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

We'll take on GM's baddest off-road pickups times two... Then, ask the pros for some pointers on tire and wheel fitment... We'll celebrate our love of driving with some of Porsche's greatest hits... Ending with one sweet Italian Ute, the Alfa Romeo Tonale.

So, come drive with us, next!

Closed Captioning provided by Maryland Public Television.

♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: MotorWeek , Television's Original Automotive Magazine.

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.

TireRack.Com is proud to support MotorWeek !

First, there was the wheel.

Then, the tire.

"We'll call it TireRack."

Forty years later, we're not slowing down.

JOHN: In the ever-popular game of pickup truck one-upsmanship, Chevrolet has unleashed a fantastic beast that takes the Silverado to new levels of off-road confidence.

Now, we can already can see this ZR2 Bison is one cool looking truck, but let's find out what else it has to offer.

♪ ♪ If you're going to buy a pickup truck, you might as well get one that looks as tough as possible; and if it's a little more capable too, well that's even better.

That partially explains why you see so many jacked up pickup trucks going down the road, and off-road packages being applied to commuter cars masquerading as SUVs at an alarming rate.

But what we've got here is a real deal pickup, the full-size 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison.

The '23 model year sees very little in the way of updates across the Silverado lineup but does bring the launch of this new upgraded ZR2, the Bison.

We're all aware of the off-road goodness that ZR2 trim brings to Silverado; standard 4-wheel-drive, 2.0 inches of lift, Multimatic DSSV dampers, locking differentials, and unique programming for drive modes.

Well, the Bison adds extra beef to that with the help of American Expedition Vehicles; steel bumpers with integrated recovery points, 18 inch wheels shod with 33 inch Good Year Wrangler Territory Mud Terrains, multiple skid plates, and rocker guards.

No additional ground clearance over the ZR2, but the bumpers enable much improved approach and departure angles, and the five steel skid plates provide protection for the differentials, fuel tank, transfer case, and spare tire.

All ZR2s come with GM's 6.2 liter V8 rated at 420 horsepower and a diesel-like 460 pound-feet of torque, mated to a 10-speed automatic.

At our Mason Dixon test track, that translated to 0-60 runs of just 6.4 seconds.

That V8 has more than enough torque to spin the grippy Wranglers up and get this big rig moving in a hurry.

Power delivery stays strong throughout, but shifts in the 10-speed are a bit lazy, keeping our Bison more plodding than charging to the end of the quarter-mile.

Our best run coming in at 14.8 seconds and 96 miles per hour.

When pushed through our handling course, the Bison did some pushing of its own, understeering early and often, with plenty of sidewall flex thrown in for good measure.

But, we could keep a surprisingly good pace through here, considering how far off of the pavement you're sitting.

Brakes were great for a few runs, stopping us from 60 in just 120 feet, but then they began to fade a lot, and we even got warnings to take it easy on the brakes.

In addition to a commanding view of the track ahead, ZR2 Bison's get unique floor liners to protect the interior during all of your epic adventures, as well as a Multi-Flex tailgate to make accessing all of your adventure gear as easy as possible.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 14-City, 17-Highway, and 15-Combined.

Our average 14.8 miles per gallon of Regular.

The ZR2 Bison package adds $7,895 onto the ZR2's already lofty price of $73,345, bringing the total to $81,240.

That seems like a lot of money, even for a full-size pickup.

But, unfortunately not out of line these days.

If that's just too steep for you, over at GMC, they're selling an also new, slightly smaller alternative; with many of the same upgrades, the 2023 Canyon AT4X, their most off-road capable truck...yet.

The AT4X is a macho notch above the Canyon AT4 which we tested earlier.

But, as a refresher, the AT4 features standard 4-wheel-drive, off-road tuned suspension, 2-speed transfer case, and all-terrain tires on 18 inch wheels.

Boosting it by the power of X means smaller 17 inch wheels with more aggressive mud-terrain tires, additional skid plates and rocker protection, similar Multimatic DSSV dampers as the Silverado ZR2 adding an inch of lift, and locking front and rear differentials.

It makes for one tough looking truck, and with tidier dimensions than the Silverado, more adapt at navigating tighter trails.

No additional power, but the AT4 already boasted the high-output version of GM's 2.7 liter turbo-4 with 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque.

Working with an 8-speed automatic transmission, it was a little sluggish off the line, hitting 60 miles per hour at our test track in 8.0 seconds flat.

Lots of noise going down the track, both from the engine and the tires; but it sounds more robust than annoying.

Like the Silverado, automatic gear changes are slow and power robbing, making the quarter-mile trip feel longer than the 16.1 seconds at 89 miles per hour that we recorded.

Pricing for the AT4X comes in at $56,995, that's $11,600 more than the already capable AT4.

We love the rough and rugged look just as much as the next guy or gal, but we much prefer it when there's a significant amount of capability to back it up, and this pair of potent pickups from the General will indeed get the job done.

And while they're still not quite to Ford Raptor or Ram TRX level, it is the closest that GM has gotten yet, making the 2023 Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison and 2023 GMC Canyon AT4X very worthy contenders.

♪ ♪ Porsche builds incredibly fun-to-drive automobiles!

And for 43 seasons we've spent as much of our time driving them as possible.

Well, this year Porsche is celebrating its own 75 years of motoring excellence, and when we were invited to a round-up of many of their most amazing efforts... How could we possibly say no?

♪ ♪ (car door closes) ALEX KELLUM: I used to think introducing a brand-new Porsche model was hard.

After all, what can I say that hasn't already been said?

But then I realized, for the very same reason, it's easy to introduce them.

One mention of the name "Porsche" and their legacy sorta speaks for itself.

And that legacy is what led me across the "Big Drink" to Stuttgart, Germany, to help celebrate an important birthday and milestone for Porsche.

Seventy-five years, as a matter of fact.

So, I got the invite, you're the plus-one.

Let's go back in time to drive some of Porsche's greatest hits... And what better way to start the day than with two 911's?

I left the grounds of Porsche's secret storage facility in this not-so-stealthy rear-engine prototype: a 1992 911 Carrera 2 Coupe Clubsport.

It was made to slot in between the Carrera 2 and Carrera RS.

That means motorsports-oriented, yet, completely street legal.

So, while it added front bucket seats and ditched the rears, it still kept some creature comforts like air conditioning.

Even for a hand-built prototype, the Carrera 2 Clubsport was solid.

This thing is just...a treat to drive.

If this is how I'm starting the day...I...I can't wait to see what's next.

Unfortunately, it never saw production.

So, I followed it up with one that did, albeit just 189 units: The Carrera 3.2 Coupe Clubsport.

This one does forgo amenities like AC, and power windows, and even the passenger sun visor for maximum weight-savings.

Lighter engine components too, for a 6,840 RPM redline that, along with lower suspension and a limited-slip diff, crafted a truly tethered driving experience.

The sounds of shifting the gears... all the bumps in the road.

You can feel every little bit.

But it's not... it's not unbearable.

I mean, that's what you want in a car like this anyway.

You want to feel, and hear, and smell and... well, probably not taste; but, you wanna feel all the feels.

As fun and historically significant as these Carrera's were, the 911 is just the most obvious layer of Porsche's history.

Digging deeper meant a late morning cruise in this 356 Super 90.

This thing was old-school cool, sporting an air-cooled 4-cylinder boxer making a carbureted 90 horsepower-- give or take.

My hour behind the wheel gave credence to the 911's origins.

The Super 90 gracefully blended driver's engagement with a surprising sense of comfort, putting me at ease while strolling between pockets of civilization.

And then, it was time to kick things up a notch... this 1988 Porsche 959.

The 959 became Porsche's technological benchmark when it first launched, thanks in part to its 444 horsepower biturbo boxer-6 powering an electronically-controlled all-wheel-drive system.

Combined with the iconic aerodynamic styling and the 80's sci-fi-esque cabin...

I was starstruck.

You know, we come all the way out here and we talk about legacy, right?

You know, we're talking about the history of this brand and the evolution of it and what it means to have the Porsche crest proudly stamped on the hood or anywhere else on the car.

And, while there are a lot of great examples of that here, the 959 is certainly up there.

After the 959, there was one more I just had to check out-- this 944 Turbo Cabriolet.

The front-engine 944 has always had a special place in my heart, if not for most Porsche-files.

A boxy exterior that screams 80's performance accented by the coolest thing ever made-- pop-up headlights.

Jokes aside, to me, the 944 is the still-attainable classic Porsche, so experiencing one for myself was a dream come true.

As was the case with just about everything else I drove that day.

Icons, bucket-listers, mold-breakers.

Each one, undeniably, a true Porsche... And after a day spent with all of them, all I can really say is... if this is what Porsche has accomplished after 75 years...

I can't wait to see what they do at 100.

JOHN: Thinking about a new set of wheels and tires for that garaged love of your life, its an expensive decision, so you better get it right the first time, fortunately our Dan Maffet knows just the tire experts that can eliminate all the guesswork and their ready to give you the "deets" on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

♪ ♪ DAN MAFFET: Buying a wheel and tire package can be a stressful situation, if you're not sure of the right wheel/tire combo and the dimension you need.

If you buy the wrong one, it can be very costly.

I'm here with my friend TJ, and we're going to about the technology you can use to make sure you get the right one.

TJ, thanks for having me.

TJ CAMPBELL: Thanks for being here.

DAN: Tell me what this is.

TJ: This is called a faro arm, and we use this to create a digital rendering of the wheelwell of the vehicle.

We measure brake caliper, brake rotor, the fender lip... All the hard parts that a tire and wheel package may come into contact with, and it creates a cad drawing that we can use to make sure, like you said, customers can get the right package the first time.

DAN: So this is, generally, using the camera system to create a digital map of what will and will not fit.

TJ: Yes, that's right, and then we overlay a similar drawing of the tire and wheel package and we find any places that where may be a potential pitfall, where something may come into contact.

DAN: And that's really important, because we have things like these.

These are the exact same dimensional wheels, but one fits and one doesn't.

TJ: Yes, that's right.

If you were just looking at the published dimensions, they're both 18 by 8, the right bolt pattern, um, the same offset.

You know, dimensionally, everything is identical, but because this wheel has a different barrel profile than this one does...

This fits on the vehicle, whereas this comes into contact with the caliper.

It would physically go on the vehicle, but as soon as you try to spin it, it's going to damage the wheel and the caliper, and like you said, be a very costly mistake.

DAN: Expensive mistake for sure.

Now, I'm sure you have some kind of a system in place, so that when people order wheels and tires from a place, that would throw a red flag with what is dimensionally not a good fit.

TJ: Correct.

We try to get every order by year, make, and model to make sure that it's something that we recommend.

But, of course, sometimes people try to go their own way and find something, and so to prevent any, like you said, costly mistakes, we have real live human beings that review every order that's placed online, and if they see something that's a red flag, they'll reach out to the customer and say, "Hey, this might ruin your day."

Sometimes, the customer says, "I know exactly what I ordered, just let it go."

And that's great.

But other times, the customer is very, very appreciative because they're not sure how they got to where they were, and it wasn't something that was going to work... DAN: It wasn't pretty.

TJ: Absolutely, so sometimes we save the day.

DAN: That's fantastic, well, thanks for having us, I appreciate it very much.

TJ: Thank you so much for being here, it's been great.

DAN: As always, if you have any questions, hit us up, right here at MotorWeek .

John: Let's join Stephanie Hart in the studio for the latest MotorNews!

♪ ♪ STEPHANIE HART: The second generation of BMW's small X2 utility has arrived, and this time it's a standout on its own.

Rather than just being a less practical cousin to the X1, the 2024 X2's takes its "Sports Activity Coupe" design in a more robust direction.

That includes a taller front end and 7.0 inches added length for more usable interior room.

Both Trims use a turbocharged inline-4 and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

All-wheel-drive is standard.

Expect pricing to start in the low 40s.

True to its promise, Kia has priced its EV9 3-row EV utility more reasonably than rivals, starting at $56,395... Of course, that's for the base rear-drive model.

All-wheel-drive starts in the mid 60s, working up to just over 75,000 for a top-trim GT-Line.

Kia also published the EV9's official EPA range estimates, able to reach up to 304 miles with a long-range battery and rear-wheel-drive.

All-wheel-drive range is up to 280 miles.

The standard range rear-drive EV9 is rated at 230 miles.

Meanwhile, Toyota is adding a new level of fun to its surprising GR Corolla Hot Hatchback.

There's a new Premium Grade for 2024, and it slots between the entry-level Core model and the upgraded Circuit Edition.

It adds more performance hardware and interior enhancements; while forgoing certain Circuit add-ons, like the forged carbon roof and hood vents.

Finally, Porsche unveiled the 911 GT3 R Rennsport at this year's Rennsport reunion.

Output from its GT3-derived 4.2 liter boxer-6 has been upped to 611 horsepower.

The suspension is similar to what's found in the GT3 race car, but the body has been almost entirely reworked.

Solely for track use, it's limited to just 77 units... each starting just over a cool one-millions dollars.

Now for even more daily news updates and complete road tests head on over to the MotorWeek website...also, follow us on Facebook, X, and find us on YouTube to stay up to date on all the latest.

And that's it for this week's MotorNews.

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: Did you know, in the 43 years that MotorWeek has been on the air, we've tested over 6,000 different cars, trucks, and SUVs.

And since the beginning, our vehicle testing has been done independent of the influence or sponsorship of any auto manufacturer.

Plus, we put a vast majority of the vehicles we drive through a series of instrumented tests.

(car engine revving) And that information is published in our video reviews that air on PBS stations nationwide and on our website at MotorWeek.org.

And we'll continue that winning formula for another 43 years.

JOHN: While, Alfa Romeo officially returned to the US in 2008 with the exotic 8C, they got a lot more intentional with the arrival of 2017s Giulia sedan and 2018s Stelvio utility.

Well, 2024 sees their lineup expand even more with this Tonale compact crossover.

So, let's find out what this practical Italian performer has to offer.

♪ ♪ Let's face it, if you want to sell a significant number of vehicles these days, you've got to have at least one small crossover in your lineup.

So, if you're Alfa Romeo, that means the all-new 2024 Tonale.

Available in Sprint, Ti, and Veloce versions, we opted for the top Veloce as it highlights both the performance and luxury aspects of this stylish compact crossover to the full, with big aluminum paddle shifters, luxurious and sporty perforated leather seating, and adaptive dual-stage valve suspension setup included.

All Tonale's however, come equipped with the same plug-in hybrid powertrain that pairs a 1.3 liter turbo 4-cylinder engine with a rear-mounted 90 kilowatt electric motor for standard all-wheel-drive, and a total output of 285 horsepower and 347 pound-feet of torque.

Plus, gets the added benefit of driving 32 miles as an EV, drawing power from a 15.5 kilowatt hour battery.

There's a true 6-speed automatic transmission, plus, Alfa's DNA drive modes which take on new meanings here in the Tonale.

Dynamic D now also stands for Dual Power, dialing up maximum output from both power sources; Natural Mode delivers a balanced approach, operating as a traditional hybrid using whichever power source is most appropriate for the task; and Advanced now stands for Advanced Efficiency prioritizing EV driving whenever possible.

No physical connection from the front engine to the rear wheels means when you're in EV mode, you're driving a rear-wheel drive vehicle.

At our test track, there was plenty of grip off line, as well as some hard-hitting power, with the Tonale leaping forward with urgency on its way to 60 miles per hour in 5.9 seconds.

The excitement tapered off a bit as we continued down the track, and power delivery steadied rather than continuing to build.

Shifting in the 6-speed automatic was quick and precise with no lag, yet, still felt quite smooth as well.

We finished out the quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds at 95 miles per hour.

The Tonale does share a chassis and almost all hardware with the Dodge Hornet that arrived last year, but obviously Alfa tuning is unique.

And proved more than capable through our handling course; grip was again plentiful, balance almost perfect, and there was even good steering feel.

It's truly a fun little SUV that always seemed to be asking us to push harder with only minor amounts of understeer showing up at its limits.

The Frequency Selective Damping active suspension takes cues from the selected drive mode, keeping body roll to a minimum at the track; while providing a very soft and composed ride on the highway for the drive home.

While not exotic looking by any means, the Italian influence is strong in the Tonale's flowing body panels.

Of course, their shield grille leads the way.

And, we give them props for using the serpent from their badge to come up with this cool new plug-in logo.

All lighting is LED, including the slim Tri-lobe matrix-style headlights.

Don't plan too many off-road adventures though, as ground clearance is just 5.6 inches, and it'd be a shame to dirty up these 20 inch Grigio 5-hole wheels.

Inside, there's a 10 inch touchscreen for Uconnect 5 with navigation, along with a 12.3 inch customizable digital driver's cluster; both of which are standard for all Tonale's.

It was very dark inside our tester, with all of the blackness only broken up by splashes of aluminum trim.

Front seats offer great comfort and quite a bit of space as well; same in the back seat of this 5-passenger utility, with both good head and legroom.

The rear-mounted electric motor, battery, and associated hardware does eat into cargo capacity, as its 22.9 cubic-feet is almost 4.0 cubic-feet less than the standard Dodge Hornet.

But seats still fold to expand the space to 50.5 cubic-feet.

The Tonale gets a Government Fuel Economy Rating of 77-Combined MPGe, 29-Combined for gasoline only; we averaged 32.6 miles per gallon of Premium.

Pricing begins at $44,590; top Tonale Veloce starting at $49,590.

Alfa Romeo tends to be a brand that looks to the past for inspiration, but they're clearly looking to the future of transportation here, by making the 2024 Tonale available exclusively as a plug-in hybrid.

We're glad to see that, and even happier to see that Alfa Romeo is still around here in the US.

Let's hope his compact SUV is what it needs to not just survive, but begin to thrive.

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 we fly high in the updated Lincoln Corsair utility.

Then, make a smooth landing in the new Mercedes GLC.

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 To order a DVD of this program... 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.

TireRack.Com is proud to support MotorWeek !

First, there was the wheel.

Then, the tire.

"We'll call it TireRack."

Forty years later, we're not slowing down.

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

(engine revving) ♪ ♪ You're watching PBS.