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

Join us for a Road Test of Hyundai's biggest EV yet, the IONIQ 9... Logan McCombs taps into project-saving knowhow on "Your Drive!"

Stephanie Hart has a crash course on improving highway safety... And we'll lock horns with one heavy-duty pickup, the Ram 2500... So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: Hyundai's IONIQ journey started back in 2017, but didn't became their all-electric sub-brand until 2020.

The numbers have been counting up since then, both sales and models, going from the 5 compact crossover to the 6 midsize sedan, and now to their largest offering yet, this IONIQ 9 three-row utility.

It's easily the most important IONIQ yet, so let find out if it's also their best!

♪ ♪ Much like Hyundai's corporate cousin Kia was able to do with their EV9 all-electric SUV, Hyundai's IONIQ 9 is looking to change the game when it comes to family-friendly three-row fully-electric utility vehicles.

It is based on the same E-GMP platform, but that's not surprising, as so is every other IONIQ EV.

But, continuing development helps the IONIQ 9 outshine the EV9 in a couple of key areas, more range being one of them.

All IONIQ 9s feature a 110.3 kilowatt hour battery with max range of 335 miles from the single 215 horsepower rear-motor setup; that's 31 miles over the EV9.

Three-hundred-three horsepower dual-motor all-wheel-drive is rated for 320 miles, and our tester's performance dual-motor setup is rated for 311 miles, outputting 422 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, which is also more horsepower than the EV9.

We drove 282 miles using 92 percent of the battery, putting us on pace for 307 miles in our driving loop.

Suspension tuning also gives it a slightly plusher posture, with a very smooth ride quality, typical of most Hyundai versus Kia comparisons.

Indeed, next level comfort and spaciousness are big Hyundai priorities of late, and they've leveled-up with the IONIQ 9's first-class lounge-like atmosphere.

There's a flat floor plan, and being slightly bigger than the EV9 gives it a little more room inside, most notable in the rear seat where comfort is high, and in the third row where even adults have space to spare.

That additional third row room means cargo space behind it is a bit less than the EV9 at 12.9 cubic-feet, but the 46.7 with the third row folded, and the max of 86.9 are both more than the EV9.

There's additional storage space up front under the hood as well.

Features and capabilities are maxed out here in Calligraphy trim, of course, and materials are very nice, but all 9s come with a great-looking widescreen display with a pair of 12.3 inch screens, one for driver info and a touchscreen for multimedia with standard navigation.

What a departure from the first Hyundai to arrive in the U.S., the 1986 Excel.

We noted its very economy interior, but found it overall very solid and well-built.

Before Hyundai used the IONIQ name for their all-electric sub-brand, it was first used for 2017 on their first purpose-built eco-minded car, available as a hybrid, PHEV, and even a full-electric with 124 miles of range.

While, EVs are mainstream now, Hyundai still likes to make theirs stand out.

But not everyone was a fan of the "minivan from the future" vibe that features exaggerated fender trim over 21 inch alloy wheels and active air flaps.

Though, there are also a few styling cues from the recently redesigned Santa Fe for familiarity.

At our Mason Dixon Test Track, the 9 launched with authority, hitting 60 in just 4.6 seconds, way faster than any family SUV needs to be.

It maintained that excessive force until about half way down the track, when it finally tapered off.

Still strong, just not as heavy-handed, and plenty enough for a 13.3 second quarter-mile, finished at 103 miles per hour.

It was a bit of a harsh experience when it came to hitting the brakes too; lots of nose dive, and some vibration in the brake pedal, but 117 feet from 60 for a 6,000 pound vehicle is quite good.

All that weight helped it feel extremely well planted through our handling course.

There was no understeer to deal with as it felt very well balanced, and quickly followed through on steering inputs, going wherever we pointed it.

Three-hundred-fifty kilowatt fast-charging takes the battery to 80 percent in 24 minutes, and using 40 kilowatt hour of electricity per 100 miles, the IONIQ 9 earns a Good Efficiency Rating.

Pricing starts at $60,555, which is about four grand more than an EV9, and tops out with Calligraphy Design at $78,090.

There's no question the 2026 IONIQ 9 is Hyundai's best EV yet, but is it a gamechanger?

Well, the next-level comfort, true luxury amenities, and impressive ride make it a fantastic EV.

In fact, it is one of the most impressive SUVs we've ever driven.

So...yes, we'd consider that changing the game.

♪ ♪ (car door closes) JOHN: Fatal highway crashes are still a persistent problem in the U.S., and that's despite decades of progress in building safer cars, and the ever-widening use of safe driving technologies like emergency braking and anti-skid control.

Well, our Stephanie Hart recently traveled to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to find out what's behind this persistent threat to daily life, and what can be done to cure it.

(sound of crashing car) STEPHANIE HART: Honestly, it was extremely jarring to watch the crash of the Volvo EX90 here.

Now, IIHS is trying to determine how well the vehicle held up, if there were any injuries to the dummies, and they'll use that data to save lives.

Crashes like that one are happening at alarming rates on America's roadways, over 39,000 crash deaths last year alone.

And, despite some small decreases in recent years, the number of highway fatalities is still 20 percent higher than it was 10 years ago and well above pre-COVID levels.

Why are the numbers so high, if major strides have been made to improve the safety on the roads?

DAVID AYLOR: A lot of strides have been made in the safety of vehicles.

We've been crash testing cars for over 30 years.

We've added crash avoidance tests, but a lot of those safety benefits, um, have been counteracted by different things like larger, heavier vehicles.

STEPHANIE: And risky driving behavior like...speeding, drinking and driving, distracted driving, and not wearing a seatbelt all contributed to the stubbornly high number of deaths.

IIHS tells us it's addressing the road safety crisis head-on, setting a new ambitious goal of reducing fatalities 30 percent by 2030.

Latest figures show pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists together make up 36 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths.

JESSICA JERMAKIAN: There are also some other challenges, like, our vehicle fleet is changing and...and bigger, taller vehicles are less friendly to pedestrians when a crash occurs.

On the other side, we have been improving vehicles with crash avoidance technologies.

We introduced pedestrian automatic emergency braking, um, which helps the vehicle prevent those pedestrian crashes.

STEPHANIE: But this is a long game.

The average vehicle out on our roads today is about 12 years old, which means new safety technology in new vehicles could take decades to reach most drivers.

That's why solutions that are short term are vital.

DAVID: There are things that we can do, um, in the near term.

For instance, some roadway design or red light safety cameras, speed safety cameras.

STEPHANIE: Although, vehicle safety improvements are long term goals, crash avoidance technologies, such as automatic emergency braking, are starting to benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, which is encouraging.

IIHS is looking to expand their crash avoidance testing to include bicycle targets and small commercial vehicles, like that delivery truck you see in your driveway.

JESSICA J.: We're accelerating commercial vehicle safety.

We want to build on the success we've had with passenger vehicles and our vehicle ratings programs; and also, on the work we've done with truck underride, with increased strength of underride guards.

STEPHANIE: The still-high level of crash deaths proves that technology and vehicle design changes alone aren't enough.

That's why IIHS is tackling the road safety crisis from all sides.

DAVID: We recently updated our front crash prevention program, uh, to include different targets.

So, we drive at a tractor trailer now, we drive at a motorcycle, and we also drive at a regular vehicle at higher speeds.

So, this will really expand the safety for everyone, looking at tractor trailers, also more vulnerable users like, motorcycle riders.

So, that will help the problem.

STEPHANIE: And I understand the goal is to push automakers to improve these systems further.

DAVID: Yeah, absolutely.

So, we rate, uh, front crash prevention similar to our crash worthiness-- good, exceptional, marginal, and poor-- and the goal is for all the manufacturers to earn good ratings, and they really strive for those top ratings.

STEPHANIE: Because at the end of the day, a higher safety rating influences how people buy their vehicles, ultimately leading to fewer lives lost on our roads every day.

♪ ♪ LISA BARROW: Before a car model ever reaches the showroom floor, it undergoes a battery of crash tests to ensure that it meets federal government safety standards.

At the heart of the crash testing process is the crash test dummy, which is designed to measure potential occupant injury in crash conditions, such as a frontal or side impact.

This is one of GM's Hybrid III crash test dummies.

It represents an average American male and it's capable of measuring up to 31 human life responses in a crash test.

Different types of dummies are used in different types of crashes.

They come in all shapes and sizes, but the average male is the one that federal government requires manufacturers to use to meet safety standards for new cars.

JOHN: If you're in need of some new threads, Logan McCombs has you covered.

It's not optional fashion advice, but essential tech tips on MotorWeek's "Your Drive!"

♪ ♪ LOGAN MCCOMBS: So, you're working in your garage, you just picked up that new summer project, and you want to get it on the road, but you've got a couple things that aren't going together quite right because some of your bolt holes are stripped out.

One of the best tools you can have in your garage is going to be a tap and die set.

I love this tool because it's so versatile and allows me to do so many different things when there aren't holes there and I need to make a new hole.

So, in the box you'll see that you have one side that is your set of dies, and on the other side you have your taps.

Now, your dies are actually used for creating new threads, either on a bolt or on a piece of metal.

So, what you'll do is you'll be able to find the right size for the bolt that you need or the thread that you're going to need, or your thread pitch.

And you can use a thread checker to figure out exactly what you need.

You'll take it, and then you'll spin it on to your rod or your bolt, and it'll allow you to cut new threads into it.

And it makes it really easy and it cleans it up, so it's almost like having a brand-new bolt without having to go and buy one.

Now, on the other side you have your taps.

Now, the tap is used for creating new threads in a spot that doesn't originally have threads on it.

So here, like on this engine block, what we'll do is we'll take our tap, we'll throw a little grease on it just to make sure that we're not creating any binding issues or anything like that, because the grease will also help to catch metal shavings as you're tapping your hole.

So, you'll come over and you'll just start to twist it in; and as you're twisting it in, you want to make sure that you're straight as possible, so that your threads are straight, too.

As you go in, you'll start to see that you have metal shavings coming out and that's okay.

That just means that the threads are being cut correctly and it's going the way you need it to go.

But, if you do start to feel a little bit of resistance, that's okay, don't worry.

All you have to do is twist out a little bit because there may be something causing it to bind, like those shavings.

Then, you can spin it back in.

And once you've reached your determined depth that you want to go, so that depends on your bolt length, you'll go all the way in, you'll come back out, and as we spin back out, you'll see that we have brand-new threads that are ready to go, so you can seat whatever you need whether it's a bracket, a water pump, or anything like that...just like that.

Having a tap and die set is huge help, and I highly recommend it for anyone that's doing any DIY projects at home.

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

JOHN: From the humblest commuters to the flashiest performance cars, we'll take anything for a QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: With Nissan pulling the plug on their ARIYA SUV, the brand's all-electric duties ride solely on the LEAF once again.

This quirky yet beloved compact EV is all-new for 2026, and we had a chance to drive it extensively in California this past summer.

This front-wheel-drive EV is capable of 214 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, powered by a 75 kilowatt hour battery pack which allows up to 303 miles of range in the S+ grade, 288 in the SV+, and 259 in the Platinum+; you can thank additional features and larger wheels for the range decreases.

DC Fast recharges are made possible by a passenger side NACS port, while a driver's side J1772 hookup handles Level 1 and 2 AC charging.

Of course, charging is the best time to toy with the standard 12.3 inch or optional 14.3 inch displays.

Some of us miss the old joystick shifter, replaced with push-button switchgear; though perhaps it's a sign of maturity in its design, which is also applied to its on-road manners.

It feels, from a ride and handling standpoint, like, again, like a more mature version of its former self.

It's a new multi-link rear.

I think it's done a lot to settle it down.

It feels more sophisticated; but again, this is a short wheelbase car, so you're going to get a little bit of that chop, but it feels like a supple chop more than anything.

I'm noticing at slow speeds around town and on some of these slower twisty roads, it's really quiet inside.

Now, when you do pick up the speed, you get onto a highway, I notice some wind noise creeping its way into the cabin.

But, uh, again, I think just around town it's really, exceptionally quiet.

More so than the original.

Pair that with good torque for practical around-town driving and very competitive range, and the new LEAF is a great commuter car, although Nissan technically refers to the 2026 LEAF as a "utility."

Regardless, pricing starts at just over $31,000, though Nissan is planning on releasing an even more affordable model next year.

JESSICA RAY: A summer drive in New York was the venue for our time in this 2026 Vanquish Volante, Aston Martin's drop-top V12 flagship.

Escaping Manhattan traffic and up the Palisades Interstate Parkway, we had a chance to stretch this grand touring car out for some proper R and R; that is, Revs and Relaxation.

ALEXANDER KELLUM: I've read some studies as of late that say cats purring can somehow heal humans like mentally or emotionally.

I...I don't know if that's true; but what I will say, when you've got an engine like this under the hood that purrs, oh...yeah, it heals.

What we've got is a 5.2 liter biturbo V12, 824 horsepower, 738 pound-feet of torque.

It's plenty of getup and go, and on a subtle backroad cruise like this it purrs, but a couple downshifts from the ZF8 8-speed automatic and that purr goes to a healthy roar.

Woo!

That speedometer climbs quick.

JESSICA: Despite the big, rear-delivered power, the Vanquish Volante's near 50:50 weight distribution gives more refinement than rowdiness, as do the Bilstein DTX dampers, adapting on the fly to road conditions.

Weighing just over 200 pounds more than the coupe, the Volante's chassis was carefully constructed as to not dilute the Vanquish experience.

Behind the sculpted bodywork is an equally refined cabin, similar in layout to the latest Vantage we tested last season.

Plenty of physical buttons and notchy rotary switchgear, mixed with a pair of 10 inch displays.

The cool half-a-million dollars for the 2026 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is no impulse purchase, even for those well off enough to afford what might just be the ultimate drop-top GT car.

And we'll stay on tour with more QuickSpins, soon!

JOHN: Staying competitive in the heavy-duty pickup truck world takes constant improvement, as the Big Three are fully engaged in an everlasting conflict of one-upmanship.

This heavy-duty Ram is the latest to fuel that fire.

Their updated 2500 not only looks great, but is ready to do even more serious work and play.

♪ ♪ While, Ram 1500 sales have slowed a bit in recent years, things have remained on the rise in the Heavy Duty ranks, thanks to Ram giving truck buyers what they need to get work done, while pampering them like no one else.

It looks like more of the same with an updated Ram 2500 arriving for 2025.

A perfect example of this Ram way of thinking is, "Why even offer two versions of the Cummins diesel engine?"

Just keep the high output version, and give it more power while you're at it.

The 6.7 liter inline-6 turbo diesel is the same size as before, but gets an additional 10 horsepower, at 430, with 1,075 pound-feet of torque, the highest standard diesel rating among heavy duties.

It features a new cast aluminum air intake for better airflow, plus, a new fuel pump and improved injectors for increased efficiency; while the turbo gets quieter helical gears to lessen, but not eliminate, that instinctive Cummins turbo whistle.

Cranking up refinement even more is the new 8-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission, now operated by column shifter with all trims.

It's a dream powertrain combo, whether you're pulling 20,000 pounds of trailer or just driving around between jobsites, it always seems to be the right tool for the job no matter what the job is.

The job at hand for us was managing all that torque and getting down the dragstrip as quickly as possible.

Not an easy assignment for the rear tires with an empty bed and no trailer, but get everything right and you can sprint to 60 in a quick 6.6 seconds.

With the additional gears in the transmission, all diesels now come with a 3.42 ratio rear axle.

That transmission was super smooth, as we could barely tell when shifts happened.

The Cummins made all the right diesel sounds through the quarter-mile, finishing at 15.1 seconds at 92 miles per hour.

When it came time to shut things down from 60 miles per hour, there was a lot of travel in the brake pedal, but eventually the binders started clamping down hard and brought us to smooth and stable stops averaging a respectable 127 feet.

(truck whooshing by) Prior to our testing here in Maryland, we spent some time in Nevada and Arizona deserts pulling a host of trailers around, including up the notorious Davis Dam Grade.

As impressive as it was moving thousands of pounds of trailer uphill like it wasn't even back there, it was even more impressive on the long downhill grades.

Just set the cruise control, and the vehicle seamlessly manages both exhaust braking and transmission downshifting to make it a stress-free affair.

You can monitor it all on either the Uconnect screen, which comes in 8.4, 12, and 14 inch sizes; or on the 12 inch digital gauge display.

Seven grades of HD are available from basic Tradesman to the luxury-minded Limited, most have their own personality with unique grilles and trim.

Our mid-level Laramie is perfect for the recreational buyer with big weekend toys to tow.

The available Sport Package adding to that mission with some decals, a "performance hood," body-color grille surround and polished 20 inch wheels.

The 2500 comes in 2-door Regular Cab, 4-door Mega Cab, and this in-between 4-door Crew Cab that is available with either the 8.0 foot or 6.0 foot, 4.0 inch bed.

Ram continues to raise the benchmark when it comes to interior style, comfort, and functionality; with a lot of the updates for '25 done to establish more commonality between light-duty and heavy-duty Rams.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are not required for HDs, but we averaged 16.5 miles per gallon of Diesel in our test loop.

Pricing ranges from the $47,660 Tradesman to the $75,555 Limited; 4-wheel-drive is a $2,930 option on all trims except for Rebel and Power Wagon where it comes standard.

There was a time when buying a heavy-duty truck was less about the truck itself, and more about the necessity of buying the proper tool for the work you needed to do with it.

These days, HD trucks are more about making your life easier, no matter what the task is, and that's where the 2025 Ram 2500 truly shines.

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 greener going in the Subaru Forester Hybrid, and stay on course with the new Lincoln Navigator.

Until next time, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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