MotorWeek

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

Come along for a drive in the latest of a Volkswagen great, the 2025 Tiguan... We'll open our fuel caps for a weighted lesson in motor oil... Stephanie Hart spends time with women driving motorsports... Then, it's our hands back on the wheel of the BMW M235... So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: The days of Volkswagen existing purely with fun and efficient small cars are long gone, as they've embraced SUVs like every other carmaker.

In fact, their best-selling vehicle for many years has been the compact Tiguan, which kicks off a 3rd generation for 2025.

So, let's see if a more upscale Tiguan is also a better Tiguan.

There are some goofy car names out there, and Tiguan could certainly be a candidate for inclusion in that club.

But considering the name is a mashup of tiger and iguana, it certainly suits Volkswagen's compact crossover, as it is a mashup itself, merging Golf-like agility with SUV practicality.

This 2025 Tiguan is all new and Volkswagen claims to have elevated the Tiguan experience.

That elevation starts with an interior that certainly has a more premium element to it.

These days that usually comes down to bigger screens, and indeed, the center infotainment hub grows from 8.0 inches to as big as 15 inches here in top SEL R-line.

The standard screen, at 12.9 inches, is not much smaller, and it's joined by a 10 inch digital gauge display.

There's even a small, smartwatch-style screen on top of a multifunction control knob on the console.

Materials have also taken a significant step up, and there's a lot more standard content.

The shifter for the transmission moves to the steering column, freeing up space in the center console for additional storage.

Two changes that may not be as popular are the elimination of the 3rd row option and a decrease in cargo capacity.

But, while it may have lost some flexibility, most buyers will appreciate the additional 2nd row legroom that results, and less complexity to build helps to keep prices under control.

Their attempt to elevate the driving experience includes shedding 170 pounds and making things quieter in the cabin.

The Tiguan's new style is much more aggressive; lighting is slimmer, the nose taller, fenders more exaggerated.

The expanded grille helps give it a wider, more planted appearance, even though almost every exterior measurement is nearly the same as last year.

The exception is ground clearance which is down by about half an inch.

VW has been spreading this updated 2.0 liter I4 throughout their lineup, and that means an increase of 17 horsepower for the Tiguan, now coming in at 201.

An 8-speed automatic handles transmission duties and 4Motion all-wheel-drive is available in all trims except for SEL R-Line where it is included.

AWD versions get slightly more torque, 221 pound-feet compared to 207 with front-wheel-drive.

Even with more horsepower, there's a small increase in fuel economy, with 4Motion getting Government Fuel Economy Ratings of 22 city, 30 highway, and 25 combined.

We averaged a good 29.5 miles per gallon of Regular.

At our Mason Dixon test track, it took 8.6 seconds to get to 60, and despite the overall lack of urgency to get down the track, the engine really sounded like it's working overtime.

Eventually, we finished the quarter-mile in 16.5 seconds at 88 miles per hour.

So, we were very eager to get to the handling portion of our testing, where the Tiguan was much more in its element.

Great steering feel and lots of feedback had us getting more and more aggressive through the cones with each run.

There was minimal body roll, and good overall balance, with no excessive understeer or oversteer.

We said many of the same things about the Volkswagen Scirocco in our very first season of MotorWeek .

Brakes have come a long way since the '80s, and the Tiguan performed quite well in our braking test with stops averaging just 116 feet from 60.

(SUV whooshing by) Pricing starts at $31,670, with 4Motion AWD available for $1,500 in all but SEL R-Line, which comes with all-wheel-drive for $41,930.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan has gone through some big changes; but by giving their most popular model a premium makeover, VW has made the Tiguan more appealing than ever.

Good news for the VW faithful, and for anyone looking for a small utility that also packs plenty of driving enjoyment.

JOHN: (closes car door) Women race car drivers continue to push the limits and make history in many fan-favorite racing series, like the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup and the legendary Porsche one-make series.

Our Stephanie Hart recently met several of these fearless competitors and brings us their inspiring stories.

STEPHANIE HART: I'm here at Virginia International Raceway for the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup.

This year, four women are competing, tearing up the track, driving awareness and opening doors for future women race car drivers.

(sound of racing cars) The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup is an intensely competitive one-make series offering more than $1 million dollars in prize money and scholarships each year.

Driving skills, strategy, and tenacity determine the winner, which means, rising female stars, like, #15 Sally Mott, can break through fast.

SALLY MOTT: These cars are very difficult to drive.

They're very on-edge, and to drive them fast, it's definitely a skill that you have to develop over time with a lot of experience, and I'm slowly getting there.

STEPHANIE: You may recognize Mott from the Prime Video docuseries "First to the Finish."

It spotlights the highs and lows of racing during the 2024 MX-5 Cup season, prominently featuring three women including Shea Holbrook, a former race car driver turned owner of BSI Racing.

And I loved "First to the Finish."

I got hooked really fast.

; it's on Prime Video.

How has that really brought to light women in motorsports?

SHEA HOLBROOK: Oh, I think the trajectory of the interest involved in the series and then also just the additional eyeballs on what we do, and motorsports in general, has drastically gone up.

SALLY: People recognize me from the show.

Little girls are messaging me, DMing me.

There are dads saying that I'm the reason their daughter got into karting, and just inspiring a new generation of...of women in motorsports.

And I mean, that's super impactful to me.

SHEA: We started the 2024 season with two female drivers.

The 2025 season, the first race of the year, we had seven female drivers, and I 100 percent give credit to "First to the Finish" and what Mazda did to support and highlight women in the industry.

STEPHANIE: Pioneering women drivers like Danica Patrick, Janet Guthrie, and Lyn St.

James came before them, serving as inspirations.

I'm not about to race in the Mazda MX-5 Cup anytime soon, but pretending I can, is half the fun.

Shifting through the gears really gives you that rush, and that's what it's all about.

The experience behind the wheel, whether you're going the speed limit or not, and how it inspires you to be better on and off the track.

ASHLYN SPEED: Top 20 could win, any of them could win.

And so, just having to be on your "A" game the whole entire time, that's really what has made me grow exponentially.

STEPHANIE: When #31 Ashlyn Speed isn't racing cars, she's running her own nail salon.

And just to add, her last name really is Speed!

Seems like to me, her racing career is meant to be!

#43 Charlotte Traynor is a competitive gymnast turned race car driver.

CHARLOTTE TRAYNOR: If you make a mistake in gymnastics you'll fall of the beam, you'll injure yourself.

It's the exact same thing in cars.

If you make a mistake you could go off the track, you could damage your car, you could damage others, so it's a very similar mindset.

STEPHANIE: Other women race car drivers are also standing out, especially those competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America and the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America.

The Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program began in 2023.

Its goal is to create a supportive environment that showcases and nurtures female talent while providing motorsports training and financial support.

SABRE COOK: I think, hopefully, set a new trend in the Porsche Carrera Cup ladder to show that "Hey, we can race here too."

VICTORIA THOMAS: There were 3.0 percent women in motorsports.

Now, when we look at Porsche Sprint Challenge, regularly there's 66 percent of the podium is women.

It's incredible.

We've got a long ways to go, but my hope is in 5 to 10 years we don't talk about the gender of the drivers.

MADELINE STEWART: Learn from everybody that you can and take every opportunity to drive everything.

That's how you progress through in motorsport.

STEPHANIE: Whether, that's racing behind the wheel of a Porsche or Mazda.

SHEA: This is a difficult championship to compete in, man or woman, um, so if a woman can come in here and win and be on the top step of the podium, and then ultimately take home the grand prize of becoming a champion, that is a massive, massive success story.

STEPHANIE: Until then, I had to get autographs to say, I knew them when.

JOHN: I'm not sure how many times we can say it: Your car's motor oil is the key to its longevity, and you need to keep up on it.

But this time, we won't just say it; we'll let the pros do the talking on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

DAN MAFFETT: Hi, guys.

We're here to talk about oil today, and we have Mike Warholic from Valvoline R+D.

Thanks for coming out today.

MICHAEL WARHOLIC: Glad to be here.

DAN: Yeah, excellent.

Now, let's talk about oil.

So, what are the importance of oil changes to a consumer and their car, and what does oil do?

MICHAEL: Yeah, so oil is obviously the lifeblood of an engine, right?

Without it, the engine couldn't operate.

It wouldn't last more than a week, right?

So, it does several different things.

Um, it lubricates, number one, right?

So, it makes sure the oil, the metal surfaces are moving against each other very smoothly.

It cools.

Surprisingly, it removes heat, so a lot of the combustion event, when the gas burns, generates a lot of heat.

Oil takes the brunt of that.

Um, it also seals.

So, it actually seals around the O-rings to make sure you get the highest combustion pressure, to make sure you get the horsepower that you want.

Uh, and it cleans the engine.

SO, it removes dirt and soot and, uh, and sludge, to make sure those engine surfaces remain clean and can move freely.

And finally, it improves the efficiency of an engine, right, by...by lubricating, but by also minimizing the friction.

DAN: Okay.

Now, with so many different types of oil out there, and so many advancements in engines today, why is it so important to pick the right type of oil?

MICHAEL: Yeah, engines have changed dramatically, right?

So, you have direct injection, you have turbochargers, you have stop...stop/start.

So, the oils actually asked to do a lot more than it used to.

DAN: Yeah.

MICHAEL: And so, it has to be formulated differently, uh, and that's what we had to do.

So, we've had to increase the performance in several different parameters.

Specifically, fuel economy is obviously very important to OEMS, to meet CAFE limits; but, just the overall protection, the wear protection, deposit protection.

These engines are running hotter, the turbocharger's hot.

You really have to protect the engine and get the right oil.

DAN: Okay.

Now, with different variations of oil, like high-mileage or restore and protect by Valvoline, why do people need to trust what's on the bottle?

Like, how do they know it's going to do exactly what it says?

MICHAEL: Oh, absolutely.

So, that's my entire life, right?

So, we're a date-driven, uh, company, right?

So, as a scientist you have to rely on the data.

So, we do a ton of testing across the board for all of our oils and these different categories too.

So, for restore and protect it's about deposits, showing the deposits are removed.

For high mileage, it's actually, uh, helping to, uh, condition the seals to make sure they last longer.

For advanced, it's about wear protection.

Uh, And there are tests in the industry that you can use to quantify the amount of those parameters.

At Valvoline, we even go above and beyond that.

We do even more testing, on-road testing, uh, dynamometer testing, to make sure our oils do what they say they do.

DAN: That's great.

So, the proof is in the testing so you can swear to everything written.

MICHAEL: Absolutely.

DAN: That's great.

Well, I appreciate you coming out today.

Guys, we've got a lot of information oil on you today.

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

JOHN: Now, if you've ever changed the oil in your car yourself, you probably have noticed that there's a wide variety of different types of oil you can buy, but any good mechanic can tell you that not all oils are created equal.

So, how can you tell what kind to get?

Pat Goss is about to tell us.

Pat?

PAT GOSS: Suppose you have a new car or maybe even a good used car, and you don't want the engine to start looking like this inside after a couple of years.

What can you do to prevent it?

Well, the one single thing that is most important as far as the life expectancy of your automobile's engine is changing the oil.

JOHN: It's pedals down and away we go with this week's QuickSpin!

JESSICA RAY: A 2025 refresh for the Nissan Frontier keeps this midsize pickup competitive; but despite the new, it's the Frontier's traditional feeling that keeps us and so many others interested.

This new Afterburn Orange paint shows off the tweaked front bumper and grille, and it especially highlights the new tailgate accent.

Still, the general profile remains untouched.

Inside, the SV grade and higher gain a new 12.3 inch touchscreen, colorful and responsive with wireless smartphone projection.

It feels very truck-y in here, with positive remarks regarding seating and visibility.

ALEXANDER KELLUM: In a time where, at least to me, it seems like truck makers continue to push their pickups away from traditional truck attributes, Nissan does the opposite, instead embracing tradition.

For example, in a time where everyone seems to be going turbo-4, Nissan goes naturally-aspirated V6.

Okay, it doesn't have the same kick as a pedigree pony, but it's like a work mule.

You know it's going to get you to the market.

Now, looking at the Frontier, its body on frame construction; okay, it's a little bit stiffer, but it's not uncomfortable, and it's certainly not stubborn to push around town, like a mule.

Now, this isn't to say the Frontier is getting left in the Stone Ages.

Rather, it's a very compelling option for those of us that like to do things a little bit more old school.

JESSICA: More importantly, Nissan has opened up their availability for their longer and optional 6-foot bed to most grades.

This bolsters that old school vibe, as does its naturally-aspirated 3.8 liter V6, rated at 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque.

Pricing isn't quite "old school," but stays more reserved than most, starting around $34,000; a PRO-4X will start just over $40,000, but there are plenty of grades in between.

GREG CARLOSS: 2026 sees the first major update for the all-electric Subaru Solterra, which we recently demoed out in Denver, Colorado.

A larger 74.7 kilowatt hour battery now powers a pair of updated electric motors.

In base form, expect 233 horsepower and up to 288 miles of range.

The Limited XT and Touring XT bump that up to 338 horsepower, able to reach 278 miles on a full charge.

Electric top-offs can be achieved through a passenger-side NACS port.

We put this all-wheel-drive EV through its paces on a curated off-road course, leaving us impressed.

Our on-road time remained constant with our experiences thus far, which is to say equally good.

In typical refresh fashion, the headlights have been changed with washers added for good measure.

Light-up badges are hit or miss, but here it makes the most of Subaru's six-star insignia.

Certain paints extend to the otherwise black body cladding, while new aero elements add to the look and refine the ride.

The interior's new 14 inch touchscreen is a big improvement, and the center console is a little more confining but adds versatility and dual wireless charging.

Pricing for the 2026 Subaru Solterra is yet to be confirmed.

We'll have more on it, and more QuickSpins, soon!

JOHN: If you're familiar with BMW nomenclature, you know that even numbers are reserved for coupes, and yes that includes both 2-door and 4-door coupes.

But regardless of the number of doors, when it comes to the pint-sized 2 Series, you're in for a grand time.

So, come along for a deep dive into this new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

GREG: This is the 2nd generation of BMW's 2 Series Gran Coupe, and for 2025 they've aimed to deliver more, both more standard content for entry-level buyers and more premium options on the high end.

And since, we agree you can never have too much of a good thing, we set our sights on this M235, the spiciest 2 Series this side of the M2.

The M235 gets 312 horsepower out of BMW's latest 2.0 liter I4 turbo.

That's 71 more than the base 228, though it should be noted they're both working with the same 295 pound-feet of torque.

All are all-wheel-drive for the time being, with a front-drive 228 coming out soon as a 2026 model year.

Now, a front-drive-based BMW is an immediate opening for haters to start hating, but we say give it a chance.

From Mini Coopers to Volkswagen GTIs, there are plenty of examples of fun to drive front-drivers, and BMW is certainly capable of doing it.

This thing is lively out here on the back roads with really responsive steering.

But, the suspension may be a little stiffer than many people are looking for on a daily commute; but remember this thing is a sport sedan.

I mean coupe...Gran Coupe.

Regardless of how you feel about the 4-door coupe concept, BMW's "Gran" execution makes for a tight looking sports car.

Being one of the sportiest BMWs, it makes sense that all of the M Sport design elements are standard.

That means, big air intakes and an extended splitter up front, M Sport brakes tucked behind these nice-looking 19 inch forged alloy wheels, and an aggressive looking tail with venting that mirrors the front air intakes, decklid spoiler, and big quad exhaust tips.

This 2nd gen Gran Coupe remains the same in wheelbase and width, but overall length, and height are both up about an inch.

And any growth for a performance car can affect its handling, which is reason enough for us to hit the corners here at Dominion Raceway.

(car engine revving) People always want more power, but the M235 puts its 300 and change to good use.

It's not going to overpower this track but it's impressive coming out of corners and maybe more so in the high speed sections.

It's surprisingly fast.

For better or worse, BMW's latest 7-speed dual-clutch transmission here in the M235 is now fully electronically actuated.

But you would never know it out here on the track.

Shifts are smooth, they're precise; and these paddles on the steering wheel are huge, but using them, there's not a ton of action.

And honestly, the DCT is so good at shifting on its own, it might be best to just leave it in auto and let it do its thing.

For about $2,500, the M Performance Package firms up the suspension and adds a more aggressive brake compound.

Getting into the brakes here, there's a lot of bite and that firmer suspension, while not quite M2 level, you certainly don't notice that extra inch of height.

On the more familiar pavement of Mason Dixon Dragway, the M235 was equally impressive with a 0-60 time of 4.3 seconds.

Pulling on this left shift paddle here activates Sport Boost, which primes all vehicle systems for max acceleration.

So, one second... ...a little bit of a delay but now the power picks up.

Quick shifts.

Raspy BMW exhaust note.

It's quick.

The quarter-mile passed by in just 12.9 seconds at 109 miles per hour.

Braking was about what we'd expect from BMW: Good feel and good results, consistently stopping us from 60 in 100 feet.

Lately, BMW has been bordering on tech overload when it comes to interiors, and we're not just talking big screens.

It's flashy colors, ambient lighting.

So here, it's kind of refreshing to see that it's a little subdued.

Animal lovers rejoice, everything is leather-free, and this mix of Veganza and Alcantara materials looks great and feel even better, as do the M Sport seats.

Unlike, most BMW Gran Coupes, this one comes with a trunk and not a liftback, which means you get all the looks, just without any of the flexibility or ease of use.

I mean, there's plenty of space here, it's just harder to get to.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the M235 are 24 city, 33 highway, and 27 combined.

On our highway heavy loop, we averaged 31.9 miles per gallon of Premium.

So, it's an average Energy Impact Score using 11 Barrels of Oil Yearly, with 5.3 Tons of CO2 Emissions.

Pricing for this M235 starts at $50,675, the base 228 at $42,775.

With the 2025 M235 xDrive Gran Coupe BMW has indeed delivered more.

More style, more performance, more of everything we love about BMW.

They may call it a coupe, but it sure looks and behaves like a sport sedan to us, and that's something BMW knows an awful lot about delivering.

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 flat-6 meets hybrid hype in the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS, then some diesel truckin' in the Chevrolet Suburban.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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