>> HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK !

JOIN US AND SEE HOW HIGH POWER AND HIGH END LUXURY MEET IN THE BMW M6 GRAN COUPE.

PAT GOSS HEADS BACK TO THE CLASS ROOM FOR A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON.

WHILE FYI REPORTER YOLANDA VAZQUEZ'S RETURN TO SCHOOL LEAVES HER WINDED.

AND WE'LL WHISTLE A NEW TUNE WITH THE ALL-NEW KIA CADENZA.

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION ANNOUNCER: MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY...

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

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MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT DIEHARD.COM >> JOHN: IT MIGHT TAKE YOU A CALCULATOR, OR AT LEAST AN ABACUS OR TWO, TO KEEP UP WITH ALL OF THE NEW BMW "M" MODELS.

BUT WE'RE NOT COMPLAINING.

WE GLADLY TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE GET TO GO BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A BMW.

AND NOW THERE'S ONE MORE HIGH PERFORMER TO KEEP TRACK OF, AND IT'S BASED ON THE ALREADY LOFTY 6-SERIES GRAN COUPE.

WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU COMBINE BMW M5 SEDAN MUSCLE AND M6 COUPE HANDLING WITH 6-SERIES GRAN COUPE STYLE?

WELL, THAT'S AN EASY ONE, THE 2014 BMW M6 GRAN COUPE.

YET ANOTHER M VEHICLE TO EMERGE FROM THE MAD SCIENTISTS OF DINGOLFING, GERMANY.

PERHAPS THEIR CLASSIEST "M" EVER, THERE ARE OF COURSE A FEW THINGS THAT SET IT APART FROM OTHER 6-SERIES GRAN COUPE'S; AND THEY FOLLOW THE FAMILIAR "M" WAY OF DOING THINGS, WITH LARGER AIR INTAKES UP FRONT, CARBON FIBER FOR THE ROOF, AND A WIDER TRACK WITH FLARED OUT FENDERS.

THE REAR ALSO GETS SUITABLY MACHOED UP WITH A CARBON-FIBER DIFFUSER AND QUAD EXHAUST TIPS THAT GIVE YOU A RUMBLY REMINDER OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE.

THE GRAN COUPE RIDES ON THE SAME 116.7-INCH WHEELBASE AS THE M5 SEDAN, WHICH IS 4.5-INCHES LONGER THAN THE M6 COUPE.

STANDARD WHEELS ARE 20-INCH M LIGHT ALLOYS.

OUR TEST CARS FROZEN SILVER PAINT WILL COST YOU 5-GRAND EXTRA, BUT IT REALLY LOOKS UNIQUE, AND YOU CAN ALSO UPGRADE TO FULL LED HEADLIGHTS WITH THE EXECUTIVE PACKAGE.

SO, IN A NUTSHELL, THE M6 GRAN COUPE IS AN M5 WITH A FEW MORE CURVES, AND WHEN IT COMES TO HITTING SOME CURVES, THE GC QUICKLY ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS MORE THAN CAPABLE.

M ENGINEERS PUT THEIR HANDS ON EVERY ASPECT OF THE CHASSIS, TRANSFORMING IT BY DIRECTLY BOLTING THE REAR AXLE SUBFRAME TO THE BODY FOR GREATER STIFFNESS, ADDING M DYNAMIC DAMPER CONTROL SHOCKS, AND OF COURSE TWEAKING THE ELECTRONICS, WHICH WE STILL FOUND VERY INTRUSIVE UNLESS THEY WERE TURNED ALL THE WAY OFF.

MUCH LIKE THE M6, IT'S NOT A LIGHTWEIGHT, COMING IN AT OVER 4,400 POUNDS, YET IT MANAGES TO FEEL MUCH LIGHTER THROUGH THE CONES WITH WAY MORE QUICKNESS THAN EXPECTED IN A CAR THIS BIG, ALL WHILE PROVIDING GOOD AMOUNTS OF FEEDBACK.

BY NOW WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE 4.4-LITER M TWIN-TURBO V8 UNDER THE HOOD, SPINNING UP 560-HORSEPOWER AND 500 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

NESTLED BEHIND IS AN M-DCT 7-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION; THOUGH A 6-SPEED MANUAL IS AVAILABLE AS A NO COST OPTION.

PUT THE M-DCT AND TWINPOWER TURBO TO WORK AT THE TRACK, AND UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS, YOU'LL MANAGE A 0 TO 60 TIME OF JUST 3.8-SECONDS; AND GO ON TO A QUARTER MILE RUN OF 12.0-SECONDS FLAT AT 122 MILES-PER-HOUR.

WHILE THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF TORQUE OFF THE LINE, TRACTION CAN BE IN SHORT SUPPLY.

USING M'S LAUNCH CONTROL HELPS, BUT AFTER A FEW MAX LAUNCHES IT NEEDS A TIME OUT, SO YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.

POWER POURS ON CONSTANTLY THROUGHOUT THE TRIP, WITH SHIFTS ONLY A MINOR BLIP ON YOUR HIGH SPEED RADAR.

THE M-SPECIFIC BRAKES ARE ALREADY A STEP ABOVE STANDARD GRAN COUPE FARE, BUT YOU CAN UPGRADE FURTHER TO M CARBON CERAMIC BRAKES.

OUR TEST CAR HAD THEM AND BROUGHT US TO A HALT IN A SHORT AVERAGE OF 114-FEET FROM 60.

NOW LET'S US TAKE A TIME OUT TO LOOK INSIDE WHERE THERE'S NOT MUCH "BREAKING" FROM TRADITIONAL BMW DRIVER-CENTRIC, COCKPIT DESIGN.

YOU'LL FIND "M" TOUCHES THROUGHOUT THE CABIN; INCLUDING LOGOS, MULTIFUNCTION SPORT SEATS, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, AND OF COURSE THE STEERING WHEEL.

THINGS ARE A LITTLE TIGHTER IN THE REAR SEAT COMPARED TO THE M5, AND THERE IS A BIT LESS TRUNK SPACE, ALL SACRIFICE FOR THE MORE STYLISH 4-DOOR COUPE DESIGN.

AND EVEN WITH ALL ITS PERFORMANCE CREDENTIALS, DRIVING THE M6 GRAN COUPE IS RELATIVELY TRANQUIL AND RELAXING ALMOST REGARDLESS OF SPEED.

COMFORT MODE SEEMS MORE COMFORTING THAN IN THE M5, BUT THINGS CAN STILL GET PLENTY AGGRESSIVE WHEN YOU DIAL IT UP TO SPORT PLUS.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE IN THE GAS GUZZLER REALM AT 14-CITY, 20-HIGHWAY, AND 16-COMBINED, WHICH WE CAME CLOSE TO MATCHING AT 16.4 MILES-PER-GALLON OF PREMIUM.

WHEN IT COMES TO PRICING, NUMBERS POP FROM LOW TO HIGH, AS YOU'LL NEED $115,925 TO ENTER THE WORLD OF M6 GRAN COUPEDOM.

AT THAT LEVEL, THE 2014 BMW M6 GRAN COUPE IS CLEARLY ONE EXCLUSIVE HIGH PERFORMANCE RIDE.

STILL, FOR THE MONEY, WE PREFER THE MORE TRADITIONAL M5.

BUT IF YOU'D RATHER HAVE THE SLICK M6 LOOKS, BUT RETAIN SOME 4-DOOR PRACTICALITY, THEN YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE M6 GRAN COUPE.

IT'S READY TO ROCK AND ROLL WHEN YOU ARE.

CAR COMPANIES ARE SPENDING AN EVER INCREASING AMOUNT OF MONEY IN BOOSTING FUEL ECONOMY.

AND SURE, POWERTRAIN DEVELOPMENT IS PART OF THAT, BUT THERE'S STILL AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK TO BE DONE WITH AERODYNAMICS.

AND WHILE YOU CAN DO ALL OF THE COMPUTER SIMULATIONS YOU WANT, AS OUR YOLANDA VASQUEZ EXPLAINS, THERE'S ONLY ONE PLACE TO FIND OUT IF ALL THOSE EFFORTS REALLY WORK.

Yolanda: A PROP INSPECTION AND FINAL ONCE OVER SETS THE STAGE FOR A DAY OF TESTING AT THE GLENN L. MARTIN WIND TUNNEL LOCATED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.

THIS 3/8 SCALE MODEL CAR, WHICH IS SECURELY BOLTED DOWN, WILL SOON BE PUT THROUGH THE WRINGER!

AS THE STAFF TURNS ON THE FAN CONTROLS AND BEGINS TO COLLECT DATA, THIS DIMINUTIVE CAR ENDURES WIND SPEEDS OF OVER 100 MILES PER HOUR.

AND WHILE YOU CAN'T SEE THE WIND, YOU SURE CAN HEAR IT.

[ WIND BLOWING ] AT THE OTHER END OF THIS HOLLOW TUBE IS A POWERFUL FAN THAT CREATES THE FLOW OF AIR INSIDE THE TUNNEL.

JUST STANDING HERE GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW LARGE THIS FAN IS... 19 FEET IN DIAMETER, AND WHEN THE WIND TUNNEL IS OPERATIONAL, IT PERFORMS LIKE AN AIRPLANE PROPELLER, PUSHING THE AIR THROUGH.

AS THE FAN SLOWLY PICKS UP SPEED, THESE TURNING VANES GUIDE THAT AIR INTO A SETTLING CHAMBER THAT'S JUST UPSTREAM OF THE TEST AREA.

Dr.

Jewel Barlow: EVERY WIND TUNNEL THAT'S DESIGNED FOR VEHICLE TESTING, THAT'S WORTH ITS SALT, WILL HAVE THAT CHARACTERISTIC.

Yolanda: MOST OF THE MAJOR AUTOMAKERS HAVE THEIR OWN STATE-OF-THE-ART WIND TUNNELS THAT CAN TEST FULL-SIZE VEHICLES.

THEIR RESEARCH INCLUDES WAYS TO REDUCE DRAG, IMPROVE FUEL EFFICIENCY, AND MINIMIZE WIND NOISE.

Dr. Barlow: THE NOISE THAT YOU HEAR WHEN YOU'RE RIDING IN YOUR CAR IS A MUCH MORE COMPLEX TOTAL PROBLEM.

Yolanda: DR.

JEWEL BARLOW SAYS FOR THE PAST FEW DECADES, THIS LOW-SPEED WIND TUNNEL HAS BEEN USED TO TEST AUTOMOBILE AERODYNAMICS ON A NUMBER OF CONCEPT AND PRODUCTION CARS.

BUT THEIR LOBBY TELLS AN EVEN BIGGER STORY, WITH SCALE MODELS OF SEAPLANES DATING BACK TO THE 1950s, AND YACHT KEELS FROM THE AMERICA'S CUP YACHTS.

Dr. Barlow: WE SAY ALMOST ANYTHING THAT MOVES IN AIR OR WATER WE'VE PROBABLY DONE SOME WORK ON IT Yolanda: AND MOST OF THAT WORK, SAYS BARLOW, INVOLVES HELPING COMPANIES IMPROVE PRODUCT DESIGN AND VALIDATE MATHEMATICAL MODELING.

Dr. Barlow: GIVEN THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE COMPANY FOR THAT CAR; HOW DO YOU FINE TUNE THE FINAL SHAPE DETAILS TO MAKE IT MATCH THE MARKET SEGMENT THEY WANT TO ADDRESS.

Yolanda: FOR EXAMPLE, THE SCALE MODEL BEING TESTED TODAY IS THE G2 FROM GENOVATION CARS.

Steven Rogers: AT GENOVATION, WE'RE INTERESTED IN SHIFTING HOW AMERICANS VIEW AND USE ENERGY.

Yolanda: THEY'RE A MARYLAND- BASED TECHNOLOGY COMPANY THAT'S TRYING TO BUILD A TRULY INNOVATIVE, ELECTRIC CAR.

Andrew Saul: SO, WE DESIGNED G2, THE GENOVATION G2, TO BE GREEN IN CONTENT, AS WELL AS VERY, VERY EFFICIENT.

Yolanda: GENOVATION HAS BEEN USING THE WIND TUNNEL TO TEST THE AERODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR CAR.

Andrew: WE KNEW THE CAR WAS VERY EFFICIENT THROUGH THE WIND, VERY LOW CD.

IT WAS .2, AND DECENT DOWN FORCE.

BUT YOU REALLY NEED TO HAVE A MODEL IN THE WIND TUNNEL TO VALIDATE YOUR COMPUTER MODEL AND MAKE SURE YOU GOT IT RIGHT.

Yolanda: A BETTER VISUAL OF THE AIR FLOW AROUND A CAR IS THE SMOKE DEMO.

Dr. Barlow: ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS WHERE THE STAGNATION POINT IS.

Yolanda: AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SMOKE FLOWS PRETTY EVENLY OVER THE TOP OF THE CAR, BUT WATCH HOW IT SEPARATES AND BECOMES TURBULENT TOWARDS THE BACK.

BARLOW SAYS TO MINIMIZE DRAG, YOU WANT TO HAVE THE SEPARATED FLOW AT THE BACK OF THE CAR AS SMALL AS YOU CAN GET IT.

SO THAT'S THE WHOLE GOAL?

Dr. Barlow: THAT REPRESENTS THE BIG GOAL AS FAR AS DRAG IS CONCERNED.

Yolanda: GENOVATION CEO ANDREW SAUL TELLS ME THEY INCREASED THE ANGLE OF THEIR BUMPER COVER UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND ADDED A CHROME LIP TO THE BACK TO HELP REDUCE DRAG.

IT'S THESE KINDS OF SUBTLE DESIGN CHANGES THAT MAKE WIND TUNNEL TESTING A CRUCIAL PART OF VEHICLE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT FOR CAR COMPANIES BOTH BIG AND SMALL.

>> JOHN: PAT GOSS KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT HISTORY.

AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO BUY A USED CAR, YOU SHOULD TOO.

Pat: BUYING A USED CAR CAN BE A GREAT WAY TO SAVE MONEY, BUT IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK TO AVOID PROBLEMS.

AND HERE TO GIVE US SOME POINTERS IS CHRIS BASSO FROM CARFAX.

CHRIS, WELCOME TO GOSS' GARAGE.

Chris: GREAT TO BE HERE, PAT.

Pat: TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT CARFAX BRINGS TO THE TABLE FOR THE CAR BUYER.

Chris: CARFAX COLLECTS INFORMATION FROM OVER 77,000 SOURCES, LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, A DEALERSHIP, OR EVEN A SERVICE LOCATION.

AND ALL THAT INFORMATION FOR A SPECIFIC CAR CAN BE UNLOCKED USING THE 17 DIGIT VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.

IF YOU'RE BUYING A USED CAR, START WITH A CARFAX VEHICLE HISTORY REPORT.

Pat: ALRIGHT, NOW, WE HAVE THIS REPORT, WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT TYPES OF INFORMATION ON IT?

Chris: REPORTED ACCIDENTS, SERVICE INFORMATION, A POSSIBLE ODOMETER ROLLBACK.

ALL THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW TO HELP YOU MAKE A SMART BUYING DECISION.

Pat: ALRIGHT.

NOW, LIKE THIS CAR, WHICH WE KNOW WAS A FLOOD CAR, IT'S TOTALED, THAT WOULD SHOW UP?

Chris: THAT WOULD SHOW UP RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE REPORT IN BRIGHT RED LETTERS.

IT'S A WARNING THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO PURCHASE THIS CAR, OR LOOK DEEPER INTO IT, HAVE A QUALIFIED MECHANIC INSPECT IT.

BUT GO THROUGH THE REPORT, FIND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN REPORTED TO CARFAX, AND TAKE IT FROM THERE TO MAKE A SMART BUYING DECISION.

Pat: ALRIGHT, NOW, ANOTHER THING THAT I'VE NOTICED ON YOUR REPORTS IS THE OPEN RECALLS, WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.

Chris: OPEN RECALLS IS A MAJOR ISSUE THESE DAYS.

LAST YEAR THERE WERE 2.1 MILLION CARS THAT WERE FOR SALE WITH AN OPEN RECALL.

IT'S AN ALARMING NUMBER THAT IS ONLY GETTING BIGGER AS MORE RECALLS HAPPEN.

THESE ARE SAFETY DEFECTS THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS IDENTIFIED, BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE ARE NOT TAKING THESE CARS TO GET THEM FIXED.

Pat: YEAH, AND JUST BY VIRTUE OF THEIR NAME ALONE, AS A "SAFETY DEFECT," YOU'D THINK PEOPLE WOULD RUSH OFF TO GET THEM DONE.

Chris: ABSOLUTELY.

THEY CAN AFFECT THE AIRBAGS.

THEY CAN CAUSE FIRES.

THEY CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS.

IF YOU FIND THAT THE CAR YOU OWN, OR THE CAR THAT YOU WANT TO BUY HAS AN OPEN RECALL, TAKE IT TO A FRANCHISE DEALER, THEY'RE GOING TO FIX IT, OFTENTIMES FOR FREE.

Pat: OKAY.

ALRIGHT, SO, THIS IS A REAL WORKABLE TOOL TO AVOID STEPPING INTO SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO COST YOU A LOT OF GRIEF OR A LOT OF MONEY.

Chris: USED CARS CAN BE A GREAT VALUE, AND FOR MOST PEOPLE, THEY ARE A REALLY GOOD BUY, BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME USED CARS HAVE INHERENT PROBLEMS.

BY STARTING WITH A CARFAX REPORT, AND THEN TAKING THE CAR TO A QUALIFIED MECHANIC, YOU CAN FIND ANY PROBLEMS THAT MAY EXIST WITH THAT VEHICLE, AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE PUTTING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN A SAFE, RELIABLE USED CAR.

Pat: CHRIS, THANK YOU.

AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, DROP ME A LINE RIGHT HERE AT MOTORWEEK .

>> JOHN: IN A DOG-EAT-DOG WORLD WHERE PEOPLE DO WHATEVER'S NECESSARY TO GET AHEAD, IT'S REFRESHING TO READ ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO STILL LIVE BY A CODE OF HONOR.

"THE ONE PERCENTER CODE: HOW TO LIVE LIKE AN OUTLAW IN A WORLD GONE SOFT" BY DAVE NICHOLS, SHOWS THERE'S A LOT MORE TO MOTORCYCLE CLUBS THAN WHAT YOU'VE SEEN ON CABLE TV SHOWS AND BAD BIKER FLICKS.

AND WHETHER WE AGREE WITH THEIR METHODS OR NOT, WE CAN ALL LEARN SOMETHING FROM THEM.

AND IF YOU'RE TRULY CLUELESS ABOUT THE WORLD OF MOTORCYCLE CLUBS, IT MIGHT HELP TO HAVE "THE ONE PERCENTER ENCYCLOPEDIA" BY BILL HAYES TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE.

TIME NOW FOR QUICK SPINS AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF A PAIR OF 2014s THAT JUST LANDED IN OUR LOT.

CHEVROLET MUST BE FEELING A BIT NOSTALGIC, AS WE'VE SEEN THEM REVERT TO SOME OLD-SCHOOL WAYS OF THOUGHT: SMALL PICKUPS AND HIGH-POWERED SEDANS.

AND THOUGH WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT A BIT LONGER TO DRIVE THE NEW COLORADO, WE'RE FRESH BACK FROM A QUICK SPIN IN THE 2014 SS; CHEVY'S FIRST V-8, REAR DRIVE SEDAN IN ALMOST TWO DECADES.

SHARING ITS BASIC CHASSIS WITH THE CAPRICE POLICE CRUISER, PONTIAC'S LATE LAMENTED G8, AS WELL AS THE CAMARO, THIS BLAST-FROM-THE-PAST BRUISER ALSO UTILIZES A FAMILIAR ENGINE: THE 6.2 LITER SMALL-BLOCK V-8 KNOWN AS THE LS3 USED IN THE C6 CORVETTE, AND THE CURRENT CAMARO SS.

HERE OUPUT IS RATED AT 415 HORSEPOWER.

THE SOLE TRANSMISSION IS A SIX SPEED AUTOMATIC WITH PADDLE SHIFTERS.

AND YOU WILL WANT TO USE THEM TO REALLY ENJOY WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THE SS, SINCE IN FULL AUTO, GEAR CHANGES COME TOO EARLY AND OFTEN.

BUT DO IT RIGHT AND HIGH SPEEDS ARE EASY TO COME BY.

WE CLOCKED 0 TO 60 SPRINTS IN JUST UNDER FIVE SECONDS.

INDEED, ITS CAMARO KINSHIP REALLY COMES THROUGH AS THE SS FEELS MUCHO SPORTY, DESPITE ITS CONSIDERABLE SIZE.

THINK 4-DOOR CAMARO IF YOU WILL, WITH ITS EXTRA LENGTH BEING USED FOR A SURPRISINGLY SPACIOUS BACK SEAT.

>> BEN: THE SUSPENSION IS VERY FIRM, WHICH IS GREAT FOR HAVING FUN, BUT CAN GET A LITTLE JARRING ON THE HIGHWAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, GM'S MAGNETIC RIDE SUSPENSION ISN'T AN AVAILABLE OPTION.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THOUGH, THE 50/50 WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION PROVIDES AWESOME CORNERING RESPONSE AND THE STEERING FEEL IS TOP NOTCH.

>> JOHN: THE LOOK OF THE SS IS PURE SLEEPER.

BESIDES FRONT FENDER VENTS AND THE UBIQUITOUS BREMBO BRAKE CALIPERS PEEKING THROUGH THE 19-INCH WHEELS, THERE'S NOT MUCH BY WAY OF AGGRESSION.

IN FACT, FROM FAR AWAY, YOU MAY MISTAKE IT FOR AN IMPALA OR EVEN MALIBU.

INTERIOR TREATMENT IS ALSO CONSERVATIVE; MORE COMFORT ORIENTED THAN DRIVER-FOCUSED.

THE CABIN IS QUIET, WITH A HOST OF ADVANCED SAFETY FEATURES.

BLIND ZONE, REAR CROSS TRAFFIC, AND FORWARD COLLISION ALERT SYSTEMS ARE ALL STANDARD.

SO TOO IS CHEVY'S MYLINK SYSTEM, BACKUP CAMERA, AND A NEW AUTOMATIC PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM, WHICH WILL STEER THE CAR ITSELF WHILE YOU MONITOR ACCELERATION AND BRAKING.

MOST EVERYTHING YOU'D NEED OR WANT COMES STANDARD, IN FACT, AND THE ONLY UPGRADES ARE A POWER SUNROOF AND SPARE TIRE.

ON SALE NOW, THE 2014 CHEVROLET SS STARTS AROUND $45,000, WHICH INCLUDES A GAS-GUZZLER TAX FOR ITS 17 MPG COMBINED FUEL ECONOMY RATING.

TRADITIONALLY, A FULL-SIZE PICKUP WITH A SMALL ENGINE JUST DIDN'T CUT IT FOR MOST BUYERS.

BUT, LAST YEAR, RAM PRETTY MUCH DISPELLED THAT NOTION WITH ITS PENTASTAR V-6 POWERED 1500.

NOW FOR 2014, THEY'RE ADDING A V-6 DIESEL TO THE MIX.

ALREADY OFFERED IN THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, THIS 3.0 LITER TURBODIESEL V-6 ECODIESEL IS RATED AT 240 HORSEPOWER.

BUT IT'S THE OVER 400 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE THAT ALLOWS FOR A 9,200 POUND TOW CAPACITY.

MATED TO A ZF 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC, MILEAGE RATINGS SHOULD COME CLOSE TO MATCHING THE 28 MPG HIGHWAY OF THE DIESEL JEEP.

>> GREG CARLOSS: BACK IN THE LATE '80s, DODGE OFFERED A 5.9 LITER CUMMINS DIESEL IN THE RAM THAT OFFERED 400 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

FAST FORWARD TO 2013.

I'M DRIVING A 3.0 LITER V-6 ECODIESEL THAT HAS 420 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

AND IT'S MATCHED WITH AN 8 SPEED TRANSMISSION.

AND I GOTTA SAY, IT'S A VERY CAPABLE PAIRING, AND VERY EFFICIENT PAIRING.

I REALLY RESPECT THE ENGINEERING THAT WENT INTO IT.

>> JOHN: OTHER MORE MINOR ADDITIONS FOR 2014 INCLUDE A NEW FRONT PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM.

ON SALE NOW, THE ECODIESEL IS ONLY AVAILABLE ON SOME RAM 1500s, WITH A PRICE PREMIUM OF $3K TO $5,000, DEPENDING ON MODEL.

AND WE'LL GO ON A FEW MORE QUICK SPINS AND DELIVER OUR DRIVING IMPRESSIONS SOON!

John Davis: KOREAN SISTER BRANDS HYUNDAI AND KIA HAVE CERTAINLY MADE THEIR MARK ON AMERICAN BUYERS.

HYUNDAI IS NOW A MAJOR PLAYER IN FAMILY CARS AND UTILITIES, WHILE KIA IS APPROACHING PREMIUM BRAND STATUS.

IN THAT VAIN, KIA IS NOW TAKING A SHOT AT THE U.S. FULL-SIZE SEDAN SEGMENT, ONE DOMINATED BY THE DETROIT THREE AND TOYOTA.

KIA'S BIG FOUR-DOOR IS CALLED CADENZA.

WITH A SOLID TRACK RECORD IN LARGE CARS BACK HOME, LET'S SEE IF A BIG KIA PLAYS WELL HERE.

WHILE FULL-SIZE CARS ARE NO LONGER A HUGE MARKET IN THE U.S., IT IS A CAR CLASS THAT'S SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT A BRAND'S STATUS AND ASPIRATIONS.

WITNESS THE BOOST CHEVROLET'S PRIDE IS RECEIVING FROM THEIR REDESIGNED IMPALA.

A WELL-PRICED VOLUME BRAND FLAGSHIP SEDAN CAN ALSO SNARE A FEW LUXURY BUYERS AS WELL.

AND THAT IS THE MISSION OF THE 2014 KIA CADENZA.

THE CADENZA MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE A BROADER AUDIENCE THAN EXPECTED SINCE IT IS SOMEWHAT SMALLISH COMPARED TO OTHER LARGE SEDANS.

WITH A WHEELBASE OF 112 INCHES, AND A LENGTH OF 195.5, IT'S ALMOST SIX INCHES SHORTER OVERALL THAN IMPALA, BUT NEARLY FIVE INCHES LONGER THAN THE MID-SIZE KIA OPTIMA, WITH WHICH THE CADENZA SHARES MORE THAN A PASSING EURO-THEMED RESEMBLANCE.

THE STYLING IS VERY MODERN, YET NOT TRENDY, AND SHOULD HOLD UP WELL FOR THE LONG PERIOD OF TIME THAT BIG SEDANS GENERALLY GO BETWEEN REDESIGNS.

THE UPSCALE EUROPEAN INFLUENCE OF THE CADENZA'S STYLING CARRIES OVER TO THE INTERIOR.

IT'S DRIVER CENTRIC, WITH NEARLY FLUSH SWITCHGEAR, YET CLEARLY LUXURY ORIENTED.

KIA REALLY SWEATED THE SMALL STUFF TOO.

SENSIBLE GAUGES ARE WELL SHROUDED FROM GLARE.

THERE ARE TRIPLE-SEALED DOORS, AND LOTS OF NOISE INSULATION TO KEEP THINGS ULTRA QUIET; ACCOMPANIED BY SOME PLEASANT LOOKING FAKE WOOD TRIM AND SOFT TOUCH MATERIALS.

A VERY LONG LIST OF STANDARDS INCLUDES: AUTO FOLD OUTSIDE MIRRORS, HEATED LEATHER SEATS, NAVIGATION WITH SIRIUS/XM TRAFFIC, BACKUP WARNING WITH CAMERA, A 550-WATT 12-SPEAKER SURROUND SOUND AUDIO SYSTEM, AND KIA'S UVO E-SERVICES TELEMATICS, WHICH IS TOP NOTCH IN EASE OF USE.

BEYOND THAT, THE LUXURY PACKAGE ADDS DRIVER'S SEAT MEMORY AND VENTILATION, AS WELL AS PANORAMIC SUNROOF.

WHILE THE TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE ADDS A RAFT OF SAFETY FEATURES, INCLUDING ADVANCED SMART CRUISE CONTROL, BLIND SPOT DETECTION, AND LANE DEPARTURE WARNING.

WHILE ITS "NOT QUITE FULL SIZE," SIZE KEEPS REAR SEAT LEGROOM FAR FROM CLASS BEST, THE SPACE IS STILL GENEROUS.

THE SEATBACKS DON'T FOLD, HOWEVER.

STILL, 15.9 CUBIC-FEET OF TRUNK SPACE IS QUITE REASONABLE.

THE CADENZA SHARES MANY MECHANICALS WITH THE HYUNDAI AZERA, AND THAT INCLUDES THE 3.3-LITER V6 WITH A FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC.

IT'S THE BRAND'S MOST POWERFUL V6 TO DATE WITH 293-HORSEPOWER AND 255 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

AND MUCH LIKE THE AZERA, THE CADENZA DOESN'T LAUNCH PARTICULARLY HARD OFF THE LINE, AND POWER BUILDS GENTLY ONCE YOU DO GET ROLLING.

IT TOOK 7.0-SECONDS TO REACH 60, AND 15.5 TO SEE THE END OF THE QUARTER MILE AT 94 MILES-PER-HOUR.

EVEN USING THE STEERING WHEEL PADDLES, SHIFTS ARE NOT ESPECIALLY QUICK, BUT THEY ARE PREMIUM CAR SMOOTH.

THROUGH THE CONES, THE CADENZA FEELS FAIRLY LIGHT ON ITS FEET, BUT NOT SO LIGHT THAT YOU FORGET HOW BIG IT REALLY IS.

THERE'S PLENTY OF LUXURY CLASS WEIGHT TRANSFER AND A SOFT FEEL WHEN YOU ASK FOR RAPID RESPONSE.

UNLIKE OTHER KIAs THAT FEEL SPORTIER THAN THEIR HYUNDAI COUNTERPARTS, WE CAN'T FEEL A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CADENZA AND AZERA, AND NEITHER BELONGS ANYWHERE NEAR A RACE TRACK.

THEY DO BELONG ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE RIDE QUALITY IS DOWNRIGHT "PLUSH."

THE FRONT STRUTS AND REAR MULTI-LINKS ARE DEFINITELY TUNED FOR LONG DISTANCE COMFORT.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE ABOUT AVERAGE FOR ITS CLASS AT 19-CITY, 28-HIGHWAY, AND 22-COMBINED.

WE SAW A BETTER THAN EXPECTED 25.9 MILES-PER-GALLON OF REGULAR IN MIXED DRIVING.

THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE IS AVERAGE AT 15.0-BARRELS OF ANNUAL OIL USE WITH CO2 EMISSIONS COMING IN AT 6.7-TONS.

THERE IS JUST ONE CADENZA TRIM LEVEL, PREMIUM, STARTING AT $35,900.

ADDING BOTH THE LUXURY AND TECHNOLOGY PACKAGES RAISES THAT TO $41,900.

ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT, THE CADENZA IS A LOT OF LARGE CAR FOR THE MONEY.

INDEED, TAKEN AS A WHOLE, THE 2014 KIA CADENZA DOES HAVE A PREMIUM SEDAN NATURE, AND YES, POSTURE WORTHY OF A BRAND FLAGSHIP, BUT WITHOUT GOING OVERBOARD ON PRICE.

IT IS SPORTINGLY HANDSOME, WITH A VERY WELL DONE INTERIOR WITH LOTS OF FEATURES, AND A GREAT RIDE.

ALL THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE KIA DEALERS, AND CADENZA BUYERS, SINGING A HAPPY TUNE.

WELL, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW.

AND FOR MORE MOTORWEEK , BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS, AS WELL AS COMPLETE EPISODES AT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME WHEN WE'LL TEST A FAMILIAR INFINITI WITH A NEW OLD NAME, THE Q50.

AND GO HANDS ON WITH THE REVIVAL OF AN ICON IN THE JEEP CHEROKEE.

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 PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY TIRE RACK.

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