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

We're on the road in the new and improved Volkswagen Taos... Making a "Your Drive" pit stop for a rim revival rundown... Roger Mecca takes us back in a vintage Mercedes performance saloon... Then, it's modern performance from a British icon, the Aston Martin Vantage.

So, come drive with us, next!

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whether it's... JOHN: The Taos may be Volkswagen's smallest sport Ute, but as you can see, it's not really all that small.

That bigger is better approach has gotten the Taos off to a good start.

But for 2025 there's a new tactic: Better is better, as the Taos has received some significant upgrades front to back.

So, time to see if a better Taos is a smarter choice.

♪ ♪ VW currently has five SUVs in their lineup, with this 2025 Volkswagen Taos occupying the entry-level position.

It's also a relative newcomer, launching here in the U.S. for 2022.

Updates for 2025 touch just about every aspect of the vehicle, but most noticeably the exterior which gets quite a makeover.

The upper grille gets slimmed way down, adopting a theme similar to VW's ID.4 EV, while the lower grille gets much taller, though a lot of it is just a styling exercise, not actual open grillwork.

SE Black trim, one step down from top SEL, adds full-width LED accent lighting front and rear, panoramic glass in a black roof, lots of black trim, and these nice-looking 18 inch wheels which are a new design for '25.

If you spend the $1,700 to add 4Motion all-wheel-drive, you'll get 19 inch wheels along with a host of other upgrades.

But, with affordability in mind, we stuck with standard front- wheel-drive for our test.

But, all Taos work with a 1.5 liter turbo-4 engine.

Now also undated, it adds 19 horsepower for a new total of 177.

Torque output stays at 184 pound-feet.

Both drivelines include an 8-speed automatic transmission; not new for front-wheel-drive, but previously 4Motion came with a 7-speed DSG.

With Volkswagen no longer selling a base Golf here in the U.S. this Taos is sort of the de facto replacement.

And while, it didn't necessarily venture into hot hatch territory at our Mason Dixon test track, we appreciated the additional power as the Taos had plenty of torque to spin up the front tires off the line.

It felt sufficiently quick for a small utility, hitting 60 in 8.1 seconds, almost a second quicker than in '22.

Automatic shifts were quite aggressive at first, but smoothed out in higher gears, and we actually got our best times when triggering shifts manually.

Best quarter-mile time was 16.2 seconds at 88 miles per hour.

The Taos' relatively big size for its class does give it a more substantial feel than many rivals, but a soft suspension means lots of body roll.

The front-wheel-drive versions work with a simple torsion beam rear suspension, instead of the multilink setup that comes with 4Motion.

Still, understeer was relatively mild; mostly due to stability systems quickly kicking in.

There was a lot of ABS pulsing through the pedal in our panic braking runs, and some fade as well; but a 110-feet average stopping distance from 60 is quite good for this segment.

At first blush the interior appears a little sterile and perhaps a bit appliance-like, but comfort is high, visibility is quite good, and materials including VW's CloudTex leatherette seem very durable and feel good, as do most touchpoints.

Though, we could do without the touchpoints of the new Climatronic control panel.

An 8.0 inch touchscreen multimedia system is standard and gets upgraded with higher resolution and improved phone connectivity.

Back-seat accommodation in this 5-passenger utility is indeed very spacious for its class, as is cargo capacity; 27.9 cubic-feet behind the 60/40 split folding rear seats, 65.9 when folded; numbers are a bit less in all-wheel-drive versions.

Front-wheel-drive government fuel economy ratings are 28 city, 36 highway, and 31 combined.

We averaged a quite good 33.2 miles per gallon of Regular.

Pricing starts at $26,420 for a front-wheel-drive S, ranging to top SEL 4Motion at $36,120.

Bigger isn't always better, but that surely was the case when the Taos arrived three years ago.

Finer looks, improved tech, more power, that all adds up to a 2025 Volkswagen Taos that stands taller than ever, and is primed to be a much bigger player in the small crossover game.

♪ ♪ Almost 40 years ago, we test drove the then-new Mercedes 190e 2.3-16, the first in what would become a legendary line of performance-focused sedans from the German auto giant.

And at the time, we were thrilled by Benz's ability to balance speed, practicality, and comfort.

Little did we know that, that 190e would kickstart a legacy of thrilling three-pointed-star sports sedans.

But how does that classic saloon stack up four decades later?

Well, our Roger Mecca decided to find out.

♪ ♪ ROGER MECCA: In the 1980s, before Mercedes became synonymous with the performance sub-brand AMG, the giant car company was known for making luxurious but somewhat unexciting sedans.

But that doesn't mean they were okay with simply letting other brands get all the attention.

Occasionally, Mercedes would shake off their stuffiness and make some truly remarkable cars, like the beautiful 300 SL gullwing, but I don't even think they predicted what would happen when they debuted this, the 190e 2.3-16 valve.

Jatinder Sehmi is the owner of this 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190e 2.3-16V.

He saw his first one at just 8.0 years old and from then on he was determined to have one.

And when he finally did grab a set of keys of his own, he was hooked for life.

JATINDER SEHMI: I will never get rid of it.

It's just...it's...again, it's so fun to drive.

Every time I get in it I just smile, and I just want to keep those revs up 4-6,000.

It's...it's so fun.

ROGER: One of the reasons his smile never fades is what older performance cars like the 2.3-16 offers drivers that even today's most powerful supercars sometimes can't: a true driving connection.

JATINDER: It's a different type of car.

They're way more fun than nowadays.

You're, you're connected with these.

These are analog cars.

Those cars have a lot of aids, uh...you feel a little disconnected from the newer stuff...uh, and that's one of the reasons why cars like this, and any '80s and some '90s cars, put such a smile on your face when you drive them.

It's cause you're connected with the car.

You feel at one.

ROGER: That feeling isn't an accident when you consider the 2.3-16's origin story.

Mercedes chose the small and sedate 190e as the base for its new rally racer, replacing the 450 SLC.

Plans were drawn off to have an outside firm tune the engine to 320 horsepower, a massive number in the early '80s; but before Mercedes could even hit the dirt, Audi unleash the now legendary 4-wheel-drive Quattro.

Mercedes knew it's rear-wheel-drive sedan could never keep up.

Leadership wanted to scrap the whole thing, but engineers saw the racing potential and convinced executives to enter the car into the DTM German Touring Car Championship.

It was a huge success, but more importantly touring car rules dictated that Mercedes had to make the 2.3-16 available to consumers.

Now, you might be wondering "Well, where was AMG in all of this," right?

I mean, for the last 40 years, if you think about a fast Mercedes, you think about AMG.

But in the early 1980s, AMG was just another race tuning company.

They were completely independent from Mercedes.

So, when Mercedes wanted to go after the best of the best tuning companies, they called Cosworth.

The Cosworth relationship was short lived with AMG tuning the 2.3-16 successor, the 2.5 liter, which saw even more power and more modifications.

The nearly 9.0 second 0-60 time isn't impressive today, but this car was never about speed off the line.

The 16-valve inline-4 loves to rev, and when it gets going the speed and fun arrive quickly.

There was a perfect little sweet spot in the power band between around four and 7000 rpm where this little Cosworth engine really comes to life, and it makes you want to go faster and drive harder.

And thankfully, Mercedes made sure the chassis was up to the task.

In fact, in our 1986 review, we described the ride as firm but never harsh, making it the most nimble Mercedes we've ever driven.

Mercedes used a then-advanced suspension featuring a five-link rear end with self-leveling shock absorbers, while tightening up everything else from the shocks to the stabilizer bars.

They also added a wing, skirts, wheel flares, and attached splitters and an air dam to keep it all planted.

Large ventilated ABS brakes were also used, allowing the car to stop remarkably well.

Once inside, owners found a dog-leg 5-speed shifter with long throws that's perfectly fine being rushed aggressively.

The back seats were just as bolstered as the front, which means that this 4-door is strictly a 4-seater.

Our original 1986 review stated that the 2.3-16V set a performance precedent for Mercedes.

Today, that performance and excitement is still delivering plenty of smiles, proving age really is just a number.

JOHN: If you're looking at the online shops for new wheels to replace those curb rashed ones, hold off on clicking "buy now."

That is, until you see what Logan McCombs has to share on rim restoration, on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

♪ ♪ LOGAN MCCOMBS: So...say, you're driving down the highway and you just hit that nasty pothole, or you've taken a turn just a little too sharp, and you want to know how you can get it repaired.

Well, I'm here with Sam from Rim Renew, and he's going to walk us through that process today.

Sam, thank you for joining us.

SAM FRIEDMAN: Thank you for having me.

LOGAN: So, say I do hit that pothole and my tire is losing pressure.

What is the process of evaluating a wheel?

SAM: Sure.

First thing we do is we decipher whether or not the wheel is repairable or not.

Uh, If the wheel is bent, we'll take a look at how it's bent, where it's bent, and we'll tell you-- "Hey, that is repairable" or maybe it's too far gone.

If the wheel is cracked, that is also something that is repairable... LOGAN: Okay.

SAM: ...uh, as long as it's not too badly cracked.

LOGAN: Okay.

SAM: Uh, once we make those determinations, we've got wheel straightening machines, we've got welders, and we can make the wheel round again... LOGAN: Okay.

SAM: ...and weld back together the wheel to make it airtight.

If we're doing à la carte, you bring me a bent wheel, we can just straighten it, remount and balance the tire, and you're gone in a couple hours.

If the wheel is cracked, it's about the same.

Or if we're doing full refinishing with a bent and a cracked wheel, now we're throwing the kitchen sink at it, we're fully remanufacturing the wheel; typically speaking, the longest time frame, for our shop, is about three days, if we're doing all four wheels on the car and all of them have damage to one extent or another.

LOGAN: Okay.

And is there a point where a wheel is not repairable?

SAM: Absolutely.

If the wheels bent in a certain way, uh, it might not be repairable.

Uh, if it's bent through the spokes, it's called bent from center or bent from the hub.

That's a tough fix.

Sometimes, we can do it.

In terms of being cracked, industry standard is no more than welds in any one wheel.

Beyond that, you should really replace the wheel.

LOGAN: Okay.

All right.

And say, I have a wheel that maybe I curb rashed.

What is, what would the process look like in repairing something like that?

SAM: One way is to sand out the damage and paint, and blend the paint back together.

Or what we do in our shop is powder coat the wheels.

And that's an all-over process to make the wheel, uh, either remanufactured or look as...as good as new as possible.

LOGAN: So, say someone does need the full restoration.

What does that process look like in its entirety?

SAM: Well, internally in our shop, what that looks like is, first step would be at the straightening machine where the wheel gets straightened out, uh, back to 20,000ths of an inch of a perfect circle all the way around.

That is industry spec.

Next step would be welding, if the wheel is cracked and needs to be welded.

It's TIG welded.

And the third step would be stripping the wheel and sending the wheel to the powder coat room where it will get a full new finish on it in whatever color or finish the customer chooses to switch to, or in- back to its original, uh, finish.

LOGAN: Okay.

And this doesn't always apply to just factory wheels?

It can be aftermarket, correct?

SAM: Absolutely.

LOGAN: Okay.

Well...Sam, thank you for all that information.

And if you have a question or comment, reach out to us, right here at MotorWeek .

JOHN: We've got the master key to everything that's new, so let's go for a QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: Like, a late millennial closing in on their 30s, it's probably time for some positive reinventing for the Lincoln Navigator.

2025 sees a 5th gen debut, which we sampled in San Diego, California.

The most obvious change is this 48 inch panoramic display, with clear info and live views of the road for safer lane changes; and below is an 11.1 inch touchscreen for climate.

The front seats come standard heated, ventilated, and massaging.

The 2nd row, either bench or captain, can be optioned with massaging, and the three-person 3rd row can also be optioned with heat.

The Navigator looks the part of a 2020's land yacht, but despite its modern form, function retains some tradition, thanks to an unelectrified 3.5 liter V6, twin-turbocharged for 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque.

It sounds good putting power out through a 10-speed auto to its standard all-wheel-drive, with road sensations reminiscent of Ford's bread and butter.

As far as on-road manners, I mean, this thing is still built on the F-150 platform.

So, I mean, it really does kind of drive like a truck.

So, the steering wheel, it is flat top and bottom.

While, I thought I would have some issues with the oval shape, it's been pretty easy to get used to.

The 2025 Lincoln Navigator is on sale now, starting just over $102,000.

We'll run it through the Road Test paces soon to see if it's truly worth it.

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: Off-roading has become such a focus, brands like Toyota are giving more and more options for all-terrain conquering, and that includes this 2025 Tundra equipped with the TRD Rally package.

GREG: A way to think of this TRD Rally package is-- TRD Pro Lite because, while it does get some off-road goodies like Bilstein shocks, skid plates, a rear electronic locker, it's not quite as capable as a TRD Pro.

But for most people, it's really just splitting hairs because it's really good out here on the trail; and while it doesn't get all of the TRD Pro hardware, it does get the software, most notably for novices is Crawl Control, which allows you to just let go of the pedals and the truck will just drive itself on the trail.

All you've got to do is steer.

JESSICA: And meeting the earth is a set of all-terrains mounted on 18 inch wheels.

A TRD Exhaust is bolted up to its i-FORCE V6, a twin-turbo 3.4 liter rated at 389 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, all 4-wheel-drive delivered.

The 2025 Toyota Tundra SR5 starts around $53,000; with TRD Rally adding another $8,600.

That's a big bill, but a solid option about 10-grand less than the TRD Pro.

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

♪ ♪ GREG: We've been driving this 2024 Subaru Solterra EV for 6 months, travelling 6,500 mostly commuting miles; and a repeating theme in our logbook is how much it behaves just like any other Subaru.

And yes, that is a compliment.

Despite being an EV, there's really no learning curve when you hop in, the driving experience is inoffensive in every way, and even acceleration has a traditional ICE feel to it.

It would make a great first EV for anyone that's intimidated by the high-tech foreign nature of many full battery electrics.

Subaru Eyesight is standard in the Solterra and has features like-- blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and even front cross-traffic alert, which is really nice to have in parking lots.

There's also a Driver Distraction Mitigation system which alerts us if it senses we're looking away from the road for too long.

Another good system... maybe too good, because some of our drivers have noted how quick it is to go off with even brief glances down to the navigation screen.

Still, we'd much rather have these systems than not.

SUVs are in high demand around here in the summertime; fortunately, this Mitsubishi Outlander just rolled into our lot for an extended stay.

We'll have updates on this updated Outlander soon.

But first, we'll check in our Kia Carnival and Cadillac LYRIQ on the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update!

JOHN: Aston Martin has a long history of delivering high-performance vehicles packed with classic British elegance.

But with their latest Vantage coupe, Aston Martin has seriously cranked up the performance part of that formula.

So, let's hit the track and see how it all comes together.

♪ ♪ We're ripping through the nine high-speed turns of Savannah's Roebling Road Raceway as fast as possible, trying to outrun an epic winter storm that's about to shut down most of the South.

And this 2025 Aston Martin Vantage seems to be enjoying it as much as we are.

Quite simply, we didn't expect the Vantage to be this inspired.

(engine revs/wheels screech) Afterall, Aston has used the Vantage name on a variety of vehicles over the years, but this particular coupe arrived for 2019 and gets a proper and prodigious refreshing for 2025.

Visually, it's an absolutely gorgeous piece of machinery, with the exaggerated proportions that would be borderline cartoonish if they weren't so exquisitely executed.

And despite decades of improving camera technology, our lenses simply can't truly portray the depth and beauty of this Podium Green paint job, part of the "Racing Line" collection.

Now, it may look all British sports car outside, but it still gets its power from a German V8; AMG's hand-assembled 4.0 liter twin-turbo unit, and for those keeping score at home its 656 horsepower output is a healthy 128 horsepower increase over last year.

(car whooshing by) It sends its 590 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Somehow this European union comes out feeling more NASCAR than sports car, as the Vantage is crazy fast and a handful to drive.

For being a GT car at heart, the Vantage has a very dynamic feel to it with way more feedback than the typical Grand Tourer.

And considering the last Aston Martin we drove was an SUV, it's great to be back in a proper British sport coupe that's willing to get down to business on a racetrack.

Even with that monster motor up front, the Vantage's bonded aluminum structure enables perfect 50:50 weight distribution, and you feel right in the middle of it.

A complete suspension overhaul includes Active Vehicle Dynamics with adaptive dampers, an electronic rear differential, and new 21 inch Michelin PS 5s.

It all works through Adjustable Traction Control with eight levels of intervention, including full-off, if conditions are appropriate.

It does have some roll to it, but it feels very natural.

Integrated Brake Slip Control modulates braking on turn-ins, and with the Carbon Disc upgrade, braking performance was exceptional once they were warmed up.

ABS was quick to trigger until we got some heat into them, after which point their bite was strong and consistent.

The biggest takeaways from our track time: it feels insanely powerful and sounds incredibly ferocious, yet at the same time, it's so smooth and refined it's easy forget your speed.

(engine purrs) Alas, we couldn't outrun that snowstorm which arrived before we could do any acceleration runs, but we expect the Vantage can do a mass Brexitous to 60 in 3.4 seconds, aided by a new Launch Control system.

It feels every bit as special inside.

The cockpit is a little tight, but everything is within easy reach and logically placed.

The Mercedes-Benz influence is much less noticeable with an all-new console and center stack.

Switchgear and materials feel exquisite and purposeful, with lots of carbon fiber and leather.

The 10.3 inch infotainment screen is another big change, as the Vantage gets Aston's new in-house system first seen in the DB12.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 15 City, 22 Highway and 18 Combined.

Vantage pricing starts at $194,500, with plenty of ways to make that number climb in a hurry.

Staying true to the brand while absolutely tearing up a racetrack, well, you really can't ask for anything more than that.

That's what makes the 2025 Aston Martin Vantage so special.

It's a great place to spend your high-performance dollars, if you're looking for something a little different, with even more of the familiar thrills.

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 high-voltage Chevrolet Silverado EV and some laps in the high-adrenaline McLaren Artura.

Until next time, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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We test tires, then share our results.

We stock over one million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

We do this because we believe tires matter.

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