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

It's all eyes on Cadillac's new compact EV SUV, the OPTIQ... Then, we'll shift our focus into the delicate act of wheel balancing... We'll go "Over the Edge" for a massive almost-anything-goes car show... And end with a grade-A sporty four door, the Audi A3... So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: Cadillac has been rapidly expanding their EV profile, and this week we try to keep up with a look at the OPTIQ.

It may be their newest entry-level model, but with standard all-wheel-drive and 300 miles of range, this is much more than just your starter caddy.

♪ ♪ Since, the LYRIQ debuted two years ago, Cadillac's expansion of their EV lineup has been heading in a bigger and costlier direction.

But, with the 2025 OPTIQ, Cadillac is delivering a more affordable choice.

It has many of the same styling elements as the LYRIQ: Black Crystal Grille, rear quarter panel window trim, and lots of programmable LED lighting tricks; but the OPTIQ is shorter and narrower, and specs fall more in line with the Chevrolet Equinox EV, though it looks far classier.

OPTIQ certainly doesn't feel at all like the Equinox behind the wheel either.

While, the ride can be a little bouncy at times, overall, it's much smoother.

And when driving gets aggressive, it lets you know that pampering comes before performance.

Technically, living in the "compact" space, EV packaging gives it more of a midsize look and heft.

An available Onyx Package adds 21 inch dark alloy wheels, an upgrade over the standard 20s, along with added chrome trim.

As the smallest member of the IQ family, you expect a tighter interior.

Still, front and rear seats are plenty roomy for adults and very comfortable; it's every bit as techy as its larger siblings, and materials are on point too.

Buyers can choose between Sport or Luxury themes with two levels of equipment for both.

All come with a great-looking 33 inch widescreen multimedia display with Google built-in.

Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance, fixed-glass roof, and a fantastic-sounding 19-speaker AKG audio system are also standard for both level 1s.

Our Luxury 2 had upgraded quilted Inteluxe simulated leather front seats that have ventilation and massaging functions, and a Head-Up Display.

We really love most everything about the look and physical interactions in the cabin, though the steering wheel controls do come with a learning curve.

Making the luxury experience more attainable is a Cadillac heritage.

Back in our very first season of MotorWeek , it was the Cadillac Seville leading that charge.

This bustle-backed sedan was smooth, whisper quiet, and boasted the latest in "electronic dashboards and gadgets."

The only thing electronic under that big hood, however, was the fuel injection.

It's a much different scene under the OPTIQ's hood, of course, though GM does still allow you to see plenty of the power-producing hardware.

All OPTIQs come with dual-motor all-wheel-drive with combined output of 300 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque.

In normal driving, the OPTIQ operates primarily as a front motor, front-wheel-drive vehicle, the rear kicking in only when needed for slippery roads or max acceleration.

We weren't able to hit the test track with our OPTIQ for a computer run, but it feels plenty quick and we estimate 0-60 to be just under 6.0 seconds.

GM has the fast-charging thing down, and while the 150 kilowatt max charging speed here is not as speedy as some of their costlier rides, it's enough to replenish the 85 kilowatt hour battery at a rate of about 80 miles per 10 minutes on charge.

Our OPTIQ Luxury 2 was rated for 302 miles of range with a full battery.

We were on pace for slightly less at 284 miles in our driving loop.

Using 33 kilowatt hour battery of electricity per 100 miles, the OPTIQ earns a good efficiency rating.

With 26.0 cubic-feet of cargo space in back and 57.0 with the rear seatbacks folded, hauling capacity is good for a compact Ute, even with a stylish slope to the rear hatch.

Pricing starts with Luxury 1 at $54,390, with top Sport 2 coming in not much more at $57,090, which is actually less than a top Sport-trimmed XT5.

The 2025 Cadillac OPTIQ is the brand's most affordable EV yet and adds to what it quickly becoming the most extensive EV SUV lineup in the business.

The OPTIQ may be their entry level electric, but it has a fully flushed-out big luxury feel.

We think it will appeal not only to current Cadillac fans looking to give an EV a go, but also to anyone that's looking to flip the electric switch.

♪ ♪ LISA BARROW: A lot of history has been written and rewritten in the '90s, and Cadillac plans to write a little history of its own when it introduces the first truck in its 96-year history.

Coined the Escalade, the slightly redressed GMC Denali will give Cadillac a foothold in the booming luxury sport utility segment.

Outside, the Escalade's monochromatic theme is fronted with the Cadillac reef and crest centered in the large oval chrome-trim grille.

Inside, the Escalade offers all the comforts one expects from a Cadillac.

In fact, no options are available.

Serrano wood accents are sprinkled throughout the cabin, and the tilt steering wheel and shift knob are leather wrapped.

♪ ♪ JOHN: Pebble Beach, Woodward, Goodwood.

Now, if you're a car enthusiast, you probably associate these landmarks with bucket-list automotive events.

Well, here's one you might not have heard of: Frankenmuth.

If it doesn't ring a bell, it should.

Not to worry, our "Over the Edge" guy Greg Carloss just made a trip there for you, for a taste of one big Michigan car show.

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: Here's a fun fact about me: I love cars almost as much as I love pretzels.

Luckily, Frankenmuth Auto Fest has plenty of both.

I've already got the pretzels, let's go check out some cars.

Admittedly, when I heard about the Frankenmuth Auto Fest, I had to Google Frankenmuth.

To save you some time, Frankenmuth is a town less than two hours north of Detroit formed by Bavarian immigrants in 1845...hence the pretzels.

Now, it's a tourist town, and every September it hosts a three-day Auto Fest.

TONY D'ANNA: Frankenmuth Auto Fest is a large group of people we get together.

Everybody's a volunteer, uh, and we're all for charity and have been for 42 years.

Frankenmuth's got the pizzazz, you know, it's a great city to be in.

We get 2,400-2,600 cars here, and then in town you'll find another 500, you know, roaming around.

GREG: The Auto Fest officially starts on Friday with a block party, and I mean party.

Main Street shuts down as hundreds of cars sit bumper to bumper on every side street, anxiously waiting to park on display.

But before they're released, there's a parade that's both visually and sonically captivating.

Before our ears stop ringing, the street is packed and standing still is not an option, so we just start walking until we see something truly worth stopping for.

TIM JANSEN: So, I got a 1931 Plymouth.

Um...it's a rat rod.

I custom built pretty much the whole thing; some personal things on there like my...my grandpa's old wrenches and-- so there's a little family history to it.

Just to enjoy it at a show like this is just really, really amazing.

So, we get here 6:30, 7 o'clock in the morning, sit all day and, uh...just, just in hope of a chance to get a spot on the road.

There's a lot of big money cars that come to the show.

It's kind of the end of the season, so you get to see a lot of cars that maybe you would see at Woodward or down in Florida, like cars that you wouldn't see at a lot of local shows.

BOB NORTON: This is a great collection of just gorgeous cars, and they come a long ways to get here.

I came two and a half hours to get here, and it's worth the trip.

There's one of everything here.

So, if you stay long enough you're going to see any car you want.

GREG: Friday's block party comes to a close with a brand-new drone show that even our high-end cameras can't do justice.

Saturday morning, on the other side of the river, more than 2,000 cars enter the park via land and water.

TONY: Look at the facility here, this is a great park.

We're right along the Cass River.

We're going to have a water ski show today; so, we use everything in the area.

I love it.

I just love all the attitude of everybody.

I like all of us getting together here and doing this stuff.

What we've done for the hospitals in the area, for children, that's our big deal.

GREG: A big deal, indeed.

Frankenmuth Auto Fest has raised almost $2 million for charity in the last 12 years, and with about 100,000 people in attendance this year, that figure will grow.

As you'd expect with a show this close to Detroit, the vast majority of cars are American classics; however, there are a few imports if you look hard enough.

Despite all the chrome and the massive blowers, it's this open-wheel Buick that catches my eye.

And it's getting a little custom work done by one of the show's many vendors.

ALEX RAMSIER: I brought my 1925 Buick Speedster.

Did some mechanical work to the car, nothing cosmetic?

And just trying to make it, personalize it a little bit more.

GREG: Whether, it's Alex's Buick or any of the thousands of other cars here this weekend, no two are exactly alike.

But there is something that all the owners share.

ALEX: Cars are my life.

It's eat, sleep, drink cars.

You just smell the gas, the oil, exhaust.

It's just...fun.

It makes you smile.

BOB: When I sit behind that steering wheel and look over that turquoise hood, life is really, really good.

GREG: Frankenmuth Auto Fest is one of the biggest, coolest and maybe the friendliest car shows I've ever been to.

So, if you're ever in the area, check it out.

Because es ist gut!

(noise of car engine) JOHN: Proper wheel and tire balancing is, well, quite the balancing act.

It takes the right tools and the right knowhow to get it done just right, both of which Audra Fordin knows plenty about on this week's "Your Drive!"

(car engine starting up) AUDRA FORDIN: We're here today with Steve from Hunter Engineering Company, talking about Road Force balancing and why you want to have your wheels and tires balanced with a Road Force Balancer.

Welcome, Steve.

Please, tell us: what the heck is a road force balancer?

STEPHEN DAWSON: Well, that's a great question, Audra.

So, the Road Force Balancer is actually going to simulate the road right in the shop.

So, we're going to put 1,250 pounds of pressure against that tire assembly, we're going to measure the strength of the sidewall and how smooth it is, as well as what radial pressure we get from the tire tread pushing the car left or right.

So, when we're done with a car with wheels that are on this machine they're going to be as balanced as they possibly could, make sure that it's as round as possible and that it's going to go with straight down the road as it...as it should.

AUDRA: Wow.

So, this machine is kind of like a diagnostician when it comes to wheels and tires.

STEPHEN: Yeah, we like to call it a diagnostic balancer that has the ability to diagnose noise vibration and harshness issues that are related to the wheels and tires.

It even measures the rims to see if there are any bent rims in it...in the process that could affect the way that the balance is.

AUDRA: Wow, it's one of those, it's one of those-- it's like a smartphone, smart device, but here it comes specifically for the wheel.

So, who exactly is this customer?

Who's-who's the best customer that needs the Road Force Balancer?

STEPHEN: So, the nice thing, most manufacturers here in the U.S.

require, if not require, recommend-- their dealerships to have these because they know that it's a pretty great tool for being able to solve their noise vibration harshness issues.

But in today's vehicles, with EVs where we've eliminated that internal-combustion engine and the vibration from that, and gone to an electric motor that's nice and smooth, these vibrations are even more of a critical factor.

So, having it with your EVs, critically important to have a Road Force Balance.

But even if you're running performance cars on the racetrack, well, you want to make sure you have the roundest assembly, so as you're hitting high speeds it's able to...to give you the smoothest ride and the best performance and handling.

AUDRA: Right, and it's great for the technician.

It makes the job easier to balance than the old traditional machines, use less weights.

STEPHEN: Absolutely.

So, this uses technology that takes into effect all of the different factors of vibration, and reduces it down, tries to give it a single weight solution, so it's putting less weight on the wheel, easier for the technician, and a better balance for the end customer as well.

AUDRA: Steve, thank you so much for coming today and sharing with us about the Road Force Balancer.

STEPHAN: Thanks.

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

JOHN: Sometimes, you just need to go for a long drive, and that time is now.

So, here's this week's QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: We recently concluded that the Chevrolet Silverado EV delivers a broad stroke for electric pickup buyers, with models from basic Work Truck to decked-out RST.

But for those looking for a dash of something extra, GMC has always been just that, as is the case with this 2026 Sierra EV.

Even this value-oriented Elevation trim is well equipped, including heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

An 11 inch driver info display is paired with a large 16.8 inch touch screen for ease of use, with the drive even easier thanks to optional Super Cruise.

We've praised Super Cruise ad-nauseum.

It even knows how to best utilize this two-motor e-four-wheel-drive setup's 645 horsepower and 765 pound-feet of torque; but this Sierra boasts an even more impressive figure.

In this Extended Range trim, we have a 170 kilowatt hour battery pack, which is pretty big.

Not the biggest you can get in a Sierra, which is 205; but this is EPA estimated at a range of up to 410 miles.

Now, on my test loop, which included a lot of highway driving, I saw potentially up to 402 miles of range, which is pretty spot on.

And so, it is nice in a vehicle like this that might be used for towing or maybe even driving on long trips, that it does see that 400-mile threshold.

With its unibody Ultium construction, this battery-powered Tonka rides smoother than traditional pickups.

It's plenty capable, though; max payload rated at 2,250 pounds and max towing at 12,500 pounds.

The bed is nearly 6 feet long, expandable to almost 11 feet with the mid-gate folded.

The 2026 GMC Sierra EV starts around $64,000 with destination, the Extended Range treatment equally extending the price to nearly $73,000.

And we'll have more QuickSpins...soon!

JOHN: Our MotorWeek 45th anniversary look back continues with this week's "Road Test by Request!"

This time it's a pure Japanese performance icon.

People still flip when they see one out on the road these days; but even back in the late '90s, we knew it was something really special.

You guessed it: it's a Supra.

♪ ♪ Its rapidly flowing lines are a far cry from the angular Supra of old, now cover a proven Lexus sport coupe chassis.

Body styles include one with a lift-out roof and our coupe.

Sweeping curves do give the impression of tremendous size, even up close, but the new car is actually smaller in all dimensions except width.

Our turbo test car wears an optional rear wing that would make the Strategic Air Command proud, and the nose features one of the biggest air intakes around.

In normally-aspirated form it makes 220 horsepower, almost as much as the old turbo.

But add a pair of sequential turbochargers and an intercooler, and horsepower jumps to 320.

Power travels to the rear wheels through a new 6-speed manual gearbox and an electronic traction control system.

The 5.1 seconds to 60 is quicker than the last Corvette LT1 that we tested.

The quarter-mile took 14 seconds and 104 miles per hour.

While off-the-line punch is not up to V8 standards, power delivery was otherwise smooth and consistent.

Throw the Supra Turbo into a corner and the massive levels of grip provided by its new double-wishbone suspension are immediately evident.

Understeer and body roll were minimal, and the car delivers a lighter response than you expect from 3500 pounds.

The Supra cockpit is surprisingly spartan, a far cry from the more luxury-oriented feel of the previous car.

We were surprised that a car with this much performance doesn't even get an oil pressure gauge...not good.

But it is the first Toyota-badged product to get dual airbags...very good.

Automatic climate controls are standard and among the easiest ones that we've ever used.

The optional 7-speaker stereo with both cassette and compact disc players offers well organized controls and crisp sound.

As in all of its ilk, the rear seat is one in name only.

Best to simply flip the folding seatback down for more cargo space because there isn't much under the hatch, unless you consider a briefcase to be serious cargo.

Drivers fond of the old Supra may not know what to make of this, leaner more serious successor.

Toyota wanted to make a clean break from the softer Supra sport coupe, and it certainly succeeded.

This is a pure sports car by anyone's definition, a change for the times and for the better.

JOHN: There are fewer and fewer traditional sedans to choose from these days.

But fortunately, most of the best ones have survived the continuing crossover takeover, and that includes this subcompact Audi A3.

While, not all new, the A3 does get some notable updates for 2025.

So, let's enjoy it while we can!

♪ ♪ Audi makes great sport sedans regardless of size, but most everything about this subcompact 2025 Audi A3 just feels right sized.

It helps, of course, that it shares its bones with the always fantastic Volkswagen Golf GTI.

That means, it has the latest 2.0 liter turbo-4, getting a boost in torque for '25, now 236 pound-feet, up from 221, with the same 201 horsepower; all coming with a 7-speed automatic transmission.

Knowing there are S and RS versions outranking this humble A3, our expectations were tempered heading to our Mason Dixon Dragway testing grounds, but 6.3 seconds to 60 is pretty quick.

Launching was tricky, trying to find that sweet spot of feeding in power without bogging things down while waiting for the turbos to kick in full.

We were surprised to see Audi even includes Launch Control to help here in the standard A3, but even it struggled, as we were generally able to do a better job of managing traction off the line.

And speaking of traction, the biggest drivetrain news for '25 is that quattro is now standard, no more front-wheel-drive A3s running around, at least for the time being.

Working down the track, there was very little engine noise in the cabin; and automatic shifts were very smooth, providing a luxury car-like experience for the 14.9 second quarter-mile, finishing at 93 miles per hour.

No major chassis changes for this A3, but none were really needed, as it felt absolutely glued to the track through our handling course.

It was extremely nimble and neutral as we were racing through the cones with no noticeable understeer or oversteer, pushing harder and harder each run.

Body roll was minimal, and even when we did get stability control to step in, it did so smoothly, only pulling minimal power.

Getting through the cones at sport sedan speeds in this standard A3 has us really looking forward to our RS3 Road Test coming later this season.

Despite a very soft-feeling brake pedal, braking performance was quite good with consistent, straight, and smooth stops averaging just 104 feet from 60.

(car whooshing by) The A3's interior has been updated with new materials, lighting, and reshaped air vents, while the electronic shifter changes from a mini toggle switch to more of a slider, and Audi's 10 inch digital instrument cluster is now standard.

Standard infotainment is now a 10 inch touchscreen, and Audi's latest MMI not only works faster, but includes direct downloads of many popular apps, allowing you to stream your content and playlists without smartphone connection.

Inside, it does still feel like a subcompact, so it can be a little tight for bigger drivers and passengers, especially in the rear seat.

But trunk space of just 8.3 cubic-feet is probably the biggest reminder of this small car's status.

When it comes to the exterior, in the Audi tradition, it looks more classy than flashy, with updates for '25 following the usual fascia redoes, new lighting, and fresh designs for the standard 17 inch and optional 18 inch wheels, all giving it a sportier appearance, helping it look a little more like the S3 than before.

With quattro now standard, and the significant number of updates, it's not a surprise to see base pricing come in higher, with Premium trim now starting at $39,495 and Premium Plus at $42,095.

The 2025 Audi A3 is a great reminder of just how rewarding a straightforward sport sedan can be.

Whether, you're looking for an affordable entry into European-style luxury, or an entertaining 4-door to provide some back roads driving thrills, the A3 rewards well above expectations.

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 the biggest Hyundai EV yet, the IONIQ 9, followed by a heavy-duty beast of burden, the Ram 2500.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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We stock over one million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

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