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

JOIN US AS WE TEST THE LEXUS IS350 F SPORT TO SEE IF IT'S TRULY TRACK READY.

PAT GOSS HAS THE SKINNY ON HOW CLEAN OIL HELPS KEEP THINGS COOL.

YOLANDA VAZQUEZ HAS THE CARS WHERE AGE IS TRULY A THING OF BEAUTY.

AND WE'LL DO THE DIESEL DANCE WITH ONE CLASSY UTE, THE AUDI Q5 TDI.

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

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

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... AHH!

OHH!

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Monk: YOU MAY ASK ONE QUESTION.

AHHH!

WHICH TIRE CATEGORY SHOULD I CHOOSE TO GET THE MOST COMFORTABLE RIDE?

Announcer: THERE'S A BETTER PLACE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR TIRES.

TIRERACK.COM CAN HELP YOU GET THE ANSWERS YOU NEED, AND HELP YOU FIND WHICH TIRES ARE BEST FOR YOU.

MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT TIRERACK.COM.

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS.

NO MATTER WHAT CUSTOMERS DRIVE, THEY CAN PURCHASE ONLINE FROM A COMPREHENSIVE SELECTION OF BRANDS, PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS.

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

DIEHARD.

MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT DIEHARD.COM.

AFTER SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON THE STREET, AND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON THE TRACK, IN THE 2014 LEXUS IS, WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT, WHILE IT HAS CERTAINLY GOTTEN BETTER IN ALL AREAS, IT WAS IN LUXURY AND TECHNOLOGY WHERE IT HAD IMPROVED THE MOST.

BUT ONLY SOME MORE SERIOUS TRACK TIME WOULD HELP US DECIDE FOR SURE.

SO, IT'S AROUND SAVANNAH'S ROEBLING ROAD RACEWAY WE GO IN THE IS350 F SPORT!

ASIAN LUXURY SPORT SEDANS, LIKE THIS NEW GENERATION 2014 LEXUS IS350 F SPORT HAVE A VERY TOUGH JOB.

THEY MUST NOT ONLY PERFORM GREAT, BUT THEY HAVE TO DO SO WITHOUT LOSING APPEAL TO THEIR BRAND'S CORE CUSTOMERS.

ALL WHILE BEING COMPARED TO GERMAN SPORT SEDANS WHOSE TYPICAL BUYERS VALUE HOW WELL A CAR HANDLES MORE THAN HOW SMOOTH IT RIDES.

THAT BRINGS US TO THIS IS350 F SPORT, AT ROEBLING ROAD RACEWAY, DOING ITS BEST TO CONVINCE US THAT IT'S A LEGITIMATE SPORT SEDAN WHILE REMAINING EVERY BIT A LEXUS.

MOST IMPRESSIVE EARLY ON WAS THE VERY SMOOTH POWER DELIVERY.

ADMITTEDLY, 306-HORSEPOWER IS NOT EXACTLY A MONSTROUS AMOUNT TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE TRACK, BUT THE IS DOES SO THROUGH ITS REAR WHEELS EFFICIENTLY AND EASILY.

IT ALSO STAYS FLATTER THAN EXPECTED IN CORNERS, TURNS IN SNAPPILY, BEHAVES NEUTRALLY, WITH BRAKES THAT ARE GREAT AND POWERFUL.

YET, SOMEHOW IT STILL DOESN'T HAVE THAT NAILED-DOWN SPORT SEDAN FEEL THAT MOST CUSTOMERS IN THIS SEGMENT THINK THEY WANT.

IN THE IS' CASE, WE THINK IT BOILS DOWN TO A REALLY GOOD CHASSIS AND SUSPENSION IN SEARCH OF A BETTER POWER TO WEIGHT RATIO.

THE IS350 WEIGHS IN AT 3,600 POUNDS; AND WHILE THAT'S NOT OBESE, IT IS A LITTLE HEAVIER THAN ITS LIGHTEST RIVALS AND YOU REALLY FEEL THAT EXTRA WEIGHT IN QUICK SIDE-TO-SIDE TRANSITIONS.

A LITTLE MORE BOTTOM END POWER AND PERHAPS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION TO REPLACE THE STANDARD 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC WOULD GO A LONG WAY AS A CURE.

THE F SPORT PACKAGE DOESN'T INCLUDE MANY HARDWARE UPDATES, JUST SOME SLIGHT SUSPENSION RETUNING, STAGGERED 18-INCH WHEELS WITH SUMMER TIRES, UPGRADED BRAKE PADS, AND A MORE AGGRESSIVE SPORT+ DRIVING MODE FOR THE ADAPTIVE VARIABLE SUSPENSION.

NOR DOES IT GET YOU ANY ADDITIONAL POWER FROM THE 3.5-LITER V6, AS NUMBERS REMAIN AT 306-HORSEPOWER AND 277 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

STILL, THAT IS ENOUGH TO GET YOU TO 60 IN LESS THAN SIX SECONDS, BUT OUR TEST DAY'S 30-DEGREE AIR TEMPS MADE FOR A COLD TRACK, AND KEPT US RIGHT AT 6.0-SECONDS FLAT.

ONCE ROLLING, THINGS GOT A LITTLE BETTER, BUT STILL OUR QUARTER-MILE TIME WAS A LITTLE SLOWER THAN EXPECTED AT 14.4-SECONDS AT 100 MILES-PER-HOUR.

SHIFTS FROM THE 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC WERE ADEQUATELY QUICK, AND CAN BE TRIGGERED WITH STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED PADDLES SHOULD YOU SO CHOOSE.

ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE IS350s GET A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC ONLY.

WHILE NOT THE MOST DYNAMIC LOOKING CAR IN THE SEGMENT, SPORTING MODS TO THE F SPORT DO HELP THE CAUSE.

THEY INCLUDE A RESTYLED FRONT FASCIA WITH A MORE AGGRESSIVE-LOOKING GRILLE AND FULL-LED HEADLIGHTS.

FITTING FOR LEXUS, EVERYTHING ELSE REMAINS THE SAME; NO CRAZY SPOILERS OR GROUND EFFECTS.

JUST SOME TASTEFUL BADGING ON THE FRONT FENDERS.

WHEELBASE IS 110.2-INCHES, WHICH SLIDES IN BETWEEN THE BMW 3-SERIES AND CADILLAC'S ATS, WHILE OVERALL LENGTH OF 183.7- INCHES IS MORE THAN EITHER.

THE SPORTING TRANSFORMATION IS A BIT MORE COMPLETE INSIDE WITH F SPORT SEATS AND STEERING WHEEL, ALUMINUM PEDALS, SILVER TRIM, AND BLACK HEADLINER.

OUR FAVORITE FEATURE, BY FAR, IS THE LFA-INSPIRED TFT GAUGE CLUSTER WITH SLIDING PANEL.

AND, OF COURSE, YOU'LL STILL FIND PLENTY OF LEXUS COMFORT IN ALL SEATING POSITIONS, AND A VERY GENEROUS 13.8 CUBIC-FEET OF TRUNK SPACE.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 19-CITY, 28-HIGHWAY, AND 22-COMBINED.

THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE IS AVERAGE AT 15.0-BARRELS OF ANNUAL OIL CONSUMPTION WITH CO2 EMISSION OF 6.5-TONS.

AS FOR PRICING, $40,525 WILL GET YOU A BASE IS350.

ADDING THE F SPORT PACKAGE FOR $3,620 WILL BRING YOUR TOTAL TO $44,145, AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE NAVIGATION.

WHILE WE WOULDN'T PICK THE 2014 LEXUS IS350 F SPORT OVER A COMPARABLE BMW 3 SERIES, OR FOR THAT MATTER, THE CADILLAC ATS, WE STILL FOUND PLENTY TO LIKE.

IT EQUATES ITSELF WELL ENOUGH ON THE TRACK, AND OWNERS WILL CERTAINLY FIND IT ENJOYABLE ON THE OCCASIONAL WINDY BACK ROAD.

ALL WITH NO LOSS IN THE HIGH COMFORT QUOTIENT THAT LEXUS IS KNOWN FOR.

FRANKLY, THAT'S A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE ACHIEVEMENT IN ITSELF.

SO WHILE THE IS IS NO 3 SERIES, THE 3 SERIES IS NO IS EITHER.

OUR SUCCESS STORY THIS WEEK TAKES US TO THE HISTORIC MOUNT WASHINGTON COG RAILWAY IN BRETTON WOODS, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

BUILT IN 1869, THE "OLD PEPPERSASS" RIDE TAKES ONLY ABOUT AN HOUR TO REACH THE 6,288-FOOT PEAK.

ORIGINALLY WOOD FIRED, BY 1910 COAL WAS THE FUEL OF CHOICE.

TODAY, OVER 100 YEARS LATER, THE COG RAILWAY USES CLEANER, CHEAPER BIODIESEL TO POWER FIVE LOCOMOTIVES.

PROCESSED FROM LOCAL RESTAURANT WASTE GREASE, THE B20 FUEL IS SUPPLIED BY WHITE MOUNTAIN BIODIESEL, A GRANITE STATE CLEAN CITIES COALITION STAKEHOLDER.

THE CHANGE IS A HIT WITH TOURISTS.

Wayne Presby: WE HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE VERY ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS AND THEY JUST LOVE THE FACT WE SWITCHED OVER.

I MEAN, OUR RIDERSHIP HAS SURGED SINCE WE PUT DIESELS ONLINE, JUST SURGED.

John: SOME 90,000 PEOPLE RIDE THE RAILWAY EACH YEAR.

AND WHILE NOSTALGIA BUFFS WILL FIND ONE COAL-FIRED STEAM LOCOMOTIVE STILL BEING USED, IT'S BIODIESEL THAT IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THIS UNFORGETTABLE "ALT-FUEL" ADVENTURE.

WE'VE SEEN OUR FAIR SHARE OF CAR COLLECTIONS HERE AT MOTORWEEK, FROM THE WILD AND WACKY, TO SOME THAT ARE TRULY ICONIC.

WELL, YOLANDA VAZQUEZ HAS FOUND ONE IN BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS THAT MAKES QUITE A BOLD CLAIM: AMERICA'S OLDEST CAR COLLECTION.

SO WE JUST HAD TO SEE FOR OURSELVES.

Yolanda: IT'S KNOWN AS AMERICA'S OLDEST CAR COLLECTION, AND WITH VINTAGE VEHICLES THAT DATE BACK TO THE 1890s, IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY THE LARZ ANDERSON AUTO MUSEUM IS A SIGHT TO BEHOLD.

Visitor: I LOVE IT.

I'LL BE BACK.

THIS IS A GREAT PLACE.

Yolanda: THE 14 CARS ON DISPLAY WERE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BY ISABELLE AND LARZ ANDERSON, WEALTHY SOCIALITES WHO WERE INTRIGUED BY A VARIETY OF VEHICLES BOTH EUROPEAN AND DOMESTIC.

Sheldon Steele: THEY WERE PIONEERS, IF YOU WILL, OF THE MOTORING AGE.

AND THEY WERE EARLY ENTHUSIASTS, SO I THINK MR. ANDERSON, OR MRS. ANDERSON, THEIR FAVORITE CAR WAS THE NEXT ONE.

Yolanda: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHELDON STEELE SAYS THE ANDERSONS BOUGHT A NEW CAR NEARLY EVERY YEAR, WITH TECHNOLOGIES RANGING FROM STEAM TO ELECTRIC.

IT ALL BEGAN WITH THIS 1899 WINTON PHAETON.

IT RESEMBLES A HORSELESS CARRIAGE, WITH PADDED SEATS, BUGGY SPRINGS, AND GAS LAMPS ON THE SIDE.

ONE OF ONLY 100 MADE, IT USES A STEERING TILLER LIKE A BOAT.

TWO YEARS LATER, THE TECHNOLOGY PROGRESSES.

NOTICE HOW THIS 1901 PHAETON HAS A STEERING WHEEL.

Sheldon Steele: SO INNOVATION AND EVOLUTION...

THE GRADUAL CHANGE OVER TIME.

Yolanda: AND THE ANDERSONS SPARED NO EXPENSE ON THEIR VEHICLES, FROM THIS 1907 SIX CYLINDER ENGINE FIAT, THAT WAS CONSIDERED A ROCKET SHIP IN ITS DAY, TO THIS 1906 C-G V, THAT MADE ITS TRANS-ATLANTIC JOURNEY FROM FRANCE.

Sheldon: IT HAS A 4-CYLINDER, 90-HORSEPOWER DRIVETRAIN CHASSIS, THAT IN 1906 COST $11,000.

IT WOULD BE ABOUT $800,000 TODAY.

Yolanda: AND DESPITE ITS MANY AMENITIES, LIKE A BENCH THAT FOLDS INTO A BED FOR LONG RIDES, THE ONE THING EVERYBODY COMMENTS ON IS THE PORCELAIN COMMODE.

Sheldon: SO, NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE HAWKING, OR DISPLAYING, EXHIBITING, PEOPLE ALWAYS WALK AWAY TALKING ABOUT THE CAR WITH THE TOILET.

Yolanda: AND HERE'S SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE: THE ANDERSON MONOGRAM IS PAINTED ON EACH AND EVERY CAR, ALONG WITH A NICKNAME.

SOME SAY IT REPRESENTS THE QUALITIES OF THAT PARTICULAR CAR; BUT OTHERS BELIEVE THAT SINCE THE ANDERSONS DIDN'T HAVE ANY KIDS, NAMING EACH CAR WAS LIKE NAMING ONE OF THEIR CHILDREN.

Barbie Jetter: I THINK IT'S GREAT.

IT'S GREAT.

I'M JUST ENTHRALLED BY ALL THE CARS HERE.

I'M SEEING CARS THAT I'VE NEVER EVER SEEN BEFORE, AND I KNOW A LOT OF OLD CARS.

Yolanda: LOCAL RESIDENT BARBIE JETTER IS NOT ONLY FASCINATED BY THE CARS, SHE'S ALSO TAKEN A LIKING TO ISABELLE ANDERSON.

SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN IN MASSACHUSETTS TO GET HER DRIVER'S LICENSE.

AND WAS OFTEN SEEN DRIVING AROUND TOWN IN THIS 1908 BAILEY ELECTRIC PHAETON.

Barbie: LUCKY LADY.

REALLY.

AND THE FACT THAT SHE'S SHARING THIS.

I WISH MORE PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF THIS.

Yolanda: UNLIKE MOST MUSEUMS, WHERE THE CAR COLLECTION IS PRISTINELY RESTORED, STEELE SAYS THE VEHICLES IN THE LARZ ANDERSON AUTO MUSEUM ARE FEATURED IN THEIR ORIGINAL CONDITION.

THEY LOOK EXACTLY AS THEY DID WHEN THE MUSEUM FIRST OPENED IN 1949 AND WERE HOUSED IN THIS EXQUISITELY DESIGNED CARRIAGE HOUSE.

Sheldon: THE CAR WORLD IS STARTING TO -- MORE FULLY EMBRACE THE CONCEPT OF PRESERVATION, BECAUSE SOMETHING IS ONLY ORIGINAL ONCE.

Yolanda: THAT PRESERVATION VERSUS RESTORATION THEME IS PART OF AN ON-GOING EXHIBIT AT LARZ, WHERE THIS DUSTY 1939 PACKARD BEGS THAT AGE OLD QUESTION, ALONG WITH THESE TWO '53 VETTES PARKED SIDE-BY-SIDE.

Sheldon: YOU CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL FACTORY INSTALLED GAPS IN THIS CORVETTE.

IT TELLS A STORY, BUT THE TWO TOGETHER TELL A BETTER STORY.

Yolanda: BUT PERHAPS THE BEST STORY OF ALL IS THE UNYIELDING ENTHUSIASM THIS MASSACHUSETTS COUPLE HAD FOR THE DISTINCTIVE VEHICLES OF THEIR DAY, AND THEIR LONG HELD DESIRE TO SHARE THEM WITH THE WORLD.

Sheldon: SO MANY WONDERFUL CARS IN THIS COLLECTION.

PEOPLE JUST HAVE TO COME AND SEE US.

IT'S FABULOUS.

PAT GOSS HAS A FEW SLICK TIPS ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR ENGINE RUNNING COOL.

SO LET'S MOTOR ON DOWN TO GOSS' GARAGE.

Pat: EVERYONE KNOWS THAT OIL LUBRICATES THINGS INSIDE AN ENGINE.

BUT IT DOES A LOT MORE THAN THAT.

AND HERE TGIVE US SOME TIPS, LYNDON ABEL, GENERAL MANAGER OF PATRIOT HARLEY-DAVIDSON IN FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA.

LYNDON, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.

Lyndon: THANKS FOR HAVING ME, PAT.

Pat: ALRIGHT, OIL, LUBRICATES, DOES A LOT MORE.

Lyndon: ABSOLUTELY.

IT DOES FOUR THINGS.

EVERYBODY KNOWS IT LUBRICATES.

IT ALSO CLEANS, PREVENTS CORROSION, AND IT COOLS.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT THIS, BUT OIL IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE COOLING OF ANY ENGINE, ESPECIALLY SO WITH AN AIR-COOLED ENGINE.

BUT REALLY ANY ENGINE.

THAT OIL IS CIRCULATING NEAR THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, CARRYING A LOT OF THAT HEAT THAT'S GENERATED BY COMBUSTION, BACK INTO AN OIL TANK WHERE IT CAN SIPHON THROUGH AND DISSIPATE SOME OF THAT HEAT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

DIRTY OIL SIMPLY DOESN'T DO THAT NEARLY AS EFFECTIVELY AS CLEAN OIL.

Pat: ALRIGHT, SO IF WE TAKE OUR DIRTY SAMPLE HERE, AND WE SHAKE IT, WE CAN SEE THAT THERE'S ALL KINDS OF CRUD FLOATING AROUND IN THERE.

Lyndon: RIGHT, AND THAT CRUD IS SPECIFICALLY INTERFERING WITH COOLING OFF YOUR MOTOR.

THAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP COOL THINGS OFF, AND IT SLOWS DOWN FLOW AND INTERFERES WITH THAT COOLING.

SO YET ANOTHER REASON TO KEEP THE OIL FRESH IN YOUR MOTOR.

CHANGE THE OIL REGULARLY, AND USE THE PROPER OIL, AND THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY IN HELPING KEEP THINGS COOL.

Pat: SPEAKING OF PROPER OIL -- ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE PROPER TYPE AND VISCOSITY, AND EVERYTHING, IS TO KEEP IT FLOWING AT THE RIGHT RATE SO THAT IT CAN ABSORB ENOUGH HEAT AND DISSIPATE ENOUGH HEAT.

Lyndon: ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

AND DIFFERENT MOTORS ARE DESIGNED FOR DIFFERENT VISCOSITY OILS.

Pat: ALRIGHT, THE OUTSIDE IS CRITICAL AS WELL.

Lyndon: RIGHT, SO HERE WE HAVE A HARLEY-DAVIDSON CYLINDER AND CYLINDER HEAD.

AND THIS IS AIR-COOLED OF COURSE.

AND THESE FINS, THE JOB OF THESE FINS, IS TO ABSORB THE HEAT THAT'S BEING GIVEN OFF BY FRICTION, AND TO A MUCH GREATER EXTENT, COMBUSTION.

AND THEN THAT HEAT TRAVELS ON THIS ALUMINUM FIN OUT INTO THE AIR, WHERE THAT HEAT IS THEN PULLED OUT BY THE WIND THAT'S GOING PAST THE MOTOR.

THIS WORKS GREAT UNTIL THESE FINS GET CLOGGED UP WITH DIRT, BUGS, ROAD GRIME AND DEBRIS.

SO DON'T IGNORE THE MOTOR WHEN YOU'RE CLEANING YOUR MOTORCYCLE.

BE SURE TO KEEP ALL OF THESE THINGS CLEANED IN ORDER TO PROPERLY COOL THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR MOTOR AS WELL.

Pat: OKAY.

LYNDON, THANK YOU.

AND REMEMBER, FOLKS, CLEAN ON THE OUTSIDE OF A CAR ENGINE IS IMPORTANT, TOO, BECAUSE IT HAS A BIG EFFECT ON HOW COOL THE ENGINE RUNS.

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

John: THIS 2014 ACURA RLX IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST LUXURIOUS, AND HIGH-TECH SEDAN WE HAVE EVER HAD IN OUR LONG-TERM FLEET.

LIKE ALL ACURAS, IT CAME VERY WELL-EQUIPPED WITH OUR RLX ADVANCE, INCLUDING CUTTING-EDGE SAFETY FEATURES LIKE RADAR MITIGATED BRAKING AND LANE KEEPING ASSIST.

BOTH WE ARE FINDING VERY USEFUL.

BUT WE'RE ALSO FINDING THE RLX MORE FUN TO DRIVE THAN EXPECTED.

DESPITE NOT HAVING THE ELECTRIC ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM OF THE RLX SPORT HYBRID, OUR RLX CAME STANDARD WITH PRECISION ALL-WHEEL STEER THAT ADDS REAR TOE ANGLE TO GREATLY REDUCE FRONT DRIVE UNDERSTEER.

AS TO ECONOMY?

AFTER TWO MONTHS AND 4,000 MILES, WE'RE MANAGING 25.9 MILES PER GALLON OF PREMIUM.

NOT BAD FOR A V6 PRESTIGE SEDAN WITH A NEAR FULL-SIZE INTERIOR.

WE'VE HAD FEW PROBLEMS GETTING AROUND DURING OUR WORSE THAN USUAL ICE AND SNOW SEASON.

ALTHOUGH THE EXTRA TRACTION OF THE SPORT HYBRID'S SH-AWD WOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOMED.

GETTING AROUND IN DEEP MUCK TURNED OUT TO BE NO PROBLEM FOR OUR 2013 RAM 1500.

THE SHIFT-ON-THE-FLY FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM WORKED SMOOTHLY WITH OUR TRUCK'S OVERHEAD-CAM V6 AND 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

WE DID DO MORE IDLING THAN NORMAL, HOWEVER, AND THAT TOOK A TOLL ON FUEL ECONOMY.

IT NOW STANDS AT 18.9 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR AFTER FIVE MONTHS AND 8,500 MILES.

HOPEFULLY THAT WILL NUDGE BACK UP COME SPRING.

OTHERWISE, OUR SLT QUAD CAB IS PROVIDING COMFORTABLE, RELIABLE SERVICE WITH AMAZINGLY FLEXIBLE HAULING CAPABILITIES.

FROM THE SUV-LIKE ROOMY REAR SEAT, TO THE SADDLE BAG RAM BOX CARGO SYSTEM, TO THE DEEP BED, THIS RAM'S GOT IT ALL.

OUR ONLY MECHANICAL ISSUE IS WHEN THE UCONNECT INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM OCCASIONALLY FREEZES UP.

AN IGNITION RESTART ALWAYS CLEARS IT UP.

INDEED, WE SEE MORE CLEAR SAILING AHEAD FOR OUR V6 RAM 1500 4X4.

WE'LL TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THIS TOYOTA RAV 4 AND NISSAN VERSA NOTE, ON THE NEXT MOTORWEEK LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE.

NOW LET'S HEAD INSIDE TO YOLANDA VAZQUEZ FOR ALL THE LATEST MOTORNEWS.

Yolanda: IF YOU'VE STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION MORE THAN USUAL THIS WINTER, YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

OUR FRIENDS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT, AND A FEW TIPS AS WELL.

OBVIOUS CULPRITS LIKE LETTING YOUR CAR IDLE UNTIL IT WARMS UP, AND DRIVING AROUND WITH LOW TIRE PRESSURE RESULT IN WASTED GAS.

BUT SOME UNAVOIDABLE CONDITIONS ALSO OCCUR; LIKE THE HIGHER DENSITY OF COLD AIR DECREASING AERODYNAMICS, AND THUS FUEL ECONOMY, OR THE LESS-EFFICIENT WINTER GASOLINE BLENDS.

ALL WEATHER TRACTION SYSTEMSLIKE 4- A ND ALL-WHEEL DRIVE ALSO USE EXTRA FUEL, AND EVEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS TO AVOID ACCIDENTS IS NOT OPTIMAL FOR FUEL EFFICIENCY.

HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES SEE ADDITIONAL LOSSES DUE TO LOWER BATTERY EFFICIENCY AT COLDER TEMPERATURES, ESPECIALLY IF THE CAR IS NOT PARKED IN A GARAGE OVERNIGHT.

A FEW SIMPLE FIXES INCLUDE MAINTAINING ADEQUATE TIRE PRESSURE, AVOIDING UNDO IDLING AT START UP, AND EVEN ON THOSE COLD WINTER MORNINGS, IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO USE THOSE SEAT WARMERS AND HEATER FANS LESS FREQUENTLY.

ALSO, CHECK YOUR CAR OWNER'S MANUAL TO SEE IF A DIFFERENT ENGINE OIL WEIGHT IS RECOMMENDED FOR SMOOTHER OPERATION IN COLDER TEMPERATURES.

STRETCHING DRIVE DISTANCES CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE EFFICIENCY, TOO.

TRY TO STRING TOGETHER SEVERAL TRIPS OR ERRANDS, RATHER THAN RUNNING THEM INDIVIDUALLY.

LUCKILY, THERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO CUT THE EXTRA COST OF WINTER DRIVING.

BUT EVEN BETTER...SPRING WILL BE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.

FOR MORE TIPS, CHECK OUT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S WEBSITE.

AND THAT WILL DO IT FOR THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS.

John: THE ENTIRE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY IS WORKING FEVERISHLY ON ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES WITH ELECTRIC AND HYDROGEN POWERTRAINS.

BUT ENGINEERS ARE ALSO WORKING JUST AS HARD TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF TRADITIONAL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

SO, WITH EVER HIGHER MPG MANDATES AHEAD, CLEAN DIESELS ARE BECOMING A LOT MORE COMMON, ESPECIALLY IN UTILITIES, LIKE THIS AUDI Q5 TDI.

SO LET'S SEE IF THIS DIESEL UTE IS ONE AMERICANS CAN LOVE.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT TURBO DIESELS LIKE THIS 2014 AUDI Q5 TDI THAT WE LOVE SO MUCH?

IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE SMELL OR MORE EXPENSIVE COST OF THE DIESEL FUEL.

PERHAPS IT'S THEIR SIMPLICITY AS A HIGHER MILEAGE OPTION, OR THAT ABILITY TO FULFILL OUR LONG RANGE AMBITIONS?

OR MAYBE IT'S JUST THAT HUGE HIT OF TORQUE YOU GET WHEN YOU STOMP ON THE PEDAL.

IT'S A HIGHLY ADDICTIVE RESPONSE, AND ONCE YOU'VE SAMPLED IT, DRIVING A GASOLINE POWERED EQUIVALENT IS JUST NOT THE SAME.

THE Q5, AUDI'S SMALLEST CROSSOVER HERE FOR NOW, GOT A STYLING REFRESH JUST LAST YEAR.

BUT AUDI SAVED THE BEST UPDATES FOR THIS YEAR, A HIGH PERFORMANCE SQ5 AND OUR HIGH MILER TDI.

THE 3.0-LITER TURBOCHARGED CLEAN DIESEL V6 IS THE SAME 240-HORSEPOWER ENGINE THAT WE LOVED SO MUCH IN THE LARGER A8 SEDAN.

BUT THERE'S EVEN MORE TO LOVE IN THE Q5, AS TORQUE IS UP 22 POUND-FEET TO 428.

HELPING THE HIGH MILEAGE CAUSE IS AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AND THE COMBINATION IS GOOD FOR A TOWING CAPACITY OF 4,400 POUNDS.

ALL Q5s COME EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME QUATTRO ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE FORMULA FOUND IN AUDI SEDANS AND SUVs FOR YEARS, REAR BIAS AND ALL; AND IS AS MUCH ABOUT HANDLING PERFORMANCE AS IT IS ABOUT ALL-WEATHER CAPABILITY.

THOUGH WE PUT THE LATTER TO TEST THROUGH A FEW WEEKS OF WHAT HAS BEEN A VERY COLD AND SNOWY WINTER HERE IN THE MID-ATLANTIC.

WE HAD NO ISSUES FINDING TRACTION, EVEN IN DEEP SNOW; A TESTAMENT TO BOTH THE QUATTRO'S ABILITIES AND THE TDI'S LOW RPM NATURE.

ALL OF THAT WHITE STUFF DID KEEP US FROM TAKING THE TDI TO OUR TEST TRACK, BUT AUDI CLAIMS A 0 TO 60 TIME OF 6.5-SECONDS, AND OUR INFORMAL CLOCKING CONCURS.

AS FOR THE RECENTLY UPDATED DESIGN, THE Q5 IS TRULY A MODERN AUDI, FROM THE LARGE SINGLEFRAME GRILLE TO THE LED DRLs THAT STARTED THE WHOLE PHENOMENON.

19-INCH WHEELS COME STANDARD ON THE TDI WITH 235/55 ALL-SEASON TIRES.

BOTH COMMUTE TIME RIDE AND WEEKEND GETAWAY HANDLING ARE QUITE GOOD.

BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT IN THE PERFORMANCE DEPARTMENT, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CROSSBARS REMOVED FROM THE ROOF RAILS; AS WHEN THEY ARE IN PLACE, THE ESC ADJUSTS PARAMETERS FOR A HIGHER CENTER OF GRAVITY.

THAT'S PRETTY TRICK!

STEERING IS ELECTRO-MECHANICAL AND FELT VERY NATURAL.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS COME IN AT 24-CITY, 31-HIGHWAY, AND 27-COMBINED.

WE MANAGED A QUITE GOOD 29.4 MILES PER GALLON.

THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE IS AVERAGE FOR ALL VEHICLES AT 14.1-BARRELS OF OIL USED AND 6.4 TONS OF CO2 EMITTED ANNUALLY.

YOU'VE HEARD OUR RAVE REVIEWS BEFORE ABOUT RECENT AUDI INTERIORS, AND THE Q5 DOES NOTHING TO DAMPEN OUR FONDNESS FOR THE HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS, SIMPLICITY OF DESIGN, AND EASE OF USE OF ITS MANY HIGH-TECH FEATURES; INCLUDING THE UPDATED MMI NAVIGATION PLUS SYSTEM.

FRONT SEATS ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND COMFORTABLE, AND THERE'S GOOD ROOM FOR THREE IN THE BACK SEAT.

ALL PASSENGER'S GET PLENTY OF LIGHT THANKS TO THE STANDARD PANORAMIC SUNROOF.

CARGO SPACE IS 29.1 CUBIC-FEET WITH REAR SEAT BACKS IN PLACE, BUT EXPANDS TO 57.3 CUBIC-FEET WITH THEM FOLDED.

IT'S NOT ALL GOOD NEWS, HOWEVER, AS A TDI Q5 WILL COST YOU $47,395.

THAT'S ALMOST $10 GRAND OVER A BASE Q5 WHICH STARTS AT $38,195.

OUR TESTER, WITH OPTIONS, WAS OVER $50 GRAND.

IS THE TDI WORTH ALL THAT EXTRA COIN?

WELL, TRUTH BE TOLD, OUR SUV MONEY WOULD PROBABLY GO ELSEWHERE AS THERE ARE A LOT OF MID AND EVEN FULL-SIZE CHOICES FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY.

ALTHOUGH, IF YOU'RE EVEN CONTEMPLATING STEPPING UP TO A TURBO DIESEL, BUT ARE HESITANT DUE TO THE PRICE, OUR ADVICE IS, DON'T EVEN TEST DRIVE ONE, BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET A TASTE OF ALL THE TORQUE THAT THE 2014 AUDI Q5 TDI HAS TO OFFER, YOU MIGHT GET ADDICTED TOO.

WELL, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW.

FOR MORE MOTORWEEK , WHY NOT CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST, AS WELL AS FULL EPISODES AT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND BE SURE TO JOIN US NEXT TIME WHEN WE'LL PUT BMW'S NEW 4 SERIES NAMEPLATE TO THE ULTIMATE TRACK TEST.

THEN WE'LL GET SOME FUNK IN THE KIA SOUL.

PAT GOSS FINDS A CUTTING EDGE WAY TO DIAGNOSE CAR TROUBLE.

BRIAN ROBINSON HITS THE TRAIL ON THE KAWASAKI TERYX UTV.

AND WE'LL GET MOTORNEWS AND A LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, I'M JOHN DAVIS.

WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK .

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