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

JOIN US AND SEE JUST HOW HONDA PLANS TO BE EVERYONE'S CAR COMPANY... PAT GOSS CUTS THROUGH THE HUB-BUB AND CURES A FEW CAR CARE HEADACHES... ZACH MASKELL FINDS SUPER-SIZED HEARTS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF SUPER-DOOPER CARS... AND FIND OUT WHICH MID-SIZE FAMILY UTILITY STANDS OUT FROM THE PACK...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

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

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John: ONCE UPON A TIME CHOOSING A HONDA WAS SIMPLE.

THEY OFFERED A SMALL CAR, THE CIVIC, AND A NOT SO SMALL CAR, THE ACCORD.

BOY HAS THAT CHANGED.

FROM MINIVANS, TO CROSSOVERS, TO PICKUP TRUCKS, THERE IS NOW A HONDA BODY STYLE FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYONE.

PLUS, THEY SELL POWERTRAINS THAT RUN ON GASOLINE, ELECTRIC, AND EVEN HYDROGEN.

WELL NOW, HONDA IS ADDING TWO MORE CHOICES THAT MAKE THEIR FULL-LINEUP EVEN FULLER.

* THE STOCK HONDA ACCORD IS ALREADY QUITE FUEL EFFICIENT FOR ITS SIZE, AND THE UPDATED 2017 HONDA ACCORD HYBRID TAKES THAT MANTRA TO A YET HIGHER LEVEL.

HONDA'S NEXT GEN. 2-MOTOR HYBRID SYSTEM WITH A 2.0 LITER I4 ENGINE DEBUTED IN THE ACCORD THREE YEARS AGO, BUT FOR 2017 IT TICKS UP HORSEPOWER BY 2 TO 143, WITH 7-MORE POUND-FEET OF TORQUE TO 129 POUND-FEET.

WITH INCREASED ELECTRIC ASSIST ADDED IN, TOTAL OUTPUT CLIMBS 16 HORSEPOWER TO 212.

THIS IS A FULL HYBRID WITH THREE DRIVE MODES.

IN THE HYBRID SETTING, AT SLOWER SPEEDS, ITS E-CVT TRANSMISSION UTILIZE BATTERY POWER AS MUCH AS PRACTICAL, USING THE ENGINE MORE AS A CHARGING POWER GENERATOR.

ABOVE 60 MILES PER HOUR HOWEVER, THE GAS ENGINE HAS PRIORITY.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 49-CITY, 47-HIGHWAY, AND 48-COMBINED.

THAT'S HIGHER THAN ANY 4-DOOR OF SIMILAR SIZE.

OUR TEST LOOP DELIVERED A VERY REALISTIC 46.6 ON REGULAR GRADE.

PLUS, YOU CAN TRAVEL AROUND 750 MILES BETWEEN FILL-UPS, THANKS TO A 15.8-GALLON GAS TANK.

COMPARED TO RIVAL TOYOTA, THE ACCORD HYBRID HAS MORE POWER THAN EITHER THE CAMRY HYBRID OR PRIUS; WHILE ITS FUEL ECONOMY RATING FALLS IN BETWEEN THE TWO.

LIKEWISE, THE ACCORD'S 13.5 CUBIC-FEET OF CARGO SPACE PUTS IT ABOVE THE CAMRY, YET, SHORT OF THE PRIUS HATCHBACK'S 27.4.

HYBRID CUES ON THE OUTSIDE ARE ALL IN THE DETAILS; THEY INCLUDE BLUE TINTING TO LIGHTS, UNIQUE 17-INCH WHEELS, AND AN ALUMINUM HOOD.

HONDA SENSING ACTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS ARE STANDARD.

THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE IS TRADITIONAL ACCORD, WHICH MEANS BETTER THAN CAMRY, BUT NO SPORT SEDAN.

LIKE ALL ACCORDS IT IS SUPER SOLID, THOUGH IT'S SO QUIET IN EV-MODE, THAT WHEN THE GAS ENGINE KICKS IN AT HIGHER SPEEDS, POWERTRAIN NOISE BECOMES VERY NOTICEABLE AS THE CVT TRIES TO CATCH UP TO ENGINE SPEED.

OTHERWISE, THE SHUFFLE BETWEEN POWER SOURCES IS SILKY SMOOTH, WITH NONE OF THE JERKINESS OF SOME RIVALS.

EVEN THE RE-GEN BRAKING HAS A VERY NATURAL FEEL.

NOW, FOR THOSE WHO ARE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT MAXIMIZING FUEL ECONOMY, AND ARE LOOKING FOR A ROOMIER AND MORE VERSATILE CIVIC COMPACT, HONDA HAS GOT YOU COVERED THERE TOO, WITH THE 2017 HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK.

RIDING ON THE SAME CHASSIS AS THE SEDAN AND COUPE; THE EXTERIOR DESIGN IS OF COURSE UNIQUE, AND OH SO EUROPEAN.

IN FACT, IT IS IMPORTED FROM ENGLAND.

OUR SPORT-TRIMMED TESTER HAD NICELY BOLSTERED CLOTH SEATS FOR THOSE UP FRONT, AND AMPLE HEAD, AND LEG ROOM IN THE REAR.

WE ALSO FOUND A MANUAL SHIFTER FOR THE 6-SPEED TRANSMISSION.

[ENGINE STARTS UP] EITHER IT, OR A CVT COMES ATTACHED TO HONDA'S 1.5 LITER I4 TURBO THAT OUTPUTS 180-HORSEPOWER AND UP TO 177 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

LX, EX, AND EX-L TRIMS COME WITH A 174-HORSEPOWER VERSION.

MAX TORQUE ARRIVES FAIRLY EARLY IN THE REV BAND; WE JUST WISH THERE WAS A LITTLE MORE OF IT; THOUGH IT SOUNDS VERY AGGRESSIVE.

WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE MANUAL TRANS; WITH SHORT AND PRECISE THROWS AND CLUTCH FEEL THAT WOULD MAKE GOLDILOCKS HAPPY.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THAT FUN TO CARRY OVER TO CORNER CARVING, WELL YOU'LL STILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE SI; THINGS ARE ON THE COMFORTABLE HIGHWAY DAILY DRIVER SOFT SIDE HERE.

STEERING LACKS ON-CENTER FEEL, BUT IS FAIRLY QUICK AND RESPONSIVE.

SPORT TRIM COMES WITH AN 18-INCH WHEEL AND TIRE PACKAGE, AND DURING OUR EARLY DRIVE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, BOTH TIRE AND ROAD NOISE BECAME AN ISSUE AFTER EXTENDED TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL.

AS FOR HATCH-ENABLED VERSATILITY, THERE'S UP TO 25.7 CUBIC-FEET OF SPACE BEHIND THE SPLIT-FOLDING REAR SEATS, THAT'S 10.6 MORE THAN THE SEDAN'S 15.1 CUBIC-FEET OF TRUNK SPACE.

IT MAXES OUT AT AN ALMOST SUV LIKE 46.2 CUBIC-FEET WITH THE REAR SEATS FOLDED.

TO WRAP UP THIS DYNAMIC DUO OF NEW HONDAS, THE ACCORD HYBRID STARTS AT $30,440, OR $7,250 OVER A BASE ACCORD, AND YOU CAN GET EX-L, AND TOURING TRIMS AS WELL.

AS FOR THE CIVIC HATCHBACK, IT STARTS AT $20,535; ABOUT A GRAND MORE THAN A BASE SEDAN.

SO, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A MORE FUEL EFFICIENT 5-PASSENGER FAMILY SEDAN, YOU'LL FIND THAT NOT ONLY IS THE 2017 HONDA ACCORD HYBRID NOW FULLY COMPLETIVE WITH THE CAMRY HYBRID AND EVEN THE PRIUS, BUT IT RAISES THE BAR FOR NO-COMPROMISE PRACTICAL HYBRID DRIVING; ONLY THE UPCOMING HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN MIGHT TAKE IT FURTHER.

TAKING CIVIC VERSATILITY FURTHER IS THE 2017 HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK.

SO, GIVING BUYERS MORE, MORE, AND EVEN MORE OPTIONS; SEEMS TO BE WHAT HONDA IS ALL ABOUT.

AND CLEARLY, THAT'S A WINNING STRATEGY.

* FROM AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA, TO PEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AND JUST ABOUT EVERY CITY AND TOWN IN BETWEEN, WHEN IT COMES TO CAR SHOWS, AMERICA IS EASILY, THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON EARTH.

AND FOR THIS ONE, WE GO OVER THE EDGE WITH ZACH MASKELL AS HE DRIVES PASSED THE "ROAD CLOSED" SIGNS, FOR A SUPER CAR, SUPER CAUSE!

Zach Maskell: BEFORE WE SLIDE PAST ROAD BLOCKS, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE IT THERE FIRST.

SO, WE'RE FUELING UP LESS THAN AN HOUR OUTSIDE OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WELL OVER 100 CARS LINE THIS SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD'S STREET, MAKING YOU QUESTION IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF CAR CHASE MOVIE BEING FILMED.

Woman: SO, MY BOYFRIEND SAID, "WE WERE GOING TO BREAKFAST."

SO, WE TURN THE CORNER AND I SEE ALL THESE CARS LINE UP, IT'S LIKE, ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE.

Zach: THE LINEUP IS FOR THE ANNUAL "SUPER CARS ON STATE STREET CAR SHOW," BENEFITING THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY!

BUT, BEFORE HEADING TO THE MAIN EVENT, THESE FOLKS ARE CATCHING UP WITH NEW, AND OLD PALS.

Kevin Wolverton: SO, IT'S PEOPLE FROM ALL WORKS OF LIFE.

IT'S PEOPLE WHO HAVE A SHARED INTEREST IN CARS, AND THEN TO GET TOGETHER, AND HAVE THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF IT.

EVERYBODY LIKES CHECKING OUT THE RIDES, BUT THEN, HAVING SOME FREE FOOD, GETTING TOGETHER TO CHAT WITH PEOPLE AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF IT.

Zach: IN ADDITION, THIS IS THE 4TH YEAR KEVIN HAS SOUGHT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM HIS FRIENDS FOR THE AMERICAN BRAIN TUMOR ASSOCIATION.

LAST YEAR HE BROUGHT IN CLOSE TO $3000, AND MATCHED IT.

AND THE NEIGHBORS?

THEY SEEM JUST FINE WITH THIS BREAKFAST GATHERING.

James Ruthven: IT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO COME OUT.

I LIKE TO SHOW MY BOYS THE OTHER SIDE OF LIFE AND SEE THE FAST CARS, THE NICE CARS IN THE WORLD.

Zach: WHICH CAR DO YOU LIKE BETTER?

DO YOU LIKE THE AMERICAN MUSCLE, OR DO YOU LIKE THE GERMAN SPORTS CAR?

Bud: WELL, THAT ONE LOOKS A BIT COOLER THAN THAT ONE.

Zach: AH HA, SO WE HAVE AND AMERICAN FAN.

THE WINNER IS THE MUSTANG.

GOOD CHOICE, BUD.

WITH A BELLY FULL OF EGGS AND BACON...

IT WAS TIME TO CARAVAN UP THE HIGHWAY, AND BRING THE NOISE TO HARRISBURG.

WITH THE POLICE ON OUR SIDE, 400 VEHICLES PAID TO DISPLAY THEIR CARS, IN FRONT OF THE STATE CAPITOL.

IN 2011, YOUNG EVAN ROSS WANTED TO FIND A UNIQUE WAY TO COMFORT HIS FRIEND SARAH, WHOSE MOTHER DIED OF BREAST CANCER.

NOW, SIX YEARS LATER, PARTICIPANTS COME IN AND PAY A MINIMUM OF $40 THAT'S DONATED TO THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.

THIS GO-AROUND, SUPER CARS ON STATE STREET MANAGED TO RAISE 15,000, FOR A TOTAL OF $40,000 SINCE THE EVENT HAS STARTED.

Rhys Myers: I KNOW PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE EAST COAST, AND I THINK EVERY YEAR IT GROWS AND GROWS.

BECAUSE EVERYBODY RECOGNIZED IT'S SUCH A GREAT CAUSE.

MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY OF CANCER.

SO, IT'S SORT OF NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.

Ed Ross: THE FIRST YEAR WE ONLY HAD STATE STREET SHUT DOWN AND WE HAD ABOUT 60 CARS SHOW UP.

AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE JUST A ONE YEAR, DONE, EVENT.

WE SURPRISED SARAH THAT YEAR.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE DOING THIS FOR HER.

SO, SHE SHOWED UP... WE HAD HER SHOW UP AT THE END OF THE DAY AND WE PRESENTED A CHECK TO HER IN MEMORY OF HER MOM.

Zach: BOTH SARAH AND EVAN, CAN'T THANK EVERYONE ENOUGH.

Evan Ross: IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE BOTH REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO DO.

I KNOW THAT SHE ENJOYS SEEING THE COMMUNITY SIDE OF IT.

AND SO DO I.

AND FOR ME, THE CAR SIDE OF IT IS ALWAYS MY PASSION.

SO, SHE LOVES IT.

Sarah Burkhardt: SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET TO BE HELPED BECAUSE OF WHAT I WENT THROUGH.

BUT THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT MAYBE WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH I WENT THROUGH.

Zach: AND EVERYONE, LOVED THE CARS.

SO, FOR SOME PEOPLE A STOCK LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO SUPERLEGGERA JUST ISN'T QUITE ENOUGH.

SO, THE OWNER SENT THIS TO UNDERGROUND RACING WHERE THEY STRAPPED ON TWO TURBO'S, THAT MADE IT 1800 HORSEPOWER AND IN HALF A MILE, IT DOES 221 MILES PER HOUR, YES, PLEASE.

Sonir Ghosal: IT'S JUST A FANTASTIC MACHINE, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE IT, MOST PEOPLE WOULD NEVER DRIVE IT ON A DAY LIKE THIS, BUT WE TURNED THE BOOST DOWN, WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF FUN AND JUST ENJOYING DRIVING THE CAR.

Zach: SO, CHEERS.

TO ALL WHO TOOK THEIR SUPER CARS OUT IN THE RAIN.

AND ESPECIALLY TO SARAH AND EVAN, FOR SHOWING US ALL HOW TO MAKE MEMORIES, MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.

John: THE DAILY GRIND SURE TAKES A TOLL ON OUR CARS.

BUT NOT TO WORRY, PAT GOSS IS HERE WITH THE INFO WE NEED ON A SENSITIVE TOPIC.

Pat Goss: MOST DRIVERS WOULDN'T KNOW A HUB BEARING FROM A WIND SHIELD WIPER, BUT HUB BEARINGS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF ALL VEHICLES AND THEY'RE A LOT MORE COMPLICATED THAN THEY USED TO BE.

AND WE HAVE TOM TAYLOR OUR INTERNET PARTS GURU TO GIVE US SOME TIPS.

TOM WELCOME BACK TO GOSS' GARAGE.

Tom Taylor: THANKS FOR HAVING ME PAT.

Pat: OKAY, WHAT DO GOT FOR US HERE?

Tom: LIKE YOU SAID, THE DRIVER MAY NOT KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR WHEEL HUB BEARING UNTIL A LIGHT COMES ON IN THEIR DASH THEIR ABS WARNING LIGHT OR THEIR TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT.

THERE'S ELECTRONICS NOW IN THESE HUB BEARINGS, IT'S NOT JUST A MECHANICAL PART.

I'VE GOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY LOOK AND THE ELECTRONIC PART IS THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR THAT THE ABS SYSTEM USES THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM USES.

THIS IS SORT OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN HERE WHERE YOU HAVE A RING THAT'S SPINNING, AND A SENSOR THAT'S MODERATING THE GAPS IN THERE TO MEASURE WHEEL SPEED, AND THEN, WE HAVE A VERSION HERE WHERE THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR IS INCORPORATED INTO THE HUB ANOTHER VERSION OF THAT HERE.

AND THEN, THIS ONE THERE'S A SEPARATE SYSTEM LIKE THIS, AND THE RING IS ACTUALLY INCORPORATED INTO THIS GASKET LIKE MATERIAL, AND THE PROBLEMS ARISE OVER TIME YOU HAVE ROAD DEBRIS, AND BITS OF BRAKE, AND JUNK BUILDS UP ON THIS SLIGHTLY MAGNETIC RING, AND IT SCREWS UP THE SENSOR SIGNAL, AND THAT LIGHT GOES ON IN THE DASH.

OVER TIME YOU GET A MESS LIKE THIS WHERE THE... YOU HAVE ALL THIS GRIT, AND GRIME, AND IF THERE'S TOO MUCH GREASE THAT WILL ATTRACT THE CRUD.

ANOTHER PROBLEM CAN BE IF RUST BUILDS UP BETWEEN THE BRAKE ROTOR AND THE HUB SURFACE.

RUST ACTUALLY TAKES UP MORE SPACE THAN THE ORIGINAL MATERIALS...

WHEN WATER FREEZES, AND TURNS INTO ICE IT EXPANDS THAT CAN ACTUALLY FORCE THE ROTOR OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE HUB AND THE DRIVER WILL START COMPLAINING ABOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSING, AND THINK THE BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPED, ACTUALLY IT'S JUST THAT RUST.

THE GOOD NEWS IS SOMETIMES YOU CAN REPAIR THESE PROBLEMS JUST BY TAKING OFF THE HUB CLEANING OFF THE SURFACE, NOT WITH A GIANT MAGNET THAT'LL WRECK THE SENSOR, BUT WITH COMPRESSED AIR OR SOAP, AND WATER, AND CLEANING OFF THE RUST BUILT UP ON THE HUB, SO IF IT'S MAKING THE ROTOR GO OUT OF WHACK.

Pat: YEAH, THAT WORKS WELL.

WE IN THE SHOP WE COAT THE HUB SURFACE BEHIND THE ROTOR AND THE SURFACE OF THE ROTOR WITH ANTI-SEIZE COMPOUND.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE A LOT OF ARE WHEELS LIKE THIS ONE DOWN HERE, WHERE THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANY KIND OF PROTECTION, NO LUBRICANT BEHIND THE WHEEL AND IT JUST EATS THE ALLOY OF THE WHEEL INTO OBLIVION.

...METALS, ALUMINUM AGAINST STEEL THAT'S INSTANT CORROSION.

Pat: OKAY.

WELL TOM, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

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

John: CAR COMPANIES ARE CONSTANTLY ENTICING US WITH SOMETHING NEW.

SO, TIME NOW FOR A QUICK SPIN IN SOME OF THEIR LATEST TEMPTATIONS.

WHEN HYUNDAI ROLLED OUT THE 6TH GEN ELANTRA COMPACT SEDAN TWO YEARS AGO...

THE DESIGNERS GOT MOST OF THE ATTENTION.

NOW, IT'S THE ENGINEER'S TURN WITH THE 2017 ELANTRA SPORT.

THEY'VE ADDED TURBOCHARGED 1.6-LITER POWER FOR 54 MORE HORSES UNDER THE HOOD, NOW A TOTAL OF 201.

AND THAT'S WITH A TRUE 6-SPEED MANUAL, OR A 7-SPEED PADDLE-SHIFT DCT.

THIS ATHLETIC VERSION ALSO GETS BIGGER TIRES AND FRONT BRAKES.

ENGINEERING UPGRADES WE QUICKLY FELT.

Zach: HYUNDAI BROUGHT IN SOMEONE FROM BMW'S M DIVISION TO WORK ON THIS VEHICLE.

NOW, THE REAR IS MULTI-LINK SUSPENSION AND ALL AROUND THE SPRING RATES ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AS WELL AS THE DAMPENING RATES, SO YOU HAVE A LITTLE MORE OF A STIFFER DRIVE BUT I THINK IT FITS THIS CAR WELL.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OVER THE TOP THAT WOULD REALLY MAKE YOU FEEL TIRED AFTER A LONG DAY OF DRIVING.

John: INSIDE THIS SPORTIER RIDE HAS LEATHER SEATING, A LEATHER FLAT BOTTOM STEERING WHEEL, AND ALLOY PEDALS.

EXTERIOR VISUALS ARE FAIRLY LOW KEY, A TWEAKED FRONT END WITH TURBO BADGED GRILLE, LARGER FAUX AIR INLETS, HORIZONTAL LED RUNNERS, AND MORE FLUID LOOK HEADLIGHTS.

NEW WHEELS TOO, PLUS SPORTIER LED TAILLIGHTS, A REAR BUMPER DIFFUSER AND CHROME DUAL EXHAUST TIPS, WHICH RELEASE A MORE ENGAGING ENGINE NOTE.

THE 2017 HYUNDAI ELANTRA SPORT ARRIVES IN JANUARY FOR AROUND $22,000.

THE COMPACT CHEVROLET CRUZE IS THE BRAND'S BEST-SELLING CAR AROUND THE WORLD.

NOW FOR 2017, AMERICAN DRIVERS FINALLY GET THE 5-DOOR CRUZE HATCHBACK THAT HAS FUELED MUCH OF THAT GLOBAL SUCCESS.

FROM THE FRONT, THE HATCH IS SIMILAR TO THE 4-DOOR SEDAN.

BUT STEP BACK AND YOU QUICKLY SEE A DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT SHAPE.

A SPOILER IS NEATLY INTEGRATED INTO THE LIFT GATE, WHILE THE LICENSE PLATE MOVES DOWN TO THE BUMPER.

ALL VERSIONS OF THE CRUZE HAVE THE SAME 106.3 INCH WHEEL BASE.

BUT ENGINEERS WORKED THEIR MAGIC AND MADE THE CRUZE HATCH 8.4 INCHES SHORTER, YET STILL CREATED A BIGGER CARGO BAY; 22.7 CUBIC FEET BEFORE YOU FOLD DOWN THE SEATS.

Patrick Lucas: THE CRUZE HATCH CERTAINLY ISN'T THE SPORTIEST HATCH BACK OUT THERE.

THAT'S MORE THE TERRITORY OF THE MAZDA 3, THE GOLF, ESPECIALLY THE GTI, AND THE FORD FOCUS.

IT DOES NAIL THE UTILITY ASPECT.

IT BEATS A LOT OF ITS RIVALS IN CARGO CAPACITY.

OTHER THAN THAT IT'S PRETTY QUIET AND SURPRISINGLY COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE.

John: THE CRUZE HATCH GETS THE SAME 153-HORSEPOWER TURBO I-4 AS THE SEDAN, NO DIESEL HERE FOR NOW.

BUT ALSO, NO BASE TRIM LEVEL EITHER.

JUST THE MID-RANGE LT, WITH PREMIUM AND SPORTIER RS PACKAGE IF YOU LIKE.

THE 2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE HATCH IS ON SALE NOW.

THE PRICE STARTS AT JUST OVER $22,000.

AND WE'LL HAVE MORE QUICKSPIN'S, SOON!

John: IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE TREND OF TRUCK AND SUV SALES OUTNUMBERING CAR SALES WILL BE ENDING ANYTIME SOON.

AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST A REACTION TO CHEAP GASOLINE.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT OVERALL VALUE AND USEFULNESS.

AND AN EVER GROWING VARIETY OF FAMILY TRUCKSTERS, MEANS THERE'S A PERFECT PACKAGE FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYONE.

BUT, WHICH ONE IS THE BEST FIT FOR A MODERN FAMILY?

WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT.

* ITS 5-PASSENGER MID-SIZE UTILITIES THAT ARE OUR FOCUS HERE.

AND WE'RE JOINING OUR FRIENDS AT CARS.COM FOR THIS RUN THROUGH OF FIVE OF THE SEGMENT'S TOP SELLERS.

A PRICE CAP OF $45,000 LEFT PLENTY OF ROOM FOR FEATURES, AND WE HAD A MIX OF '16 AND '17 MODELS AS WELL AS TRADITIONAL V6 AND MODERN TURBO-4 POWERTRAINS.

A QUICK DRIVE NORTH OF CHICAGO, GOT US INTO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN AND AWAY FROM URBAN SPRAWL, WHERE WE ASSEMBLED OUR GROUP...

THE DYNAMIC-LOOKING FORD EDGE...

THE VALUE-MINDED HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT...

THE RUGGED AND READY JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE...

THE SLEEK AND SOPHISTICATED KIA SORENTO... AND THE LUXURY LOUNGE ON WHEELS NISSAN MURANO... AS USUAL, WE WERE JOINED BY A LOCAL FAMILY TO HELP US SORT THROUGH THESE RIDES AND OFFER A POTENTIAL BUYER'S PERSPECTIVE.

NEW WRINKLE THIS TIME AROUND, WE'VE ALSO FACTORED IN THE LATEST IIHS CRASH TEST RESULTS AS WELL.

YOU CAN FIND THE FULL SCORING BREAKDOWN AT CARS.COM, BUT HERE'S HOW THEY STACKED UP.

MUCH LIKE THE OLYMPICS, FINISHING IN LAST PLACE HERE DOESN'T MAKE YOU A LOSER.

THAT EXPLAINS 5TH PLACE BEING OCCUPIED BY THE HIGHLY POPULAR JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE.

DESPITE ITS WELL-ESTABLISHED TRUE OFF ROAD CREDENTIALS, A LUXURIOUS INTERIOR, AND A STRONG V6; THE GC ALSO HAD A STIFFER, TRUCK-LIKE RIDE, ONLY ADEQUATE COMFORT AND STORAGE SPACE, AS WELL AS THE HIGHEST PRICE AT $44,760.

Brian Robinson: THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, HAS THE MOST TRUCK-LIKE RIDE QUALITY HERE, BEING A TRUE SUV, WHICH IS GREAT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

BUT, IF YOU WANT MORE OF A MODERN CAR-LIKE RIDE, YOU'D BE BETTER OFF WITH ONE OF THE CROSSOVERS HERE.

Jennifer Newman: THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE REMAINS TRUE TO ITS ROOTS; IT'S GOT THIS V6 ENGINE THAT JUST CHEWS UP THE HIGHWAY AND IT'S REALLY FUN TO DRIVE.

HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR REFINEMENT, YOU SHOULD LOOK ELSEWHERE.

John: DESPITE ITS STYLISH UPDATE FOR '17; THE CROSSOVER HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT FELL TO 4TH HERE DUE TO AN INTERIOR SHORT ON COMFORT AND A SURPRISINGLY HARSH RIDE QUALITY.

ITS 2.0 LITER TURBO-4 MAKES DECENT POWER, BUT IT IS NOISY, AND THE COMBINED FUEL ECONOMY RATING IS NO BETTER THAN THE CHEROKEE'S V6.

HOWEVER, NOT ONLY DID IT MAKE IT UNDER OUR PRICE CAP WITH ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND THE HIGHEST TRIM LEVEL AVAILABLE, BUT IT WAS 2ND LEAST EXPENSIVE IN THE TEST AT $41,355.

Mark Williams: THE HYUNDAI WAS PROBABLY THE MOST BORING LOOKING VEHICLE OF OUR GROUP HERE, I THINK; IT'S GOT THE MOST JELLYBEAN LOOK TO IT, WHICH IS VERY KIND OF MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD VANILLA.

SO, THAT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT IT DOES WELL.

Brian: THE HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT, STILL A GREAT VALUE, AND JUST ABOUT EVERY FEATURE YOU COULD WANT FOR THE MONEY; RIDE QUALITY IS A LITTLE BIT CHOPPY, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE QUITE THE REFINEMENT THAT MOST HAVE HERE.

John: OUR TOP-3 STARTS WITH THE KIA SORENTO.

IT SHARES THE 2.0 LITER TURBO-4 ALL-WHEEL DRIVE POWERTRAIN, AND TOP CRASH SCORE, WITH THE SANTA FE SPORT.

BUT, ITS BIGGER SIZE AND MORE INTERIOR ROOM, ALONG WITH LONGER WHEELBASE FOR SMOOTHING OUT THE RIDE, MOVED IT A NOTCH HIGHER.

NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT IT WAS ALSO CHEAPER, AS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE RIDE IN OUR TEST AT $40,660.

Mark: THE KIA SORENTO, FOR ME, IS THE MOST LIKE A MINIVAN; IT'S GOT A BIG SPACIOUS INTERIOR.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE STEERING AND THE FEEL OF IT, EVEN THE BOOMING OF IT WHEN YOU GO OVER SOME ROUGH ROADS, JUST DID NOT MAKE ME FEEL GOOD INSIDE.

Kelsey Mays: THE KIA SORENTO IS ARGUABLY THE BEST LOOKING VEHICLE IN THIS BUNCH, BOTH INSIDE AND OUT, REALLY APPEALING UNTIL YOU DRIVE IT UNFORTUNATELY; THE RIDE QUALITY IS JUST KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE...

THERE'S JUST A LOT OF SUSPENSION LIFT... A LOT OF BODY MOTION THAT'S GOING ON...

IT JUST REALLY GETS CHUCKED AROUND BY BUMPS AND SOME OF THE OTHERS DON'T.

John: OUR RUNNER UP, THE FORD EDGE, WAS THE ONLY FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVER IN OUR TEST; YET AT $44,175, ITS PRICE CAME IN 2ND HIGHEST.

SO, WHAT DO YOU GET FOR ALL OF THAT MONEY?

WELL, IT APPEARS THE EDGE FOLLOWS THE HONDA STRATEGY OF NOT BEING GREAT AT ANY ONE THING, BUT REALLY GOOD AT EVERYTHING; OFFERING GOOD RIDE QUALITY, SPACE, TECH.

FEATURES, AND COMFORT.

Kelsey: THE FORD EDGE IS A REAL NICE REDESIGN, EXCELLENT RIDE QUALITY, REALLY GOOD STEERING...

...INTERIOR WISE, REALLY NICE MATERIALS, REALLY FIRST RATE MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM... Johnny & Marianne Walker: THE EDGE WAS A VERY COMFORTABLE CAR, UM, WHEN YOU SAT IN IT; AH, THE CONTROLS, EVERYTHING SEEMED TO WORK VERY WELL... AND THEN, DRIVING WISE THE CAR DROVE VERY, VERY WELL, IT FELT REALLY NICE TO DRIVE.

John: THAT LEAVES THE NISSAN MURANO AS OUR WINNER.

IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE ROOMIEST CROSSOVER HERE, BUT FOR A MID-PACK PRICE OF $44,070, YOU DO GET A STRONG 3.5 LITER V6 ENGINE WITH ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE, A SMOOTH AS SILK RIDE, AN INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT THAT'S PURE LUXURY, AND A HIGH IIHS CRASH TEST SCORE.

Jennifer: I LOVE THE NISSAN MURANO'S STYLING, IT REALLY SETS IT APART FROM THE REST OF THE PACK, AND THANKFULLY, ITS V6 ENGINE CAN BACK UP THOSE NOTICE ME LOOKS WITH SOME POWER.

Johnny & Marianne: ...FOR THE MURANO I JUST THOUGHT THAT FOR DRIVING, BECAUSE I DO SO MUCH DRIVING, THAT I FELT IT WOULD BE VERY COMFORTABLE, I JUST SAT IN IT REALLY NICELY... John: IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE IS ANY END IN SIGHT FOR STRONG SPORT AND CROSSOVER UTILITY SALES, AND ALL OF THE VEHICLES HERE ARE TRULY WORTHY OF THE STRONG SALES NUMBERS THEY SEE.

AS THEY SAY, "TO EACH, HIS OWN," BUT AS FOR OUR CHOICE ON WHICH TO OWN, IT WOULD BE THE NISSAN MURANO.

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

NOW, FOR MORE MOTORWEEK; INCLUDING DAILY NEWS UPDATES, PODCASTS, AND EVEN COMPLETE EPISODES, HEAD ON OVER TO PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME, FOR AN INFINITI LUXURY CROSSOVER WITH EVEN STRONGER APPEAL... THEN, IT'S A NEW TREAT FOR OUR DRIVERS WITH LEAD FEET... PAT GOSS TRIES A NEW TOOL THAT MAKES WELDING JOBS EASIER... WE'LL TAKE A NIMBLE RIDE ON TWO WHEELS... PLUS, MOTORNEWS AND A QUICKSPIN FIRST DRIVING IMPRESSION... UNTIL NEXT TIME, 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 WANTS YOU TO BE SMART WITH YOUR CAR.

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

TIRERACK.COM.

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS.

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

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

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