2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee & 2022 Toyota Tundra

HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK JOIN US FOR A TEST OF JEEP'S REDESIGNED TWO-ROW GRAND CHEROKEE SUV.

GREG CARLOSS TAKES US "OVER THE EDGE" FOR A PORSCHE BOXSTER ANNIVERSARY THROWBACK.

WE HEAD OUT FOR A COUPLE OF QUICKSPINS... AND THEN, BRING IT HOME IN TOYOTA'S ALL-NEW TUNDRA PICKUP...

SO, COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

* Announcer: MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE BROUGHT TO YOU BY... FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS LUCAS OIL PRODUCTS HAS HELPED PEOPLE TACKLE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE, MARINE, AND INDUSTRIAL FIELDS.

FROM OUR ORIGINAL FOUR CORE PRODUCTS... LUCAS OIL HAS DEVELOPED OVER 400 CUSTOM PRODUCTS TO HELP BOTH PROFESSIONALS AND DO IT YOURSELFERS.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT LUCASOIL.COM.

LUCAS OIL, KEEP THAT ENGINE ALIVE.

TIRERACK.COM IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MOTORWEEK .

AND NOW, A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF TIRERACK.COM.

FIRST, THERE WAS THE WHEEL.

THEN, THE TIRE.

"WE'LL CALL IT TIRE RACK."

FORTY YEARS LATER,WE'RE NOT SLOWING DOWN.

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES, AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

John: THE 5TH GENERATION JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE CLIMBED TO NEW GROUND LAST YEAR WHEN IT DEBUTED WITH FIRST-TIME 3-ROW 7-PASSENGER SEATING AS THE GRAND CHEROKEE L. WELL, A LOT OF THE JEEP FAITHFUL THOUGHT THE GC WAS JUST FINE WITH ROOM FOR ONLY FIVE.

SO NOW, THERE'S A NEW ONE FOR THEM, TOO!

* WHILE, IT WAS GREAT OF JEEP TO OFFER A 3RD ROW FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT; FOR THOSE THAT DON'T, THE REAL 2022 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE HAS FINALLY ARRIVED.

ITS 116.7 INCH WHEELBASE IS SHORTER BY 5.0 INCHES, ENABLING BETTER OFF-ROAD MANEUVERING; AND, LET'S BE HONEST, IT JUST LOOKS BETTER, TOO.

TRADITIONAL FACE, OF COURSE, BUT THE BODY IS A LITTLE MORE SCULPTED AND THE ROOF INCREASINGLY TAPERED TO IMPROVE AERODYNAMICS BY NECESSITY; OTHERWISE, STILL CLASSY, RUGGED-LOOKING, AND EVERY BIT A GRAND CHEROKEE.

SAME ENGINE CHOICES AS THE L FOR STARTERS, STANDARD 293 HORSEPOWER V6, OPTIONAL 357 HORSEPOWER V8; BUT WITH THE ADDITIONAL OPTION OF THE 4XE PLUG-IN POWERTRAIN FROM THE WRANGLER.

OUR TESTER WAS PACKING THE 3.6 LITER V6 AND ITS 260 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, PLUS, THE STANDARD 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AND OUTFITTED IN TRAILHAWK TRIM WHICH, FOR THE TIME-BEING IS EXCLUSIVE TO THE 2-ROW GC.

FOR MAX TOWING, YOU'LL WANT THE HEAVYWEIGHT PUNCH OF THE V8, CAPABLE OF PULLING 7,200 POUNDS; BUT THIS V6 ISN'T THAT FAR OFF AT 6,200.

THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT 4X4 SYSTEMS DEPENDING ON TRIM, AND AVAILABLE QUADRA-LIFT AIR SUSPENSION THAT GETS THE GC'S HARD PARTS UP TO 11.3 INCHES OFF THE GROUND.

PLUS, THE TRAILHAWK'S NEW SWAY-BAR DISCONNECT ALLOWS FOR MORE WHEEL ARTICULATION THAN EVER.

TRAILHAWKS ALSO COME WITH GOOD YEAR WRANGLER ALL-TERRAIN TIRES ON 18 INCH WHEELS, UNIQUE OFF-ROAD CAMERA DISPLAYS, QUADRA-DRIVE II ACTIVE TRANSFER CASE, SELEC-SPEED LOW-RANGE OFF-ROAD CRUISE CONTROL, STEEL SKID PLATES, RED TOW HOOKS, AND OF COURSE, A MATTE-BLACK ANTI-GLARE TREATMENT ON THE HOOD.

ALSO, NEW FOR THIS GENERATION GC IS COMPLETE FRONT-AXLE DISCONNECT, WHICH HAPPENS AUTOMATICALLY IF THE VEHICLE SENSES NO NEED FOR FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE.

WE PLANNED ON EXPLOITING ALL THE GRIP WE COULD FIND AT MASON DIXON DRAGWAY.

THIS PENTASTAR V6 AND 8-SPEED COMBO HAS BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW, BUT INCREMENTAL UPDATES HAVE BEEN MADE OVER THE YEARS, AND THIS TRAILHAWK WEIGHS IN A FEW HUNDRED POUNDS LESS THAN LAST GEN.

SO, IT STILL FEELS PLENTY STRONG OFF THE LINE, AND SURGES TO 60 IN 8.2 SECONDS, A TENTH QUICKER THAN BEFORE.

SMOOTH AND STEADY FROM THERE, COMPLETING THE QUARTER-MILE IN 16.1 SECONDS AT 86 MILES PER HOUR.

CONSIDERING ITS OFF-ROAD PROWESS, THE TRAILHAWK EXPECTEDLY FELT A TAD CUMBERSOME THROUGH OUR CONE COURSE.

BUT WITH THE INCREASE IN SIZE, JEEP HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO NOT ONLY REDUCE WEIGHT BY USING A LOT MORE ALUMINUM IN THE CHASSIS AND SUSPENSION, BUT TO ALSO GET THAT WEIGHT LOWER BY MOUNTING THE ENGINE MORE THAN AN INCH LOWER IN THE CHASSIS ITSELF.

THE SOFTLY SPRUNG OFF-ROAD SPEC SUSPENSION DOES TRANSLATE INTO SOME NOSE DIVE UNDER PANIC BRAKING, BUT NOT AS BAD AS SOME; STOPS AVERAGED A GOOD 120 FEET.

WHILE, THERE ARE OPTIONS TO TAKE THE NEW GRAND CHEROKEE TO HIGHER LEVELS OF LUXURY THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE, TRAILHAWK KEEPS THINGS A LITTLE MORE FAMILIAR; YET, STILL SHOWCASES NEW FEATURES LIKE THE SLIMMED-DOWN AIR VENTS, AND THE WEALTH OF REAL ESTATE TAKEN UP BY SCREENS.

STELLANTIS CONTINUES TO IMPROVE THEIR EASY TO USE UCONNECT INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM, WITH FASTER OPERATING SPEEDS THAN EVER, AND A GREAT LOOKING 10 INCH DISPLAY.

PLUS, AS IN THE GRAND CHEROKEE L, THERE'S AN AUXILIARY DISPLAY AVAILABLE FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER AS WELL.

IT MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH ROOM INSIDE AS THE L, BUT THERE'S MORE SPACE OVER LAST GEN FOR BOTH PEOPLE AND CARGO; 37.7 CUBIC-FEET IN BACK EXPANDS TO 70.8 WITH THE REAR SEATBACKS FOLDED.

TRAILHAWK ADDITIONS INCLUDE VENTILATED FRONT SEATS WITH SUEDE ACCENTS, NAVIGATION, AND 9-SPEAKER ALPINE AUDIO.

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES ARE QUITE COMPREHENSIVE, INCLUDING FULL-SPEED COLLISION WARNING WITH ACTIVE BRAKING AND ACTIVE LANE MANAGEMENT.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS FOR THE V6 TRAILHAWK ARE 19-CITY, 26-HIGHWAY, AND 22-COMBINED; WE SAW 20.0 MILES PER GALLON ON REGULAR.

THAT'S AN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE; WITH USE OF 13.5 BARRELS OF OIL ANNUALLY, AND 6.8 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.

NOT MUCH OF ANYTHING IS GETTING CHEAPER THESE DAYS, SO NO SURPRISE TO SEE A SLIGHTLY HIGHER BASE PRICE OF $40,120; THAT'S 2-GRAND LESS THAN THE GRAND CHEROKEE L. WITH YOUR CHOICE OF FIVE OR SEVEN-PASSENGER GRAND CHEROKEES, PLUS, SO MANY OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO FITMENT, YOU CAN BASICALLY GET WHATEVER EXPERIENCE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR; FROM STRIPPED DOWN BASIC TRANSPORTATION, TO OVER THE TOP LUXURY, WITH OFF-ROAD DOMINANCE IN BETWEEN.

THAT'S JUST PART OF WHAT MAKES THE 2022 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, SO SPECIAL.

* IN OVER FOUR DECADES OF TESTING CARS, WE'VE SEEN PLENTY OF MODELS COME AND GO-- AND EVEN SOME BACK AGAIN-- BUT FEW WERE ACTUALLY THE SALVATION OF A BRAND LIKE THE BOXSTER WAS FOR PORSCHE.

AND THIS WEEK GREG CARLOSS IS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THAT ICONIC ROADSTER AND THE NEW SPECIAL EDITION THAT CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF BOXSTER.

* Greg Carloss: WHEN THE BOXSTER FIRST CAME TO THE U.S.

IN 1997 AS THE BASIS FOR THE EVENTUAL 996, 911, IT HAD TO LIVE UP TO THE PRESTIGE OF ITS CLASSIC SIBLING WITHOUT TAKING AWAY TOO MANY SALES; A TALL ORDER, EVEN FOR A PORSCHE.

John (RETRO): BUT THERE'S NEVER BEEN A PORSCHE QUITE LIKE THIS ONE.

COMBINING TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY WITH A HEAVY DOSE OF TRADITION, THE BOXSTER HAS GRABBED THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION LIKE NO PORSCHE BEFORE IT.

Greg: NOW, 25 YEARS LATER, I'M GIVEN THE KEYS TO THE CAR THAT SAVED PORSCHE AND THE MODERN MODEL MADE IN ITS HONOR.

KNOWN INTERNALLY AS THE 986, THE ORIGINAL BOXSTER WAS NOT PORSCHE'S FIRST MID-ENGINE CAR AND ITS DESIGNER GRANT LARSON USED THAT TO HIS ADVANTAGE.

Grant Larson: THE 550, OF COURSE, IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS MID-ENGINE SPORTS CARS THAT PORSCHE HAS DONE AND ITS SUCCESSOR, ALSO, THE 718.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE DETAILS IS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO DO BACK THEN WITH THE SHOW CAR.

VERY TYPICAL PORSCHE, BUT SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE THOUGHT OF; AND THAT WAS A CENTRAL EXHAUST PIPE.

IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

IT HAS A HISTORICAL REFERENCE AND IT JUST LOOKED COOL.

Greg: WHEN IT CAME TO MARKET AS A WATER-COOLED, MID-ENGINE ROADSTER, THE 986 BOXSTER WAS NO ORDINARY PORSCHE.

AND AS THE FIRST TO SET TIRES IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS IS NO ORDINARY BOXSTER.

ORIGINALLY OWNED BY COMEDIAN AND PORSCHE-PHILE JERRY SEINFELD, THIS CAR SPORTS THE STANDARD POWERTRAIN SETUP: A 201 HORSEPOWER 2.5 LITER 6-CYLINDER BOXER ENGINE WITH 5-SPEED MANUAL.

THAT IS ONE MAGIC SETUP.

I KNOW IT'S NOT AN APPLES-TO-APPLES COMPARISON, BUT I HAVE TO DRAW SOME COMPARISONS TO AN NA MIATA, WHICH I HAVE OWNED.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT LEAGUES OF CARS, BUT THE SAME IDEA IS STILL THERE, YOU KNOW.

YOU HEAR EVERYTHING WITH THE TOP DOWN.

YOU SMELL EVERYTHING.

YOU CAN FEEL EVERYTHING AND YOU'RE SO LOW TO THE GROUND, AND THAT'S WHERE PORSCHE WAS COMING FROM WITH THIS CAR.

[closes car door] THERE'S NO DOUBT THIS FIRST GEN BOXSTER PROVIDES THE KINDS OF SOUNDS AND SENSATIONS THAT WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SPEED, A LOT HAS CHANGED IN 25 YEARS.

THIS 2021 718 BOXSTER 25 YEARS ALSO USES A NATURALLY ASPIRATED FLAT-6 ENGINE.

IT'S THE 4-LITER FROM THE 718 BOXSTER GTS 4.0 AND NEARLY DOUBLES THE FIRST GEN'S OUTPUT WITH 394 HORSEPOWER.

VISUALLY, IT PAYS HOMAGE TO THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT CAR WITH GT SILVER METALLIC PAINT, BORDEAUX RED INTERIOR AND TWO-TONE 5-SPOKE WHEELS.

WHEN IT COMES TO CLASSIC CARS, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S THIS PRESSURE TO ALWAYS LIKE THE ORIGINAL MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT CAME AFTER IT, BUT I'LL BE HONEST, I LIKE THIS 25TH ANNIVERSARY BOXSTER BETTER.

I DON'T REALLY BUY INTO THE ARGUMENT THAT JUST BECAUSE IT'S NEWER AND MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED THAT IT'S LESS OF A SOULFUL CAR.

SO, AS IT TURNS OUT, THE BOXSTER WAS UP TO THAT TALL ORDER IT WAS TASKED WITH AT THE BEGINNING, FIRMLY CEMENTING ITS PLACE IN PORSCHE HISTORY RIGHT NEXT TO THE 911.

Grant: A LOT OF MODELS HAVE COME AND GONE, BUT I THINK THE BOXSTER THAT IS HERE TO STAY IS A REALLY GOOD FEELING FOR ME.

I COULDN'T IMAGINE SITTING HERE AND SAYING THIS 25 YEARS AGO.

John: LET'S HIT THE ROAD, AND THE DIRT, AND GO FOR A COUPLE OF QUICKSPINS!

* YET, ANOTHER FAMILIAR CAR BRAND HAS JOINED THE EV RANKS.

IT'S SUBARU WITH THE 2023 SOLTERRA SUV; AND WE'RE JUST BACK FROM A CALIFORNIA QUICK SPIN FIRST DRIVE.

SUBARU HAS PARTNERED WITH TOYOTA FOR THIS VENTURE, WITH THE SOLTERRA DIFFERING FROM ITS BZ4X PLATFORM-MATE IN SOME SIGNIFICANT WAYS.

IT HAS A HIGHER 8.3 INCHES OF GROUND CLEARANCE GIVING IT BETTER APPROACH AND DEPARTURE ANGLES, PLUS, STANDARD X-MODE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE, HEATED SEATS, LED HEADLIGHTS, AND STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED PADDLES FOR ADJUSTING REGEN BRAKING.

IT'S LONGER, LOWER, AND WIDER THAN A FORESTER; AND THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE LOOK RUGGED WHILE OPTIMIZING AERO WITH FRONT FENDER AIR CURTAINS, SIDE DIFFUSERS, SPLIT ROOF SPOILER, UNDERBODY TREATMENTS, AND UNIQUE WHEELS.

THE DUAL MOTORS OUTPUT 215 HORSEPOWER, WITH THE 72 KILOWATT HOUR BATTERY DELIVERING UP TO 228 MILES OF RANGE.

Brian Robinson: SO, SOMEHOW SUBARU WAS ABLE TO CREATE AN ENTIRELY ALL-NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND YET SOMEHOW, IT FEELS EXACTLY LIKE A SUBARU.

WHICH IS A GREAT THING.

IT'S QUIET, IT'S COMFORTABLE, IT'S VERY CAPABLE, AND EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF FUN.

John: THERE'S A BIG 12.3 INCH TOUCHSCREEN IN FRONT OF THE DASH, OF COURSE, BUT ALL OF THE DRIVER-ENABLED ADJUSTMENTS GET ACTUAL BUTTONS AND SWITCHES ON THE CONSOLE.

WHILE, THE DIGITAL GAUGE DISPLAY IS MOUNTED VERY HIGH ON THE DASH, SO YOU'RE LOOKING OVER THE STEERING WHEEL NOT THROUGH IT FOR INFORMATION.

LOTS OF ROOM INSIDE FOR PASSENGERS BOTH UP FRONT AND IN BACK; SEATS MORE COMFORTABLE THAN THE AVERAGE SUBARU.

CLOTH SEATING IS STANDARD, STARTEX AN OPTION.

2023 SUBARU SOLTERRA PRICING STARTS AROUND $45,000; PLUS, IT COMES WITH 10 DAYS OF FREE USE OF ANOTHER SUBARU FOR ENABLING LONGER ROAD TRIPS.

DELIVERIES ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN THIS SUMMER.

THE 2022 Q50 MAY STAND ALONE AS INFINITI'S ONLY 4-DOOR SEDAN NOW BUT WE WENT INTO IT WITH HIGH HOPES, FIGURING THEY MUST'VE GONE ALL OUT IN THIS LUXURY-SPORT EFFORT.

UNDERNEATH, ITS SHARP BODYLINES IS A 3.0 LITER TWIN-TURBO V6 ENGINE, PUTTING OUT A COOL 300 HORSEPOWER AND 295 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, THE Q50 RED SPORT 400 MODEL PACKS A LITTLE EXTRA: 400 HORSES AND 350 TORQUE.

OUR "SENSORY"-TRIMMED ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE MODEL MAY HAVE HAD THE LESSER OF TWO PONY-COUNTS, BUT WAS STILL PLENTY FUN TO PUNCH AROUND TOWN.

AND WE WERE PERFECTLY COMFORTABLE DOING IT, THANKS TO AN UPSCALE INTERIOR.

THE LEATHER-APPOINTED SEATS WERE EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE AND EASY TO ADJUST, ALONG WITH THE POWER TILT AND TELESCOPING WHEEL.

THAT'S STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON ALL Q50S, SAME FOR THE BOSE PERFORMANCE SOUND SYSTEM AND SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION.

STANDARD DUAL-ZONE CLIMATE CONTROLS KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY, EVEN IN BACK.

LIKE MOST SEDANS, WHILE THE Q50 IS CAPABLE OF HOLDING FIVE PEOPLE, WE'D SAY A MAX OF FOUR ADULTS FOR SUSTAINED COMFORT.

AND INFINITI SAYS, "THE 13.5 CUBIC-FEET OF TRUNK SPACE IS ENOUGH FOR ALL OF THEIR LUGGAGE; BUT, YOU CAN FOLD THE REAR SEATS DOWN SHOULD YOU NEED THE EXTRA ROOM."

FRONT AND CENTER IS A DUAL-SCREEN INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM-- AN INTERESTING LAYOUT WITH A TOUCHSCREEN ON BOTTOM AND NON-TOUCHSCREEN UP TOP.

THAT SEPARATES FEATURES LIKE NAVIGATION AND CAMERA VIEWS FROM HVAC, AND MUSIC CONTROLS.

THE SOFT INTERIOR IS A STARK CONTRAST TO THE EXTERIOR'S DEFINED APPEARANCE; CHISELED LINES, SLEEK HEADLIGHTS, AND LARGE 19 INCH ALLOY WHEELS.

THIS 2ND GENERATION'S AGGRESSIVE-AURA HASN'T WORN OUT SINCE ITS 2018 INTRODUCTION.

WITH THE BASE "PURE" TRIM NOW GONE AND THE LUXE KICKING OFF THE Q50 LINEUP, STARTING PRICE IS AROUND $43,000 WITH DESTINATION.

THE 2022 INFINITI Q50 IS ONE SHARP RIDE WITH A SOFT TOUCH; SOMETHING WE WERE HAPPY TO SPEND OUR COMMUTES IN.

AND WE'LL HAVE MORE QUICKSPINS, SOON!

NOW, LAUREN MORRISON HAS THE LATEST MOTORNEWS, STRAIGHT FROM LA.

Lauren Morrison: ANOTHER ICON NAMEPLATE IS GETTING READY TO GO ELECTRIC.

AN "ELECTRIFIED" CORVETTE WILL BE AVAILABLE NEXT YEAR, WITH A FULLY-ELECTRIC CORVETTE TO FOLLOW.

NO OTHER DETAILS ON A PRECISE TIMELINE OR WHETHER "ELECTRIFIED" MEANS IT WILL BE A PLUG-IN HYBRID, BUT GENERAL MOTORS DID CONFIRM THAT THE TRADITIONAL CORVETTE WITH AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE.

CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE ATTRACTIVE TO THIEVES.

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSURANCE CRIME BUREAU, CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS HAVE INCREASED FROM ABOUT 1300 IN 2018 TO 52,000 IN 2021.

THE COST OF THE PRECIOUS METALS IN CATALYTIC CONVERTERS HAS SKYROCKETED, MAKING CONVERTERS APPEALING TO THIEVES.

THEY CAN MAKE ANYWHERE FROM $25 TO $300 ON A STANDARD CONVERTER, AND UP TO $1400 FOR A HYBRID'S.

MORE PRECIOUS METALS ARE NEEDED FOR A HYBRID'S CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

SOME WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE INCLUDING PARKING IN A WELL-LIT AREA OR GARAGE OR EVEN INSTALLING A CATALYTIC CONVERTER ANTI-THEFT DEVICE.

THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY IS LOOKING INTO HIGHER SPEEDS FOR SOME OF ITS TESTING.

THEY'RE CONSIDERING INCREASING THE SPEED USED TO EVALUATE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEMS, AS IT LOOKS FOR WAYS TO ENCOURAGE BETTER TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN PREVENT MORE SEVERE FRONT-TO-REAR CRASHES.

RIGHT NOW, THEIR VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE FRONT CRASH PREVENTION TEST IS CONDUCTED AT 12 TO 25 MILES PER HOUR; BUT THEY'RE LOOKING INTO UPPING THAT TO 35 TO 45 MILES PER HOUR NOW FOR EVEN MORE DAILY NEWS UPDATES AND COMPLETE ROAD TESTS CLICK ON THE SEARCH TAB ON THE MOTORWEEK WEBSITE.

ALSO, FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND FIND US ON YOUTUBE TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL THE LATEST.

AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS!

John: COMPETING AGAINST THE BIG-THREE WHEN IT COMES TO FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCKS IS ANYTHING BUT EASY, BUT THE TOYOTA TUNDRA HAS HELD ITS OWN IN THE SEGMENT FOR SOME 20 YEARS NOW.

AND WITH THE DEBUT OF AN ALL-NEW 3RD GENERATION, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S NOT ABOUT TO SHRINK FROM THAT FIGHT ANYTIME SOON.

* THE TOYOTA TUNDRA LONG AGO PROVED ITS STANDING AS A WORTHY MEMBER OF THE FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK CLASS.

THE GOAL, NOW, IS TO CONTINUE TO EAT AWAY AT BIG-3 DOMINANCE, AS WELL AS TO KEEP BRINGING NEW BUYERS TO THE SEGMENT.

THE TUNDRA IS REDESIGNED FOR 2022 AND SEEMS TO OFFER A LITTLE SOMETHING FRESH FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYONE.

TRUCK-TALK USUALLY BEGINS WITH WHAT'S UNDER THE HOOD, SO WE'LL START THERE WITH TOYOTA'S MODERN APPROACH THAT EMBRACES THE NEW RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL.

SO, NO V8, BUT THERE IS AN ALL-NEW STANDARD 3.5 LITER TWIN-TURBO V6 THAT OUTPUTS 389 HORSEPOWER AND 479 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

A HYBRID UPGRADE IS CALLED "I-FORCE MAX."

IT ESSENTIALLY WEDGES A 36 KILOWATT ELECTRIC MOTOR BETWEEN THAT V6 AND THE 10-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, UPPING POWER TO 437 HORSEPOWER AND 583 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

IT DOES ALLOW FOR SOME SLOW SPEED EV-ONLY DRIVING BELOW 18 MILES PER HOUR; BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE STANDARD V6 THAT ACHIEVES THE MAX TOW RATING OF 12,000 POUNDS AS THE HYBRID BRINGS ADDITIONAL WEIGHT INTO THE EQUATION.

THERE ARE NOW TWO TOW/HAUL MODES; STANDARD FOR SMALLER TRAILERS, TOW/HAUL+ FOR WHEN YOU PLAN ON USING THE TUNDRA'S FULL CAPABILITIES.

NUMEROUS CAMERAS ARE AVAILABLE OF COURSE, TO AID IN PARKING AS WELL AS NAVIGATE OFF-ROAD OBSTACLES.

IF YOU TRACE THIS TRUCK'S HISTORY BACK TO THE T100 DAYS, IT GETS BIGGER AND BOLDER LOOKING WITH EACH GENERATION.

AND FOR '22, TOYOTA HAS TURNED THE DIAL UP TO 11, TRYING TO OUT-GRILLE THEM ALL WITH THIS CHROME-TRIMMED BEAUTY TAKING UP ALMOST THE ENTIRE FRONT END.

AVAILABLE IN 4-DOOR DOUBLE CAB AND CREWMAX, BOTH HANDLE FIVE PEOPLE WITH EASE; THE CREWMAX ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 8.3 INCHES OF LEGROOM TO THE REAR SEAT SPACE.

THE COMPOSITE BED IS ALUMINUM REINFORCED, AND THERE ARE THREE LENGTHS AVAILABLE: 5.5 FOOT SHORT BED, 6.5 FOOT STANDARD BED, AND A FULL 8.0 FOOTER, BUT ONLY FOR THE DOUBLE CAB.

THE TAILGATE IS 20 PERCENT LIGHTER THAN BEFORE, AND POWER RELEASE IS STANDARD.

UNDERNEATH IT ALL, THE TUNDRA SPORTS A NEW LADDER-TYPE FRAME MADE OF HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL; IT'S NOW FULLY BOXED WITH CROSS MEMBERS THAT ARE TWICE AS BIG AS BEFORE.

UPPER TRIMS ADD HYDRAULIC CAB MOUNTS.

INSIDE, IT'S NOT QUITE RAM LUXURIOUS, BUT THERE'S PLENTY OF SOFT MATERIALS, AS WELL AS SOME ULTRA-COMFORTABLE LEATHER SEATS IN LIMITED TRIM.

IT'S ALSO VERY SLICK AND TECH HEAVY, WITH AN AVAILABLE 14 INCH TOUCHSCREEN DEBUTING A NEW AUDIO MULTIMEDIA WITH FIVE TIMES THE PREVIOUS UNIT'S PROCESSING POWER.

STANDARD SCREEN SIZE IS 8.0 INCHES, ALONG WITH AN ANALOG GAUGE CLUSTER THAT FEATURES A 4.0 INCH MULTI-INFORMATION DISPLAY, WHILE THE UPGRADE IS THIS 12 INCH TFT PANEL.

TO GO ALONG WITH THE TYPICAL SLIDING REAR WINDOW, THERE ARE ALSO A FEW SWANKY OPTIONS NOT USUALLY FOUND IN THE FULL-SIZE TRUCK SEGMENT, LIKE A PANORAMIC ROOF AND REAR SUNSHADE.

AVAILABLE 4-WHEEL-DRIVE IS TOYOTA'S 4WDEMAND PART-TIME SYSTEM WITH AN ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED 2-SPEED TRANSFER CASE AND AUTOMATIC LIMITED SLIP REAR.

TAKING A PAGE FROM THE RAM'S SCRIPT, THE TUNDRA'S REAR SUSPENSION MOVES TO A NEW MULTI-LINK COIL SPRING DESIGN.

WHILE, UP FRONT IS A NEW DOUBLE-WISHBONE SETUP; TRD PRO MODELS GET AN INCH OF LIFT WITH UPGRADED FOX SHOCKS.

TRD'S ALSO GET A CRAWL CONTROL FEATURE, WHICH IS, ESSENTIALLY, AN OFF-ROAD SPECIFIC LOW-SPEED VERSION OF CRUISE CONTROL, ALLOWING YOU TO JUST FOCUS ON STEERING WHILE THE TUNDRA MAINTAINS SPEED AND CONTROLS WHEEL SPIN.

ON PAVEMENT, THE RIDE IS QUITE COMFORTABLE AND NOT VERY TRUCK-LIKE AT ALL; COMBINE THAT WITH A GOOD TURNING RADIUS, AND THE TUNDRA MAKES FOR A VERY PLEASANT DAILY DRIVER.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE NOT YET FINAL, BUT TOYOTA ESTIMATES 18-CITY, 23-HIGHWAY, AND 20-COMBINED FOR THE STANDARD 2-WHEEL-DRIVE V6; NO ESTIMATES YET FOR THE HYBRID.

PRICING STARTS WITH A REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE SR DOUBLE CAB AT $37,645 AND CLIMBS THROUGH VARIOUS CAB AND TRIM CONFIGURATIONS INTO THE MID-60s; 4-WHEEL-DRIVE IS A $3,000 OPTION.

THE TUNDRA WILL BEGIN ROLLING INTO SHOWROOMS BEFORE YEARS' END; AND, WHEN IT DOES, IT WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED THAN EVER TO TAKE ON FORD, RAM, AND CHEVY IN THE FULL-SIZE TRUCK BATTLEFIELD.

THOUGH, THE TRUTH IS, IT REALLY DOESN'T NEED TO MAKE HUGE INROADS AGAINST THEM TO BE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL.

THERE ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH LOYAL TOYOTA BUYERS OUT THERE AND FOR THEM, THE 2022 TOYOTA TUNDRA IS EVERYTHING THEY WANT AND MUCH MORE.

AND 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 WE TRY OUT TOYOTA'S SEDAN-TURNED-SUV, THE COROLLA CROSS, FOLLOWED BY A BAR-RAISING FOUR-DOOR, THE MERCEDES-BENZ S500.

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... MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY... FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS LUCAS OIL PRODUCTS HAS HELPED PEOPLE TACKLE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE, MARINE, AND INDUSTRIAL FIELDS.

FROM OUR ORIGINAL FOUR CORE PRODUCTS... LUCAS OIL HAS DEVELOPED OVER 400 CUSTOM PRODUCTS TO HELP BOTH PROFESSIONALS AND DO IT YOURSELFERS.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT LUCASOIL.COM.

LUCAS OIL, KEEP THAT ENGINE ALIVE.

TIRERACK.COM IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MOTORWEEK .

AND NOW, A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF TIRERACK.COM.

FIRST, THERE WAS THE WHEEL.

THEN, THE TIRE.

"WE'LL CALL IT TIRE RACK."

FORTY YEARS LATER, WE'RE NOT SLOWING DOWN.

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

* Announcer: THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

[SOUND OF CAR ENGINE REVVING] * YOUR WATCHING PBS.