MotorWeek

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

We'll start with a "SIXPACK" workout of the new gas-powered Dodge Charger... Then, tackle rust with our youngest "Your Drive" expert... Stephanie Hart signs, seals, and delivers on America's 250th anniversary... Then, it's a new Honda soft-roader, the CR-V TrailSport Hybrid... So, come drive with us, next!

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ANNOUNCER: MotorWeek : 45 years, steering you in the right direction!

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JOHN: Dodge was certainly thinking outside the box when they introduced the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona.

Not only did it not have a V8, it didn't even have an engine!

Just electric motors for the world's first EV muscle car.

Well, that was just the first chapter of the story, so let's turn the page and scat around the track, breathing good ol' petrol fumes, in the new Dodge Charger SIXPACK.

We always knew an internal-combustion, 8th generation Dodge Charger was in the works, and it's now here.

While, no return of the HEMI V8, the 2026 Dodge Charger's new SIXPACK engine is rad enough to secure the Charger's nod as "Best of the Year" in our 2026 MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Awards.

And after this test, you'll see why.

But first, a quick detour.

2026 does mark both the 60th anniversary of the Charger and 45th of MotorWeek , so let's look back at the first Charger to make its way onto our screen, 1983's Charger 2.2.

It was a much different animal, a hood-scooped front-driver with muscular-attitude for a post energy crisis era.

In today's fuel-injected world, "SIXPACK" of course refers to the Stellantis group's "Hurricane" twin-turbo 3.0 liter straight-6, pushing 550 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque in the Scat Pack's high-output variant.

While, no Hellcat Redeye, it still made a great high-test engine for this high-testosterone muscle machine.

The upcoming R/T's standard-output Hurricane will make 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet.

Air is fed through a more prominent grille.

The Daytona's "R-Wing" front passthrough is gone, the SIXPACK's flat fascia covering its wide 68 inch front track.

The Charger's 80 inch overall width, sans mirrors, and 207 inch length is nothing short of road dominating.

This 2-door, 2-row configuration leads the charge, with a 4-door sedan soon to follow.

Now, on to the good stuff: This SIXPACK was a powder keg off the line, launching similar to prior-gen Hellcats, per our test drivers.

Air temps at Roebling Road Raceway in the upper 40s Fahrenheit and a road course not prepped for drag racing, had us dial the Launch Control down to 3,200 RPM.

With droves of all-wheel-drive grip from its optional square set of 305 tires, it ripped through the first two gears of its 8-speed automatic, averaging a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds, and a quarter trap speed of 12.2 seconds at 116 miles per hour, consistent across our runs and in line with Dodge-official results.

Our jury of test drivers then found the SIXPACK "not guilty" of being strictly for straight-line thrills.

It's right at the first braking zone where the evidence surfaces.

Brembo 6-piston front calipers clamp onto large 380 millimeter discs.

An easy squeeze of the brake prevents ABS intervention.

More impressively, these Brembos showed no sign of brake fade all day, a shocking revelation given the SIXPACK's 4,800 pound curb weight.

There is some body roll mid-corner, the suspension giving the sensation of sitting more on than in the car.

Apexes come easy thanks to a nice steering feel, if a little light.

Back on the throttle, its low-end power provides 88 percent of peak torque at just 2,500 RPM for expeditious exits, spooling those twin Garrett turbos towards a peak of 30 PSI of boost.

We spent most hot laps in rear-wheel-drive mode.

Great for track days and throttle-induced oversteer-- no doubt what Dodge intended.

Downshifts from the TorqueFlight automatic weren't particularly spry, but it's eager to rev out this I6, each upshift resulting in a satisfying bark from the active exhaust.

The transmission is best left to its own devices; the paddle shifters are too small for track work.

You might press the infotainment controls instead, tethered to this 12.3 inch unit.

Along with a 10-and-a-quarter- inch digital gauge display, there's a mix of haptic and analog switchgear, and this groovy pistol-grip shifter.

Seat bolstering isn't the best for pulling high Gs, but perfect for commutes of any length, and so are the rear seats with 37 inches of legroom.

This spacious cabin provided enough room to comfortably seat four MotorWeek staffers hitting up their favorite Savannah pizza joint for their nightly after-action report.

We also discussed value over our pies; our optioned-out model's $68,755 sticker is a lot of dough, but the SIXPACK Scat Pack's $56,990 starting price is easier to swallow.

The Stellantis kitchen in Ontario, Canada, is open for R/T orders too, starting at $51,990, and the battery-electric Daytona starts at $61,990.

Make any a 4-door for an extra two grand.

The 2026 Dodge Charger is a chaotic car for a chaotic time, and not just in the high-octane sense.

Built on the STLA-Large platform, it can deliver both battery-electric and internal-combustion thrills.

We bet the HEMI V8 will eventually make a comeback too.

But even if it doesn't, this SIXPACK can do everything your heart desires out of a thoroughly modern muscle machine.

CRAIG SINGHAUS: The Road Runner was a plain-Jane Plymouth Satellite body with all the frills of a New York City taxi cab.

It was lightweight and inexpensive, under $3,800.

Even with the monster HEMI motor, it was a true "cheap" thrill.

Of course, some old muscle cars are a nightmare to drive on a day-to-day basis.

NARRATOR: The car is...real torque-y.

It's very street-able.

And my- even my wife, who doesn't know how to drive a 4-speed that well, can drive it as easy as, you know, the family car.

CRAIG: Of course, what you end up with is a family car that does the quarter-mile in the low 13s at over 105 miles-an-hour.

JOHN: With 2026 marking America's 250th birthday, it's a good time to reflect on how the automotive industry helped shape the modern country we live in today.

Among the vehicle milestones was the birth of the U.S.

Postal Service motorized mail truck.

Our Stephanie Hart recently visited the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum in Washington, DC, to see how delivering the mail has evolved along with the nation.

STEPHANIE HART: The U.S.

Postal Service is celebrating its 250th anniversary by taking a look back at its rich history which has evolved right alongside our country, embracing new delivery methods and new technologies to get mail delivered on time.

How mail is moved around such a big country has certainly changed over the last 250 years.

The original USPS delivery method?

Riders on horseback.

As the volume of the mail increased, USPS started using stagecoaches, like this one, in the early 1800s.

About 30 years later, the U.S.

Postal Service began transporting mail by rail.

STEVE KOCHERSPERGER: Over time, transportation expanded as technology did, uh, into steamboats and railroads.

And we have a nice example of a railway mail car here where the clerks actually sorted mail while the train was in motion, so it was a very efficient way of moving the mail.

STEPHANIE: Around the 1900s, motor vehicles were coming into their own, and the USPS began experimenting.

The first large scale mail truck order was based on the Ford Model A. STEVE: The reason we had to go to motor vehicles, because in 1913, we started delivering parcels; before that it we just delivered letters and newspapers.

STEPHANIE: Not long after, in 1918, airplanes began delivering the mail.

The U.S.

Postal Museum has some examples of the early airmail planes.

STEVE: This particular one, the DH, de Havilland, a, uh... it was a military airplane, but it was adapted for, uh, postal use.

Uh, it was... It was not the most safe vehicle.

The pilots called it a "flying coffin" and many of them perished just delivering the mail.

STEPHANIE: As cities grew, new ways of moving the mail emerged, introducing some legendary USPS vehicles.

STEVE: This was basically like a...uh, a golf cart that was fitted out for delivering the mail.

It was a three-wheeled vehicle.

STEPHANIE: Certainly, a memorable and impactful 250 year history!

So, where does the postal service go from here?

STEVE: Well, I'm a historian not a futurist, but I'd say based on our...our past, we have always adapted to the challenges, we've always risen to the challenges, um, and we've always served the nation.

So, I expect we'll continue to do that for the next 250 years.

STEPHANIE: The USPS processes some 370 million pieces of mail every day.

To help cope, a new postal truck design includes cameras for better safety, with a mix of petroleum and electric powertrains for the best efficiency, all to make the future of postal delivery as remarkable as the past.

JOHN: We've all been there.

You find that dream car, it looks great until you peek underneath, and then you see it: Rust.

It's the worst.

But here's Giuseppe Iatarola with some of the best practices when dealing with overgrown oxidation on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

(car engine starts up) GIUSEPPE IATAROLA: If you keep your car long enough, one thing is for sure: Rust will happen!

Whether, it's a chip or scratch that goes untreated, or a bad paint job that peels, when bare metal is exposed to the elements, especially water, it will oxidize and form rust.

Even a good paint job can hide rust underneath.

Driving on pre-treated roads in the winter can coat the underside of your car with a layer of corrosive chemicals.

And that will eat your car over time.

The best way to prevent rust from happening is to keep the metal protected with paint, and to keep moisture from being trapped next to the body, like when wet leaves and road debris get caught up in the fender wells and frame.

Wash out your fender wells and under your car whenever it gets muddy or salty.

Get up in the cracks with a stiff brush if you can, or at least use a heavy stream from the hose to flush everything out.

You can spray undercoating or rust encapsulator into the frame rails.

A 360-degree nozzle like this can help coat the inside of the metal surfaces and prevent rust from happening.

Take care of any paint chips or scratches immediately with touchup paint.

For larger areas of surface rust, don't leave it alone.

If you can't afford to repaint the whole car professionally, at least you could sand or media blast the whole panel and recoat it with spray cans and then apply a clear coat.

It can't look any worse than what we see here, and it will protect the rust from making holes in the metal.

A common area for rust to form is on the fender wells, especially in pickup trucks.

You can see here where the paint is bubbling and rust is peeking through.

For newer models like this, patch panels are available that can be welded in place.

A little bodywork and paint, it can look like new.

For older cars like this vintage Pontiac drag car I'm restoring, I will have to cut out all the rot and replace it with a new patch panel.

I'll use these hammers and dollies, so I can form the proper shape and get it ready to weld it in place.

So, don't let the rust get the best of your car.

Stay ahead of it, stay on the road, looking good for years and years.

If you have any questions or comments, reach out to us here at MotorWeek .

JOHN: You know, our 45th season has been filled with fun look backs in time, but we also need to keep looking ahead, so here's an all-new QuickSpin!

GREG CARLOSS: We're heading off to the wilderness again, this time in the new 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness.

And while, Outback and Wilderness may seem to be redundant, that's how marketing jargon plays these days.

This 7th gen Outback just hit the streets a few months ago, now looking more like a true SUV than ever.

Enough so that it's our MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Best Midsize Utility for 2026.

Now, we're back from California with an exclusive First Drive in the tricked-out Wilderness version which despite a spec sheet that's mostly the same as last year, is indeed the most capable Outback Wilderness yet.

The Outback Wilderness comes exclusively with a 2.4 liter turbo BOXER-4 with 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque.

That hasn't changed, but what has changed is an upgraded suspension with new electronically controlled dampers.

STEPHANIE: The new Outback Wilderness feels refined on the road.

It's powerful for its class, and its acceleration is smooth.

Subaru tells me they worked with hospitals to design the seats, so they're really comfortable, and they're especially designed to prevent eye fatigue on long drives.

So, I'm pretty impressed with X-Mode on the 2026 Outback Wilderness.

It instinctively knows what to do when you're off-roading, like this.

If you're going through mud, for example, like we have done today, it gives the vehicle just the right amount of momentum to get you through while maximizing your experience and making it comfortable, and hill descent kicks in at just the right time.

You don't even have to think about it.

GREG: The rest of the package includes all the Wilderness greatest hits including standard X-Mode Dual Mode all-wheel-drive, 9.5 inches of ground clearance, underbody protection, 17 inch wheels with all-terrain tires, matte black trim, copper accents, beefy ladder-type roof rack rated for 800 pounds, and durable StarTex interior upholstery, though buyers can now upgrade to Nappa leather, if they wish.

The 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness is available now for around $45,000, still well below the Outback's top Touring XT.

JESSICA RAY: The 5th gen Nissan Pathfinder arrived back in 2022 with a clear mission of returning the Pathfinder to its rugged glory days.

Four years later, we've just taken a QuickSpin in an updated Pathfinder with improved style, upgraded features, and better tech.

It's not a major departure outside, but both front and rear fascias do take on a more aggressive posture, badges are now satin-finished, and there are new wheel designs.

Inside, the central dash has been redesigned to make room for a larger standard 12.3 inch touchscreen.

Besides bigger, that screen is packed with new features, and updated wireless phone charging makes sure you stay connected.

Eight-passenger seating remains standard, with 2nd row captain's chairs available, and cargo space is still quite generous for the segment.

It's all very well done, but perhaps our favorite aspect of the new Pathfinder is what hasn't changed, the 284 horsepower 3.5 liter V6 engine under the hood.

When the 5th generation Pathfinder came out for the 2022 model year, Nissan made a point to not just keep the V6 engine but also replace the CVT with a true 9-speed automatic.

And it's great to see that remains unchanged here in the facelifted 2026 Pathfinder.

Granted, we are in the top Platinum trim, but this Pathfinder is really comfortable.

The engine is very quiet when I'm cruising here around 50-ish miles per hour.

And even if I want to put some power down... (engine purrs) ...I've got plenty on tap.

Both upshifts and downshifts are very smooth.

So yeah, still great to see this powertrain in the Pathfinder.

Arriving in dealerships soon, the 2026 Nissan Pathfinder starts at around $38,000 for a base front-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive's starting at just under $40,000.

And we'll have more QuickSpins...soon!

JOHN: If you are amazed at all the small crossovers on the road, you can blame the Honda CR-V.

Alongside the Toyota RAV4, it kicked off the crossover craze that started in the late 1990s and hasn't slowed down since.

Well, the CR-V hasn't slowed down either, it's better than ever for 2026, so let's find out just how much.

The 2026 Honda CR-V is indeed updated, but that's only immediately apparent, if you first look at this new TrailSport Hybrid.

"TrailSport" is Honda's off-road sub-brand, with varying degrees of ruggedness across their lineup.

The CR-V TrailSport Hybrid isn't the most chiseled, but is that such a bad thing?

After all, with the criticism people face for buying off-road rigs without committing them to anything but asphalt, this TrailSport offers some of the appeal in a more realistic fashion.

And fashionable it is in this trim-exclusive Ash Green finish, contrasted by orange badges and "love it or loathe it" piano black accents.

The front fascia bears some skid-plate garnish.

Form and function describes the Continental CrossContact all-terrain tires wrapping 18 inch wheels.

They're adept at managing light trails with the CR-V's available all-wheel-drive setup, standard on the TrailSport and updated for '26 with smarter traction logic under 9.0 miles per hour.

We demoed it out in California last year, first using rollers to create an artificial low-grip scenario, which it pulled itself out of much more proficiently than the outgoing model.

This powertrain update goes for any all-wheel-drive CR-V; and it later proved valuable as we drove up, down, and over obstacles that were, while not exceedingly hard, more than we'd put an average CR-V through.

The tires didn't add much road noise; though, under load, some extra decibels hummed from Honda's otherwise unobtrusive 4th generation hybrid system, the only way the CR-V TrailSport comes, making it the first hybrid TrailSport.

A pair of electric motors works with a naturally-aspirated 2.0 liter inline-4, netting 204 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque.

That's plenty for low-stakes trail trekking, just not the most inspired at our Mason Dixon test track.

We averaged 0-60 times of 7.4 seconds, but on par with previous CR-V Hybrid testing.

Same for the quarter, averaging 16 seconds at 85 miles per hour.

Aside from noticeable fade and a soft pedal, we were quite pleased with the TrailSport's 111 foot braking average, nosedive and pedal pulsing were minimal.

Safe and stable describes both our braking and slalom runs.

The CR-V's steering remains tighter than expected; and minus a little extra flex from these all-terrain tires, the TrailSport was as surprisingly collected through the cones as our last CR-V Hybrid.

(SUV whooshing by) We settled into the cabin no problem, and appreciated the CR-V's ability to stay ahead by remaining reserved.

For example, all 2026 CR-Vs do benefit from more tech, including wireless charging, wireless smartphone projection, and a larger 9.0 inch touchscreen.

But the screen doesn't engulf the tactile and notchy physical switchgear.

And a 10.2 inch digital gauge display is inoffensively embedded in the dash of all higher trims.

TrailSport specifics include front headrest embroidering, all-weather floor mats with matching scripture, and amber ambient lighting.

Your backseat passengers won't notice all that, but also won't begroan their accommodations.

Room is more than adequate, given the CR-V's 106 inch wheelbase.

Accessed through a Hybrid- standard power liftgate, cargo space is also good, up to 76.5 cubic-feet seats down and 36.3 seats up, the latter only three cubics less than non-hybrid models to make room for the small hybrid battery.

What's higher in the hybrid is fuel economy: 38 city, 33 highway and 35 mpg combined, resting between the non-hybrid's 30 combined and front-drive hybrid's 40 combined, and only two less combined mpg than a non-TrailSport Hybrid all-wheel-drive.

We hypermiled 41.3 miles per gallon on a combined loop.

This Ohio- and Indiana-assembled utility remains a top seller: 400,000 units last year, a new CR-V record, 54 percent of which were hybrids.

Combine that with the surge in off-road appeal, and Honda is rightfully betting on the CR-V TrailSport Hybrid, starting at $40,195, near the top of the CR-V pricing roster.

The TrailSport name may be held to a higher standard in the likes of the latest Passport, but for your average consumer, this CR-V level is more than enough.

Honda isn't trying to fool anyone with the 2026 CR-V TrailSport Hybrid and, simply put, they clearly don't have to.

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 Roebling Road shakedown of the Porsche Panamera GTS, then a Road Test rundown on the all-new Hyundai Palisade.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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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.

We're Tire Rack.

We test tires, then share our results.

We stock over a million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

We do this because we believe tires matter.

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

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