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

JOIN US AS WE FIND IF EVEN MORE OF A MINI DRIVES AS SWEET... PAT GOSS SORTS OUT OUR CHOICES ON WHAT'S BETWEEN YOU AND THE ROAD... WE'LL LOOK AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WHEN IT COMES TO FUELS... AND A FRESH NEW FACE FOR A FAMILIAR NAME IN AN ULTRA-HOT SEGMENT...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

* Announcer: MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... TIRERACK WANTS YOU TO BE SMART WITH YOUR CAR.

THEY CAN HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIRES FOR YOUR VEHICLE, FOR EVERY SEASON.

TIRERACK.COM.

John: WE'RE BIG FANS OF MINI.

AND IT HAS BEEN ALMOST AS MUCH FUN WATCHING THE REBORN BRAND GROW AS DRIVING THE RESULTS.

AND UNTIL THIS POINT, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR QUIRKY CHARACTER, WHILE GETTING BIGGER AND MORE PRACTICAL.

NOW, IT'S OUR TURN TO TEST THAT THEORY IN THE NEW CLUBMAN, THE BIGGEST MINI YOU CAN BUY TODAY.

* WITH THE LATEST MINI COOPER PLATFORM GROWING IN SIZE, AND THE COUNTRYMAN CROSSOVER NOW IN THE LINEUP, WE WEREN'T SURE THERE WAS STILL A PLACE IN THE MINI PORTFOLIO FOR THE CLUBMAN.

FORTUNATELY, MINI THINKS THERE IS INDEED A NICHE, AND THIS REDESIGNED 2016 CLUBMAN FITS PERFECTLY.

BUT, HERE IS THE KICKER FOR US, IT STILL FEELS EXACTLY HOW YOU EXPECT A MINI TO FEEL.

WHICH IS AN AWFUL LOT OF FUN AND NIMBLENESS CRAMMED NEATLY INTO A TIDY PACKAGE.

OVER THE YEARS, MINIS HAVE CERTAINLY BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED, BUT THERE'S STILL THAT SPUNKY EDGE THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO DART IN, OUT, AND AROUND ANYTHING IN YOUR PATH.

SOME HEFT HAS CREPT IN OVER THE YEARS AS WELL; AS WEIGHT, HERE IN THE CLUBMAN FORM, IS NOW OVER 3,100 POUNDS.

IT'S REASONABLY QUIET INSIDE; THOUGH MOST OF THE NOISES YOU HEAR, ARE ONES THAT YOU ACTUALLY ENJOY HEARING.

THE COOPER, IN ALL OF ITS GUISES, IS ONE OF THE FEW CARS ON THE ROAD THAT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN; LUCKILY OUR TESTER DID COME WITH THE STANDARD 6-SPEED MANUAL.

THE SHIFTER WORKS WELL, BUT COULD USE A REVERSE LOCKOUT, AND WE'RE STILL NOT USED TO LOOKING FOR THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE.

A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC IS AVAILABLE IN THE COOPER, A NEW 8-SPEED WITH THE COOPER S. GOING A LONG WAY TOWARD KEEPING THE CLUBMAN RELEVANT, IS ALL4 ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR 2017.

[ENGINE STARTS] AS WITH THE REST OF THE MINI LINEUP, ENGINES ARE BMW-DERIVED AND TURBO-BOOSTED.

BASE COOPERS COME WITH A DELIGHTFUL 1.5 LITER I3 THAT PUTS OUT 134 HORSEPOWER AND 162 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

COOPER S' GET THE UBIQUITOUS 2.0 LITER I4, WITH 189 HORSEPOWER, AND 207 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

FOR MOST THE I3 WILL BE MORE THAN FINE, AS YOU'LL ENJOY WRINGING EVERYTHING OUT OF IT, AND AS A BONUS YOU'LL ALSO GET THE BETTER RIDE THAT COMES WITH THE BASE COOPER'S SOFTER SUSPENSION AND STANDARD 16-INCH WHEELS.

THESE 17s ARE OF COURSE OPTIONAL.

THE BIGGEST DRAWBACK WITH THE CLUBMAN IS THE VISIBILITY, AS THE VIEW OUT OF THE BACK IS INCREDIBLY RESTRICTED.

THAT'S DESPITE MINI STAYING TRUE TO THE CLUBMAN'S WAGON EXTERIOR THEME, BUT NOW WITH FOUR FRONT-HINGED SIDE DOORS, AND RETAINING THE TWO BARN-STYLE DOORS AT THE REAR.

VISION ISSUES COME FROM LOTS OF WINDOW PILLARS, AND THE SIDE GLASS NARROWING TOWARDS THE REAR.

INSIDE IS A VERY MODERN MINI WITHOUT STAYING TOO FAR FROM THE COSMETICS OF THE ORIGINAL.

THE GAUGES LONG AGO MOVED FROM THE CENTER, NOW WITH A LARGE CENTRAL MOOD RING SURROUNDING THE MULTIMEDIA SCREEN, TO RETAIN THE FLAVOR.

THOUGH BIG, THE CIRCULAR GLOW CAN GET ANNOYING AT NIGHT.

IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN A MINI, THERE'S SOME INITIAL CONFUSION FINDING EVERYTHING, BUT THERE ARE STILL BIG TOGGLE SWITCHES FOR LOTS OF CONTROLS, AND IT'S NICE TO USE AND FEEL MECHANICAL THINGS HAPPENING.

THERE ARE EVEN STILL SOME TOGGLES OVERHEAD TOO.

MINI'S INTELLIGENT PACKAGING MEANS THERE'S ALSO EXCELLENT USE OF ALL AVAILABLE SPACE.

AFTER GROWING 10.9 INCHES IN WHEELBASE FOR '16; THERE'S NOW PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE BACK SEATS FOR ADULTS.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE PADDING IN THOSE SEATS IS SO THIN, YOU CAN ACTUALLY FEEL STRUCTURES BENEATH.

LONG RIDES ARE PAINFUL.

THE SIGNATURE SPLIT-CARGO DOORS ARE CERTAINLY A BIT ARCANE.

BUT THEY POP OPEN EASILY, AND DO ALLOW YOU TO ACCESS THE CARGO AREA WITHOUT LIFTING UP A BIG HATCH.

THERE'S NOW, ALMOST 48 CUBIC-FEET OF SPACE WITH THE REAR SEATS FOLDED.

ONLY THE SOON TO ARRIVE COUNTRYMAN REDESIGN WILL PROVIDE MORE IN A MINI.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 25-CITY, 34-HIGHWAY, AND 28-COMBINED; OUR AVERAGE, A GOOD 29.6 MILES PER GALLON OF PREMIUM.

THERE'S A RESPECTABLE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE AS WELL, OF 11.8 BARRELS OF ANNUAL OIL USE WITH 5.2 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.

BASE PRICING, AT $24,950, PUTS IT ABOVE THE COUNTRYMAN, SO APPARENTLY QUIRKY DOESN'T COME CHEAP.

OUR ADVICE, KEEP IT SIMPLE AND KEEP THE PRICE RIGHT AROUND THERE.

START UPGRADING, AND YOU CAN QUICKLY BE WELL ABOVE $30.000.

SO, THE CHARACTER OF THE 2016 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN HAS CHANGED LESS THAN IT HAS GROWN IN SIZE.

IT WILL NEVER CHALLENGE THE COUNTRYMAN FOR ALL-WEATHER, ALL-AROUND UTILITY, BUT CLUBMAN STAYS TRUER TO THE FUN TO DRIVE HERITAGE OF THE BRAND.

INDEED, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT ON THE ROAD.

STILL FUN, STILL QUIRKY, STILL MINI.

OUR SUCCESS STORY THIS WEEK TAKES US TO THE CAJUN CAPITOL, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, WHERE NEW PROPANE-POWERED BUSES ARE A WELCOME SIGHT.

AUGUST FLOODS WIPED OUT A PORTION OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS BUS FLEET.

WHEN SEEKING REPLACEMENTS, THE DISTRICT DECIDED TO GO GREEN AND ORDERED 10 PROPANE BUSES.

Gary Reese: WE'D BEEN INTERESTED FOR A WHILE IN PROPANE OR ALTERNATIVE FUELS.

THIS GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPEDITE THE PURCHASE.

WE PLANNED TO BUY SOME THIS YEAR ANYWAY WITH MONEY THAT WAS BUDGETED FOR NEW EQUIPMENT, SO IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND GET THEM.

John: WHILE, ONLY UP AND RUNNING FOR A FEW MONTHS, THE BUSES ARE ON TRACK TO DISPLACE OVER 140 GALLONS OF DIESEL PER WEEK!

AND THAT SHRINKING CARBON FOOTPRINT WILL SOON GROW EVEN SMALLER AS THE DISTRICT HAS ORDERED 30 ADDITIONAL BUSES.

THANKS TO FEDERAL FUNDING AND GUIDANCE FROM LOUISIANA CLEAN FUELS, THE BATON ROUGE PLAN IS TO DRIVE INTO THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION WITH PROPANE!

* FOR OVER 100 YEARS, AMERICANS HAVE ENJOYED THE FREEDOM OF THE OPEN ROAD, FUELED PREDOMINANTLY BY PETROLEUM-BASED FUELS.

DESPITE THE CONVENIENCE OF GAS AND DIESEL HOWEVER, FOSSIL FUELS ARE PROBLEMATIC IN TERMS OF LONG-TERM AVAILABILITY AND THE DAMAGE THEY ARE DOING TO OUR ENVIRONMENT.

NOW, IN OUR 35 YEARS ON THE AIR, WE'VE WATCHED WITH GREAT INTEREST AND APPLAUDED THE MANY EFFORTS TO DEVELOP VIABLE SOLUTIONS TO BREAK OUR DEPENDENCE ON PETROLEUM FUEL.

SO WE'VE DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AND FORWARD AT SOME ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE INNOVATORS.

IN THE INFANCY OF THE AUTOMOBILE, IT WAS MORE COMMON TO SEE CARS RUNNING ON STEAM THAN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

ELECTRIC CARS WERE POPULAR AS WELL, AND TOUTED FOR THEIR SILENT OPERATION.

BUT AS INTER-CITY ROADS WERE DEVELOPED, GASOLINE QUICKLY ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS THE MOST CONVENIENT POWER SOURCE FOR LONG-RANGE TRAVEL.

IT WASN'T UNTIL THE 1970s OIL CRISIS THAT THE UNCERTAINTY OF OUR FUEL SUPPLY REACHED OUR COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS, AND EVEN LATER BEFORE ITS NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS BECAME A GENERAL CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

EARLY ALTERNATIVE FUEL EFFORTS FOCUSED ON CONVERTING BIG SEDANS, PICKUPS, AND VANS TO RUN ON COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS OR PROPANE, A SOLUTION THAT STILL WORKS TODAY.

COMMERCIAL FLEETS, TRANSIT BUSES, AND MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE EMBRACING NATURAL GAS PROPANE, AND ELECTRIC FOR THEIR COST BENEFITS, LOWER MAINTENANCE, AND CLEAN OPERATION.

AT&T HAS ADDED MORE THAN 8000 CNG SERVICE VEHICLES NATIONWIDE, AND THEIR TOTAL GREEN FLEET NOW NUMBERS OVER 11,000 VEHICLES.

COMPANIES LIKE COCA-COLA, FEDEX, UPS, AND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS CONTINUE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE IN EXPANDING THEIR CLEAN FLEET PROFILES AS WELL.

THE HONDA CIVIC CNG SHOWED THAT NATURAL GAS COULD WORK IN A COMPACT CHASSIS AND THE ADVENT OF SAFE, CONVENIENT HOME REFUELING SYSTEMS TOOK THE FEAR OUT OF HANDLING THESE FUELS.

LIKEWISE, THE ACCEPTANCE OF USER-OPERATED HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC CHARGING SYSTEMS TOOK TIME AND STEEP LEARNING TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT NOW, FOR MANY, CHARGING THEIR EV IS AS ORDINARY AS STOPPING BY A GAS STATION USED TO BE.

GMs GROUND BREAKING 1996 EV1 DESPITE USING OLD-SCHOOL LEAD-ACID BATTERIES AT FIRST, WAS REALLY THE FIRST MODERN PRODUCTION CAR TO SHOWCASE THE VIABILITY OF GASOLINE-FREE DRIVING.

NICKEL METAL HYDRIDE, LITHIUM-ION, AND OTHER ADVANCED BATTERY TYPES PAVED THE WAY FOR MODERN EVs AND THE HYBRID GASOLINE-ELECTRIC VEHICLE, COMBINING BOTH GAS, AND BATTERY POWER.

TOYOTA WAS FIRST TO MARKET WITH THE PRIUS HYBRID IN 1997, FOLLOWED BY THE HONDA INSIGHT IN 1999.

THERE'S NO DENYING THE FUEL ECONOMY ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRIC POWER, BUT EVs AND HYBRIDS WERE SLOW TO GAIN RESPECT BY A DRIVING PUBLIC AFRAID THEY'D HAVE TO GIVE UP COMFORT OR UTILITY TO DRIVE GREEN.

NO LONGER LIMITED TO SUBCOMPACT COMMUTER CARS, HYBRID DRIVETRAINS ARE NOW OFFERED IN NEARLY EVERY BODY STYLE AND BY NEARLY EVERY CARMAKER.

TESLA, AND EVEN THE SHORT-LIVED FRISKER KARMA, HAVE SHOWN THAT ELECTRIC DRIVE CARS CAN NOT ONLY BE VIABLE, BUT ASPIRATIONAL, WITH LUXURY AND PERFORMANCE TO RIVAL ANY CONVENTIONAL CARMAKER.

AND NOW, THE MOST DESIRABLE SUPERCARS ON THE ROAD, FROM THE LIKES OF FERRARI, PORSCHE, AND MCLAREN, USE HYBRID-ELECTRIC POWERTRAINS TO JUICE UP THEIR JAW DROPPING LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE.

GRASSROOTS EFFORTS TO EDUCATE AMERICA ABOUT CLEAN FUEL CHOICES HAVE INTRIGUED US AS WELL.

WHETHER, IT'S A CNG-POWERED BATMOBILE OR THE BIO-DIESEL BURNING PLANTER'S PEANUT MOBILE.

CALL THEM PUBLICITY STUNTS IF YOU MUST, BUT THEY HAVE MADE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF ALT FUELS.

AND THE TERRIFIC WORK DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S CLEAN CITIES COALITIONS, BANDING TOGETHER LOCAL CLEAN ENERGY EFFORTS INTO A NATIONAL POWERHOUSE, HAS DISPLACED MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF PETROLEUM, AND REDUCED MEGATONS OF HARMFUL EMISSIONS BY ENABLING INDIVIDUALS, AND FLEETS TO ADOPT CLEAN, AND RENEWABLE ALTERNATIVES TO PETROLEUM.

TODAY'S FUEL MIX IS MORE DIVERSE THAN EVER AND WE CONTINUE TO PUSH THE CLEAN ENERGY BOUNDARIES WITH FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS, BATTERY TECHNOLOGY, AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES LIKE ETHANOL AND BIOMASS.

WHILE, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES MAY BE GRABBING ALL OF THE HEADLINES THESE DAYS, WE'RE BETTING THAT ALTERNATIVE FUELS, AND ADVANCED POWER TECHNOLOGIES WILL BE FUELING THE CARS OF THE FUTURE, AND THE KEY TO ENJOYING THE FREEDOM OF DRIVING THE OPEN ROAD, FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

DOWN AT GOSS' GARAGE, PAT IS LACING UP AND GETTING READY TO BRING US SOME GREAT ADVICE ON TIRES.

Pat Goss: MOST DRIVERS THINK OF TIRES AS BEING NOTHING MORE THAN ROUND BLACK RUBBER BLOBS, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO THEM THAN THAT, AND TO GIVE US A PRIMER ON IT, WE HAVE OUR TIRE EXPERT MATT EDMONDS.

MATT WELCOME BACK TO GOSS' GARAGE.

Matt Edmonds: PLEASURE TO BE HERE PAT.

Pat: ALRIGHT, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SIZES OR DIFFERENT TYPES OF TIRES YOU HAVE SET UP HERE.

Matt: WELL, I'LL TELL YOU PAT.

WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE TODAY IS FROM MICHELIN.

WE'VE GOT FOUR DIFFERENT TIRES AND THESE ARE ALL REALLY PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES.

AND WE'RE EQUATING THEM TO SHOES REALLY, AN EASY WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GRASP THE CONCEPT OF GETTING THE RIGHT TIRE FOR THEIR VEHICLE DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS AND WHAT THEY NEED TO HAVE.

WHAT WE HAVE HERE, THE SECOND TIRE IN IS ACTUALLY, AN ALL SEASON TIRE, GOOD IN EVERYTHING NOT GREAT IN ANYTHING.

KIND OF THAT PAIRS OF SHOES YOU WOULD WEAR NO MATTER WHAT THE CONDITIONS WERE.

AND ON EITHER SIDE OF IT, WE REALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND AND GO FOR SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY SPECIFIC TO THE CONDITIONS.

HERE, WE HAVE THE MICHELIN X-ICE 3; A DEDICATED WINTER TIRE, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE THE MICHELIN PILOT SPORT.

WHICH REALLY THAT PILOT SPORT IS A TIRE THAT'S INTENDED FOR SUMMER, EARLY OR LATE SPRING, FALL, THAT 3-SEASON TIRE.

SO, WET AND DRY.

AND DOWN ON THE FAR END, THE REAL RACY ONE SIGNIFIED BY THE RACING SHOES THE MICHELIN PILOT SPORT CUP 2.

Pat: MOSTLY FOR THE TRACK.

Matt: MOSTLY FOR THE TRACK, BUT A TIRE THAT WILL WORK ON THE STREET IN THOSE WARM CONDITIONS.

Pat: OKAY.

NOW, YOU'RE USING THE TERM WINTER TIRE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF THEM AS SNOW TIRES WHICH THEY REALLY AREN'T ANYMORE.

Matt: WELL THEY'VE REALLY EVOLVED.

I MEAN, STARTING IN THE MID '90s; A WINTER TIRE IS NOW, A TIRE THAT NOT ONLY DIGS DOWN THROUGH THE SNOW HAS THAT CAPABILITY TO GET DOWN TO THE PAVEMENT, BUT ALSO, HAS COMPOUNDING NOW THAT REALLY STAYS SOFT AND PLIABLE IN THOSE COLD CONDITIONS.

WHEREAS, A DEDICATED SUMMER TIRE WILL GET VERY HARD AND PLASTIC LIKE.

THIS ALLOWS THE TIRE TO REALLY WORK WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS COLD AND DRY.

Pat: OKAY, SO THEN THE SUMMER TIRE, I GUESS THE IDEAL SITUATION HERE WOULD BE TO HAVE A DEDICATED SET OF WINTER TIRES AND A DEDICATED SET OF SUMMER TIRES.

Matt: WELL, JUST LIKE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE PAIRS OF SHOES TO GIVE YOURSELF THE ULTIMATE IN CONTROL, AND THUS SAFETY PERSONALLY, IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THE TIRES, SO YOU HAVE THE WINTER TIRES THAT YOU RUN TYPICALLY FROM NOVEMBER TO APRIL, REALLY WHEN THE WINTER CONDITIONS ARE OUT THERE.

AND THEN, THE SUMMER TIRES ARE YOUR 3-SEASONS TIRES, THE REST OF THE YEAR.

Pat: MATT, THANK YOU.

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

John: FINDING THE RIGHT RIDE IS A VERY PERSONAL THING AND THIS WEEK'S QUICKSPIN MIGHT JUST HELP YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE 2017 CHEVROLET BOLT WAS NAMED "GREEN CAR OF THE YEAR" AT THE RECENT LA AUTO SHOW.

SINCE, CHEVY FIRST SHOWED THE PRODUCTION BOLT EV AT LAST JANUARY'S CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, IT'S CREATED A LOT OF BUZZ, MOSTLY FOR ITS EPA-CERTIFIED 238 MILE RANGE, AND WITH FEDERAL AND STATE INCENTIVES, UNDER 30 GRAND STARTING PRICE.

BUT, NOW THAT WE'VE HAD ADDITIONAL TIME WITH THE BOLT, WE'RE HERE TO SAY THAT DRIVING IT IS NOT JUST PRACTICAL, BUT ALSO FUN... Greg Carloss: SO, HOW DOES IT LIVE UP TO THAT?

WELL, MASHING ON THE THROTTLE IS DEFINITELY FUN.

YOU GET THAT INSTANT TORQUE.

IT THROWS YOU INTO THE BACK OF YOUR SEAT, SO A LOT OF FUN THERE.

AS FAR AS THE HANDLING GOES, THE LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY DEFINITELY HELPS.

NOW, YOU HAVE SOME SKINNY TIRES UP FRONT AND IN THE BACK, SO YOU CAN'T PUSH IT TOO HARD BEFORE YOU START TO HEAR THOSE TIRES TALK BACK TO YOU, BUT SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH IT IS FAIRLY AGILE.

John: PLUGGED INTO 240 VOLTS, A FULL CHARGE TAKES 9.5 HOURS.

BUT, TWO HOURS YIELDS A 50 MILE RANGE, AND 30 MINUTES AT A DC FAST CHARGING STATION IS GOOD FOR 90 MILES.

INSIDE THE ROOMY 5-PASSENGER CABIN, THIS EV BOASTS PLENTY OF CONNECTIVITY AND CONVENIENCE, LIKE A 10.2 INCH MYLINK TOUCH SCREEN IN THE CENTER STACK... AN 8-INCH DIGITAL GAUGE CLUSTER, AND A REAR CAMERA MIRROR.

AS FOR LOOKS, ITS 5-DOOR SHAPE RESEMBLES A SMALL CROSSOVER.

INDEED, A FULL-WIDTH LIFT GATE MAKES IT EASY TO LOAD UP WITH CARGO.

THE 2017 CHEVROLET BOLT GOES ON SALE IN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON AT YEAR'S END, FOLLOWED BY A NATIONWIDE ROLLOUT IN 2017.

WE'RE ALWAYS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT "SMART" IS UP TO, AND THAT HAS PUT US IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF THIS 2017 SMART FORTWO ELECTRIC DRIVE.

NOW, BUILT ON THE 3RD GENERATION SMART CHASSIS.

DESIGNED FOR SUPER CONGESTED URBAN DRIVING, THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE BENEFITS OF AN ALL-ELECTRIC DRIVETRAIN.

ACCELERATION IS AKIN TO FLIPPING ON A LIGHT SWITCH, WITH ALL OF ITS 80 HORSEPOWER PUSHING THE SMART FORTWO ALONG QUICKLY.

WHILE, NINE FEWER HP'S THAN THE GAS SMART, THERE IS 18 POUND-FEET MORE TORQUE.

AND LIKE MOST EVs, THERE'S NO CHANGING GEARS, A PROCESS WE'VE CRITICIZED IN THE GAS VERSIONS OF THE SMART BUILT IN THE PAST.

Lauren Morrison: SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT AGILITY.

MY FAVORITE PART OF THE DAY HAS JUST BEEN DOING U-TURNS.

AND THIS THING TURNS SO TIGHTLY WITH ITS 22.8 FEET TURNING CIRCLE.

John: THE 17.6 KWH LITHIUM-ION BATTERY TAKES ABOUT 3-HOURS TO FULLY CHARGE ON 240 VOLTS.

SMART SAYS A FORTWO ELECTRIC DRIVE CAN GO ABOUT 70-80 MILES ON A FILL-UP, A CLAIM WE FOUND MOST REALISTIC.

LOOK FOR THE SMART FORTWO ELECTRIC DRIVE COUPE AT DEALERS IN THE SPRING WITH A STARTING PRICE AROUND $25,000, ALONG WITH VERY GENEROUS LEASES.

THE CABRIO WILL FOLLOW BY SUMMER.

KEEP WATCHING FOR MORE QUICKSPIN'S SOON!

THE MAZDA CX-9 HAD QUITE A RUN, 10 YEARS FROM ITS EARLY FORD ORIGINS UP TO THE 2015 MODEL YEAR.

AND THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE WEREN'T SURE IF IT WOULD HAVE A SUCCESSOR OR NOT, AS 3-ROW UTILITIES ARE NOT REALLY MAZDA'S THING.

BUT, THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO BE COMPETITIVE THESE DAYS, SO FOR 2016 AN ALL-NEW CX-9 HAS ARRIVED.

LET'S SEE IF THE MAZDA TOUCH MAKES IT STANDOUT IN A SEGMENT FULL OF ABLE RIVALS.

* YES, MANY IMPRESSIVE 3-ROW CROSSOVER UTILITIES HAVE EMERGED OVER THE DECADE SINCE THE MAZDA CX-9 FIRST CAME ON LINE, AND MANY OF THEM HAVE EVEN ZOOM-ZOOMED AS MUCH AS, IF NOT MORE THAN, IT HAS OVER THE YEARS.

SO, THE REDESIGNED 2016 MAZDA CX-9 HAS A LOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO.

AND MAZDA ENGINEERS STARTED WITH THE BASICS, WORKING THEIR MAGIC WITH AN ALL-NEW PLATFORM; MAKING THE CX-9 SMALLER OUTSIDE, YET, CREATING A ROOMIER FEEL INSIDE.

[ENGINE STARTS] EVEN MORE SLEIGHT OF HAND WAS PERFORMED UNDER THE HOOD, WHERE A 3.7 LITER V6 WAS SWAPPED FOR A 2.5 LITER SKYACTIV-G TURBO-4; THE FIRST TURBO ENGINE TO GAIN THE SKYACTIV MONIKER.

HORSEPOWER IS DOWN 23 TO 250, BUT TORQUE IS UP 40 POUND-FEET TO 310.

SO, THANKS TO THAT EXTRA TORQUE, IT DOESN'T FEEL ANY LESS POWERFUL THAN BEFORE.

IN FACT, TORQUE COMES ON WITH AN ALMOST DIESEL-LIKE RUSH.

DROPPING OVER 250 POUNDS OF WEIGHT HELPS TOO.

IN FACT, AT THE TRACK, THE CX-9 LAID DOWN ITS BIG TORQUE WITH AN EXPLOSIVE LAUNCH.

HOWEVER, THE FUN STOPS ALMOST AS QUICKLY.

STILL, 7.4 SECONDS TO HIT 60 IS PRETTY QUICK FOR A BIG UTE.

THE TRANSMISSION IS A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC.

WE EXPERIENCED SOME LAG WITH IT, AND WITH EACH NEW GEAR, RPM SEEMED TO DROP FURTHER, TAKING LONGER EACH TIME TO BUILD SOME STEAM.

THE QUARTER MILE WAS COMPLETED IN A MORE LEISURELY 15.8 SECONDS AT 87 MILES PER HOUR.

AS FOR BOLSTERING THE "ZOOM-ZOOM" MANTRA; WE FOUND A HUGE AMOUNT OF GRIP THROUGH THE CONES, EVEN WHEN BEING VERY AGGRESSIVE WITH BOTH THROTTLE, AND STEERING INPUTS.

THERE WAS ALSO PLENTY OF SOFT ROLL; THIS IS A FAMILY VEHICLE AFTER ALL, ALONG WITH NUMB STEERING.

THE CX-9 IS FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE UNDER NORMAL OPERATION.

FOR OPTIONAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE DUTY, IT USES THE CX-5s I-ACTIV ARRANGEMENT, WHICH SENDS AS MUCH AS 50% OF VEHICLE POWER TO THE REAR WHEN NEEDED.

A GOOD 129 FOOT AVERAGE STOPPING DISTANCE FROM 60 WAS DELIVERED WITH CONFIDENT, ALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE.

AWAY FROM THE TRACK, IN NORMAL COMMUTING; THE CX-9 HANDLES EFFORTLESSLY, AND FEELS LIKE A VEHICLE HALF ITS SIZE.

MAZDA EXPLORED EVERY AVENUE POSSIBLE TO QUIET THINGS DOWN INSIDE, AND THEIR WORK SUCCEEDED.

RIDE QUALITY IS SMOOTHED OUT AS WELL, YET IT'S FAR FROM FLOATY.

BUT STYLE AND SUBSTANCE ARE MORE CRITICAL TO CROSSOVER SUCCESS.

AS FOR THE FIRST, THE CX-9 IS A LOOKER, APPEARING VERY SLEEK AND SPORTY; WAY BEYOND THE PREVIOUS GEN'S CLUNKY APPEARANCE.

LIKEWISE, THE INTERIOR IS FASHIONABLE, BUT STILL ON THE FAMILY SIDE OF THINGS, AND WITH SIGNATURE TRIM ITS QUITE LUXURIOUS.

SEVEN-PASSENGER SEATING IS STANDARD, AND PRIORITY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO 2ND ROW PASSENGERS WHO GET MORE SPACE, AS WELL AS SLIDING, AND RECLINING SEATS.

ACCESS TO THE 3RD ROW IS BETTER, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE LESS ROOM THERE ONCE YOU GET SETTLED IN.

AND THERE IS ALSO, LESS CARGO SPACE; 14.4 CUBIC-FEET BEHIND THE 3RD ROW, 38.2 BEHIND THE 2ND ROW, AND 71.2 WITH ALL SEATBACKS FOLDED.

AVAILABLE TECH FEATURES INCLUDE, A HEAD UP ACTIVE DRIVING DISPLAY, AN 8-INCH MAZDA CONNECT INFOTAINMENT SCREEN FOR BACK-UP CAMERA AND NAVIGATION, AND LED ACCENT LIGHTING.

AVAILABLE SAFETY SYSTEMS RUN THE GAMUT, FROM BLIND SPOT MONITORING AND LANE DEPARTURE WARNING, TO FORWARD COLLISION WARNING AND FULL-ON SMART BRAKE SUPPORT AUTOMATIC BRAKING.

TOWING CAPACITY REMAINS AT 3,500 POUNDS, AND TRAILER STABILITY ASSIST COMES STANDARD.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE AS GOOD AS YOU'D EXPECT; 21-CITY, 27-HIGHWAY, AND 23-COMBINED WITH ALL-WHEEL DRIVE.

THOUGH WE AVERAGED JUST 22.0 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR.

THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE IS AVERAGE FOR ALL VEHICLES; 14.3 BARRELS OF YEARLY OIL USE, WITH C02 EMISSIONS OF 6.3 TONS.

COMPETITIVE PRICING IS A GIVEN IN THIS ULTRA-HOT SEGMENT.

THAT MEANS A BASE OF $32,420.

EXPECT CLOSER TO $45,000 FOR SIGNATURE TRIM WITH ALL-WHEEL DRIVE.

THE MAZDA TOUCH IS VERY APPARENT IN THIS VASTLY IMPROVED 2016 CX-9.

ITS UNIQUE LOOK AND WELL ABOVE AVERAGE DRIVING FEEL ARE SIGNATURE MAZDA ZOOM-ZOOM.

BUT IT ALSO, COMPARES QUITE WELL TO ITS MANY RIVALS IN CROSSOVER BASICS WITH USEFUL SPACE, PLENTY OF FEATURES, AND REASONABLE FUEL ECONOMY.

YES, THE 3-ROW CROSSOVER SEGMENT IS VERY CROWDED, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE CX-9 IS PRIMED TO ZOOM-ZOOM, ITS WAY TOWARDS THE FRONT.

WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.

NOW, FOR MORE MOTORWEEK WHY NOT CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST, DAILY NEWS UPDATES, AND EVEN COMPLETE EPISODES AT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME, FOR A TASTY ITALIAN SPORT SEDAN ON AMERICAN STREETS.

AND A CALLAWAY CORVETTE FOR CARVING UP THE TRACK.

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... TIRERACK WANTS YOU TO BE SMART WITH YOUR CAR.

THEY CAN HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIRES FOR YOUR VEHICLE FOR EVERY SEASON.

TIRERACK.COM.

* Announcer: THIS PROGRAM IS PRODUCED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

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