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

This week's headliner is the next-gen and ever-popular Kia Telluride... Then, our youngest "Your Drive" guy tackles an age-old problem... We'll tap into more young minds at the 2026 EcoCAR Challenge... Ending with a fast set of Roebling roundies in the Dodge Charger SIXPACK... So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: Telluride is a historic mining town in southwest Colorado and, as your probably know, it's also the name that Kia chose for its largest utility.

And while, we didn't see the connection at first, the gold rush of buyers flocking to own a Kia Telluride has it now all making sense.

So, let's see if this 2nd gen Telluride will lead to an even bigger strike.

♪ ♪ The Kia brand continues to be on quite a roll, led by the overwhelming success of the 3-row Telluride, which has quickly become the flagship for the brand.

2027 sees an all-new Telluride arrive with even bigger aspirations.

The Telluride has certainly fared better than Kia's last attempt at a flagship SUV.

The Borrego arrived as a body-on-frame V8-powered gas guzzling brute of an SUV in 2009, just as gas prices were soaring and a "great recession" was in full swing.

It was gone one year later.

Despite the Telluride's massive success, Kia didn't want to just evolve things, but completely re-imagine them; improving the design, maximizing comfort, adding more tech, and attempting to improve capability and versatility while maintaining its tremendous value.

Taking styling cues from their EV9 all-electric utility, the Telluride gets a much smoother look, with fluid body lines, flush door handles, and a wheelbase stretch of almost 3.0 inches.

The face is tall and blocky, with substantial vertical lighting fixtures; while in back, the smoothness is only broken up by big 'Telluride' lettering across the bottom of the liftgate.

If you're wondering what the little notches are all about above the wheels, they have no functional purpose other than to add a visual stabilizing point, like you could readily snap some hooks on there and airlift this baby directly out of suburbia on a moment's notice.

One surprise change, no more V6 engine.

The standard engine is now this 2.5 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder outputting 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque.

That's 17 fewer horsepower, but 49 additional pound-feet of torque over the last V6.

An 8-speed automatic transmission is standard.

But knowing Kia is on a mission to increase the mix of hybrids throughout their brand, it was not a surprise that a hybrid 2.5 liter turbo with 329 horsepower is now the top engine option here in the Telluride.

It works with a 6-speed automatic.

As before, the Telluride was designed specifically for the U.S.

market with both 7- and 8-passenger interiors.

Major priorities for the cabin included improving materials, increasing functionality, adding 2nd row legroom, refining 3rd row access, and upping headroom throughout the space.

They were also able to increase cargo flexibility as well as room, from 21.0 cubic-feet behind the 3rd row to 22.3; there's 48.7 cubic-feet with the 3rd row folded down, and a max of 89.3.

With adventure-minded style a big seller these days, Kia wanted to get a bit more serious with this X-Pro which now gets front and rear recovery hooks, 9.1 inches of ground clearance, electronic limited slip differential, all-terrain tires on black- finished 18 inch alloy wheels, standard tow hitch, ground view monitor with off-road displays, ground lighting, roof rails, and black trim and logos.

Plus, on the back bumper, you'll find the coordinates and elevation of Telluride, Colorado.

At the test track, our X-Pro with the standard 2.5 liter elevated us to 60 in 7.7 seconds, eight-tenths slower than the last Telluride V6 we tested.

It felt torquey at takeoff and cruised through the quarter-mile with moderate power flowing steadily.

The 8-speed automatic was equally smooth, if a bit slow on gearchanges, as we finished the quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds at 90 miles per hour.

X-Pro trim would not be our choice when looking for the best handling Telluride, as there was a lot of rollover in the all-terrain tires.

Combine that with the higher ground clearance, and we found a slow to moderate pace best suited this Telluride.

However, the all-terrains didn't hamper our braking results as much as we expected, sliding to steady stops from 60 in an average of only 101 feet.

(SUV whooshing by) Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 17 city, 22 highway, and 19 combined.

We averaged 20.0 miles per gallon of Regular; the Combined rating for the Hybrid is as high as 35 miles per gallon.

With all the upgrades, pricing for the new Telluride still starts at just $40,735; even after stepping up to X-Pro and adding the SX-Prestige package, you're still under 60-grand.

Hybrid availability starts at mid EX trim for $48,035 making it a $2,700 premium.

The Telluride has certainly played a big part in elevating the Kia brand, and this 2nd gen looks to be the hot ticket for 2027.

Kia has already expanded production at their Georgia plant to handle it.

So, it looks like all the buyers rushing for Telluride gold this time around will be shouting "eureka."

♪ ♪ JOHN: The U.S.

Department of Energy's long-running collegiate automotive engineering competitions have provided a much-needed hands-on, real-world skill incubator for thousands of students over the years.

The 2026 editions of the EcoCAR EV Challenge and Battery Workforce Challenge wrapped up in Detroit recently, and we were along for the ride!

♪ ♪ For nearly 40 years, the DOE's advanced vehicle technology competitions have create a pipeline for skilled workforce development and helped maintain the U.S.'

competitive edge in the global automotive market.

To date, students from more than 100 educational institutions have participated, and over 32,000 alumni have found work in the auto industry.

The EcoCAR EV Challenge is a 4-year competition in which students from 15 north American colleges were challenged to re-engineer a rear-drive 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ EV.

The competition focused on enhancing the LYRIQ's automated vehicle systems and vehicle-to-everything connectivity, while also replacing the LYRIQ's stock electric drive unit with a different one of their own choosing.

EcoCAR scoring relies heavily on both instrumented testing and subjective drivability, giving teams a chance to see their workshop efforts translated to the street, and to celebrate every success.

For 2026, perennial frontrunner Georgia Tech took top honors, sweeping 8 of 10 dynamic driving events.

Another DOE competition that caught our interest this year is the Battery Workforce challenge.

Over a 3-year period, 11 college teams had to design and build their own advanced battery pack for the commercial Ram ProMaster EV platform, provided by headline sponsor Stellantis.

This strict focus provided students with hands-on experience in battery design, validation, safety, build, and vehicle integration.

JOE BORGERSON: The goal for this entire next week is to get the pack into the van and get the van running on our pack instead of the production pack.

JOHN: Judges named the Ohio State University and Columbus State Community College team the Battery Workforce Challenge winner for its superior project management, team cohesiveness and efficiency in completing each phase of the challenge.

There was some overlap between the two programs, with several schools fielding teams in both.

The U.S.

Department of Energy pitched in their own expertise and operational dexterity, with engineers from Argonne National Labs pulling double duty to manage the concurrent competitions.

Using real-world industry processes, students in both competitions progressed through a series of technical milestones, meeting demanding engineering standards without compromising safety, performance or drivability; and along the way, gaining invaluable experience that will set them apart as they enter the workforce.

JON DARROW: Battery Workforce Challenge is about electric cars, it's about batteries; but it's really about the people and the engineers that we develop.

We spend time, we spend multiple years, we get a chance to see these student work in teams, solve complex systems problems and get these parts to a vehicle.

So, real-life engineering.

It's like a four-year interview.

JOHN: So, what's next?

The DOE's most ambitious advanced vehicle technology competition to date, the EcoCAR Innovation Challenge, will kick off in the fall of 2026.

Twenty college teams will be split into General Motors and Stellantis tracks, and will use the Chevy Blazer EV or Jeep Cherokee Hybrid as their base platforms.

Taking proven, world-class production vehicles, and actually improving on their design, pits these brilliant students head-to-head with the best minds in the auto industry, pushing everyone to innovate and evolve, and paving a smooth road ahead for America's driving future.

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 whether if its 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: This INFINITI QX65 is all-new for 2027; though it isn't usurping the QX60 in a full "coupe" d'état.

They're both still available and with slightly different approaches into the luxury midsize segment.

After attending the March reveal in New York, we soon found ourselves behind the QX65's wheel in Nashville, Tennessee.

It's easiest to describe the QX65 as a coupe variant of the QX60; to that effect, the cabins are very similar, elegantly styled and appointed with plush materials.

In shaping the 65's sportier, sweptback rear roofline, the 3rd row of seats was dropped.

This 2nd row, however, is now backed by a generous cargo area: 35.8 cubic-feet, expandable to 67.7.

The first row has two 12.3 inch displays for instrumentation and infotainment, each screen sitting in their own locations, not conjoined as is so often the case these days.

The AUTOGRAPH grade includes a 20-speaker, 1,200 watt sound system with headrest-embedded speakers.

Like, the QX60, a 268 horsepower 2.0 liter turbo-4 with Nissan's variable combustion ratio technology, powers the QX65.

It's attached to a 9-speed automatic; however, unlike the 60, the 65 rides with standard all-wheel-drive.

STEPHANIE HART: So, it's no secret a lot of negative opinions were formed about this powertrain when it was first announced, but being behind the wheel today, it's more responsive than you may expect and even peppy at times.

INFINITI told me that there's a possible V6 coming next year, so that's exciting to learn.

And in the end, the QX65 does what you need it to do.

GREG CARLOSS: With Nissan's plans to roll out additional vehicles, including more hybrid options, we expect powertrain choices to open up for the 2027 INFINITI QX65 as well.

For now, buyers will be able to pick one up early this summer, starting around $55,000.

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: MotorWeek has spent a lot of time with the Lexus ES since it arrived in 1989.

With its 8th generation arriving for 2026, we hit the streets of San Diego, California, to see what's next.

For the first time, buyers have the option of going all electric.

The 350e and 500e both utilize a 75 kilowatt hour battery; the 221 horsepower, front-drive 350e is projected at 307 miles, while the 338 horsepower, all-wheel-drive 500e is estimated at 276 miles.

The 500e felt quicker, but we found the 350e to be more than sufficient.

Expected to be the volume seller is the hybrid 350h.

Its 2.5 liter 4-cylinder is paired to an eCVT for standard front-wheel-drive, though a second electric motor can be optioned onto the rear axle for all-wheel-drive.

Total system output is rated at 244 horsepower regardless.

And whether it's B-E-V or I-C-E, we're happy to say the experience is largely the same.

ALEXANDER KELLUM: Both the battery-electric and the hybrid version feel very smooth on the road; though, I've got to say, the battery-electric feels just a little bit smoother.

These don't have adaptive dampers, but if I had to suspect it's the extra weight from that battery pack that's kind of doing it there.

JESSICA: With TNGA-K platform underpinnings, the ride felt soft, yet sturdy, as if to have a little bit of edge under its plush interior.

The upmarket materials are joined by a standard 14 inch touchscreen running the next generation of Lexus's operating system, complete with customizable widgets and BEV-specific tools.

In back, the 350e Luxury grade can be optioned with the Executive Package, which throws in reclining seats, a deployable footrest and a retractable sunshade.

The 2026 Lexus ES starts just over $50,000 for the 350e, the 350h following not far behind at $52,000 and the 500e at $53,000.

We'll have more on the new Lexus ES, and plenty more QuickSpins, soon!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

JOHN: 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 grand look at the Jeep Grand Cherokee and a full-scale review of the Hyundai Palisade.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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Learn more at AutoValue.Com and BumperToBumper.Com.

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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.

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