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

Our first test takes us on a grand tour of the Jeep Grand Cherokee... Then, we'll dial up a timeless Subaru Impreza Track Test... Greg Carloss slides into a tire-slaying "Over the Edge" special... While, we slide into the new Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro Hybrid... So, come drive with us, next!

Closed Captioning provided by Maryland Public Television.

♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: MotorWeek : 45 years, steering you in the right direction!

MotorWeek is proudly sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper, a nationwide network of stores and shops providing major brand auto and truck parts, and service from coast to coast, and in your local community.

Learn more at AutoValue.Com and BumperToBumper.Com.

We're Tire Rack.

We test tires, then share our results.

We stock over a million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

We do this because we believe tires matter.

JOHN: As sort of an Americanized Range Rover, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has perfectly bridged the gap between the Wrangler's off-road prowess and Grand Wagoneer's poshness.

Well, now well into its 5th generation, the GC gets some nicely-timed T-L-C in the I-C-E department.

So, let's get the 411 on its new 2.0.

♪ ♪ This 5th gen Jeep Grand Cherokee has been on the road since 2022, though its classic looks seemingly never go out of style.

So, while there are some subtle appearance tweaks for 2026, much bigger news lies under the hood.

Here we find a new member of the Stellantis Hurricane engine family, an all-new 4-cylinder turbo displacing 2.0 liters.

This inline-4 cranks out 324 horsepower, 332 pound-feet of torque, and comes with a stout 6,200 pounds tow rating.

Its unique Turbulent Jet Ignition uses a cup-shaped pre-chamber of fuel to trigger a faster and cleaner burn in the combustion chamber, improving performance while also lowering emissions.

Fans of the long-running Pentastar V6 need not worry, as it remains the standard engine, putting out 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

Each engine is paired with a unique 8-speed automatic transmission, and while most will come with 4-wheel-drive, rear-drive is still available.

In addition to the new powerplant, there are some other updates for the GC, most notable inside where a tech upgrade required a reworking of the dash.

The central touchscreen expands horizontally, and there's a new set of climate controls just below it.

It does trade in knobs and actual switches for a slim touch-sensitive surface, but with real tactile feel.

Our tester also came with the front passenger-only 10.25 inch entertainment display.

No major departures outside, but things have gotten a slight freshening.

In the new front fascia, the lower grille gets a more substantial bar running through it, while the corner vent-like trim pieces have been enlarged.

The seven-slot grille also gets a subtle reshaping, as do the headlights.

In back, there's a smoother vibe thanks to removing the exhaust cutouts from the bumper.

As before, there is both this standard 5-passenger version as well as a stretched wheelbase 6- or 7-passenger Grand Cherokee L. Both follow the same trim structure which has been slimmed down to three core models: Laredo, Limited, and Summit, with various packages available to outfit each to meet your specific needs.

The Grand Cherokee arrived on the automotive scene in 1993 as the first new Jeep vehicle under Chrysler ownership, though its chief designer, Larry Shinoda, is much better known for his work on sports cars like the Chevrolet Corvette and Ford's Boss 302 Mustang.

We loved the torque delivery of the inline-6 and praised its sedan-like handling characteristics.

Fast forward 33 years and we're back at the test track where the Grand Cherokee still has a very substantial feel to it, yet gets through the cones much better than most off-road-focused SUVs.

Based on the amount of "get up and go" this Hurricane displayed on the street, we were expecting some good results at the track and were not disappointed as the we shot to 60 in 7.0 seconds.

That's more than a second quicker than we achieved with the last Pentastar GC we tested.

The engine was working hard to get this thing down the track, but it did have a nice little growl to it throughout the 15.3 second quarter-mile, finished at 91 miles per hour.

We did find the typical braking experience we've come to expect from the Grand Cherokee: Some nosedive, but smooth and steady stops averaging a fine 115 feet from 60 miles per hour.

Jeep's latest Hands-Free Active Driving Assist System uses multiple sensors, cameras, and GPS data to allow for true hands-free driving on the highway.

We like the fact that it's a standalone option instead of lumped into a package, but know that a subscription to Jeep Connect is also required.

Two levels of Quadra-Trac 4-wheel-drive are available, our top Limited coming with Quadra-Trac 2, which features a 2-speed transfer case with more drive mode options for the Selec-Terrain traction management.

A Trailhawk will be returning to the lineup later this year.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the new mini hurricane with 4-wheel-drive are 21 city, 26 highway, and 23 combined.

We averaged a respectable 24.8 miles per gallon of Regular.

That makes for an average Energy Impact Score using 12.9 Barrels of Oil Yearly with 6.5 Tons of CO2 Emissions.

Pricing for a standard 4X2 Laredo starts at $40,915; both Limited, which starts at $46,315 and top Summit at $62,595, come with the Hurricane-four.

After selling a low of just 50,000 units here in the U.S.

in 2009, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has been on a steady resurgence, selling over 200,000 every year since 2016.

A more efficient and modern powertrain option for 2026 is just what the Grand Cherokee needed to keep that momentum surging forward.

♪ ♪ JOHN: Ten years ago, we slid "Over the Edge" for a small, grassroots event at Summit Point Motorsports Park.

Well, that spontaneous winter get-together has now turned into an annual hot-ticket festival.

So, in the spirit of our own anniversary season, Greg Carloss now reconnects with the much bigger and much smokier "Drifters of December!"

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: We're back at Summit Point Motorsports Park.

This here is Evan.

We're in his E36 and we're going to do some drifting.

Why don't you come along with us?

♪ ♪ Here, in West Virginia, drifting is not a year-round activity; at least, not in any kind of official capacity.

So, "Drifters of December" is basically one last hurrah before the off-season.

As you can imagine, it's full send.

When we last brought our cameras to this event a decade ago it was technically called "100 Drifters of December."

Turns out inflation hit the drifting world, too, because 2025 saw over 400 drifters, which means Summit Point had to open all its circuits and skid pads to accommodate them all.

Which is great, but the event's founders never set out to create one of the biggest drift events on the East Coast.

"JENS" SCOTT: This was about bringing in people who didn't have the top dollar.

Now, a lot of these cars are pretty pricey, but that wasn't the main focus.

It was just getting people in the bottom rung, giving them some skid pad time, know how to correct an oversteer or control it.

So, it was pretty grassroots.

It was also an antithesis to the pro drifting world.

And I still see the same vibe coming back here 16 years later.

It makes me happy.

I'm really proud of you guys.

I hope you guys have a great event!

GREG: After the ceremonial parade lap, the tracks go hot and it's basically choose-your-adventure from there.

Are you new to drifting or need a quick warm up?

Head over to Washington Circuit.

Looking for something more technical?

You'll find it over on Shenandoah.

Wanna hit some high-speed drifts?

Get in line at Summit main.

Drive until your tires melt, then mount some fresh ones and drive some more.

ROB PANTRIDGE: I'd say it's probably the best event I've ever been to hands down.

Endless seat time.

Small tracks, big tracks.

My favorite one is, uh, the "pistol grip" over on Shenandoah, I believe it.

This is a fresh build so I'm just trying to feel it out and, uh, make sure the car's good, make sure I'm good, and then go send it, you know.

Have some fun.

MIKE PEREZ: This is the Ebisu of America.

This is a massive amount of tracks, massive amount of options, massive amount of skill sets.

Broad range.

Like, it is the most spectrum of drifting that you can experience in America.

And I think I'm gonna hang out on Main.

Uh...Main's basically the fastest track here.

Uh...it's got the fastest-moving grid, so I can get as many laps during the day as possible.

EVAN LYTLE: So, last year this thing was under-powered, so now I'm working on a lot of the big tracks, uh, that I couldn't drive, like, full speed last year, so I'm really just working on, you know, getting familiar with everything.

I'm working on doing backward entries at Main.

So, we got one successful-ish one and we're gonna try it again after this.

GREG: Naturally, I had to go along for that ride.

(engine noise) The sensory blitz inside the car is intoxicating.

But taking it all in as a spectator is just as satisfying.

And when the clouds broke during the day's final laps, unleashing a vibrant winter sunset, it was downright breathtaking.

A perfect metaphor for Drifters of December.

A big, beautiful, smoking exclamation point on another 12-month donut around the sun.

JOHN: You know, our 45th season has been filled with fun look backs in time, but we also need to keep looking ahead.

So, here's an all-new QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: Crossovers blend the best attributes of a car and a utility for the widest market appeal.

Do that to a Corolla, sprinkle in some Toyota hybrid goodness, and you get this Corolla Cross Hybrid.

While it retains much of that ethos, 2026 sees a few updates for this Huntsville, Alabama - assembled crossover.

This new Cavalry Blue paint shows off the Hybrid's new front end, featuring smoother body-colored surfaces, a smaller lattice-style grille and new LED running lights; gas models get their own updated bumper.

This update is underscored by new 18 inch alloy wheels and over-scored by this optional black roof.

We appreciated the reworked center console, which optimizes its space, and the wireless charger, now divided to prevent device interference.

Better still is the optional 10.5 inch touchscreen, just big enough without being intrusive while retaining an array of tactile switchgear.

Our Hybrid XSE came with newly trim-standard heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, perhaps the most appreciated feature during our winter testing.

Just as satisfying is Toyota's Hybrid System, headlined by a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder and backed by a trio of electric motors for standard electronic all-wheel-drive.

A net 196 horsepower is just enough; its EPA-certified 42 miles per gallon combined rating, however, is more than enough.

ALEXANDER KELLUM: Something that we've noted before that I kind of feel like I need to reiterate now is how much this hybrid system really helps the Corolla Cross.

It just gives it that much extra pep in its step, which you'll really notice out on the highway, particularly getting on and off the highway.

You don't feel like you're getting lost in that sea of cars.

JESSICA: The 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross starts just under $27,000, while the Hybrid S starts around $31,000.

Be prepared to pony up $35,000 for a range-topping XSE Hybrid like ours.

Range topping it may be, but to us it's not a bad proposition.

And we'll have more QuickSpins, soon!

JOHN: Say the name "22B" and non-car folks might think it's your airline seat assignment; but for us enthusiasts, we know it signifies a legendary Subaru.

Well, we drove that JDM exclusive over two decades ago.

Let's look back and take flight in that winged Impreza once more.

♪ ♪ But to motorsports fans in Europe, Asia and Africa, Subaru has long been known for serious performance.

Much of that formidable reputation stemming from three consecutive World Rally Championships.

This has given rise to a slew of factory-made performance specials that everyone in the world gets to buy.

Everyone except us.

For instance, at the pinnacle of this testosterone tower is the Impreza 22B.

This $47,500, right-hand drive, Japanese market-only modification is designed to show just how fast a Subaru can go and leave BMW M3 owners cowering in their garages.

Like, more mundane Imprezas, the 22 B is powered by a 2.2 liter flat-4 engine, but thanks to a healthy dose of factory race parts, which allow it to pump out approximately 350 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque, it becomes a flat four that will flatten the average V8.

The engine is coupled to a strengthened 5-speed close-ratio gearbox with a lockable differential.

This all rides in a sitting on race-grade Bilstein shocks, Eibach springs and massive disc brakes, and a substantially wider track for high-speed stability.

The exterior is hung with ultra-aggressive aluminum bodywork that replicates that of the factory race car, including a rear spoiler that can be adjusted through 17 degrees of travel and huge fenders housing 17 inch wheels wearing 235/40ZR17 tires; while inside the plain-Jane interior features a matte black anti-glare dash and tight fitting racing seats with four point safety belts.

But none of this is as impressive as the driving.

Simply put, the 22B is a hot rod monster, as we discovered at Summit Point Raceway's tight, challenging Jefferson Circuit.

Punch the throttle and the acceleration literally pins you to your seat.

But in the corners, we could simply ride the torque with little shifting and revel in the addictive acceleration, razor sharp handling and powerful brakes.

The Subaru 22B is a real supercar, just like a Porsche or Ferrari, and certainly makes us wish that Americans could buy one.

So, next time that someone you know wants to talk about high-performance cars, try dropping the name Subaru into the conversation.

It's a hot rod side of Subaru that most American car enthusiasts never imagined, but one that we're thrilled to see.

♪ ♪ GREG: Our Long-Term Porsche Cayenne is ending its tenure soon, so we're going to wrap up with a final update.

Getting the quantitative data out of the way first, it's been with us for six months, during which it traveled 12,500 miles.

With the calculations punched in one last time, we've ended with an average efficiency of 23.8 miles per gallon.

That's just above the EPA's 23 highway rating, which is a fairer comparison seeing as our tester saw mostly highway commuting; though, it's much higher than the EPA's 19 combined rating.

Our wallets very much appreciated that, considering its premium unleaded diet.

And we're especially appreciative of this 3.0 liter V6 turbo's eagerness when we get into the gas pedal.

With 368 pound-feet of torque, you can have a good bit of fun; and given Porsche's emphasis on driving dynamics, cornering is smooth and quicker than you'd think.

There's not much of a downside to mention here; the climate control system emitted a slight whistle at certain fan speeds, but that was fixed with some minor adjustments.

Otherwise, the cabin has held up nicely with a healthy dose of luxury and versatility.

As we've known for some time, the Porsche Cayenne is one of those SUVs that actually lives up to the "Sport Utility" moniker.

At MotorWeek , we appreciate versatility, which is why we're sad to be taking our last drive in this Cayenne.

We put it through its paces as a daily commuter, a weekend hauler and a long distance road tripper, and in all those scenarios the results were always the same: Exceptional comfort, athleticism and even efficiency from this V6 engine.

It's going to be tough to replace this Cayenne with just one vehicle.

And that's why we've added a couple utilities to the fleet, like our Subaru Outback, which will have its first mileage update in the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update.

JOHN: In 2020, Hyundai went bigger than they'd ever gone before with the Palisade 3-row crossover, and to say that it was a big hit would be an understatement.

Now, they're looking to keep the good times rolling with a new 2nd gen Palisade while injecting some new possibilities, like this XRT Pro, into the conversation.

♪ ♪ The 3-row Hyundai Palisade impressed just about everyone when it arrived, so following that up with this 2nd generation is surely a tall task.

But the 2026 Palisade is indeed tall, as well as larger overall, and aims to deliver the same things that made their first design so successful while increasing refinement and even adding new ingredients into the mix.

That starts with a first-time available hybrid system.

It's a new 2.5 liter I4 based system with 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque.

While, optional on most Palisades, that doesn't include their other big addition, this first Palisade XRT Pro.

XRT signals Hyundai's batch of off-road style upgrades that first appeared on '22's Santa Fe.

But, with the new Palisade, Hyundai is taking things a little more seriously by adding some actual off-road-spec hardware for a new XRT Pro model.

With standard HTRAC all-wheel-drive, XRT Pro adds an electronic limited-slip rear differential.

It rolls on 18 inch all-terrain tires; expands terrain modes with Mud, Sand, and Snow settings, while upping ground clearance by an inch.

There's also, a Surround View Monitor with forward ground view, to help you see what you can't see, plus, real-time pitch and roll displays, and red recovery hooks front and rear.

As for power, XRT Pro shares the same V6 engine that is standard on the rest of the Palisade lineup.

It's a new V6, now displacing 3.5 liters down from last gen's 3.8 liters.

Horsepower is also down from 291 to 287, while torque dips from 262 to 260 pound-feet, both quite a bit less than the hybrid.

A bigger vehicle with less power doesn't exactly signal good things when heading to our Mason Dixon test track; throw in the XRT Pro's off pavement focus, and it's no surprise it was a sluggish romp to 60 of 8.3 seconds, almost a full second slower than the last Palisade we tested.

But all told, a 16.3 second quarter-mile at 88 miles per hour for a family truckster is more than adequate.

In our handling course, there was a lot of body roll and understeer, but Sport mode did tighten things up a bit and definitely provided more feedback through the steering wheel.

When panic braking, stops were very aggressive with lots of nosedive and sounds of ABS laboring hard; but no complaints about the results, just 103 feet from 60 miles per hour.

Even in this XRT Pro, Hyundai's focus on NVH improvement is readily noticeable, thanks to additional sound deadening materials, wider application of sound absorbing carpet and using thicker glass.

Add in suspension updates that include a new self-leveling rear that helps give it much better composure on rough roads, and the Palisade inches further into luxury territory.

That's certainly the vibe of the Palisade's interior with 12.3 inch touchscreen with navigation standard, along with more soft touch materials than before.

Most trims come equipped with 2nd row captains' chairs and seven passenger seating, but the base SE comes equipped with a 2nd row bench, and it's an option with SELs.

Third row access has improved, and cargo capacity has increased with 19.1 cubic-feet behind the 3rd row, 46.3 behind the 2nd, and a max of 86.7.

The Palisade is one of the few remaining Hyundai's that's not built here in the U.S., but pricing remains a segment bargain starting at $41,035.

XRT Pro comes in well under top Calligraphy at $51,470.

Hybrids add a $2,200 premium over the V6.

It's hard to follow up a runaway hit as big as the original Palisade, so it's understandable that the 2026 Hyundai Palisade is not quite the gamechanger it was.

Still, Hyundai is giving it a go with more refinement, a perfectly timed hybrid, and more features across the board, enough to win our 2026 Drivers' Choice Award for Best Large Utility.

So, the new Palisade is clearly a better Palisade, and thus a better bargain than ever.

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 revived and recharged Toyota C-HR, then we'll CC you on a BMW M2 CS Track Test.

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... The MotorWeek App which includes our latest reviews and feature stories is now available for mobile devices.

MotorWeek is proudly sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper, a nationwide network of stores and shops providing major brand auto and truck parts, and service from coast to coast, and in your local community.

Learn more at AutoValue.Com and BumperToBumper.Com.

We're Tire Rack.

We test tires, then share our results.

We stock over a million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

We do this because we believe tires matter.

♪ ♪ This program was produced by Maryland Public Television, which is solely responsible for its content.

(engine revving) ♪ ♪ You're watching PBS.