MotorWeek

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

We're booked for a round trip in the new Honda Passport... Logan McCombs extracts the need-to-know on proper brake bleeding... Stephanie Hart catches up with a Rolls-Royce club celebrating 100 years of Phantom... And we'll end firmly in the present with the Cadillac Escalade IQ...

So, come drive with us, next!

Closed Captioning provided by Maryland Public Television.

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

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.

JOHN: After a 17-year hiatus, the Passport returned to the Honda lineup for 2019 as pretty much a 2-row version of the popular 3-row Pilot.

While that was a great way for us to get easily reacquainted, many were hoping for something a little more special.

And that's just what Honda has delivered with the all-new 4th gen Passport.

Like us, a lot of people were glad to see the Passport return to the Honda lineup.

And if that includes you, chances are also good you'll be really jazzed about this all-new 2026 Honda Passport.

The 4th gen certainly looks better and more unique, appearing far less like just a cousin of the current Pilot.

Though, its boxy vibe is not unlike the 2nd gen Pilot from 2009.

With the introduction of TrailSport trim back in '22, Honda thought it was a good idea to accentuate the rugged aspects of the Passport.

Obviously, people agreed, with 80 perfect of Passport's recent sales sporting a TrailSport badge.

So, Honda has done away with EX-L trim on the new Passport.

Just RTL and TrailSport now, while adding multiple TrailSport levels at the top end.

Being the most off-road-capable Honda SUV ever, the standard TrailSport kit includes steel underbody protection, orange recovery loops, and 31 inch all-terrain tires on 18 inch wheels, along with amber-colored DRLs.

With all Passports getting a boost in ground clearance over last year, there is no additional lift for TrailSports, but the suspension is "off-road tuned," yet ride quality on the street remains plenty smooth and comfortable.

Towing capacity stays the same at 5,000 pounds.

We had a couple of chances to get off-road time with the new TrailSport, and found plenty of traction and suspension travel for getting over and through obstacles, yet it stayed firm enough to avoid the bouncy feel you get with many dedicated off-roaders.

New TrailSport Elite doesn't necessarily add capability, but is more about pampering with perforated leather seating and 12-speaker Bose premium audio; along with a new TrailWatch camera system and of course, lots of TrailSport logos.

Supporting all your adventures is spacious seating for five, great versatility, and some of the best cargo hauling chops in its segment; 44.0 cubic-feet of space in back, 83.8 with the rear seats folded.

The standard dashtop 12.3 inch touchscreen is a big upgrade in size, look, and function over last year's 8.0 inch setup.

All the expected places for charging are here and easy to find and use.

Under the Passport's hood is the same 3.5 liter naturally aspirated V6 as last year, but it gets a mild 5.0 horsepower upgrade, now pumping out 285 horsepower and the same 262 pound-feet of torque.

The transmission gets a boost too, gaining a gear to make it a 10-speed automatic.

All Passports feature Honda's latest i-VTM4 torque vectoring all-wheel-drive setup which now includes Trail Torque Logic.

Now, in 45 years of MotorWeek , you would have thought our first taste of Honda off-roading would have been when the original Passport arrived for 1994.

But long before then, back in the 1980s, we were tearing through the Vermont backwoods in a 4-wheel-drive Civic Wagon, an obvious precursor to the wagon-like SUVs ruling the roads today.

Exploring the pavement of our Mason Dixon test track in our Passport TrailSport Elite, power delivery was smooth and steady, but not exactly overwhelming, hitting 60 in 8.0 seconds flat, and completing the quarter-mile in 16.2 at 88 miles per hour.

Automatic shifts were very smooth, as was the whole trip down the track.

It didn't behave at all like a dedicated off-roader on our handling course.

There was some body roll, but otherwise it felt well-planted and neutral.

Steering was light with good response and just enough feedback.

The soft suspension did lead to a good amount of braking nosedive, but stops were solid and consistent, averaging 111 feet from 60.

TrailSport Government Fuel Economy Ratings are slightly lower than the standard Passport at 18 city, 23 highway, and 20 combined.

We averaged a good 23 miles per gallon.

There's a slightly below average Energy Impact Score, using 14.9 Barrels of Oil Yearly with 7.4 Tons of CO2 Emissions.

Passport pricing starts at $46,200, with TrailSports at $49,900 and $4,000 more to step up to Elite.

We were indeed happy to see the return of the Passport a few years ago, but are even happier now to see Honda give it the treatment it deserves with this 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport.

Now, get the trail out there and start exploring!

JOHN: This year's icy winter weather prevented our normal track testing, but we spent plenty of time on snow and slush covered roads, and we were impressed with the Passport's nimble handling and stability over rapidly deteriorating Northeastern pavement, as well as our EX's 4-wheel disc brakes with standard rear antilock system.

With the introduction of the Passport, Honda enters the light truck market in a learning position.

Total sales will be about 30,000 units.

That may not be enough, given that the Isuzu-built Passport is an already a proven performer and that, in conjunction with Honda's strong service network, offers customers a very appealing package, one that is worthy of the name Honda.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom represents the peak of bespoke luxury in the British motor car's lineup.

Well, this year the Phantom turns 100 years old.

So, in honor of this big milestone, Rolls-Royce and its Owners' Club celebrated the Phantom's rich history during their annual meeting in Colorado Springs.

Well, our Stephanie Hart received an invitation to this one-of-a-kind event and has more.

STEPHANIE HART: In 1925, Phantom set the standard for motoring excellence.

Since then, it's been evolving and flourishing, attracting car enthusiasts who love art on wheels.

There's no denying the Rolls-Royce Phantom is an icon, that's proved timeless, surviving 100 years on the road.

So much has changed yet, so much has stayed the same.

JON COLBETH: Whether, it's the Phantom I from 100 years ago or the Phantom VIII from today, it has quite a commanding presence with it and it's truly iconic, driven by some of the most influential people over the past 100 years.

STEPHANIE: What better time and place to celebrate the Phantom's 100th birthday than during the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club annual meet featuring an interesting concours.

An exceptional selection of old and new luxury cars decorated the lawn at the Cheyenne Mountain resort in Colorado Springs on the last Saturday in May.

I had fun meeting some of the owners who were so down-to-earth, and had so much love and enthusiasm for the brand and their rare vehicles.

This is a 1927 Phantom, pretty incredible.

What's your favorite part about this vehicle?

BILL McCLAY: I like, um, teaching my daughters to drive the car and my son-in-law.

That's the... My hope is to be able to keep the car in the family and, uh, and pass it down.

STEPHANIE: I love that.

BILL: That's my goal.

STEPHANIE: For many, this car club is like an extension of their family.

MARILYN TURNER: This club is 70-plus years strong and it just represents what we feel is this club.

It's about the history, passing along the knowledge which is deeply important to us, and bringing in new members and young members.

GERRY SPAHN: The reason we get together and join together with the club is to make sure that we take care of the heritage for Rolls-Royce motor cars for the next 120 years.

The owners of these cars are the keepers of the legacy of the Rolls-Royce brand.

STEPHANIE: The Clarks own 10 vintage Rolls-Royces and Bentleys.

This one is particularly exclusive.

HARRY CLARK: So, it's, um, a 1952 Bentley Park Ward Drophead Coupe.

Um, And what's fascinating about coach-built cars such as this, is that instead of the factory delivering an entire complete car, the factory delivered to a coach builder just the chassis and then Park Ward, in this case, custom hand-built the body and the interior.

So, it's completely bespoke, completely coach built.

STEPHANIE: Stunning vehicles that bring people together.

And as it turns out, the camaraderie here is contagious.

I'm in the driver's seat of this 1948 Wraith.

Check out the turn signal back then.

Now that's different.

Sophisticated.

I like it.

(engine revs) I heard this one before I saw it...

So, what's the best part about this Bentley?

ROBERT HALL: Best part about it, I like the...

I like having the connection to the past, but I also like having something I can drive.

So, it has all the 1930's styling plus modern power, modern brakes.

STEPHANIE: Okay, that's nice.

As you can see, it was well-equipped to tackle one of Colorado's biggest mountains before the concours.

I also drove up Pikes Peak, in this bold Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Series II.

Conquering the twists and turns, at 14,000 feet of elevation, was a pretty incredible experience.

The new Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II also made the journey and the Phantom VIII led the way.

It appears sky's the limit for Rolls-Royce, living for the moment while anticipating the future and never losing sight of what got them here in the first place.

JON: We're seeing an increasing demand and request for bespoke and individual items, so we're really focused on expanding that area.

STEPHANIE: And why do you think that is?

JON: Well, I think clients want something truly unique, especially our client base.

They want something that really makes a connection with them on a personal level and Rolls-Royce is more than just a car for them.

It's really part of their... part of their life.

JESSICA RAY: All-wheel drive versus four-wheel drive.

What's the difference?

Did you know... it's more than you might think.

All-wheel-drive systems are intended for mostly on-road usage.

While always engaged, they can send extra power to the wheels that need more traction, automatically.

This makes for better handling in inclement weather or even in performance settings like on a race track.

Traditional 4-wheel-drive systems are rear-wheel-drive based, with the driver able to engage the front wheels when needed for slippery conditions.

It should never be used on dry pavement.

A transfer case can add a selectable low range gear for extra torque to manage deep snow and off-road use.

Both systems are capable, but all-wheel-drive is the better choice, if off-roading isn't a priority.

GREG CARLOSS: Things have been pretty normal with our 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander.

So normal, in fact, we're still hovering just above its EPA fuel economy rating; though, 26.5 miles per gallon of Regular fuel does represent a very slight dip.

One culprit may be our self-induced need to step on it when entering major highways.

In reality, Outlander's 2.5 liter 4-cylinder, while not the quickest, just feels slower because it doesn't make much noise until we're really on it.

The whole affair is calm and quiet at cruising speeds, even the unobtrusive CVT, something not as common with this type of transmission.

For most of our daily commutes, we don't even notice the CVT.

And that's probably the biggest compliment we can give a continuously variable transmission.

Power delivery is seamless under casual acceleration and it doesn't really drone unless we're really aggressive with the right foot.

All in all, we're quite pleased with our Mitsubishi Outlander, especially when it comes to the long haul.

The interior in particular continues to impress, our only wish so far being deeper cup holders.

We'll be right back at you with more Outlander soon, but only after we check in on our Subaru Solterra, part of the next MotorWeek Long Term Road Test Update.

JOHN: Just as vital as the condition of the brake pads and shoes is the fluid pushing on them.

You've got to keep it fresh and clean.

So, here's Logan McCombs with more tips on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

LOGAN MCCOMBS: Bleeding your brakes can sound like a daunting process, but it doesn't have to be.

It's something so easy you can do at home with your friend in your garage.

Now, you may be asking yourself "why am I bleeding my brakes?"

Well, there are many causes for that.

Because if you have a car that's a little old, has been on the road for a while and it's time to change out the fluid because it's looking a little murky; or maybe recently you've done some brake work and you have air in your lines, and you'll want to get that out because the air will compress and the fluid won't, so that'll cause a spongy pedal.

Now, this is a process that I like to use and it works on most cars.

You can pick these kits up for a nominal cost at your local auto parts store.

It'll typically come with a bottle to catch all your fluid, a line, and you'll have some wrenches that'll connect to your caliper to make it easier for you.

I like these wrenches because they clamp onto the bleeder valve of your caliper and allow fluid to flow through the wrench, into the hose.

Now, the great thing about this kit is it comes with a check valve.

It makes it super easy because the fluid will flow through, and then no air can be sucked back in, if the person in the vehicle decides to take their foot off the brake accidentally.

To start the process, what you'll do is, is you'll have someone in the vehicle pump the brakes three to five times to get fluid flowing into the line and build pressure.

And once they've done that, you can come over here and you can crack your bleeder valve, and you'll see that fluid flows through the line and into your bottle.

Now, while you're doing this, you'll want to keep an eye on it to make sure any air bubbles that are coming out go all the way through and don't get sucked back in, because that'll just make the process longer.

But, once you've got a steady stream of brake fluid you'll know that all the air is out of your lines and you've got clean fluid throughout the system.

You can go ahead, close up that line, and you're good to go on that caliper.

Now, in the process, you'll always want to start from the furthest part of the car away from the brake master cylinder.

So that'll be your rear right, rear left, front right, then, lastly, your front left.

Now, throughout the process, you'll want to keep an eye on your brake master cylinder because once the fluid leaves the caliper, it's also leaving the system.

If the fluid in the brake master cylinder gets too low, you'll start to pull in air and then you'll be in some trouble.

So, throughout the process, just make sure you're topping it off to keep it full.

After you've done that, you'll want to go ahead and just clean everything up to make sure that you don't have any brake fluid on your rotor, on your caliper or anything like that, to cause slippage.

Once, you've done it, you can lower the car back on the ground, test to make sure you've got a firm pedal, and you're good to hit the road.

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

JOHN: Let's merge back on to the road, this time for an all-new QuickSpin!

JESSICA RAY: The Hyundai Palisade has quickly become an MVP in the 3-row utility game.

Looking to maintain its foothold, Hyundai is introducing an all-new gen-two Palisade for 2026, and we gathered some first impressions on a recent Northern California road trip.

Although, a highly-anticipated hybrid Palisade arrives later this year, our First Drive was spent with the new, gas-only V6.

Now, a slightly smaller 3.5 liter with the same 8-speed automatic, it makes 287 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, also slightly less than before.

Even with the less power, this Palisade remains very comfortable to drive.

It does feel like, even when I give it a lot of throttle, it's not overworking itself.

And at highway speeds, it's really quite a pleasant experience.

Moving to this new platform seems to have been a really great idea for Hyundai, as now it shares the same platform as the Santa Fe.

And the driving experience is inching more towards luxury than it ever has before, which, let's be honest, is really important to be competitive in this class.

A big part of approaching luxury is the interior, filled with soft surfaces and premium materials.

Dual 12.3 inch displays add to a much cleaner look.

The exterior is equally sanitary, yet bolder, matching its larger stature.

A 2026 Hyundai Palisade starts at $39,000, working up to the mid-50s for a top Calligraphy trim.

We'll have more to say, including our thoughts on the hybrid Palisade, and more QuickSpins, soon!

JOHN: When one thinks of the Cadillac Escalade, excess and extravagance are words that quickly come to mind.

Well, there's now a smarter Escalade rolling into showrooms, looking to maintain the lavish lifestyle while ensuring Escalade lives on in the modern electrified era.

So, let's find out if its intelligence quotient measures up.

Cadillac's drive towards becoming an all-electric brand has seen many new names join the famed flotilla, but their latest BEV sets sail wearing a familiar name.

It's the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ.

Why IQ?

Well, you'll notice the IQ in all other Cadillac EVs: LYRIQ, OPTIQ, VISTIQ, CELESTIQ; but wisely, Cadillac chose not to do away with all the Escalade capital they've accrued over the years.

So, instead of coming up with a new name for their full-size 3-row SUV, they just tacked the IQ onto it.

With that out of the way, let's get to what living the luxury lifestyle in this massive Ultium-based coach is actually like.

For now, all Escalade's IQs feature the same dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup with 680 horsepower and 615 pound-feet of torque for normal operation.

Velocity Max mode cranks things up to 750 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque for getting this 9,000 pounds utility to 60 in less than 5.0 seconds.

There's no getting around the fact that this is one big SUV.

It sits on a wheelbase that's more than a foot longer than the ICE Escalade, with overall length just shy of the Suburban-sized ESV.

And before you ask, yes, there is a longer Escalade IQ version coming, the IQL, but it's only about 4.0 inches longer.

The IQ is also wider, but its roofline does have more aerodynamic slope to it, instead of a Tahoe-style squared-off presence; 24 inch wheels are standard with diamond cut finish available, wearing 35 inch tires, though not the rollin' on 35s most people think of.

While big, it is more maneuverable than the ICE Escalade thanks to 4-wheel steering with Arrival mode, Cadillac's version of the Hummer EV's Crabwalk.

There's also, Adaptive Air Ride Suspension with magnetic ride control to help it glide smoothly over all pavement imperfections, while power delivery feels more effortless than overwhelming.

Tour and Sport drive modes are here, as well as snow/ice and tow modes, plus, the ability to customize your own setup that even includes simulated engine sounds.

Cadillac has certainly escalated their screen game, with 55 inches of LED stretching across the dash, plus a touchscreen rising from the center console, and multiple available screens for rear seat passengers, too, both for entertainment and for customizing their environment.

Buyers can go with either a Sport or Luxury theme, with both featuring materials that are very high end, with the overall vibe more classy than overly extravagant.

A big, fixed-glass panoramic roof adds plenty of light into the space.

Front seats have a multitude of adjustments with massaging function and of course, heating, and cooling.

There are two different simulated leather coverings available, both look and feel great; but no option for real leather at the present time.

Huge captain's chairs occupy the second row with a power-folding three-place split bench aft of that for a total of seven-passenger capacity.

Lots of storage space of course; 23.7 cubic-feet behind the third row, 69.1 behind the second and a max of 119.2.

And if that isn't enough, there's an additional 12.2 cubic-feet up front in the eTrunk and the ability to pull 8,000 pounds behind.

The Escalade's 205 kilowatt hour battery provides an estimated 460 miles of range, which is more than realistic as we were on pace for 474 miles in our drive loop.

DC Fast charging can add up to 100 miles for every 10 minutes on charge.

GM's Super Cruise driver assist is standard, as is a head-up display and an AKG 21-speaker sound system which you can upgrade to a 36 -speaker studio reference setup.

2025 Escalade IQ pricing starts with Luxury trim at $130,090, Sport trim just $500 more, with upgrades available for both.

Gigantic in size, colossal in scope, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ is a rolling showcase for the new Cadillac.

Bold, battery-powered, and built to keep the spirit of the Escalade alive, whether you're ready for it or not.

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 no-limits launch in the Audi RS e-tron GT, then come back to Earth in the new Acura ADX.

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...

The MotorWeek App which includes our latest reviews and feature stories is now available for mobile devices.

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 one 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.

(engine revving) You're watching PBS.