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

Join us as we rev up Aston Martin's ultimate SUV entry, the DBX707... Then, we'll seek out updated advice on classic car care... We'll head up to the Big Apple for a green powerhouse of change... Then, it's back home in the 3rd generation Toyota Sequoia...

So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: While, few people could actually list the four vehicles that comprise the current Aston Martin US lineup, the brand does have well over 100 years of automotive history to fall back on, as well as a host of faithful followers passionate for the brand's unique combination of performance and luxury.

And after driving their latest DBX707, it's easy to see why.

♪ ♪ Though, arriving on the SUV scene just two years ago, Aston Martin has certainly aimed high with this follow up, the 2023 DBX707, wanting to create the world's most powerful luxury SUV.

Yes, that's 707 in the name, not 007, but we're pretty sure James Bond would find lots to love in this high-performance getaway machine.

If you've not been in a DBX before, it's not the easiest vehicle to jump in and just take off, as there is a bit of a learning curve.

No shortage of manual controls either, most of which are unique; and you must look way up to the top of the center dash to find the start button mixed among the buttons for transmission operation.

The bulk of the powertrain and behind the scenes workings are from Mercedes-Benz, with the engine supplied by the fine folks at AMG.

It's the same twin-turbo 4.0 liter V8 that the DBX debuted with, but Aston Martin has done some tweaking of their own this time around, installing new turbos, upgrading both intake and exhaust systems, and doing a complete recalibration to push horsepower from 542 to 697 and toque from 516 to 663 pound-feet.

Yowzah!

Thank you, Mr. Fenn, for signing off on this one, and for delivering way more power than you can get in a Cayenne Turbo or even a Lamborghini Urus.

There's still, a 9-speed transmission attached, but it changes from the standard Benz unit to AMG's high-performance one that swaps the torque converter out for a wet clutch design, to not only handle the additional output, but operate much faster, and provide significantly harder launches.

All remaining parts of the drivetrain get upgrades too, including a steeper ratio in the rear electronic limited slip differential, and the automatic central diff that can send full power to the rear when appropriate.

And boy does it feel fast, ripping to 60 in just 3.3 seconds, with huge carbon ceramic brakes to reign things in just as quickly.

Valving and spring rates of the standard air suspension have been re-calibrated too, and the 48 volt active roll stabilization system firmed up.

Even in its latest aggressive settings, it's a very stiff ride that prefers smooth pavement, though these optional 23 inch wheels surely play into that as well.

But there's plenty of reward for dealing with that harshness as the 707 stays incredibly flat in corners, has loads of grip, and rockets off them like few vehicles on the road.

So, as you can tell, Aston has left no stone unturned when it comes to performance, and they were just as crafty updating the interior too.

The entire center console has been reworked with a unique carbon fiber housing which features a wide variety of performance-oriented controls as well as a new knob for quickly changing drive modes.

And yes, there is still one for off-road.

For the most part, the interior remains absolutely exquisite with first-class materials and a museum quality vibe; but at the same time, there are things like the infotainment system that's a bit behind the best out there.

Some serious sport seats come with the 707, but if they're too aggressive for you, comfort seats can be swapped in.

It still looks drop dead gorgeous outside, as they were able to add aggressive notes, without altering the DBX's melodious tune.

Larger grille, of course, along with new brake cooling ducts, front splitter, and redesigned DRLs.

There's lots of carbon fiber naturally, as well as big quad exhaust tips integrated into the revised rear diffuser.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 15-City, 20-Highway, and 17-Combined.

With so many high-performance SUVs available, it's hard to justify spending $239,086 for this one unless you are truly an Aston Martin purist.

But having said that, it is the most powerful non-EV luxury Ute you can buy, and only about 60-grand over the standard DBX.

The fact that no one needs a 700 horsepower luxury SUV is well established.

But for the discriminating few that desire to own one, the 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 is an insanely impressive utility packed full of power and class that for now is in a class all its own.

♪ ♪ As we transition to a zero-emission driving future, developing a robust and accessible EV charging infrastructure for both consumers and fleets will be critical, especially in big cities.

So, to help New York meet this challenge, utility supplier Con Edison is also transforming itself into a clean energy powerhouse, and setting an example for cities across the country.

♪ ♪ Like many cities, New York is preparing for a sharp increase in electric vehicle registrations over the next ten years.

The task of supplying electricity to support those EV's falls to Con Edison.

They're one of the nation's largest energy companies, delivering electricity, natural gas, and steam to 3.5 million customers in New York City and Westchester county.

Con Edison's fleet of service vehicles are a common sight around New York, but they are taking on a new look... FORTUNATO GULINO: We have approximately 2000 light duty vehicles which will be, uh, fully electrified, uh, by 2035; uh, and the remainder of approximately 3000 vehicles, uh, will be medium and heavy-duty electrification, or some other, uh, greenhouse-lowering technology.

JOHN: Con Edison now buys only electric vehicles for its light-duty fleet, but moving away from fossil fuels is a more challenging task for medium and heavy-duty vehicles due to their size and operational needs.

This all-electric bucket truck from Terex is just starting a three-year field trial with Con Edison.

FORTUNATO GULINO: The range on this specific vehicle is approximately 130 miles, but what's unique about this vehicle is it's got two battery systems.

They're independent of each other.

It's about a 210 kilowatt hour battery for the truck, which gives you 130 mile range, and then you have approximately 30 kilowatt hour battery to operate the actual aerial unit behind me.

And that will probably provide you, uh, two-shift operation, or about 16 hours of operations of...of bucket use.

JOHN: Con Edison's on-the-job experience with this and other service vehicles also provides invaluable feedback to the truck manufacturers, as they continue developing zero-emission medium and heavy duty trucks in the future.

On the consumer side, Con Edison has instituted several programs to encourage EV ownership: Smartcharge New York is a program that offers cash incentives for charging at off-peak times in New York City and Westchester.

This reduces stress on the energy grid and makes service more reliable for everyone.

AMELIA BERMAN: EV drivers love this, because they're getting money to charge at off-peak times.

It's also great for our grid, because we have to make less investments in our power system, so ultimately it's going to be lower energy bills for everybody.

JOHN: Con Edison is helping expand access to curbside EV chargers across the city by partnering with the NYC Department of Transportation and FLO, one of North America's largest EV charging networks.

Power-ready offers incentives that can offset the costs for installing Level 2 or DC fast charging stations at commercial facilities, parking lots, and multifamily residential properties.

AMELIA: It's really important that as you drive around, you see that there are publicly accessible chargers.

Drivers are going to feel more comfortable in buying or purchasing their first electric vehicle.

Uh, we've installed 3000 chargers so far, and we're going to install 19,000 by 2025, and, fingers crossed, 400,000 by 2035.

JOHN: Smart civic planning and aggressive implementation are keys for any community to stay ahead of the electric vehicle curve.

We'll be keeping a keen eye on Con Edison as their clean energy vision becomes reality.

Classic cars require special care and sometimes a bit of unique repair.

Fortunately, modern times also mean up-to-date solutions for many antique automotive fixes.

So, we asked our Dan Maffett to give us the details on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

♪ ♪ DAN MAFFETT: There's nothing better than finding an old project car at a great price.

If you're anything like me, there's always room for one more project.

If you're taking on this project yourself and you're not a trained body-man or mechanic, you might reach a point where you have to hire a professional to get that build across the finish line.

There's a lot of shops out there.

Most of them specialize in a certain style of build.

The shop that does your concourse-original car might not be the shop that does your weekend racecar.

Likewise, there's some shops that are brand-specific.

So, if you're part of a Jeep club or a Chevy club, they might have a shop they can recommend that they trust.

Now, if you have an old car like this...a '55 Bel Air that's one of the most popular cars ever made, you can get a panel for everything in here.

You can replace the fender, you can replace the hood; everything's available aftermarket.

You just cut out the rust, get your patch panel in there, trim it to fit, and replace it any you're good.

But, if you have something unique that doesn't have aftermarket support, you're gonna have to find a coach builder.

Now, coach builders are few and far between nowadays; but, they are trained artists.

Their medium is metal.

They can take a flat piece of steel and reproduce this entire car from scratch.

You might be asking, "How do you know you have the right shop?"

Well, you want to do a deep dive.

Look in your area, see what shops are available, see if any are close enough you can go take a look at.

Look at their reviews, look at their social medias... see if their style matches what you're trying to do.

Now, you wanna take a look at the reviews and sort them worst-to-greatest and greatest-to-worst.

You want to look at the bad and the good.

You want to know everything about the shop before you trust them with something like this.

A build like this is a big investment, so you want to make sure it's a smart investment.

Visit the shop, talk to the owners, make sure you click; 'cause with some projects taking six months, some of them taking over two-years, you're gonna build a relationship with them.

So, make sure that is gonna be a good one as well.

Now, pay structures can vary depending on projects; but, most shops are time and material or deposit-based, where they have a lump sum and you pay it down every month.

So, do your research, find the right shop to make your dream car a reality.

Any questions or comments, hit us up right here at MotorWeek .

JOHN: Let's take the first ramp onto this week's QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: Nissan became one of the great explorers of mass marketed electric vehicles with their LEAF hatchback.

And despite its success, new EV products from the brand were slow to trickle out.

We didn't drive a new one until last year, the 2023 Nissan Ariya; and we're back in the saddle to experience the Ariya now with e-4ORCE.

That's the Ariya's all-wheel-drive system, and it can generate up to 389 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, traveling up to a claimed 272 miles.

That's with the 87 kilowatt-hour battery.

The 63 kilowatt-hour standard range battery puts out a little less power and is good for 205 miles.

On paper, these numbers aren't out of this world; but, they are mostly on par with the competition.

It's the e-4ORCE's all-wheel-drive abilities which make it stand out a little more.

ALEXANDER KELLUM: I've been driving this Ariya all day and I've gotta say, this e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive has really impressed me.

We had a short little pit stop over at Sonoma Raceway, where we ran through a little agility course; you know, a slalom, a late braking test, uh, a wet hairpin.

And I was just impressed at how well the e-4ORCE could mitigate road conditions, driver input, and kind of fuse it all together to make sure I was carving the line I intended to take.

It was just really cool.

JESSICA RAY: e-4ORCE or not, the Ariya's cabin features that EV-openness-- we've come to expect, plus, some nifty storage solutions.

Here, the minimalist dash houses haptic controls, above which are dual 12.3 inch displays.

The 2023 Nissan Ariya starts in the mid-40's, with the first e-4ORCE model starting around $48,000.

The Extended Range e-4ORCE starts just over 50K, topping out over 60.

We'll have our Ariya e-4ORCE Road Test and more QuickSpins...soon!

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: We're glad Acura revived the Integra name, and even happier to now have one in our long-term fleet.

This 2023 Integra A-Spec won our most recent Best Sport Sedan Drivers' Choice Award, and comes to us with the added Tech package featuring Sport Seats, Head-Up Display, and 16-speaker ELS Premium Audio.

And of course, A-Spec trim means 18 inch wheels, upgraded suspension, rear spoiler, and sport pedals.

Power comes from the Civic Si's 1.5 liter turbo.

It likes to rev and feels peppier than its 200 horsepower rating.

Even with the 6-speed manual's higher than typical top gear cruising RPM, we're averaging a great 32.9 miles per gallon through our initial 2,000 miles.

Yeah, we know it's ultimately just an upscale Civic, but truly, what's wrong with that?

And by all means, do get the manual transmission over the CVT, as it delivers a much more rewarding experience.

In other, sporty 4-door news, we actually have to say good-bye to our 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI.

It was only with us for 3-months, but we clearly loved driving it, as we did so for 8,548 miles in that brief time, averaging 2.3 smiles per mile, and 31.8 miles per gallon.

We may be saying goodbye to this GLI, but despite the doom and gloom forecasts, I don't think we're saying goodbye to manual transmissions or sedans.

At least not yet.

This car reminded us that compact sedans can still be comfortable long-haul cruisers and manual transmissions are still efficient.

And even though, we mostly drove in the dreary days of winter, this torquey turbo-4 and sport suspension kept our spirits up.

And for that, (pats the steering wheel) we thank you, Jetta GLI.

I'll miss your perfectly spaced pedals for heel-toe downshifts.

We'll slow the pace down and check in on our Kia Carnival minivan on the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update!

JOHN: Like everyone these days, Toyota sells a whole lot of SUVs.

But among all of the RAV4s, Highlanders, and 4Runners, the Sequoia tends to get a little lost, despite being their biggest and most capable utility.

But, this Tundra-based full-framed 3-row Ute is all-new for 2023, and looking to stand taller than ever!

♪ ♪ 2023 marks the start of the 3rd generation of the full-size Toyota Sequoia 3-row utility.

Thankfully, it remains based on the Tundra full-size pickup, and is now built right alongside it...deep in the heart of Texas.

So, it still boasts capability in spades, looks tougher than ever, yet, pampers like never before.

All Sequoias work with Toyota's fantastic 3.5 liter V6 hybrid rated at 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque.

It feels powerful in all situations, and if you keep throttle inputs featherlike, you can spend a surprising amount of time running on battery power and the 36 kilowatt electric motor alone.

But it's very noticeable when the engine kicks in, both in feel and with a sound that's almost V8-like.

And it really does want to get to work, having our test Sequoia lurching forward at our Mason Dixon test track's starting line with even the slightest throttle inputs.

Go full throttle and the rear squats noticeably before pouncing hard off the line to 60 in just 5.5 seconds.

The 10-speed automatic transmission works through gears very smoothly, with power never really letting up much throughout the quarter-mile.

Our best time was 14.2 seconds at 95 miles per hour.

Toyota's 4WDemand part-time 2-range 4-wheel-drive is optional with most trims and features an electronic transfer case as well as an automatic limited-slip rear; max tow rating is a substantial 9,520 pounds.

Even with the tough-truck vibe, the Sequoia's ride is very comfortable and quiet, though handling is not exactly its forte.

At times, it can feel a little too pickup truck-like and a handful when pushed hard, especially if you're used to modern car-like crossovers.

At higher speeds, there was tremendous understeer and significant body roll through our handling course.

But, keep speeds reasonable, and it responds plenty solid and safe, with good steering feedback.

In braking runs, there was a lot of nosedive, which is to be expected when bringing this big of a vehicle to a complete stop.

It took just 116 feet from 60 miles per hour.

The seven or eight passenger Sequoia is physically massive, yet, it doesn't feel as roomy as many direct rivals, especially in the 3rd row.

Cargo space, not bad at all though, with 22.3 cubic-feet behind the 3rd row, 49.0 behind the 2nd, and a max of 86.9 cubic-feet.

And it packs lots of standard safety features including dynamic radar cruise control, lane tracing assist, and Safety Sense 2.5 with automatic emergency braking and steering assist.

The front seats are comfortable, and the cabin well-finished.

An 8.0 inch touchscreen is standard for Toyota's latest infotainment system.

But, most trims come with the 14 inch version, and in operation, it's one of the best systems out there right now.

Toyota made plenty of headlines with their over-the-top Capstone trim, but this Platinum seems much more reasonable, yet, still includes amenities such as heated and ventilated seats for the 1st and 2nd rows, 14-speaker JBL premium audio, panoramic roof, wireless phone charging, and Head-Up display.

It is a big step up into the cabin, even when deploying side steps to help, but it is certainly an impressive looking vehicle with its big truck style grille, aggressive body cuts and mega tall stance.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings with 4-wheel-drive are 19-City, 22-Highway, and 20-Combined; our average an acceptable 20.5 miles per gallon of Regular.

Stick to lower trims and you can get a lot of SUV for the money, staring tab, $59,960.

Four-wheel-drive adds $3,000.

However, things get pretty pricy as you work your way up to TRD Pro, which starts at $77,660.

With the fleeting nature of American buying habits, it's hard to say, if the Sequoia will stand as tall as any of the many other SUVs in Toyota's own lineup, though they have thinned the herd by no longer offering the Land Cruiser here in the U.S.

Still, if Toyota was trying to create a modern looking, highly capable, full-size utility with an old-school feel, mission accomplished, the 2023 Sequoia is just that.

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, when we stretch the line in the Land Rover Defender 130.

Then, it's the gas-saving details of the Kia Sportage PHEV.

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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