MotorWeek

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

We'll kick things off with the top drawer of three-row luxury, the Mercedes GLS.

Then we're pulling back the reins for a brake upgrade, and visit a super fleet that's all about the right fuel for the job.

Then wrap up with the return of the Toyota Crown.

So come drive with us, next!

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JOHN DAVIS: The 3rd generation Mercedes-Benz GLS utility arrived for 2020 with more space, more comfort, and more luxury than ever before.

But staying at the top of the intensely competitive full-size luxury SUV segment is not easy, so Benz is back making the GLS better than ever.

Mercedes-Benz didn't get where they are today by just following trends or playing keep up.

Regardless of vehicle segment, they have been constant innovators; bringing new technologies to market and continuously upgrading their products, which brings us to this 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS.

Starting inside, there are still 3-rows of seats for either six or seven passengers depending on 2nd row configuration, with abundant space no matter which seat you're occupying.

Many materials inside have been updated, along with some new leather-based themes added.

This is the Bahia Brown and Black which looks fantastic, and comes with aluminum trim, though a host of wood veneers are available including this Natural Grain Grey Oak.

The central 12.3-inch touchscreen is updated to the latest MBUX software, and the upgraded 12.3-inch driver display can provide information through Classic, Sporty, or Discreet themes.

Despite the wealth of information available on both screens, it's all very intuitive to access, and navigation with augmented reality is standard.

The steering wheel is also new, and now comes with its own set of touch sensitive controls for better or worse, and USB charging ports have been added for rear seat passengers.

Cargo space remains plentiful as you would expect, starting with a good 17.4 cubic-feet behind the third row and 48.7 behind the second row; fold all seats and you've got a cavernous 84.7 cubic-feet.

A power folding third row is standard, as is a power liftgate, panoramic sunroof, and 4-zone automatic climate controls.

There are powertrain upgrades too.

The 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 in this GLS 450 gets a bump from 362 to 375-horsepower with 369 pound-feet of torque.

Towing capacity is a stout 7,700-pounds.

A 4.0-liter V8 is also available getting its own increase from 483 to 510-horsepower.

Both come with mild-hybrid assistance, standard all-wheel drive, and a 9-speed automatic transmission.

A refresh for the outside means a new grille with Silver Shadow finish, more prominent bumper, and a faux skid plate for the front, and new taillights with a "power of three" theme in back.

As before, AMG styling elements can be added, including unique wheel arches and up to 22-inch wheels.

A Night Package adds additional black trim for the front splitter, roof rails and side mirrors.

So, it's off to Mason Dixon Dragway to see what kind of difference a few extra ponies can make.

At the line, there was plenty of starting grip to transfer the hard-hitting power to the pavement.

We really felt the tires bite and shove us off to 60 in just 5.5-seconds.

There was a decided hunkering down at the line before exploding off it with excellent traction.

Power delivery stayed consistent throughout the quarter-mile with very smooth shifts that occurred with little to no drop-off in momentum.

Making for a mostly quiet and pleasant 14.1-second trip to the end of the track, finishing at 99 miles-per-hour, with the notable exception of a great almost V8-like engine roar coming from under the hood.

In our handling course, the GLS 450's 5,500-pounds of weight became obvious right away with noticeable body roll.

Steering was light and perhaps a bit disconnected feeling, but stability systems step in well before any problems can arise.

Overall, it's a very safe and secure handling vehicle for any family.

In panic braking runs, there was bit of a delayed reaction as the brake pedal seemed to go straight towards the floor with little response from the vehicle.

Until suddenly the calipers clamped down in full and brought this big beast to an aggressive halt from 60 in just 115-feet.

A little unsettling feeling at first, but ultimately quite good results for such a big vehicle.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings: 19-City, 24-Highway, and 21-Combined; we averaged a good 21.7 miles-per-gallon on premium.

That's just slightly below average for the Energy Impact Score; consuming 14.2-barrels of oil yearly while emitting 7.1-tons of CO2.

Stick with this base 450 and you do get a lot of vehicle and plenty of luxury for $88,150.

It's a big step up from there to the actual V8-powered 580 which starts at $113,150; we really don't see a need to make that leap unless you absolutely must have a V8.

When the 3rd generation GLS arrived four years ago it was a real game changer for the segment.

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS doesn't necessarily change the game this time around; but with updates to style, materials, powertrains, and tech; it makes sure that Mercedes-Benz continues to be the winner.

JOHN: The term "green" is often used in reference to vehicles, fuels, technologies and practices that are good for the environment.

Well, we recently visited one Georgia fleet manager who's leading the way in all of these areas, while proving that "going green" also saves green dollars, and just makes good sense.

ROBERT LEE GORDON: The size of our fleet, we're over 3600 vehicles in our fleet.

And we have every kind of vehicle, from a dozer all the way to police cars, fire trucks, ambulances.

We have everything except school buses.

JOHN: More than 400 of DeKalb county's vehicles, or 12% of the total, run on CNG, propane, or battery-electric power.

And not just for their environmental benefits.

ROBERT: You need to have lofty goals, but I'm all about realistic too.

I want to put something in an application that's going to be the best performing vehicle for that job.

For me, that's what it's all about... um...

I don't like to say I'm not a green person, but when I first started, Diesel flowed through my veins, and when I first got started, it was all about a business case: where is the return on the investment, how long is it going to take to get this money back, and how's the truck going to perform?

Because I'm a fleet guy, I gotta fix them.

So, our pilot program, we got some money from the DoE, we got a processing plant, we got a fuel station, and then we got $50,000 per truck, so our kickoff was 46 trucks.

And that was about six different types of trucks.

I wrote the specs on those trucks.

And from that point on, we've just never stopped.

But nobody has still come to us and said we had to do it, because we're way ahead of the curve.

So, in these trucks, we've done our whole entire sanitation fleet is, heavy duty fleet, is natural gas.

So, that's that's kinda how we got started, and we've just continued doing it, up to the point today I have 16 different types of vehicles running on natural gas.

JOHN: DeKalb county now uses twice as much CNG as diesel fuel, and that green gap will only continue to widen.

The advantages of natural gas over diesel start with reduced greenhouse emissions and quieter operation, but they don't end there.

ROBERT: Several advantages: one of the biggies most people like to think about and talk about is the cost.

Uh, we're paying $2.12 a gallon for, uh, natural gas, is um, and we've been doing that for seven years.

It don't never change.

Of course, diesel, we all know how diesel price goes up and down, and that can really affect your budget, so that's one of the biggest things when you're looking at at a business case.

Um, the operating expense, for our experience, has been much cheaper on natural gas.

JOHN: The DeKalb county fleet also has 37 light-duty electric vehicles on hand, and over 80 more on the way.

ROBERT: In my opinion, EVs is absolutely perfect for light duty, in a government agency.

I can't tell you for everybody's personal use, it depends on what you gotta do, but my vehicles don't leave DeKalb county.

Uh...

So for a county vehicle that's not going to run more than 50 miles a day, a lot of 'em don't run 20 miles a day, and I've got 250-mile range electric vehicles.

You can't beat it.

JOHN: Robert's savvy analysis and relentless effort has certainly paid off: Every year since 2013, DeKalb county has ranked among the top 25 green fleets in the U.S. Robert willingly shares his 36 years experience with fleet managers around the country who are looking to go green, but his best advice is to experience these clean-fuel vehicles firsthand.

ROBERT LEE ROBERT: The biggest tip I can give to a fleet operator, is go educate those end users, and it will save you a lot of headaches in the end, because people don't like change.

But, it really did work.

When we got our first truck, I called it our firstborn, I took it out and I let people touch it and feel it and drive it and see how it operated.

If you check around, one of us fleet guys will help you.

We got it, come on down here and drive it, we'll let you, we'll help you.

JOHN: Upgrading your ride to make big power may be where all the fun is, but making sure you can stop safely is just as important.

So, we brought in Dan Maffett to upgrade our stopping power on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

DAN MAFFETT: Let's talk about brakes, one of the most overlooked upgrades on any kind of vehicle.

Whether you're doing a restomod like this MGB, which now has, double the horsepower, those factory brakes are not going to up keep with that new power add and that moving mass.

So, you're going to need to take a look at what kind of power you're putting down, what kind of stopping power you're going to need.

There's a lot of options when you get to the aftermarket world, but don't be overwhelmed.

You have something like this, which is really made for a performance vehicle.

In my shop, we do mostly American muscle.

So, what we do is we gut all the original brakes; the drums gotta go.

And once those are out, we do something like this, which is a vented, drilled and slotted performance rotor.

This is going to disperse heat, it's going to keep your pads cool, it's going to keep the calipers from locking up.

It's gonna just give you really good stopping power without a lot of uh headache.

Now, this might be overkill for a daily driver or a tow vehicle.

So, when you get something like this, it's just a standard flat rotor that's got some vents and just a nice brushed finish that's going to give a good bite.

Now, it's very specific to your build and the power output of your vehicle.

Because this is good for a Honda, but this is from a trackhawk.

You can see the size difference there.

This is a beefy, beefy brake for something with a lot of power and a lot of mass that it needs to stop.

So, your brakes need to be tailored to your project.

Now this, this is your clamping force.

This is the caliper that's going to lock down onto the rotor and stop you if you're moving.

These come standard two-piston like this.

Some of your retro vehicles will have a single large piston, but you can get these all the way up to an eight-piston setup.

The more pistons, the more stop.

And they take these pads here, and they clamp down on the rotors, and that's your stopping force.

Now, pads are another customizable piece.

You can get ceramics, you can get carbons, you can get all kinds of different materials for different styles of driving.

The ones you use on a track might not be the ones you use on your daily driver.

And when you get into outfitting your vehicle for your use, whether it's track, daily or towing, you want to pick the right setup that matches your style of driving.

The more power you add, the more stopping power you're going to need.

If you add a whole lot of go, you need a whole lot of whoa.

So, take this time, do some research, buy it once.

And for around two, three thousand dollars on a classic muscle car, you can have a full disc brake conversion.

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

JOHN: The automotive beat never sleeps, and neither do we.

Here's Stephanie Hart with this week's Motor News!

STEPHANIE HART: The closing weeks of 2023 saw some important news for the '24 model year and beyond.

Including our first look of the Cadillac VISTIQ...

This three-row luxury SUV joins Cadillac's other EV models, slotting between the LYRIQ and ESCALADE IQ.

Expect more details soon.

Also in EV news; Fiat says the redesigned 500e is returning to the states with up to 149 miles of range, much better than the originals 84 miles.

The new 500e uses a 42 kilowatt-hour battery and a single motor for a modest 118 horsepower.

We also have more details on Porsche's Macan EV, the brand's second all-electric.

It will launch with two models, including a high performer with 603 horsepower.

We expect a full reveal soon.

Hyundai has announced pricing for the 2024 Kona Electric, dropping it to $34,010.

Indeed, that's about $900 less than the 2023 model.

With a larger battery, the midrange SEL starts at $38,000, while the range-topping Limited starts at just over $42,000.

Range is up to 261 miles.

The new Kona Electric is sliding into dealerships now.

Back to the GM family, the internal-combustion Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban utilities are receiving a mid-cycle refresh.

Both of these 3-row haulers have the option of a second-generation 3.0-liter Durmamax turbo-diesel; however the gas 5.3-liter V8 is standard in most trims.

Both see suspension tweaks, updated styling, and more interior features, like a standard 17.7-inch touchscreen.

And speaking of hauling, Tesla celebrated the holidays by finally delivering its Cybertruck to customers.

A total of 12 to start!

But, Cybertruck output will ramp up as the new year goes along.

All-wheel drive models start near $80,000, with about $100,000 for the top dog Cyberbeast!

A rear-wheel drive truck will launch later for around $60,000.

The entry all-wheel drive model is rated at 340 miles of range and 600 horsepower; the Cyberbeast kicks it up to 845 horsepower.

And that does it for this week's Motor News!

GREG CARLOSS: This 2023 Kia EV6 GT is not the first EV we've had as a long-term test vehicle here at MotorWeek, but it's definitely the most fun, by a wide margin!

And miles have been adding up quickly, with some 2,500 over our first two months of driving.

Overall performance really is exceptional in this fast, cool, and smooth utility.

But things truly get interesting when you engage GT Drive Mode, or "hit the NOS" as we like to call it around here.

Supercar performance at the press of a button with power delivery, braking, steering, suspension, limited slip differential, and stability control all set to their most dynamic.

The all-wheel drive traction for putting power down out of corners can easily turn your commute into an amusement park ride.

Though as we race into winter we'll have to be mindful that colder temperatures won't likely play nice with the performance tires currently mounted on these 21-inch wheels.

Even winter can't grip this EV6 GT with all its bountiful torque, which in some cases, can be useful.

For instance, compared to a standard EV6, the turning radius isn't quite as tight.

But under the right circumstances, Drift Mode can take care of that.

[tires squeal] [Greg chuckles] With its 77.4-kWh battery, the EV6 GT is rated for just 206-miles, but we've routinely seen over 230 available in the gauge display; and a recent attempt to take it down to zero had us traveling 215-miles before pulling up to the charger on whatever the EV equivalent to running on fumes is.

Let's call it 'rolling on electrons.'

We'll settle down the pace a bit next time, with an update on our Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid.

On the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update!

JOHN: Toyota hasn't abandoned the sedan segment by any means, but they are tackling things from a different angle, leaving the baby boomers behind and replacing their beloved Avalon full-size 4-door with a car portraying a more rugged, youthful vibe.

So, let's find out if Toyota's crowning achievement will give buyers the royal treatment.

The name, Toyota Crown, may be new to you, but it has a very long and storied history going back to 1955; and it was actually the first Toyota sold here in the US, remaining in our market up until 1972.

The Lexus GS also shared its platform for many years.

This 2023 Toyota Crown is actually the replacement for the brand's flagship Avalon sedan.

A much bolder attempt to draw younger buyers to the fold.

And since everyone is mostly into SUVs these days, Toyota has given it a bit of an adventure-minded flare along with a seating position that's much higher than the typical sedan, yet not quite into SUV territory.

The Crown also comes with standard all-wheel drive and is available exclusively as a hybrid, though there are two options to choose from.

XLE and Limited grades get the standard 2.5-liter I4 Toyota Hybrid System with 236-horsepower.

Top Platinum rolls with a turbocharged 2.4-liter Hybrid Max setup that produces a combined 340-horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.

With our Hybrid Max test car in Sport plus mode, it felt really torquey off the line at our test track; good grip meant just a slight chirp of the tires and then a quick scoot of 5.9 seconds to 60.

The Max also comes with a wet-clutch 6-speed automatic transmission that incorporates a 61-kW electric motor providing constant power to minimize lag between shifts.

It all works to help the Crown feel plenty powerful through its 14.6 second quarter-mile at 97 miles-per-hour.

The standard hybrid works with Toyota's typical eCVT.

But, noticeable understeer and body roll did give the Crown an SUV-like feel through our handling course.

Still, keeping speeds sensible, the light, responsive steering and good feedback through the wheel allowed us to easily keep on top of it.

The Max comes with additional drive modes and its all-wheel drive setup is unique as well.

Rather than the standard Hybrid's on-demand arrangement, the Max's 58.6-kW water-cooled rear eAxle motor is always feeding in some level of power.

In panic braking runs, there was a nice firm pedal, very little ABS pulse, and only moderate nosedive accompanying short stops of 115-feet from 60.

Questionable TRD treatments aside, the Avalon was never really about performance; much more important was how you were treated inside.

The Crown certainly appears more modern, and both the look and feel of materials do a fine job of bridging the gap between Toyota and luxury-minded Lexus.

There are great looking 12.3-inch screens for both driver info and infotainment, and the seats feel straight out of Lexus, with plenty of adjustments and good comfort.

Like the Avalon before it, there's technically not enough interior space to be considered full-size, but rear seat legroom is plentiful.

Outside, it certainly has a jacked-up look to it, and its sloping roof is about 4-inches taller than the Camry's, but ground clearance is almost exactly the same as Camry, just a tenth of an inch higher.

And it is a true sedan, with a big 15.2 cubic-foot trunk.

If you don't like the added black painted hood and body panels of Toyota's Bi-tone, not to worry, it's only available with Platinum trim, and optional on top of that.

The 21-inch wheels are standard with Platinum and keep the ride from being quite Lexus-like, but that situation can be somewhat cured with the Adaptive Variable Suspension from Lexus set to comfort.

Pricing starts with XLE at $41,045; top Platinum comes in at $53,445 with Limited in between.

While we agree that the Avalon needed a major reboot, we're not quite ready to pledge total allegiance to this Crown just yet.

Still, we do applaud the new approach of adding both some performance and utility-like flair, as well as the technology behind it.

Moreover, we'll standup and cheer that Toyota remains committed to building 4-door sedans.

The 2023 Toyota Crown... long may you reign.

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 a ride on the wild side in Subaru's new Crosstrek Wilderness, followed by a very sporty compact ute, the third-gen BMW X1.

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... MotorWeek is proudly sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper, a nationwide network of stores and shops providing major brand auto and truck parts, and service from coast to coast, and in your local community.

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.

This program was produced by Maryland Public Television, which is solely responsible for its content.

(engine revving) You're watching PBS.