICE ON PUBLIC ROADS TOO; SMOOTH AND SOLID, WITHOUT THE OVERLY HEAVY FEEL OF MANY EVs.

WORKING WITH SUBARU ALLOWS TOYOTA TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUBARU'S X-MODE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE TECHNOLOGY; WHICH THEY'VE RECONFIGURED TO WORK WITH BATTERY POWER.

THERE ARE SETTINGS FOR SNOW/DIRT AND SNOW/MUD; AS WELL AS LOW SPEED GRIP-CONTROL WHICH READS THE ROAD SURFACE AND MANAGES POWER FLOW TO KEEP MOMENTUM UP AND AVOID SLIPPING ON ROUGH OR SLIPPERY ROADS.

REGEN BRAKING FEATURES A HEIGHTENED "BOOST MODE" TO REDUCE BRAKE PEDAL USE, BUT IT LACKS A ONE-PEDAL DRIVING SETTING.

THE BZ4X IS AVAILABLE IN XLE AND LIMITED TRIMS, WITH A FAIRLY HIGH END FEEL ACCOMPANYING TOP LIMITED.

FRONT SEATS ARE BOTH HEATED AND COOLED; AND ALONG WITH THE HEATED STEERING WHEEL, ARE NICELY INTEGRATED INTO THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM, TURNING ON AND OFF AUTOMATICALLY AS APPROPRIATE.

A 12.3 INCH TOUCHSCREEN IS THE CENTERPIECE OF TOYOTA'S NEW MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM THAT WAS ACTUALLY DESIGNED HERE IN THE U.S.

IT LOOKS GREAT AND WORKS WELL, BUT THERE'S NO VOLUME KNOB FOR THE RADIO; AND, IRONICALLY ENOUGH, BOTH GAS STATIONS AND ELECTRIC CHARGING LOCATIONS SHOW UP ON THE NAV SCREEN, ALLOWING YOU TO EASILY NAVIGATE TO EITHER.

THE GAUGE DISPLAY IS UNIQUELY MOUNTED IN A POD HIGH ON TOP OF THE DASH, WHICH HAS YOU LOOKING OVER THE STEERING WHEEL TO MONITOR IT INSTEAD OF THROUGH THE WHEEL.

WE LIKE THE OVERALL PRESENTATION, BUT ACTUAL INFORMATION TENDS TO BE MINIMAL.

WE COULDN'T FIND A WAY TO SEE THE OFTEN-USEFUL PERCENTAGE OF BATTERY CHARGE REMAINING.

MAX RANGE FROM THE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE BZ4X'S 72.8 KILOWATT HOUR BATTERY PACK IS 228 MILES, WHICH WE'D SAY IS PRETTY ACCURATE, AS WE DROVE 210 AND HAD AN INDICATED 20 MILES OF RANGE LEFT WHEN WE PULLED UP FOR A CHARGE.

FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE FEATURES A SLIGHTLY SMALLER 71.4 KILOWATT HOUR BATTERY, BUT IS RATED FOR UP TO 252 MILES.

THERE'S A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF BACK SEAT SPACE, AND A GOOD 27.7 CUBIC-FEET OF CARGO ROOM IN BACK; WHICH MAKES THE BZ4X PLENTY CAPABLE FOR PERFORMING MOST ROUTINE FAMILY TASKS.

SEATBACKS FOLD EASILY FOR MORE SPACE IF NEEDED.

HOWEVER, THERE IS NO TRADITIONAL GLOVE BOX, AND NO UNDER-HOOD STORAGE UP FRONT LIKE MANY EVs.

PRICING STARTS AT JUST $43,215, WITH ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE A $2,080 OPTION; AND TOP LIMITED COMING IN AT $47,915.

NO FEDERAL TAX CREDITS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.

STILL, WITH A STARTING PRICE THAT LOW, IT IS VERY COMPETITIVE.

BUT WE ALSO, KIND OF FEEL LIKE WE DIDN'T QUITE GET TOYOTA'S BEST EFFORT HERE.

RATHER A "LET'S WORK WITH SUBARU ON THIS ONE JUST TO GET SOMETHING OUT THERE" SITUATION.

SO, THE 2023 TOYOTA BZ4X IS CERTAINLY NOT A PRIUS-LIKE GAME CHANGER WHEN IT COMES TO BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES; BUT IT IS A TOYOTA, AND DELIVERS THE ALMOST PERFECTLY BALANCED PACKAGE OF PRICE, PERFORMANCE, AND PRACTICALLY THAT TOYOTA BUYERS KEEP COMING BACK FOR.

* THE DEMAND FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE IS GROWING NATIONWIDE.

BUT MEETING THAT DEMAND WILL REQUIRE MORE THAN JUST EQUIPMENT TO DEPLOY AND FUNDING TO INSTALL IT.

WE'LL NEED QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS AND ELECTRICIANS TO DO THE ACTUAL WORK.

WE MET UP WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS POWERING CHICAGO'S EV CHARGING FUTURE AND SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

* ILLINOIS IS GOING ALL-IN ON PROMOTING ELECTRIC VEHICLES, WITH A GOAL TO INCREASE EV REGISTRATIONS FROM 37,000 CURRENTLY, TO OVER A MILLION ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE ROAD IN ILLINOIS BY 2030.

TO HELP ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, THE STATE IS PROVIDING A $4000 REBATE FOR SELECT EVs ON TOP OF EXISTING FEDERAL INCENTIVES, ALONG WITH A REBATE OF UP TO 80 PERCENT FOR THE COST OF INSTALLING A CHARGING STATION.

FEDERAL FUNDING IS EXPECTED TO ADD 500,000 NEW CHARGERS NATIONWIDE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

IN ADDITION, A 2020 CHICAGO CITY ORDINANCE REQUIRES ALL NEW RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS WITH FIVE OR MORE UNITS, AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES WITH 30 OR MORE PARKING SPACES, TO HAVE 20 PERCENT OF ONSITE PARKING BE ELECTRIC VEHICLE READY.

WITH THOUSANDS OF CHARGING OUTLETS TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE NEXT DECADE, WHERE NOW YOU TYPICALLY SEE CLUSTERS OF 2-4 CHARGERS IN A STORE PARKING LOT, THERE MIGHT BE DOZENS OF UNITS LINED UP IN THE NOT-SO-DISTANT FUTURE.

THAT CREATES A DAUNTING TASK FOR ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS, WHO WILL NEED A LARGER SKILLED WORKFORCE TO INSTALL THEM ALL.

POWERING CHICAGO IS THE ENTITY THAT BRIDGES THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS LOCAL 134, WITH THE ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, THROUGH CLASSROOM AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

Elbert Walters III: THE CONTRACTORS SERVE AS MANAGEMENT, SO, THEY DO THE HIRING OF ELECTRICIANS AND MANAGING ELECTRICIANS ON THE JOBSITES.

THE RELATIONSHIP IS THAT POWERING CHICAGO AND THE IBEW LOCAL 134, THE LABOR PORTION, ACTUALLY PROVIDES THE MANPOWER-- THE QUALIFIED WORKFORCE.

John: THE IBEW/NECA TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, IN THE CHICAGO SUBURB OF ALSIP, IS ALREADY ONE OF THE MOST FORWARD-THINKING AND WELL-REGARDED ELECTRICAL TRAINING CENTERS IN THE COUNTRY, WITH A HISTORY GOING BACK MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

AND THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF APPLICANTS TESTING FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNION'S 5-YEAR PAID APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM.

Gene Kent: OUR CURRENT ENROLLMENT OF APPRENTICES IN THE ENTIRE APPRENTICESHIP IS ABOUT 1300.

RIGHT NOW, IN SCHOOL, WE HAVE ABOUT 200 APPRENTICES EVERY QUARTER, COME THROUGH FOR THEIR QUARTERLY EDUCATION.

John: IN 2015, IN-TECH DEBUTED THIS RENEWABLE ENERGY TRAINING FIELD: A FULLY-FUNCTIONAL MICROGRID WITH A WIND TURBINE, SOLAR ARRAYS, A BI-DIRECTIONAL 100 KILOWATT POWER INVERTER AND A BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM.

THESE ARE ACTIVE TRAINING AIDS FOR THE STUDENTS THAT ALSO HARNESS AND USE RENEWABLE ENERGY WITHIN THE SCHOOL BUILDING.

Gene: WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT OUR APPRENTICES ARE TAUGHT FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE.

AND THEN, WE BUILD KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDUSTRY THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE APPRENTICESHIP, SO THAT WHEN THOSE NEW CUTTING-EDGE THINGS COME INTO PLAY, THEY ONLY HAVE TO LEARN THE VERY END-USER COMPONENT.

John: REACHING BEYOND THE IN-TECH CAMPUS, THIS DEMONSTRATION TRAILER TRAVELS TO AREA SCHOOLS AND EVENTS, SERVING AS A MOBILE CLASSROOM AND EV AMBASSADOR.

AT THE RECENT CHICAGO AUTO SHOW, THOUSANDS OF SHOW VISITORS STEPPED UP TO ASK THE EXPERTS ABOUT ADDING EV CHARGING EQUIPMENT TO THEIR OWN HOMES OR BUSINESSES.

POWERING CHICAGO HAS ALSO PRODUCED THIS DOWNLOADABLE E-BOOK, FULL OF INFORMATION ON HOW TO PLAN, INSTALL, AND MAINTAIN ELECTRIC VEHICLE SERVICE EQUIPMENT.

CAR DEALERSHIPS ARE AMONG THE MANY TYPES OF BUSINESSES EXPANDING THEIR EV CHARGER INVENTORIES, ANTICIPATING THE INFLUX OF NEW ELECTRIFIED MODELS SOON TO BE HITTING THEIR SHOWROOMS AND SERVICE AREAS.

Gina Dolley: THE TYPICAL LAYOUT IS THAT THERE'S SEVERAL IN SERVICE, 3-4, IN SERVICE.

UM, ONE IN THE BACK FOR DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLES, AND THEN EVENTUALLY, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THEM COMING OUT FRONT FOR CUSTOMER-FACING, CUSTOMER USE.

I ONLY SEE IT GROWING FROM THIS POINT ON.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S-- I'M DOING 1-2 A MONTH.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE MORE.

I HAVE A FEELING THAT WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP AN EV DIVISION, AND I JUST HAVE GUYS DEDICATED TO THE INSTALLATION FOR THESE UNITS.

John: THE WINDS OF CHANGE ARE A' COMING, AND FORWARD THINKING, LIKE THAT SHOWN HERE IN THE WINDY CITY, IS WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO KEEP US ALL CHARGED UP FOR THE ROAD AHEAD.

WE SNAGGED SOME KEYS, SO COME JOIN US FOR MORE QUICKSPINS!

* HONDA'S SMALLEST CROSSOVER, THE SUBCOMPACT HR-V, IS ALL-NEW FOR 2023, ROCKING A BOLDER REDESIGN WITH AN ADVENTURE-SEEKING OUTLOOK.

NOW SHARING ITS BASICS WITH THE CIVIC COMPACT, THE 2ND GENERATION HR-V IS OFFERED IN LX, SPORT, AND TOP-TRIM EX-L. NO MATTER WHICH YOU CHOSE, A 2.0 LITER 4-CYLINDER ENGINE IS MOUNTED UNDER THE HOOD, PRODUCING 158 HORSEPOWER AND 138 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

THAT'S SENT TO THE STANDARD FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE OR AVAILABLE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM.

SOME MAY GROAN AT THE MENTION OF A CVT AUTOMATIC, BUT THE HR-V TRIES TO LESSEN THE STING WITH "STEP-SHIFT" PROGRAMMING.

IT BETTER SIMULATES GEAR CHANGES UNDER ACCELERATION AND WAS SURPRISINGLY INTUITIVE.

WE HAD A CHANCE TO TRY IT OUT AND A FEW OF THE HR-V'S OTHER ENHANCEMENTS DURING OUR PACIFIC NORTHWEST FIRST DRIVE.

Stephanie Hart: GOING DOWN THIS MOUNTAIN OR A STEEP HILL IS A NO-BRAINER THANKS TO A NEW STANDARD FEATURE ON THE HR-V.

IT'S CALLED "HILL DESCENT CONTROL."

ALL YOU DO IS PUSH A BUTTON IN THE CENTER CONSOLE AND A SET A SPEED BETWEEN TWO AND TWELVE MILES PER HOUR.

THE VEHICLE WILL MAINTAIN THAT SET SPEED.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CONCENTRATE ON THE ROAD AND STEER.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY GREAT FOR ANXIOUS DRIVERS-- PEOPLE WHO ARE A LITTLE FEARFUL OF DRIVING IN THE SNOW OR RAIN HEADING DOWN A STEEP HILL OR MOUNTAIN.

John: SEEING THROUGH INCLEMENT WEATHER IS A PAIR OF LED HEADLIGHTS, ENCASING THE HR-V'S MORE AGGRESSIVE GRILLE.

THE REAR SEES A JUST AS STYLISH TREATMENT: LED TAILLIGHTS AND A SCULPTED HATCH TOPPED OFF BY A TAILGATE SPOILER.

SPORT MODELS DON A DIFFERENT GRILLE, A BLACK SPOILER, AND 18 INCH WHEELS.

THE NEW HR-V IS LONGER AND WIDER, AND BETTER ABLE TO HANDLE A FAMILY OF FIVE IN ITS TWO-ROW CABIN.

WE DO, HOWEVER, MISS THE FLIP-UP SECOND ROW MAGIC SEAT THAT MADE THE OUTGOING HR-V THE MOST VERSATILE IN ITS CLASS.

ALL GRADES INCLUDE A 7.0 INCH DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL PAIRED TO A PHYSICAL SPEEDOMETER.

THE STANDARD INFOTAINMENT SCREEN IS ALSO 7.0 INCHES, BUT THE EX-L TRIM BUMPS UP TO A 9.0 INCH DISPLAY WITH WIRELESS APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO.

THE 2023 HONDA HR-V MADE FOR A GREAT VESSEL DURING OUR OREGON ODYSSEY, LOOKING THE PART OF A CAPABLE WEEKEND WARRIOR AND COMFORTABLE WEEKDAY COMMUTER.

STARTING AROUND $25,000, WE SEE IT AS A VERY ENTICING SMALL-UTE CHOICE.

AND, WE'LL HAVE A MORE DEFINITIVE DIVE INTO THE 2023 HONDA HR-V SOON.

WE'VE SPENT PLENTY OF TIME IN KIA'S SORENTO TO KNOW IT'S A SOLID VALUE FOR A MIDSIZE SUV.

BUT FOR 2022, THE SORENTO HAS GAINED ITS FIRST PLUG-IN HYBRID POWERTRAIN, AND WE HAD TO SEE HOW IT COMPARES.

THIS FRESHMAN OUTING OF THE SORENTO PHEV IS CARRIED BY A TURBOCHARGED 1.6 LITER 4-CYLINDER ENGINE COMBINED WITH A 66.9 KILOWATT ELECTRIC MOTOR.

TOGETHER, THEY PUMP OUT 261 HORSEPOWER WITH A TARGETED RANGE OF 460 MILES WITH UP TO 32 MILES ON BATTERY POWER ALONE.

ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE IS STANDARD.

BOTH SX AND SX PRESTIGE TRIMS ARE THREE-ROW SIX-SEATERS WITH SECOND-ROW CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS.

A TEN AND A QUARTER-INCH INFOTAINMENT SCREEN WITH SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION IS STANDARD, ALONG WITH WIRELESS CHARGING AND DUAL-ZONE CLIMATE CONTROL.

THE PRESTIGE INCLUDES A 12.3 INCH DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL AND A HEATED SECOND ROW, AMONG OTHER AMENITIES.

THIS IS ALL WRAPPED UP IN A PACKAGE THAT ISN'T TOO FAR OFF FROM THE NORMAL SORENTO OR SORENTO HYBRID.

YOU'LL GET SPECIAL BADGING, A PLUG-PORT IN THE REAR, AND STANDARD 19 INCH WHEELS, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.

NO MATTER, AS THE SORENTO WAS ALREADY A FINE-LOOKING VEHICLE.

THE SORENTO PHEV STARTS AROUND $46,000 AND JUMPS UP TO $49,000 FOR THE PRESTIGE.

THE 2022 KIA SORENTO PHEV IS ANOTHER SOLID ADDITION TO THE LINE-UP, AND IT FEELS LIKE NO SACRIFICES WERE MADE IN THIS GREEN MOTORING ENDEAVOR.

AND WE'LL HAVE MORE QUICKSPINS, SOON!

* Greg Carloss: OUR 2022 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER LONG-TERM SOLDIERS ON AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THE PEAK HEAT OF A MID-ATLANTIC SUMMER.

WE'VE COMMENTED MANY TIMES ON HOW MUCH NICER THIS OUTLANDER'S ROOMY INTERIOR IS, BUT PROBABLY HAVEN'T GIVEN PROPER DUE TO ITS FUNCTIONALITY.

NOT ONLY ARE THERE ACTUAL KNOBS FOR CONTROLLING THE RADIO, WHICH WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE, BUT THEY HAVE A GOOD TACTILE FEEL, AS DOES EVERYTHING ELSE YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH INSIDE.

THERE'S ALSO PLENTY OF SPACE FOR CARGO, ESPECIALLY WITH THE REAR SEATS FOLDED.

PLUS, THE RIDE IS AS COMFORTING AND SMOOTH AS YACHT ROCK; YET, ITS HIGHLY CAPABLE MITSUBISHI BILLY GOAT ATTITUDE STILL MANAGES TO COME ACROSS, DESPITE SHARING THE NISSAN ROGUE'S PLATFORM.

WE ARE RIGHT IN THE THICK OF ROAD TRIP SEASON AND THIS OUTLANDER HAS PROVEN ITSELF A WORTHY TRAVEL COMPANION.

IT'S A SMOOTH OPERATOR ON THE HIGHWAY AND EVEN THOUGH THE VISIBILITY'S GREAT, ITS DRIVING AIDS, LIKE BLIND SPOT MONITORING, ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

AND SO IS THE SOLID FUEL ECONOMY ON THE HIGHWAY.

AFTER SIX-MONTHS OF SMOOTH SAILING, WE'RE 9,400 MILES INTO OUR TEST, WITH THE 4-CYLINDER ENGINE TAKING OUR FUEL ECONOMY AWAY TO WHERE WE'VE ALWAYS HEARD IT COULD BE AT 28.7 MPG.

WE'LL CHECK IN ON OUR KIA CARNIVAL MPV ON THE NEXT MOTORWEEK LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE!

John: THE THIRD GENERATION OF ACURA'S RDX COMPACT UTILITY ARRIVED JUST THREE YEARS AGO WITH BIG GAINS IN PERFORMANCE, ROOMINESS, AND TECHNOLOGY.

BIG SALES NUMBERS SINCE SUGGEST THAT ACURA GOT EVERYTHING RIGHT.

WELL, THEY DIDN'T THINK SO; GIVING THE RDX A MAJOR REFRESH FOR 2022.

SO, LET'S FIND OUT WHERE THE FOCUS IS THIS TIME.

* THE ACURA RDX HAS BEEN THE BEST-SELLING SMALL LUXURY SUV FOR THE MOST OF THIS CENTURY, AND IT DIDN'T GET THAT WAY BY SITTING BACK AND RESTING ON ITS LAURELS.

SO, IT MAKES SENSE THAT JUST THREE YEARS INTO ITS CURRENT LIFECYCLE, ACURA WOULD DROP A BUNCH OF UPDATES ONTO THIS 2022 RDX; UPDATES THAT TOUCH UPON JUST ABOUT EVERY ASPECT OF THE VEHICLE.

THINGS OF NOTE YOU'LL SEE IMMEDIATELY INCLUDE THE RESHAPED FACE, WHICH HAS BEEN WIDENED TO INCLUDE LARGER AIR INTAKES AND NEW LED FOG LIGHTS.

THE GRILLE TAKES UP THE SAME AMOUNT OF SPACE AS BEFORE, BUT ITS BORDER IS MUCH SLIMMER, MAKING IT APPEAR LARGER.

JUST NEW EXHAUST TIPS IN BACK, AND THE REST OF THE SPORTY-LOOKING BODY PANELS STAY THE SAME; WITH SOME NEW COLORS AND WHEEL DESIGNS THROWN IN FOR GOOD MEASURE.

THE RDX'S INTERIOR WAS ALREADY VERY WELL LAID OUT AND SPACIOUS FELLING; SO HERE, UPDATES JUST CONSIST OF NEW MATERIALS LIKE EITHER BRONZE-FINISHED ALUMINUM OR OPEN-PORE WOOD TRIM, AND THE ULTRA-SUEDE LEATHER WITH CONTRAST STITCHING IS MORE LIBERALLY APPLIED.

MODERNIZED INFOTAINMENT NOW FEATURES WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY FOR BOTH APPLE AND ANDROID DEVICES; PLUS, THE TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE GETS NEW ICONIC DRIVE WITH AMBIENT LIGHTING INSPIRED BY, YOU GUESSED IT, ICONIC DRIVING DESTINATIONS.

AND SPEAKING OF DRIVING, THE INTEGRATED DYNAMICS SYSTEM HAS BEEN UPDATED TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE IN SPORT MODE, AND MORE RELAXED IN COMFORT MODE; ESSENTIALLY MAKING EACH MODE MORE DISTINCTIVE.

THINGS UNDERNEATH ARE ADDRESSED AS WELL; THE SUSPENSION RETUNED, ALSO TO INCREASE COMFORT WITHOUT SACRIFICING HANDLING.

IN OUR ORIGINAL ROAD TEST IN 2019 WHEN THIS GEN DEBUTED, WE MADE NOTE OF THE VERY FIRM RIDE; AND WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT THE IMPROVED DAMPING IS NOTICEABLE HERE WITH THE UPDATE.

VERY COMFORTABLE ON THE HIGHWAY, WITHOUT SURRENDERING THE FUN AND NIMBLE FEEL YOU STILL GET ON THE BACK ROADS.

THE ONLY AVAILABLE ENGINE REMAINS A 2.0 LITER I4 TURBO WITH 272 HORSEPOWER AND 280 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

IT REALLY BRINGS THE RDX TO LIFE, HELPING IT FEEL LIKE SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE SPECIAL THAN THE TYPICAL LEATHER CLAD SOFT-ROADER, YET, DOESN'T OVERPOWER IT.

BUT, WE'LL LET THE NUMBERS BE THE JUDGE, AT OUR USUAL PLACE FOR DETERMINING SUCH THINGS: MASON DIXON DRAGWAY.

GOOD TORQUE DELIVERY AND ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE GRIP MAKE FOR A SPEEDY TAKEOFF, AND 0-60 RUNS OF 6.8 SECONDS.

THE 10-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORKING MEMBER OF THIS POWERTRAIN ASSEMBLY LINE, FIRING OFF SMOOTH SHIFTS WITH SEEMINGLY CONSTANT PRECISION; THOUGH OFTEN THEY SEEM TO COME RIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE IS MAKING GOOD POWER.

QUARTER-MILE COMPLETED IN 15.3 SECONDS AT 93 MILES PER HOUR.

THE RDX FELT VERY CAR-LIKE DARTING IN AND OUT OF THE CONES IN OUR HANDLING COURSE.

SUPER-HANDLING-ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE DOING WHAT IT ALWAYS DOES, PROVIDING A HEAVY-HANDED TECHNICAL APPROACH TO DELIVER PRECISION AND AGILITY.

STEERING WAS ALSO VERY PRECISE, AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE BODY ROLL TO CONTEND WITH.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS FOR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE WITH A-SPEC TRIM ARE 21-CITY, 26-HIGHWAY, AND 23-COMBINED.

THAT'S AN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE, CONSUMING 12.9 BARRELS OF OIL YEARLY WITH CO2 EMISSIONS OF 6.4 TONS.

ACURA, MORE THAN ANY OTHER BRAND, IS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS SEAMLESS MERGING OF TECHNOLOGY AND PERFORMANCE, YET, FOR SOME REASON, YOU COULDN'T GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS SCENARIO HAVING TO DECIDE BETWEEN ADVANCE TECH OR A-SPEC SPORTY.

THAT'S NOW BEEN RECTIFIED WITH THE RDX SH-AWD WITH A-SPEC AND ADVANCE PACKAGES; AT $53,145 IT'S SITTING AT THE TOP OF THE LINEUP, BUT YOU CAN STILL GET A VERY WELL-EQUIPPED BASE FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE RDX FOR JUST $41,145.

THE 2022 ACURA RDX IMPROVES ON AN ALREADY GREAT LUXURY CROSSOVER.

IT'S A FANTASTIC LITTLE SUV THAT JUST MAKES SENSE, REGARDLESS OF WHICH ANGLE YOU LOOK AT IT FROM; WHETHER ITS STYLE, VALUE, OR PERFORMANCE.

BY FOCUSING ON WHAT MATTERS MOST, ACURA HAS ENSURED THAT THE RDX WILL BE A LEADER IN ITS SEGMENT FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

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 EXPLORE THE BIG, BOLD, AND BODACIOUS LINCOLN NAVIGATOR AND THE CROSSOVER EVOLUTION OF THE MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS!

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 .

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.

* Announcer: THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

[SOUND OF CAR ENGINE REVVING] * YOUR WATCHING PBS.