The Subaru Forester Hybrid is a type of SUV that uses both gas and electricity to run, making it more efficient and better for the environment. The 2025 version has some new features and improvements.
The Hurricane inline engine is a new type of engine that Jeep is using to make their vehicles perform better while using less fuel. It's part of their updates for newer models.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a type of SUV that can handle rough roads and also offers a comfortable ride. The new 2026 version has some big updates that make it exciting for people who like to drive both on and off the pavement.
IIHS stands for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It's a group that tests cars to see how safe they are in crashes and gives them ratings to help people choose safer vehicles.
SUVs are big cars that can carry more people and things. They are higher off the ground than regular cars, which can make them less safe for people walking or riding bikes if there's an accident.
Hybrid technology means that a car uses both a regular engine and an electric motor. This helps the car use less gas and be better for the environment.
A four-cylinder engine is an engine that has four parts called cylinders. These cylinders help the car use fuel to make it move, and having four of them usually means the car is more efficient.
The Atkinson cycle is a way that some engines work to use fuel more efficiently. It changes how the engine takes in and releases fuel, helping it save gas.
A CVT is a special kind of automatic transmission that helps the car use fuel more efficiently. It can change gears smoothly without the usual steps you feel in regular automatic cars.
Torque is a measure of how strong an engine is when it comes to turning things, like the wheels of a car. More torque means better acceleration and the ability to pull heavier loads.
The Toyota RAV4 is a smaller SUV that is known for being dependable and good on gas, especially the hybrid version. People often compare it to other similar cars when looking for a family-friendly vehicle.
An electric powertrain is the part of a car that uses electricity to make it go, instead of using gasoline. It's common in cars that are hybrids or fully electric.
Fuel economy is how far a car can go using a certain amount of gas. If a car has good fuel economy, it means you won't need to fill up the gas tank as often.
A hybrid powertrain is a system in a car that uses both a gas engine and an electric motor. This helps the car use less gas and be better for the environment.
The Subaru Crosstrek is a smaller SUV that is easy to drive and park. It also has a hybrid version that uses both gas and electricity to save on fuel costs.
A sunroof is a window on the top of a car that you can open to let in fresh air and sunlight. Many people enjoy having a sunroof because it makes the car feel more open and airy.
The Jeep Wrangler is a tough vehicle made for off-roading and outdoor adventures. It often has a soft top that you can fold back to enjoy the fresh air while driving.
Symmetrical all-wheel drive means that power goes to all four wheels of the car, helping it grip the road better, especially in bad weather or off-road situations.
The Ford Bronco is a tough SUV that can go off-road and is designed for adventure. It's been brought back recently with new features, and people are comparing it to other similar vehicles that are also made for rough terrains.
Body-on-frame is a way to build vehicles where the main body is attached to a strong frame underneath. This makes them tough and good for off-road driving.
The Kia Tasman is a type of pickup truck made by Kia, but it's not sold in the US. It's made for other countries where the needs and preferences for trucks might be different.
Mazda is a car company from Japan that makes a variety of vehicles, including sporty ones. They are known for trying new ideas, like using a unique type of engine called a rotary engine.
The Cadillac Escalade is a big, fancy SUV that offers lots of space and luxury features. The 2022 model is still on sale for a good price, which surprises some people because it's such a popular choice.
The Dacia Logan is a budget-friendly car that is popular in Europe because it’s practical and not too expensive. It's often talked about when discussing how car dealers can better serve their customers.
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Welcome to the podcast of Motor Week, television's original automotive magazine.
Motor Week is made possible by AutoValue and Bumper2Bumper and TireRack.com.
Here's your Motor Week podcast host, John Davis.
Welcome to Motor Week podcast number 364.
I am indeed your host John Davis and we are glad to have you with us.
On our show today, Motor Week FYI reporter Stephanie Hart has stopped by with the latest
on what's going on to reduce highway fatalities with her recent visit to the Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety. That's always a critical subject for all of us that love to drive.
We also have a pair of new SUVs to talk about, the long-awaited hybrid version of Subaru's
sales leader, the 2025 Forester Hybrid. And that will wet our whistle for another widely
anticipated effort, the inclusion of the Hurricane inline engine in a substantially revised 2026
Jeep Grand Cherokee. Plus, as usual, we'll let our crew have a go at a trending subject on our
lightning round and try to answer a question from a Kia and Hyundai fan. Joining us today are
our assistant road test producer and your drive expert, Logan McCombs. Hello. Our digital producer,
Jessica Ray. Hey everybody. And our special guest FYI reporter, Stephanie Hart. Hi. And Stephanie,
let's start off our podcast with you and you just completed an FYI segment about the state of
highway safety. And in particular, the stubborn problem of fatal highway crashes. I know you
took your crew to Charlottesville, Virginia and the Close Buy Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety. So why don't you take it from there? Just how bad of a problem is it? So the problem
right now is the number of highway fatalities is still 20% higher than it was 10 years ago.
So there were over 39,000 crash deaths last year alone. That seems like a lot,
given all the safety stuff that goes into cars. Yes. So pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists
together make up 36% of motor vehicle crash deaths. So IIHS is really trying to reverse
those numbers. It's a startling trend. It's really shocking to find that out, especially since there
has been so many advancements as far as vehicle crash avoidance technology and our vehicles are
smarter than ever. So it is surprising to hear this. As you know, IIHS has been crash testing
cars for over 30 years and they've made great strides in safety. They've added crash avoidance
tests, but a lot of those safety benefits have been counteracted by different things like larger,
heavier vehicles. The pension for everybody to drive big trucks and SUVs. Exactly. So
they're less friendly to pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists when a crash occurs, of course.
So vehicles have improved tremendously over the years and they are complete, as we know,
with crash avoidance technology. But risky driving behavior like speeding, drinking and
driving, distracted driving and not wearing a seatbelt all contribute to these high number of
deaths. So IIHS has set a new ambitious goal to reduce fatalities 30% by 2030. That is ambitious.
So from what you were just saying, it seems like while maybe vehicle to vehicle crashes have had
some mitigation, it's the pedestrian aspect that seems to be on the rise or the motorcycle.
Yep. And IIHS has added new crash avoidance testing to help that. So we'll have to keep
our eye on that and see how everything goes. Did you get a clear idea of what exactly they're
going to propose? So they have some short-term goals right now. Some roadway design improvements,
red light safety cameras, speed safety cameras. But this is going to be a long game since,
as all of us know, the average vehicle is about 12 years old on the road. So it's going to take
a while for all of the new vehicle technology to catch up. I don't know about the rest of the
folks sitting around the table, but you know, we in our local area around the Baltimore or
metropolitan area, it does seem that on the interstates that speeds have increased greatly
since the pandemic. Definitely. And I know the one thing that probably mitigates all this,
the electronics we're putting in cars is extra speed. I've never liked the idea of speed cameras,
but I wonder if their time hasn't come. Oh, I mean, I think actually here in Maryland in
Baltimore specifically, we've found that they work specifically on the JFX on Route 83,
which is this main highway that goes into Baltimore City. And a few years ago, they put
speed cameras on the highway and they move them around periodically. But if there's a crash on
that road, you are stuck in traffic for a very long time. And they've already, they found immediately
that it actually brought fatalities and crashes down. There are, as far as I know, on my commute
to work, I hit a bunch of different speed cameras. And I think they really do help. I mean, I see
people slowing down. So, Logan, you've been silent so far. What's your take on this?
I think the only way speed cameras actually work is if they're moved around. I think if
they're in the same spot, they don't really work. Because just like driving here, there's a speed
camera that the flow of traffic is generally 65. And then the zone is 45. And everyone knows where
the speed camera is, so everyone just slams on their brakes, which I think can cause another
problem. You know, can cause more accidents. I think moving them around is what makes them
beneficial. It's not just the camera themselves. You know, Stephanie, in the past, the IHS with
all of their video crash tests, which really brought them from obscurity to mainstream popularity and
what they were doing, has focused on making the manufacturers do more. Do you think that's still
going to be the trend there from what you saw? They told me the ultimate goal is for all manufacturers
to earn high ratings. On their safety tests. Correct. And they all strive for that. Yeah.
Yeah. If anything, now their IHS tests winning their top safety picks an awfully big deal.
Oh, yes. I feel like a lot of the press previews that I've been on recently,
a lot of the manufacturers make a point to point out the upgrades they've done to their cars so
that they can get that top safety plus. So they also mentioned that they're going to include
bicyclist targets and small commercial vehicles like that delivery truck you see in your driveway.
So they're going to drive at those to collect, you know, life saving data.
Yeah, especially now because you see so many more of these delivery vehicles on the roads
coming into your neighborhood, which you never saw, you know, 10 years ago or 15 years ago,
they are pretty much non existent. They also stress that it's a team effort. Technology and
vehicle design change alone are not going to be enough. And so they need to tackle this road
safety crisis as they called it from all sides. So it's it's obviously it's there's so many parts
to this. Yeah. Well, judging from their past success, I think they probably will make some
inroads. Anything else that you gain from the visit? Because that's we don't get down there very
often. Yeah, the cool and shock factor was I got to see a crash test in progress. So that was pretty
cool. It was very jarring. It really was. What was it that that stood out from you when you I mean
the first time you ever see two vehicles or a vehicle crashed into a barrier, I don't I don't
know what they actually did for you. But it is startling. So what was your take on it? I jumped.
For some reason, I thought the shrapnel was going to hit me so I covered my face and sort of ducked
down. But I don't know why I thought that because I was in the safe zone. I was very far away. I
think it was the noise. It was just so loud. And you know, that really startled me. It is it's
it's a traumatic experience to watch. So you get an idea of what it's like to actually be involved.
Well, great. Thanks very much for a very good report. I know you've got a run, but thanks so
much for stopping by and bringing us up to date on your FYI segment and what's going on at the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Stephanie's latest and very timely FYI segment is on our
most recent episode number 4507. It's been shown on most PBS stations this week. So if you missed
it, it's on both our free Motor Week app and also on our YouTube.com slash Motor Week channel
under the FYI banner. Worth a look. Now on with the show and an update on one of the most familiar
vehicles on the highway, the Subaru Forester year in and year out, one of the most popular family
SUVs around noted for its great people and cargo capabilities. And of course, it's Subaru heritage
of high quality and safety. If owners have been wanting anything, it's better fuel economy,
which up until now the combined rating has been at a not bad 28 and 29 miles per gallon. But now
that's changed in a pretty substantial way. And Jessica, why don't you introduce us to the new
Forester Hybrid? It is, in my opinion, the best Forester you can buy. And you heard it here,
folks. I am a big hybrid proponent. I think that it brings a much better overall driving experience
to most vehicles when they get hybridized. And that is the case here in this Forester. Basically,
just takes a normal Forester and adds some Toyota hybrid technology into the mix. That being said,
you actually still have the same 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder engine that's going to be in the
ICE model. The one interesting thing that they did note is that it actually now runs on the Atkinson
cycle. So that is different than the ICE version. So it makes it more efficient. It's supposed to
overall just run more efficient. Now, I think you would know a little bit more than me about what
exactly the cycles and stuff mean. Well, it's been around for a long time. I think Toyota probably
was the first one that hybridized it. But basically, it uses a leaner fuel mix, I believe.
So you have that. That's the one big change. But the bigger change is that while it still
uses the same transmission housing, this now has a motor inside the transmission very similar to
the Toyota hybrids. So that overall it is much smoother, less complicated. So no belts and
pulleys like the typical ICE version. I mean, to be honest, let's see. A lot of people really don't
like those CVT engines or transmissions that they have. So that being said, 194 horsepower,
199 pound feet of torque, that's about 14 more horsepower than the ICE version,
and almost 20 more pound feet of torque as well. I thought it was noticeable. Yeah,
it was noticeable. Not sluggish at all on the highway. Again, I think that if I was to look
really hard and compare this to say something like the RAV4 hybrid, that I would say that maybe this
is a little less refined, but just a little less refined. And overall, that MPG, we're talking 35
miles per gallon combined. So that's a substantial, what, 20% increase?
And I mean, so my test loop saw about 37.8 miles per gallon on a highway trip that I did over a
long weekend, which was great. But we combined two milages together. Somebody else did another
test loop that got a little bit less. So we actually hit 34.7 MPGs. Right on the money.
Right on the money. So basically, I'll give like a real life example of this. My cousin has
a Forester, I think a 2019 or 2018. And I remember looking at her, the MPG count on the
label. No, no, on the one that's on the car. That's the real life one that's happening,
the dashboard. Sorry. Yeah, couldn't figure out that word. And so she lives in an area where it's
stop and go. She almost never goes over 40 miles per hour. And her like MPGs was sitting at about
like 21, which is just not good. So this is really great for people who are doing a lot of city
driving. So they're seeing maybe less than the average. And that's been true of hybrids all along.
Yes. And that has been a point that's gotten totally lost on those people. Absolutely.
Because the more you use the electric powertrain, the higher your fuel economy is. Exactly. And
that's a low speed system. Yeah, that always bugged me when people were like, yeah, but I drove on
the highway. I went on a trip and I got such good fuel economy. Okay, but like, that's you do that
trip how often? Maybe once twice a year. But your daily driving is getting the city, which is not
great. So I'm a big proponent of that. On the outside and the inside, you really got to not
notice much of a difference between the hybrid version and the gas version other than some hybrid
badging. I should note too that the hybrid is a powertrain that's available on every
Forester trim, except for the base model and the wilderness, which of course the wilderness is the
the more off roady version. So it sticks with the pure ice powertrain. Now that being said,
there is no spare tire on the Forester hybrid Subaru fans aren't happy about that. They are not
happy about it. If you watch if you see any of the comments on any of the the content surrounding
the Forester hybrid and also the Crosstrek hybrid, which is we're going to be testing soon,
both of them do not have a spare tire. They I guess because they made took some of that room for the
for the hybrid battery. The hybrid battery is sitting behind the passenger the rear seats. So
you you're going to lose that if you want to at least keep the a similar amount of cargo space,
which this does have. Now overall again, like I said, not too much different, but things I will
note, of course, it still has the same infotainment system, which I would agree is probably the
weakest point of the Subarus. I think it's just it's kind of laggy when it's really hot out. It's
kind of laggy. And of course, like all the climate is in a touchscreen. Not great. Don't love that.
But I will say, like all Foresters, incredibly roomy. That rear seats very roomy. The cargo
space is roomy. It's a really a great highway cruiser, a road tripping car. And I want to note,
it has what I think is the best sunroof for a compact crossover. Nobody does one better.
Why expand on that? It's huge. It goes back like behind the front row, which that almost never
happens. But it is the biggest one that you're going to find. So and it's openable. Oh, yes.
100. And yes, the glass goes back so far, which I love because I'm a big open air kind of person.
Give me a convertible. This is a Jeep owner. I have a Jeep Wrangler. It rocks a soft top 24 seven
so that I can flip back the top whenever I want to. So for me, you know, when I had when I actually
had this for the long weekend, it was gorgeous weather. I think it was early September, maybe
Labor Day. And I had all the windows down. I had the the sunroof back and it was a dream.
Yeah, but it was great. Really, really like the the Forrester hybrid. I think
there was about like a two to $3,000 premium depending upon trim on like the cost of upgrading
to get the hybrid powertrain. But I think it's I think it's a good cost. Logan, any notes from the
road test side of things on the Forrester hybrid? No, I think it's a great car. Just like Jessica
said, the sunroof is absolutely huge. I too am an open air person. So you can catch me with the
windows down in the sunroof open at all times. So I thought I thought that was nice, just because
I mean, it just adds to the experience, especially like if you're off roading or you're just out
in the wilderness, it's nice to just get that fresh air. So and let the outside inside, which is
what Subaru's really are all about. Of course, I should mention still standard all wheel drive,
the mechanical version. So the symmetrical all wheel drive, it's not the electric version,
which I think sometimes Toyota uses. So I think fans will be happy about that. That's actually
probably a big that's a big note. Yes, yes. So it's not use I like I imagine the electric powertrain
is like integrated into obviously all of that, but it's not like just using a computer system.
It is mechanical. And so that means it's just as capable as an ice version of the of the
Forrester, which of course is what exactly what you're expecting and why it keeps ranking so high
among even driving enthusiasts year after year. Thanks, Jess. And still to come our first observations
on another popular and now updated SUV, the Jeep Cherokee a little bit later in the show.
But before we go any further, I want to thank the sponsors of this podcast
and of our series Motor Week, Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper and also tireact.com. We know
our viewers and listeners appreciate your dedication to Motor Week. Okay, next up is our
lightning round where panelists have 30 seconds or so, but who's counting
to give their take on an automotive topic. And I'm actually got the bell today. So we'll
see if we use it. Okay, this is a big deal for anybody that uses their phone in their car a lot,
which I do. In a recent interview with the Verge, Mary Barra, who's head of General Motors,
confirmed that General Motors will be removing Apple CarPlay and Android Android Auto abilities
in all of their vehicles in the next few years. The reasoning,
Barra says that it is distracting going back and forth from a phone using a projection-based
system, meaning that what's on your phone is projected on the screen inside the vehicle. That's
the whole heart of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Listeners might remember us discussing their
unpopular decision to remove smartphone integration back in 2023 from their new electric vehicles.
What are our thoughts on this decision? And I have to tell you before we start,
they are indicating they're going to do something else, but they're not telling us what it is.
This is the current system, which is actually a Google-based system that interfaces with
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. So here we go again. We just had this discussion. What do you think?
I do not think it is a smart decision. I don't think it's distracting at all in any way, shape,
or form, because it's a projection of your phone. So you're not picking your phone up at any point
in time. You're able to sort through your music, your podcast, especially with the new widgets that
have been added, the weather, live tracking for flights. It's an interesting decision to remove
it because I feel like you know that a lot of people have smartphones now. Now, if we were in
a time where people still use flip phones or that was the majority, I could see that making sense.
But right now, smartphones is what keep people connected in so many different ways. So I think
to remove it doesn't necessarily make any sense. Now, if there's a monetary reason or a programming
reason or an engineering reason or some sort of, you know, there's probably something on that side
of it. But just to say we're going to remove it because it's distracting doesn't really give the
answer as to why we're going to take it away from people who love it so much. I agree with you,
and they say it's distracting. But think about it, because you use your smartphone so much,
when you get in and it's the same screen, you actually are able to operate it quicker than if
it was a different system. Yeah, it's all it's very intuitive. I have an iPhone, so I'm using
CarPlay all the time. Right. And it's the first thing I do when I get into a test vehicle is,
you know, hook it up and away we go. So it makes me wonder what they've got in mind,
because I can't believe they're going to subject themselves to this kind of criticism without
having something quote unquote better, because that's what they did before. When they everyone
heard they were going to a Google based system and not going to physically have Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto embedded in the vehicle, the social media went nuts. And nobody even paid attention
to the fact that the new Google system still worked with those phones. Right. So I wonder what
they're going to do and I wonder if she didn't basically stir up a hornet's nest where maybe
it didn't need to be stirred up. I'm pretty torn on this because I don't hate the current system
that they have in there right now, the Google system. I think on their EVs, I like the maps.
I think like in the EVs, like the maps are arguably some of the best because they have
really great route planning, etc. But my problem is as an Apple, as somebody in the Apple ecosystem,
this screws me over because all of Apple's stuff is proprietary. So if whatever new thing that GM
is going to be offering does not offer, I guess, like me to sign into an Apple account
so that I can access my Apple music, my Apple Maps. I mean, I guess I could use Google Maps.
Like that's fine. But I don't know. Every time I've used, I've been driving one of these EVs.
And because we've, and we've talked about this a lot on the podcast, you know,
we don't get to integrate ourselves in these vehicles quite as much as owners do. I mean,
we have them for two weeks, but each individual person here at Motor Week does not have a car
for two weeks. That's why the phone integration is important.
And so I'm trying to give the benefit of the doubt of somebody who's an owner, right? If I was,
if I was going to own one of these cars, but even when I've had it for a longer period of time,
like it just, it doesn't really, it doesn't work. I have to actually look at my phone more
because if I want to change to a different playlist of music, if I have carplay, easy enough,
I just hit another album. I have to actually go into my phone to do that on one of GM's cars
that don't have carplay because there's no way for me to just quickly touch the screen or go
back and forth between a phone call in your music or a podcast. Like I think it's a little,
I don't know, I'm a little worried that this is more of a cash grab than anything.
There's also rumblings that Ford's going to do the same.
I mean, it's, it, I will say it's a great way for them to keep all of our data to themselves
because I imagine there's a lot of data that they are not gathering when we use carplay and
Android Auto. But you know that you, we all know there's a lot of money to be made in data.
Okay. I think we beat that to death. Stay tuned when we find out more information
about this, we will give it to you. All right. Moving on, we have a question from a fan,
a YouTube comment from. I am Jermaine. I am Jermaine. Thank you very much. When,
I think this is an impossible question, when is Kia Hyundai going to have a real Bronco
four runner defender competitor? And we're not talking about the Bronco Sport, we're talking
about the real Bronco, a real off-road capable, maybe body on frame. And before I give my two
cents, what do you think? Well, I actually, I did some research on this because I wanted to
see exactly what Kia and Hyundai have out there that we don't get here in the US.
And apparently they did say that Hyundai said that they're going to be bringing a body on frame
pickup to the US by the end of the decade. That's been something they've said for a while.
They've said that for a while. So maybe by 2030 we'll see that. So potentially after that, we might
see a, depending upon how successful maybe this pickup truck is, we could see a Bronco or a Wrangler
or a four runner competitor because they do have a body on frame platform. It exists in the global
Yes, in their global portfolio. But unlike Toyota, who has a lot of body on frame,
global product that we don't see here in the US, Kia and Hyundai don't. They only have this Kia
Tasman pickup truck, which is, if you took one look at it, it's very clearly not made for the US
market. And that's the problem is that you've got to make it conform to all of our safety laws,
not to mention just owner wants. Aesthetically and stuff like that.
Yeah, it's just not their bread and butter in the US. It's just not what they do. Other places,
it works. Just like Mazda has been promising us to get another rotary and I'll keep holding on to
that. Just like Jessica said, maybe by 2030. But I think I don't necessarily see it happening.
So I'm sorry. I know you're a Kia Hyundai fan and I am too, actually. But I think we're going to
have to wait a lot longer. There are a number of comparisons on the internet between the Bronco
Sport, which of course is this escape based and various Kia and Hyundai products. But I know
that's not what you're really interested in. You want a real off-roader. And I think you're
going to have to wait a little bit longer. You know, it wouldn't surprise me if eventually they
join in to doing this eventually. Because Kia and Hyundai, they're not afraid to join into a
segment. If there's competition in it already. If there's competition in it already and they can
do very well in those segments. I think a low volume segment specifically is how successful
the Carnival has been. They totally revamped what was kind of a global product and they really
honed in on the U.S. market and they cannot make enough of them. So I don't know, maybe.
Especially if they, like you said, if they do, if they come out with a modernized truck, then
they've got the basis for it. They can go for it. Yep. That was one hurdle.
Okay. I want to remind everyone listening that all of our Motor Week info and our videos are also
on the free Motor Week app. It's available at your favorite app store. It works on
just about any phone you can have, plus all the tablets.
Easy to access. And along with all of our Motor Week road test videos and features,
it includes a unique power tab that allows you to quickly search the specs of every
clean fuel vehicle for sale that's new or even used. That means every hybrid, every EV, every
E85, natural gas, even hydrogen. So download the Motor Week app today and take it with you so you
never miss a mile of Motor Week. Now, finally, you must be saying we get to what is the latest on
the hot wind blowing into the 2026 Jeep Cherokee. Grand Cherokee. Grand Cherokee. Thank you very
much. It gets a pretty comprehensive going over for 2026, but it's what's under the hood that
everyone wants to talk about. Logan, what's going on there?
Yeah. So I went to the Jeep headquarters. I was able to see the new Jeep Grand Cherokee.
I got to see it in person, experience it. It comes in a new color. It's a copper chino. It's
like a bronze color. It's a really nice color to look at. You'll also see that it's got these new
hockey shaped style headlights, a new redesign for the front grille, as well as something
interesting for a lot of people was the death of chrome. That's what Jeep was saying while they
were there throughout the entire event, is because they noticed that or they learned throughout
their process that chrome plating is not good for the environment. So they've actually replaced it
with a darker colored material or plastic or paint so that it's not harming the environment.
So they're looking out for the environment because they want people to be able to take
these vehicles off-road. That's part of their mantra. So the other thing that you'll notice
with the front end is that the front end is redesigned for the new power plant that's in the
vehicle. It's the Hurricane inline four single turbo engine that puts out 324 horsepower and
332 pound feet of torque and you actually get 6,200 pounds of towing capacity. Now a lot of people,
when we first saw this engine, we were surprised at how small it was and to actually see eight
coil packs on the top of this engine with it being a four banger, you'd think, why do we have eight?
And what's interesting about it is how they have redesigned the fuel system
in this vehicle with the spark plugs and how it all operates. So when you're at a low demand or
low RPM, you'll actually use port injection. And so you'll use the spark plugs and coil packs that
are off to the side. But on the top of the engine, you have something that goes straight down the
middle. And so when you're at a higher demand, those coil packs, injectors and spark plugs are
for your top end. So when you have higher demand or higher load. But what makes it even more
interesting is that they design something that's just around the size of like a penny. So think of
like a penny and they've punched, I believe it's about eight holes through it. And what happens is
is as your engine is running, what happens is you have fuel that is injected into your chamber.
And on the compression stroke, as the piston goes up, you have your fuel that is then compressed
into this little penny sized piece that covers the top of the, or covers the bottom of the spark
plug. And the fuel is pressed into that. And then the spark plug ignites. And then that vaporized
fuel or that combustion is now pushed out through those holes for a more even burn for better fuel
efficiency throughout the cylinder. So that was one of the things that was very interesting.
And that's a heck of a lot of technology into a power train.
You really only see that in F1 engines. It's something that no one else has really done,
but it does create for a more even burn of your fuel. So you have less unburnt fuel going into
your exhaust and all of it's really being used at its maximum capacity, which makes it really
interesting. I will be very curious as to what the efficiency of this and like what the EPA numbers
end up being of this engine, because obviously they're saying that it's going to be more efficient
than the outgoing two liter that they currently have, which is actually, if this, I imagine that
this engine will probably will see more across the board. Like I can't imagine this is going to be
just here in the Grand Cherokee. It had to cost a lot to develop. Oh yeah, it's a brand new design.
Even though it uses the shortened hurricane six block, I mean, these are very impressive numbers,
324 horsepower, I mean, 332 pound feet of torque. So now the Pentastar is still available on the
Grand Cherokee as well. So the 3.6 liter V6, but that only out, oh no, let's see. I think that's
really down. Yeah, 293 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque. So yeah, this is going to be
quite a big power boost. Oh yeah, definitely an engine that'll surprise a lot of people for it,
again, being just a four banger. But with the amount of work that they've put into figuring out
how to make it the most effective while still getting the most out of that turbocharger will
really surprise a lot of people, I think. All right, I got to tell you, it worries me that it
sounds very complex. You've got multiple systems on here, replacing singular systems. I mean,
what did they say about the complexity? Obviously, they're not worried about it.
I think one thing to remember is at the end of the day, an engine is an engine.
It's really not that complex when you look at it, because if you separate it into two halves,
you've got your coil packs that go down the middle that are right there, and then you've got your
direct injection injectors. On the other side, on that same side, you've got your port injection,
and then you've got, again, on the top, you've got coil packs that are off kilter or off to the
side of the main spark plug or the other set of spark plugs and coil packs on the top. It's really
not as complicated as it sounds, if anything, because you'll probably have, in a diagnostic
sense, probably a coil pack A, coil pack B, and those would be A, B, C, D would be your top four,
and the next ones would be your other four. I don't think it's really as complex as anyone,
as it sounds. I can't remember the last time or if we've been seeing a dual spark plug. I know
we have somewhere in my memory, we've seen dual spark plug engines, but I can't remember where
it might have been. Yeah, I think that'll definitely help with wear and tear, for sure,
because the thing is, now you don't have four spark plugs operating all the time. Think of cylinder
deactivation, but just now spark plug deactivation. That's not what they call it, but that'd be a
way to think of it. Good comparison, for sure. Because you've got the four that run at one point
and the four that run at another point. Now, one thing that I did wonder, though, was,
how does that come down with maintenance? Am I doing all my spark plugs at one time, or is it,
hey, you got to do your top four, and these are the four later, and I guess that would just be
based off of maintenance or whatever they would be recommended. Well, I'm sure they're platinum
tip spark plugs, and basically they last 100,000 miles anyway. As a matter of fact, a lot of people
think they last longer than that. Any other comments about it before we move on? No, I'm
interested to see, like you said, field economy numbers and whatnot. It's going to be interesting
to try. I really hope that one day they start using this powertrain in conjunction with the
four by ease. I feel like that might come, because this hurricane engine is available,
but the four by ease still uses the same older turbo. So you want to make the most complicated
Jeep out there even more complicated. Hey, I'm all about efficiency. If I could get more than what
I think it was at like 25, 26 miles of range on those EVs. Our last segment before we close
out this podcast is our rant and our raves. We've sort of been doing a little of that all through
the show today. Anybody got anything that on their minds? Jessica's thinking. I always have one
locked and loaded. Well, I had a couple in the chamber. I didn't know which ones I wanted to
rant about the most. Social media is such an interesting place. That's an interesting word
for it. It's just very funny because you have a lot of, I think, young people running a lot of
dealership, TikTok accounts and social media accounts. So these are people who, you know,
they're trying to get their name out there. They're trying to get the brand out there. I get it.
I respect it. I saw a video the other day that was like... This is what you do for entertainment.
This is what I do for entertainment. Yeah. So I saw a video the other day, and it was this
person, and they were worked for dealership. They're like, I can't believe this 2022 Cadillac
Escalade is still sitting on the lot. It's only $55,000. First off, I'm like, well, that's kind
of expensive still. $55,000 is more than the average MSRP of a new car. So it's still kind of
expensive. And I was like, yeah, that's still kind of expensive. But it is a 2022, and that
probably would have been a six-figure car normally. Anyway, she's like, I can't believe
this is still on our lot. It's got leather and adaptive suspension. Meanwhile, she's going down
through the sticker that's on the car, and it says miles, $98,000.
And so she poses question like, why is this car still on the lot? And people are like,
maybe because it has almost 100,000 miles on it. So it's like my... I don't know whether
that's a rant or a rave. That gave me some entertainment. But come on. If you want to
sell cars, you got to be a little smarter than that.
Well, that opens up an entirely new subject, which we probably shouldn't attack. I mean,
I think what you're saying, and I get this, is that when you are... Today's consumer is well
educated, and you're talking to well-educated consumers. So they know when something's trying
to be pulled over their heads pretty quickly. So if you're going to do something like this,
instead of just walking down the line of vehicles and doing a little TikTok video about each one,
you got to respect your audience. And maybe that whoever was doing the TikTok will get that message.
I'm not trying to roast this person, but I think they got roasted enough on the video,
but I think it brings to... So probably they won't ever make that mistake again.
Maybe not. But I think it's just one of those things where it kind of brings back in my mind
that dealers are very tone deaf, and they oftentimes... They don't really know their
customers all that well. Well, some do. The successful ones do.
I will defend the good dealers. The successful ones know exactly who their customers are,
but they're maybe not universal. Logan's had a lot of experience with dealerships.
The service side of the dealer, which is a bit different than the sales side.
Absolutely. Absolutely. But that's my rant.
All right. Well, I think we'll wrap it up right there before we get ourselves into any more
trouble. Thanks today to our assistant road test producer and your drive expert, Logan
McCones, for being with us. Our digital producer, Jessica Ray, our special guest earlier, FYI
reporter, Stephanie Hart. Thank you all out there for listening to our podcast today.
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Remember, for the fastest way to find new car reviews, be sure to include Motor Week in your
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About this episode
A critical discussion on highway safety highlights the alarming rise in fatal crashes, with IIHS aiming for a 30% reduction by 2030. The episode also features a detailed look at the new Subaru Forester Hybrid, boasting improved fuel efficiency and a smooth driving experience. Additionally, listeners get insights into the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee's innovative Hurricane engine, which combines advanced technology for better performance. The panel debates GM's controversial decision to remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, raising questions about user experience and data privacy.
In Podcast #364, John Davis and the MotorWeek crew are joined by FYI Reporter Stephanie Hart who details her recent visit to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s facility in Virginia to see what they’re doing to help prevent fatal crashes. Then Jessica dives into the more fuel-efficient version of Subaru’s volume seller, the 2025 Forester Hybrid. And Logan is back from a trip to Detroit where he got to see the revised 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, including it’s all-new Hurricane engine. Our Lightning Round addresses Mary Barra’s recent comments claiming that GM will be leaving Apple CarPlay and Android Auto out of their new vehicles in the future and a viewer wonders if Hyundai or Kia will ever make a body-on-frame SUV competitor.
