We're sitting comfortably high and mighty in the updated Hyundai Palisade... We'll head to the garage for a primer on car tech certification... Next how one city fuels up from an unlikely source... Ending with the all-road conquering GMC Hummer EV Pickup!

So, come drive with us, next!

Closed Captioning provided by Maryland Public Television.

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JOHN DAVIS: Even after spinning Genesis off as a unique luxury division, Hyundai has continued to march their own brand more and more in that direction.

2020's Palisade was not only their most luxurious SUV yet, but also their biggest.

And if we've learned nothing else this century, it's that Hyundai doesn't stand pat for long.

So, for 2023 the Palisade gets a host of updates that make it more appealing than ever!

♪ ♪ While it didn't exactly come out of nowhere, it's doubtful many people thought that the Hyundai Palisade would become as popular as it has in just 3 short years.

And with popularity comes higher expectations of customers, but also an increased effort on the side of the manufacturer to deliver even more.

That's where this 2023 Hyundai Palisade comes in; not only highlighting numerous exterior updates, but changes in technology for both convenience and driving assistance.

It's hard to miss that cascading grille; it's bigger, yes, but also with more sophisticated, upscale styling.

Both the headlamps and daytime running lights have been redesigned to blend into surroundings a little more than before; and there are new wheel designs throughout the lineup; these 20-inch multi-spoke alloys specific to top Calligraphy trim.

Additional features such as auto-dimming side mirrors have also been added.

When it comes to the interior, most of what you interact with has also been updated.

There's a new dash that appears leaner and more linear, with slimmer control panels that are also more digital than before.

As well as a larger housing for the 12-inch infotainment display.

It still blends into the gauge cluster as before, but now does so more smoothly.

There's a new steering wheel with updated controls, nicer materials throughout the cabin, and wireless phone charging increases from 5 to 15-watts.

Lots of updates in the 7 or 8 passenger seating areas too.

Front seats get new covers made of finer materials.

Our tester's second-row captain's chairs get adjustable armrests and 3rd row seats can now be heated.

Front seats are still not as plush feeling as some but are definitely all-around comfortable for long trips.

Second-row room is generous, there's quick and easy access to the standard third row, and dual sunroofs allow in lots of natural light.

And we love the wealth of small item storage places front to back.

Cargo space remains a very plentiful 18.0 cubic-feet behind the third row, 45.8 behind the second, and a max of 86.4 behind the front seats.

Powertrain is unchanged; that means a 3.8-liter V6 and 8-speed automatic transmission delivering 291-horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, but we felt a trip to Mason Dixon Dragway was still in order.

Traction was good off the line, leaving with just a slight chirp of the tires, and delivering steady power almost immediately.

Still, this is a big vehicle, so taking a full 7.0-seconds to hit 60 is not out of line by any means.

The 8-speed automatic worked smoothly, ripping through 1st and 2nd gears quickly, while taking its time with 3rd and 4th; helping the Palisade complete the quarter-mile in 15.3-seconds at 92 miles-per-hour.

It felt good in our handling course too, with moderately weighted steering feel and only minor amounts of understeer.

Body roll was moderate, but it was easy to keep a smooth consistent pace through the cones, with very little stability control intervention, and no drama to speak of.

A new tow mode has been added to bring drive mode options to 7, allowing the transmission to hold onto gears a little longer, but max towing capability remains at 5,000 pounds It's integrated into Hyundai's active HTRAC all-wheel-drive system which is available in all trims and uses selective braking not only to enhance traction in slippery situations but provide handling benefits by helping the vehicle rotate through turns.

Brakes were quite good as well despite a very soft pedal; only moderate nosedive, with straight and smooth stops of just 108-feet from 60.

Safety and driver assistance technology also get upgraded, along with added Remote Smart Parking Assist and enhanced Highway Driving Assist.

And finally, Hyundai follows the trend of off-road inspired utilities with a new toughened up XRT trim.

Pricing starts at just $36,545, with top Calligraphy coming in at only $50,495.

All-wheel-drive is a $1,900 option with all trims.

So a lot of little and some not so little things have changed about the 2023 Hyundai Palisade 3-row SUV.

But the most important thing of all hasn't changed.

That is, the Palisade continues to deliver an amazing amount of luxury, practicality, and comfort at a quite attainable price.

Sounds like business as usual for Hyundai.

♪ ♪ Faced with high fuel prices and ever-increasing demands to cut costs and go green, communities around the country are looking for new ways to accomplish both.

We recently visited one Colorado town who found their clean fleet solution in a not-so-clean place!

♪ ♪ The city of Longmont calls itself, "Colorado's best kept secret."

A community of 100,000 people located at the foot of the Rockies, 35 miles north of Denver.

Steeped in small town charm with big city amenities, it takes just a few minutes of soaking in the spectacular mountain vistas and relaxed pace of life here to agree with that self-assessment.

Longmont's waste services department collects refuse and recyclables from around 30,000 homes a week, using a fleet of 22 collection trucks.

Half of those are now powered by renewable natural gas, sourced and refined from, of all things, the city's sewage system.

JOHN GAGE: So, the process starts at our wastewater treatment plant.

We have a one million gallon tank outfitted with mixing and heating equipment that converts some of that wastewater into a nutrient-rich fertilizer that's used beneficially locally in Colorado.

But one of the side benefits of anaerobic digestion is that it creates a product called biogas.

And uh, biogas is comprised of about 60 percent methane and 40 percent CO2.

JOHN: After removing the CO2 and common contaminants, they are left with a 90-95 percent methane concentration that is well-suited as a vehicle fuel.

With help from Drive Clean Colorado, local air quality groups, and grant agencies, Longmont has been able to purchase and convert 11 refuse trucks so far, with plans for the entire fleet to be upgraded to home-sourced natural gas within the next few years.

So, what was for decades being flared off as unwanted excess, is now completing the circle for a zero-waste clean fuel solution, now and for the future.

CHARLES KAMENIDES: First off, going to CNG, we no longer use def or have to regen our trucks, which our drivers just love that.

But the other advantage of renewable natural gas over diesel is just the greenhouse gas output, and reducing our emissions as we're driving through our community.

We're currently using 60 to 70 percent of all of the RNG that's produced from our wastewater treatment plant.

And we anticipate that as we continue to expand our RNG fleet, that we'll have sufficient fuel to cover all of our needs.

JOHN: The city built this dedicated facility to house the new trucks.

Gas detectors and alarms throughout the building, as well as fans and vents that constantly refresh the air supply, allow the trucks to safely refuel with CNG indoors while being protected from harsh weather conditions year-round.

JOHN G.: There are a lot of benefits to using renewable natural gas in vehicles.

From the financial side, we received environmental credits through the EPA for utilizing renewable natural gas as vehicle fuel.

Diesel fuel right now is anywhere between $4 and $5 per gallon, and it only costs us $1.20 to create a renewable natural gas on a diesel gallon equivalent.

JOHN: Installing a system like this is not overly complicated, but does require a significant upfront investment in equipment to capture and scrub biogas into a useable vehicle fuel, along with the infrastructure to compress, store, and dispense natural gas, and ongoing costs of replacing and converting vehicles.

That investment will pay off sooner rather than later, and projects like this are easily repeatable and worthy of consideration for many small cities.

By all measures, Longmont's renewable natural gas program is a resounding success.

Though, city residents have found one benefit of having clean trash haulers to be a mixed blessing.

CHARLES KAMENIDES: Our residents scramble out, historically, when they hear a trash truck coming down the road.

But with the new RNG, they're super quiet, and they miss out on that opportunity to run out, so like everyone else, they have to take their trash out on time, before 7am.

JOHN: Going to a mechanic is one thing, finding one that knows what they're doing is another.

Audra Fordin clues us in on what its takes for a tech to be certified in this week's "Your Drive."

♪ ♪ AUDRA FORDIN: Finding a good auto repair shop with certified technicians is such a challenge these days, but with us today is Trish Serratore from ASE-Automotive Service Excellence, to talk to us about automotive service excellences.

Trish, welcome back to MotorWeek!

TRISH SERRATORE: Great!

It's great to be here, Audra.

AUDRA: I'm so happy to have you.

Can you please tell us all about ASE?

TRISH: ASE is the industry's and the country's only third-party independent credential for the folks who fix our cars.

And we certify technicians in auto, truck, collision; all kinds of areas, all across the country.

AUDRA: What really makes such a difference for the people who are getting those certifications because it validates not only to the consumer, but to the shop that's employing them that they really care about their profession.

That they take such an interest in it.

And they want that certification because there is no other industry certification that I know of, other than ASE.

TRISH: That's right; employers want certified technicians because it shows that they have a commitment to A.)

the technician and a professional career, and more importantly, as you just mentioned, to the car owner, because that technician is taking a hard, comprehensive test and shown two years of experience before they actually get that certification.

And they retest every five years, so they maintain their certification and understanding the new technology in cars today.

AUDRA: Sure.

So, the person is getting a certification and then you have the schools that your overseeing that are getting the accreditation?

TRISH: Yes!

So, ASE certifies the technician, and then through our ASE Education Foundation we accredit schools that teach the fundamentals of automotive service technology to students.

They graduate and become our technicians of the future.

AUDRA: Mm-hmm.

And with the technology that is changing so fast, 0-60, and there's a million things that we need to know.

So, many new modules and computers out there.

How is ASE handling the new technology?

TRISH: Well, as I mentioned we have over 50-plus tests, but we're coming out with new tests all the time.

We have a new test for ADAS: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems; and we're working on one for high-voltage vehicles and electric vehicles, so we're trying to keep up with technology just like the technicians are.

AUDRA: That's fantastic.

Thank you so much, Trish.

Wonderful to talk to you.

And if you have any questions or comments reach out right here at MotorWeek !

JOHN: Here's the latest on the automotive beat with Stephanie Hart in this week's Motor News!

♪ ♪ STEPHANIE HART: The annual CES show has become as much as an auto show as a consumer electronics extravaganza, and CES 2023 saw some eye-popping concept vehicles.

The Ram 1500 Revolution Concept is a battery-electric pickup built on the new STLA Frame, featuring all-wheel drive, adjustable air suspension, four-wheel steering, and a multifunction tailgate.

The cabin includes third-row jump seats and a power mid-gate with a passthrough, fitting objects up to 18-feet long.

This concept previews Ram's electrified future, including a BEV Ram 1500 expected in 2024.

Volkswagen came camouflaged in their new ID.7 electric sedan.

This will be the brand's first all-electric sedan based on their Modular Electric Drive Matrix.

Manufacturer estimates put it around 435 miles of range.

It features an augmented reality head-up display, an intelligent air vent system, and a 15-inch screen.

The official ID.7 world premiere is scheduled for the second quarter of 2023.

Sony Honda Mobility announced their new EV brand, named "AFEELA."

The brand showcased a prototype model with a sleek body, a minimalist interior, and heeps of technology.

One feature is the "Media Bar," which communicates vehicle information through animated text.

The official production model should begin deliveries in early 2026.

Volvo's upcoming EX90 utility made its North American debut.

This seven-seater design features the most standard safety features of any Volvo to date, including a long-range lidar sensor designed to scout up to two football fields ahead.

Preorders are open now with deliveries beginning early 2024.

And that's it for this week's Motor News!

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: We've spent much of the new year cruising in our 2022 Kia EV6, now resting with another 4,000 miles on the odometer after two months of use.

As expected, the 320 horsepower dual-motor all-wheel drive system is more than ample for daily use, but what's more noteworthy is how it's delivered.

The thing that gets people excited about EVs is the instant torque under hard acceleration, but the fact is on a daily basis that doesn't matter a whole lot.

Living with this EV6 we're impressed by how smooth it accelerates, whether it's from a stop or while rolling.

And then deceleration is equally as impressive.

We really like being able to control how much regenerative braking we're getting with the steering wheel paddles, and then when we do lift off the accelerator there's no jarring grabbiness.

It's a well-tuned system.

Not only does it ease some of the pain of city gridlock, it makes longer hauls more bearable too.

Same can be said for the seats, especially the reclining rears.

Speaking of longer trips, we can attest to the 274 miles of range.

We've found the battery estimates to be pretty dead-on, only shrinking with the occasional bout in Sport mode.

Now, the EV6 isn't flawless.

The aero door handles look cool, but can be awkward to use since they don't automatically pop out like they do on the GT Line trim.

On the flipside, We turned off our auto-opening rear hatch since it kept popping up when we didn't want it to.

And the auto park feature is finicky to activate.

Still, these small quirks haven't deterred us from spending more time behind the wheel.

But this 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI might, as it's the newest member of our Long Term Fleet.

We'll have our impressions of it on another MotorWeek Long Term Road Test Update.

JOHN: For much of the late 1990's and early 2000's the Hummer was the macho-est of macho SUVs.

But the Hummer and its multiple offshoots were also, a major target of eco-warriors across the country.

Well, after being a brief casualty to GM's bankruptcy earlier this century, a new Hummer has arisen from the ashes.

And this one looks to please not only the off-road crowd, but the eco-chorus as well!

♪ ♪ In one of the more ironic turns of the automotive world, the Hummer is back; though not as a gas-guzzling sport utility vehicle, but a fully electric truck under the GMC umbrella, this 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup.

And as the first EV for the GMC brand, General Motors is not fooling around.

Their new Ultium platform is a modular chassis that can encase various battery modules within its frame for multiple wheelbases.

This Edition 1 is the first Hummer EV to arrive, and features 24 such battery modules, 213 kilowatt hours' worth, double stacked to deliver 329 miles of range, which seems more than reasonable, as we were on pace for 332 before recharging.

A 3-motor arrangement puts a single motor for the front wheels, while each rear wheel gets its own motor.

Together they produce 1,000 horsepower, and 1,200 pound-feet of torque.

If you can find a 350 kilowatt DC fast charger, you can get back on the road quickly, adding up to 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes.

And speaking of quickness, not only does this Hummer put out 1,000 horsepower, but it comes with a launch control system dubbed Watts to Freedom.

It's a process, and perhaps a little gimmicky; but once engaged, it essentially picks this 9,000 pound beast up and hurls it to 60 in 3.3 seconds time after time after time.

Power continues to pour on as you head down the track until you reach the vehicle's top speed of 106 miles per hour; at which time you get a nice warning in the gauge display, and only as much power as is necessary to maintain that 106 limit.

Still, we cleared the quarter in 11.9 seconds.

With that much weight, the Hummer EV was not so eager to get through the cones at any real speed, but standard rear wheel steering enables a super-tight turning radius to get this big brute in and out of tight spaces with surprising ease.

Plus, the much talked about crab walking feature allows you to steer the rears in the same direction as the fronts for more of a sidestepping approach.

But this is a Hummer after all, so it was off-pavement where we had the most fun.

Standard equipment includes substantial underbody protection, 35 inch Good Year Wrangler Mud-Terrain tires, 13 inches of suspension travel, and cameras all over the place to help you navigate trails and obstacles.

Somehow, it manages to look exactly like, you'd expect an electric Hummer to look like, beefy and militaristic, but with a modern edge.

All are crew cabs with a 5-foot bed, and you'll appreciate the step in the tailgate should you ever need to actually get into the bed.

It's a healthy step up into the cabin as well, but plenty of room awaits.

There's an incredibly spacious feel, thanks to the Infinity Roof, with transparent and removable panels; it's yet another cool feature that doesn't disappoint.

A large 13 inch infotainment screen is within easy reach, and there's a very luxurious feel to everything that previous Hummers merely aspired to.

There are a lot of unique surfaces and materials; and even some references to the moon landing, as of course, GM has been there done that.

No engine under the hood means trunk-like space for lots of gear, or organized storage for those roof panels.

Initial Edition 1 Hummer EV Pickups have a sticker price of $110,295 and are already sold out.

But you can put your order in soon for any of the three additional versions coming over the next few years; priced as low as $86,645.

And yes, an SUV version will arrive shortly as well.

The Hummer is indeed back and built with pride in GM's new Factory Zero.

But the 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup is truly a new Hummer for a new era.

It still may not be for everyone, but there's no doubt about it, GM got this one right!

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!

We're taking our first Roebling laps of 2023 in the Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica, then it's back to the byways in the Mercedes EQE sedan.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

ANNOUNCER: To learn more about MotorWeek ... Television's original automotive magazine, visit... To order a DVD of this program, call... MotorWeek has been brought to you by... ANNOUNCER: For more than 30 years Lucas Oil products has helped people tackle mechanical problems in the automotive, marine, and industrial fields.

From our original four core products... Lucas Oil has developed over 400 custom products to help both professionals and do it yourselfers.

To learn more visit Lucasoil.com.

Lucas oil, keep that engine alive!

MotorWeek is proudly sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper To Bumper, featuring major brand auto and truck parts, and service from coast to coast.

Learn more at AutoValue.com and BumperToBumper.com.

TireRack.Com is proud to support MotorWeek .

First, there was the wheel.

Then, the tire.

"We'll call it Tire Rack."

Forty years later, we're not slowing down.

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