MotorWeek

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

Join us for the redesign of an American pickup icon, the new Ford Ranger... Then, we'll sound off with the go-to leader in DIY car audio... We'll set our sails to see how alt fuels mix with watercraft... Then, it's back on tarmac with one slick pint-size Ute, the BMW X2...

So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: After being absent from the American market for 8 years, 2019 saw the return of one of Ford's most venerable truck names, the Ranger.

And that EcoBoosted mid-size rig quickly picked up where the original compact Ranger left off.

Well...now, it's time for a new 5th generation Ranger.

So, let's find out if the latest global Ranger is still a winner.

Ford knows a thing or two about building pickup trucks, and certainly has more options available than any other truck maker; from small fuel-sipping hybrids to monster haulers, and everything in between, which is where this 2024 Ford Ranger fits in.

Ford's latest mid-size offering is now available as a SuperCrew 4-door only, with only a 59.6 inch-- call it a 5.0 foot bed, though the wheelbase has grown, up 2.0 inches, to 128.7.

Everything is still attached to a rugged full frame; 17 inch wheels are standard on XL and XLT, with 18s available; standard on top Lariat trim.

Regardless of trim, overall styling of the new Ranger is much more attractive than the previous generation.

XLTs get a sliding rear window, plus...LED lighting and a 120 volt outlet for the bed.

Our XLT SuperCrew had the standard, carryover 2.3 liter EcoBoost I4 engine rated at 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque.

But a 315 horsepower 2.7 liter twin-turbo Ecoboost V6 is now an option.

Rear-wheel-drive remains standard, with 4X4 setups available either with or without a locking rear diff.

All get a 10-speed automatic transmission with a full-size max tow rating of 7,500 pounds.

This EcoBoost I4 and 10-speed combo has been on the Ford menu for quite a while now and feels well sorted here in the Ranger; seemingly not in as big of a rush to get into higher gears as earlier evolutions.

While also, noticeably smoother than before, ride quality is still very truck-like, which is the way most truck buyers prefer it.

For a more car-like experience, the Maverick awaits.

The Ranger's true truck-like vibe carries over inside too, where things are more rugged and durable than plush; but the huge center touchscreen certainly sets a techy tone.

It's available in either 10 or 12 inch versions, and while it easily dominates the dash and is mostly intuitive to use, physical knobs and buttons for audio, and climate at the base of the screen are a big plus.

XLTs get wireless phone charging, navigation, and some additional safety features including lane keeping assistance.

While, the rear seat bench has belts for three, two adults will be a more comfortable situation with adequate headroom and legroom.

The seat bottom folds up easily to access plastic storage bins.

Optional trickle-down tech from the F-150 includes Pro Trailer Backup Assist and a host of other features to make your towing life easier.

Off to Mason Dixon Dragway to see what kind of numbers we could pull with our XLT 4X4.

After hooking up very well, with a nice jump off the line, we hauled to 60 miles per hour in a very respectable 7.1 seconds.

Gear changes were a little on the clunky side, but power drop-off during shifts was pretty minor.

Both engine noise and road noise were substantial going down the track, as we finished the quarter-mile in 15.6 seconds at 87 miles per hour.

When it came to reducing speed, we found a very soft brake pedal with minimal feedback, and longish 131 foot stops from 60.

This new-gen Ranger does come with some major suspension changes.

The architecture is the same, but the pieces are now mostly made of aluminum and composites rather than steel.

Combine that with a platform that's over 2.0 inches wider than before, and you've got a smoother and more stable Ranger.

Steering remains light but vague, so it did take us quite a few runs through the cones to get comfortable with the body roll and determine how much steering input was needed.

But, in the end, we found nothing out of character for a modern pickup truck.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the I4 are 20 City, 24 Highway, and 22 Combined.

We averaged a quite good 23.3 miles per gallon of Regular.

That's an average Energy Impact Score, with use of 13.5 Barrels of Oil Annually and 6.6 Tons of CO2 Emissions.

Pricing ranges from $34,315 for XL to $45,275 for a Lariat, with XLTs slotting in between at $37,755; 4-wheel-drive, an additional $3,485.

Having the Maverick in the lineup to take care of the entry-level light duty pickup crowd has allowed the mid-size 2024 Ford Ranger to grow closer to the F-150, packing in more features than ever before.

On that score, the now bigger, and better Ranger is all the truck most homeowners will ever need.

Eco-friendly motoring is a universal goal for manufacturers these days, but it's not limited to those who build cars, trucks, and buses.

We've recently encountered a few clean marine transportation projects, so come along and catch a ride to the future of green boating.

One in ten U.S. households owns a recreational boat, and there are about 13 million registered boats in use.

Unlike, the car industry, where the same company usually makes the vehicle and the engine, marine power is more of an la carte arrangement, especially with outboards.

So, when it comes to environmental issues, the onus for green innovation generally falls on the engine suppliers, not the boat makers.

MARTIN PETERS: In the marine industry, the replacement rate for boats is about 1.7 percent per year.

That means, it would take 40 years to replace every boat on the water.

If we introduce fuels that are even 30 percent more carbon neutral than ethanol fuel is right now, we can start to decarbonize the fleet immediately.

JOHN: At the recent Miami Boat Show, Yamaha caught everyone's attention with a 450 horsepower, hydrogen-fueled outboard engine mounted onto a popular boat chassis with fully-integrated hydrogen storage and fuel delivery system engineered by Roush.

MARTIN: We're also pursuing sustainable fuels, and electrification at the lower horsepower level.

JOHN: Yamaha is not alone in seeing the promise of hydrogen for marine use.

Weekend visitors to San Francisco can take a free 10 minute journey from downtown to Fisherman's Wharf aboard the Sea Change, the world's first commercial passenger ferry powered 100 percent by zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells.

It runs a dozen routes every weekend, and tops off its 246 kilos of gaseous hydrogen once a week.

The 75 passenger vessel emits only water vapor, and guests can taste it for themselves!

The onboard water fountain dispenses re-mineralized water sourced from the ship's fuel cell emissions.

The Sea Change trial is a proof-of-concept project for now, but San Francisco's ferry system is heavily used by tourists and commuters alike, so a future switch to green h2 would have a hugely positive environmental impact.

SEAMUS NOLAN: So, I think in terms of looking at a hydrogen future, you have to look at both the demand and the supply side, that at this point both need to be developed together.

You see the hydrogen hubs that are funded by the Department of Energy.

These hydrogen hubs serve as an opportunity to accelerate, ah, and de-risk a lot of the investment associated with building out both supply and demand of green hydrogen.

JOHN: At the other end of the country, visitors to the Hudson River Maritime Museum can take a relaxing cruise aboard the Solaris, the first fully solar-powered boat certified by the Coast Guard to carry passengers.

LISA CLINE: You know, you don't have to yell over anything.

We use her as a floating classroom.

We teach history on the boat, we teach environmental...

Kids love being on the boat.

It's very welcoming, it's not scary, it's close to the water, and it's quiet.

JOHN: In fact, the loudest noise you'll hear aboard the Solaris is the air horn!

(sound of air horn) Built on-site at the museum, the classic look of the Solaris is not just for nostalgia.

DAVID BURTON: We chose a hull design from a 1906 launch.

Back then, boats had to have very efficient hulls because the motors were heavy and very low power.

JOHN: Solaris doesn't need big power, though.

Sixteen solar panels on the canopy provides free energy for an 80 kilowatt battery.

Fully charged, Solaris can travel 50 miles at night at a top speed of around 8.0 miles per hour.

All of these clean marine efforts are what's needed to reach greener waters over the horizon.

JOHN: If you've ever even thought about upgrading the audio system in your car, chances are you've heard the name Crutchfield.

This pioneering electronics provider all-but invented do-it-yourself car stereo installation, and our Dan Maffett meets up with the man himself on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

DAN MAFFETT: I'm sitting here with Bill Crutchfield at one of the Crutchfield locations, and we are celebrating their 50 years.

Bill, thank you for having us today.

BILL CRUTCHFIELD: Yeah, thanks for coming, it's a real pleasure to meet with you and your crew.

DAN: Fifty years of Crutchfield.

How did you guys get here?

BILL: As a kid, I was always interested in electronics and cars, of course, and I built my first radio when I was 8-years-old.

Then, I built the first stereo in Virginia when I was 13, and I start a little business when I was 15 of installing stereos in people's homes around here.

DAN: So, you said it all started with a car and I see it here as Porsche.

Is that really the anchor that pushed you into the realm that we know is Crutchfield today?

BILL: The 356 was the ideal because back then they were very inexpensive.

I was buying cars for $500.

DAN: Oh, wow.

BILL: They were barely drivable, but it was a labor of love and one reason I wanted to get into a different type of business because there was really no money... DAN: (laughs) Right.

BILL: ...in restoring these cars then, unlike today.

DAN: Right... BILL: It's very different today.

It was a very easy choice to jump from this car to the mail order business.

With $1,000 in savings, I started, um, Crutchfield in my mother's basement and, um, it was a real struggle.

I mean, just...

I...I came so close to going out of business, that...I, I have night sweats now when I think about it.

My first two catalogs were a typical catalog of that era.

Just line to drawings of the products and simple description.

Installing a car stereo 50 years ago was more of a mechanical thing, and we had to, oh, often have to open up the dashes, cut larger dash openings, had to certainly cut into doors to mount door speakers or rear deck speakers.

So, all of this was extremely intimidating.

So, I came up with this concept of a hybrid between a catalog and a magazine, and that took off.

That...that was the secret sauce and um, from that moment on we concentrated on being an information company.

Not just a purveyor of products, but a company that provides a wealth of information.

And um, then later in 95, we were the first consumer electronics website.

It went up.

We went up in September of 95, one month after Jeff Bezos, um, put up Amazon, and with the website we did exactly what I'd done with the catalog.

We just filled it full of information.

So, that's really been the secret of the company.

Um...it's information, it's excellent service and really good products.

DAN: So, with that in mind, what is the next 50 years of Crutchfield look like?

BILL: Well, it's... you know, it's hard to be precise, Dan.

But, um, there will be exciting new technologies.

I bet in 10 years, we'll be selling products-- probably most of the products we'll be selling in 10 years don't even exist today.

DAN: Bill, thanks for having us.

Really appreciate your time.

Guys, thanks for watching.

If you have any questions or comments, hit us up right here at MotorWeek .

JOHN: Let's go on the record with Stephanie Hart in this week's MotorNews!

STEPHANIE HART: Sticking with their all-minivan strategy, at least for the time being, Chrysler is bringing back the Voyager.

The 2025 Chrysler Voyager will serve as an entry-level model below the Pacifica, and unlike last time, it won't be restricted to fleet purchases.

A 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 and a 9-speed automatic come standard.

Orders are open now with a starting price around $40,000.

Volkswagen revealed the first major update for their Taos subcompact utility, including additional power and more tech.

The 2025 Volkswagen Taos uses a 1.5 liter turbo-4, now producing 174 horsepower thanks to some engine revisions.

The dual-clutch automatic used on all-wheel-drive models is gone, replaced now by a traditional 8-speed auto.

Inside, an 8.0 inch infotainment screen comes standard on all four trims, paired up with a digital gauge cluster.

These refreshed models are expected to arrive at Volkswagen dealers by the end of the year.

And on the performance side of things, Ford has confirmed that their upcoming Mustang GTD will put out a total 815 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque.

Ford is currently projecting a top speed of 202 miles per hour, made possible by the high-revving, supercharged 5.2 liter V8.

And that's it for this week's MotorNews.

GREG CARLOSS: The Honda Accord is one mid-size sedan that needs very little introduction.

Just about everyone has had some type of interaction with one over its 50 years on American roads.

So far, our interactions with this 2024 Accord Hybrid have been highly positive.

If this is your first experience with the 11th gen Accord, the biggest change you'll likely notice is the wide 12 inch touchscreen display with Google built in.

It looks impressive, works very well, and is a focal point of an interior that feels far roomier than its mid-size status.

Nothing exotic to the suspension, but tuning is a spot-on blend of comfort and agility, and after driving 4,500 miles in our first two months, our fuel economy average is a great 44.5 miles per gallon; down a bit from last report, but still well above the 41.3 average in our original Accord Hybrid Road Test.

This 204 horsepower 2.0 liter I4-based hybrid is willing and able, with a surprising amount of time spent driving strictly on battery power, and an almost EV-like driving experience even when the gas engine kicks in.

Just about everything in this Accord Hybrid is silky smooth.

The powertrain, the suspension, and even the infotainment.

There's really only one not-so-smooth operation: braking in stop-and-go traffic.

We're still trying to develop a feel for the handoff from regen to mechanical braking.

But that's really just a small nitpick in an otherwise excellent drive experience.

There's another sedan in our fleet.

It's the Nissan Sentra.

We'll bring you up to speed on the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update!

JOHN: It seems like everyone in the SUV world is trying to out-rugged one another.

But over at BMW, they just keep doing what they do: Making stylish, high-performance sports activity vehicles, and even making them more attainable.

Well, this latest BMW X2 is proof of that.

At first glance, the 2024 BMW X2 Compact Sports Activity Coupe looks like the more dynamic platform-mate to the BMW X1.

After all, the X1 utility is just so boring, it needed the help.

Well, that's not at all true, of course, but BMW is the brand that spearheaded the whole coupe-like SUV movement and continues to spread that theme throughout their lineup.

So, hence this fast roof X2.

For its 2nd generation, the X2 has gotten a lot bigger, a full 7.6 inches longer, which means, it can now call the X1 its little brother.

The roof slopes more drastically than before too, with even bigger changes in back, with the SUV-like liftgate and minimal back glass replaced with more glass set in a hatchback-style lid.

Some might say the exaggerated fenders and sharp creases are a bit much, but we're not among them.

It looks great, especially with the optional M Sport Package's 19 inch wheels, unique bumpers, and black trim.

Still, like many stylish small utilities, it is still a little hard to see out of.

But that's what cameras and a myriad of sensors are for.

The X2 is clearly more upscale than before with xDrive all-wheel-drive now standard.

So, no more front-wheel-drive X2s for now, though that never was a big deal to us, or to the owners of the new MINI Countryman who share this chassis.

BMW's curved display is easily the highlight of the interior; operating with the 9th generation of iDrive technology, it blends the LED driver display into the central touchscreen.

Front seats are both sporty and comfortable, and while many stylish sloped roof SUVs often sacrifice the utility part, rear seat space in the X2 is plentiful.

With 25.3 cubic-feet of space, rear cargo capacity is barely less than the X1, and max capacity, at 51.7 cubic-feet, is actually more than the X1 due to the longer body.

This xDrive28i is the base offering, powered by a 241 horsepower 2.0 liter turbo-4 with 295 pound-feet of torque.

For an upgrade, that same engine gets cranked up to deliver 312 horsepower in the M35i; both get a 7-speed DCT.

We stuck with the standard 2.0 liter for testing, dialed in Sport mode, and hit the track.

And while, it does feel very quick on the street, whether it was turbo lag or engine tuning, there just wasn't a real sense of urgency off the line.

Once, it got rolling though, power did pour on pretty effectively, getting us to 60 in 6.2 seconds, and then stayed very consistent down the track.

There was even a nice little kick of additional oomph with every gear change.

So, clearly not the most invigorating BMW experience we've had recently, but the 14.9 second quarter-mile, finished at 96 miles per hour, is plenty quick for an entry-level Ute, and there's always the M35i.

We'd also put handling in the "upscale" category.

Even with the M Sport Adaptive suspension, softer tuning produced more body roll than expected.

Steering was a bit too vague and light for our taste; with out the tenacious grip we expected through our handling course.

On the other hand, this X2 was very stable and safe, with a more substantial feel than before.

In our panic braking test, the X2's pedal was soft until the very end of travel when it firmed up quickly.

But with an average stopping distance of a scant 96 feet, they clearly did their job.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the xDrive28i are 24 City, 33 Highway, and 28 Combined.

We averaged a quite good 31.1 miles per gallon of Premium.

That rates slightly better than average for the Energy Impact Score, 10.6 Barrels of Annual Oil Use with 5.3 Tons of CO2 Emissions.

Pricing starts at $42,995, which is $1,500 more than a base X1.

Then, a healthy step up to the M35i which starts at $52,395.

While, we did appreciate the original X2 for its more stylish take on the X1, there's a lot more to love this time.

The 2024 edition of the BMW X2 is more than just a better looking X1, it's bigger and better all around.

Now, one could argue if any brand really needs three coupe-like SUVs in their portfolio.

But when you've got the formula for success like no one else, you might as well deploy it in as many ways as you can.

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... ...as we tear down the track in the polarizing Tesla Cybertruck, followed by a family-focused review of the all-new GMC Acadia.

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.

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We stock over one million tires.

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We do this because we believe tires matter.

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