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

We're going "real fast" in the Mazda MX-5 RF... This week's throwback punches in on the 1985 Dodge Shelby Charger... Then, it's back to now with a Two Wheelin' LiveWire... Ending with a crowd-pleasing trek in the latest Ford Expedition... So, come drive with us, next!

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

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JOHN: Ever since 1989, the Mazda Miata has been delivering major driving thrills for few dollar bills.

But the biggest change that happened to the MX-5 over its four generations was the arrival of 2017's retractable fastback.

And since, we haven't driven the RF in quite a while, we thought that Roebling Road Raceway would be a great place to get reacquainted on the go.

♪ ♪ One look at the Mazda Miata, and you know what it's all about.

(tires screech) Its less is more approach has brought top-down driving enjoyment to more than a million fans worldwide over nearly 40 years now, with many owners even adding hardtops and hitting the racetrack.

Mazda briefly offered their own power retracting hardtop but eventually settled on this Targa-style roof design which stores strictly the overhead portion of the roof in the same storage well as the soft top.

It not only provides better protection for track work, and from bad weather, but even brings a little more refinement with added sound deadening materials.

Motivation activation comes from the tried and true SKYACTIV-G naturally-aspirated 2.0 liter I4, cranking out the same 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque it has since 2019, which is plenty for moving the Miata's 2,500 pounds around a racetrack.

(track noise) Roebling Road Raceway is a very high-speed course, so the thought of taking a small 181 horsepower machine out onto it at first is not exactly thrilling, no matter how light it is.

But before we could even finish the first lap, we were grinning ear to ear.

You feel very connected to this car, grip from the 205 Bridgestone Potenza tires was plentiful, and it was highly refreshing to embrace carrying as much momentum as possible through corners instead of just hammering on and off the throttle all the time and dealing with the consequences.

It's fun, playful, and never gets out of sorts in corners.

The RF is not necessarily faster than the regular cloth-top Miata, especially when you consider the hundred pounds of added weight, but at the same time, it's not any less enjoyable.

You can't hear the exhaust quite as much, but it's not like it sounds that robust anyway.

Considering end of the straightaway speeds were not that high, braking performance was fine; more importantly, they never faded throughout our three days of track time.

(engine revving) In straight line runs, it was tricky to find that sweet spot for nailing perfect launches, but if you don't mind slipping the light clutch just a bit and dealing with a little wheel hop, you can hit 60 in 5.8 seconds.

(engine revs) A 6-speed automatic is available, but if you're at all able, manual shifting through the Miata's gears remains one of the best joys in the car world today; short throws and the precise action of the shifter is something we'll never get tired of experiencing.

The quarter-mile journey came to an end in 14.7 seconds at 94 miles per hour.

When we began the MotorWeek journey 45 years ago, it didn't take long for a Mazda to pop up on our radar, testing a 626 coupe in our third show ever, we felt this "oriental BMW" had real sports car potential, though we seemed to appreciate its business-like interior and clear gauges most, both full of "Japanese flair."

Since, the RF arrived in 2017 as part of the 4th gen Miata lineup, changes have been minimal, but both head and taillights were updated in '24.

So much about the interior remains simplistic and purposeful: Manual seat adjustments, actual knobs and switches, and even a physical hand brake.

But modern features have crept in with a multi-function controller for the 8.8 inch infotainment display and wireless smartphone connectivity.

Things remain cozy inside, the seats could use more bolstering, and the lack of headroom kept some of our taller drivers sidelined as there just wasn't enough room with a helmet on.

But on a sunny day, with an open road in front of you, all of that is forgotten as you store the roof and find the Miata zone.

If you know, you know.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings with the 6-speed manual are 26 city, 35 highway, and 29 combined.

With prices of everything skyrocketing of late, it's good to know you can still get an MX-5 Miata for just over $30,000.

RFs are a little more of an investment, starting at $39,685.

While, most of us would stick with the cloth top for the true roadster experience, the Miata RF offers buyers a more protective, and yes...premium option.

Either way you go, you can't go wrong with the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

♪ ♪ JOHN: While, the auto industry's push to fully transition to battery power has hit the brakes of late, more and more electrified offerings continue to arrive, including in the two-wheeled world, where Brian Robinson takes us for a spin on the latest LiveWire.

♪ ♪ BRIAN ROBINSON: After bringing Harley-Davidson into the EV era, The Motor Company quickly spun LiveWire off into its own brand.

And, that's not all that's changed, so let's get caught up.

In addition to that original LiveWire, which is now known as the LiveWire One, the LiveWire lineup has quickly expanded to include three new-gen S2 models; the cruiser-style Mulholland, the urban-minded Del Mar, and this Alpinista, which is more of a sport standard, designed to be equally adept at both navigating the urban grind and attacking corners on weekend rides with your buddies.

All S2s share the same basic setup; modular aluminum chassis based around a 10.5 kilowatt hour battery, or "rechargeable energy storage system" as LiveWire calls it, residing where we'd normally see an engine, with the actual motor tucked in behind, sending its 84 horsepower and 194 pound-feet of torque to the 17 inch rear wheel through a synthetic belt.

Range for the Alpinista is as much as 120 miles, if you're taking it easy, as little as 71, if you're frequently trying to verify the claimed 3.0 second 0-60 like I did.

Drive modes and all pertinent riding info are displayed on a small round 4.0 inch TFT screen, with controls by the left handgrip.

Level-2 charging can get it to 80 percent in just over an hour, but it'll easily fill-up overnight on household 110, so you don't really need to worry about spending money on a special charger.

And when you're out riding, it's easy to quickly forget all of that stuff and get immersed in the riding experience, which is quite good.

It feels fast, but not scary fast with brakes that respond quickly; and it's easy to lean it's 434 pounds into a corner, all thanks to LiveWire not cheapening out on buyers by using Showa suspension components with multiple adjustments and Brembo brakes.

Top speed is 99 miles per hour.

With the Alpinista comes a host of updates that can be downloaded by current S2 owners, mostly involving the throttle.

Rolling the grip forward when you're riding, allows you to manually initiate some regen braking.

And when you're not in motion, rolling forward has a different party trick...reverse!

The Alpinista looks cool; it still has the flat-tracker vibe of the Del Mar, but with 17 inch wheels which gives it more of a sportbike vibe and opens up a lot more possibilities for sport-minded tires like these Dunlop Roadsmart IVs.

Now, if you've been sitting around waiting for EV motorcycle prices to come down, good news, that is happening quickly as the S2 Alpinista now starts at just $11,999, well below half of what that original LiveWire stickered for and four-grand less than when the Alpinista was originally launched not long ago.

Are battery-electric motorcycles for everyone?

No.

Will this one perform the same tasks that most motorcycles do?

Absolutely, and it does it with much less maintenance.

The 2025 LiveWire S2 Alpinista is a blast to ride.

You'll just wish you were able to do it longer or refuel it more quickly.

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: We've got a mega update for our 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander.

The digital odometer has climbed 5,500 miles and crested the 20,000-overall- mile mark of our test.

Since, our last check-in, we've driven the Outlander down the I-95 for MotorWeek's yearly Roebling track testing, then up to Vermont for a weekend ski getaway.

We have observed a dip down to 26.5 miles per gallon, still just above the EPA's combined rating; but, we've been moving a lot more friends and skis than usual, so we partially attribute the loss to that.

All this haulin' has made us appreciate the Outlander's versatility even more.

Not just from a driving standpoint, with Mitsubishi's Super All-Wheel Control proving formidable in the wintry mix; but, the loading of people and payload is a cinch.

We hardly ever have passengers in the 3rd row, so those seats are basically always stowed.

Now, the 2nd row gets a real workout.

We are constantly putting those seatbacks down for cargo and then back up again for passengers.

Now, luckily, they're easy to operate either from the side or the rear, and when they're down for cargo the load floor is nice and flat, and when they're up for passengers, those passengers really appreciate that the seats are heated in this SEL grade.

Our Mitsubishi Outlander has certainly earned a break.

We'll let it coast a little more by shifting more duties over to our Porsche Cayenne, which we'll feature in the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update.

JOHN: The name "Shelby" is often associated with performance hardware from Ford, and rightfully so.

But Carroll Shelby wasn't always exclusive to the Blue Oval, and in 1985 we got behind the wheel of one such endeavor, and it was a bargain.

So, here's a look back at our review of the often-forgotten 1985 Dodge Shelby Charger.

♪ ♪ It's almost amazing to see a once-economy-only Chrysler L-body with such "I dare you" looks, but the aggressive posture of the '85 Shelby Charger goes well beyond its superior-quality trick paint, ground-hugging air dam, full-length side curtains and high-speed hatch-mounted spoiler.

The real beef lives here, under the distinctive bulge and cooling vents on the hood.

They serve the extra demands of Chrysler's 2.2 liter fuel injection Turbo motor.

With 146 peak horsepower, the Turbo motor provides this Shelby Charger with a third more strength than last year's normally aspirated car.

And yes, it is fast.

Our Shelby Charger scorched through a quarter-mile at a very-quick 16 seconds at 86 miles per hour, 0-60 in 7.9 seconds, a 500 feet onramp romp in 9.0 seconds at 65.

It has plenty of thrust for passing too, taking only 3.8 seconds from 40-55 in third gear.

The before-rubbery 5-speed manual shift linkage, while still far from perfect, is now much improved.

Despite equal length driveshafts, it takes two firm grips to handle this whopper.

But that hands-on activity brings us to another Shelby plus: This Charger is much more than just a straight-line performer.

With fast steering, new gas-charged struts and shocks, and sticky Eagle VR50 tires, the Shelby Charger is very commendable in corners.

On the inside, seats were also upgraded in '85 with much firmer back and side support.

Though, a dated design, the instrumentation is complete, expect for a boost gauge and the fact that the speedometer at 85.

Yet, the only true sadness in our story is that by this time next year, all of the Omni/Horizon variants, including the Shelby Charger, will be history, giving way to a new subcompact front-drive model that may not be so conducive to the Shelby treatment.

Plus, regardless of what other projects Shelby has up his sleeves for Chrysler, you can bet they'll sell for more than Charger's almost- a-pittance $9,000 base price.

And when you add a standard five-year, 50,000-mile powertrain warranty to this turbocharged car, you can see why we think that the Dodge Shelby Charger is among the best performance car values around today.

JOHN: More cars, no problem.

Here's another round of QuickSpins.

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: It's been over two centuries since English novelist Mary Shelley penned the story of Doctor Frankenstein, who harnessed the power of electricity to jumpstart life.

The science of cars isn't quite as supernatural, but this 2026 Toyota C-HR isn't the first time battery-electric propulsion has revived a departed nameplate.

Joining the likes of Toyota's bZ all-electric portfolio, the C-HR presents a sportier alternative.

That starts with standard all-wheel-drive generating 338 horsepower.

The 74.7 kilowatt hour battery nets between 273 and 287 miles of range, trim dependent; and an estimated 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds made this BEV come alive during our First Drive in Santa Barbara, California.

This new C-HR is a sporty little utility, and it has a lot of power.

Like, throw you back in your seat kind of power.

Maybe a little bit too much power.

But I will say the throttle does a nice job where, for the most part, you're not getting all that power unless you slam down on the throttle.

But for the most part, I can modulate, uh, the speed very well.

And it's overall pretty pleasant.

It's also comfortable, too.

I have a really nice high seating position in this subcompact utility.

And the driving experience is nice.

All-wheel-drive is absolutely a nice plus as well.

It feels a little bit more confident when you're on, uh, curvy roads.

No need for a lightning rod, the C-HR's standard NACS port allows a max DC power input of 150 kilowatt, making a 10 - 80 percent recoup achievable in half an hour.

Its 178 inch form largely borrows from bZ design language, "Hammerhead" lights and all, but the tapered rear roofline heightens its perceived athleticism; though the cabin's available mix of Softex and synthetic suede is more pleasant than performance.

It's a comfortable and functional biome, from its 14 inch touchscreen upfront, to its 32 inches of rear legroom.

The 2026 Toyota C-HR starts just under $40,000.

We suspect buyers will be pleased with Toyota's creation.

And we'll have more QuickSpins, soon!

♪ ♪ JOHN: If you've been around this automotive business as long as we have, chances are you've run into Gary Witzenburg.

Whether from his time at General Motors, or his more than three decades spent as an automotive journalist, Gary has been a constant presence in both the new car and racing scenes.

So, as you can imagine, he has many stories to tell.

Fortunately for us, he's assembled many of them in this "Must Read:" "Legends in Motion: Inside Stories and Driving Adventures from the Wonderful World of Cars."

Not many fancy pictures here, just a scenic road trip of great writing that will keep you highly entertained as you learn a few things along the way.

JOHN: For all those that have predicted the end of the big, truck-based, gas-powered American SUV, Ford says, "Not so fast" as they shove a new 5th gen Expedition right into the showrooms between all the batteries and baby Utes that are currently occupying so much floorspace.

Well...we say, bring it on!

♪ ♪ The original Ford Expedition was an instant hit when it arrived for 1997.

In our original Road Test, we rightly predicted this F-150-based Ute's features, versatility, and car-like handling would soon have it taking a big chunk of Chevy Tahoe's sales, and it quickly began selling over 200,000 units a year.

The economic uncertainties of the 2000s did bring that number below six figures, but things have been mostly trending upwards recently, with the arrival of the 2025 Ford Expedition providing an additional spike.

As before, the Expedition is available in regular and this Suburban-style MAX version.

The extra 9.0 inches of wheelbase and 11.8 inches of overall length go strictly to delivering cavernous cargo space; 36.1 cubic-feet behind the standard third row, 75.4 behind the second, and a max of 123.1 cubic-feet.

How you access that space is even more noteworthy, as the Expedition now features the same power-operated split gate setup we saw in the Navigator, improving both flexibility and the tailgating experience.

The rest of the exterior look is not drastically different, mostly just an overall smoothing and modernizing of the face and body panels.

But they mask a major overhaul inside the Expedition, with a new dash design and a pair of big screens the highlights.

The 24 inch panoramic display behind the wheel delivers typical instrumental info as well as infotainment.

It's joined by a 13.2 inch touchscreen high on the dash for interactions, and there's a rectangular steering wheel to make sure you can see it all.

Yes, unfortunately, that's where we are these days, screens take priority, with essential vehicle control elements like steering wheels now designed around them.

Ford's 3.5 liter twin-turbo V6 returns here without change, though none was really needed as even the standard output of 400 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque is well above competitor's standard V8s.

The available High-Output version ups the numbers to 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque.

It comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission with a dial-like shifter residing on a shelf below the central touchscreen.

Four-wheel-drive is a $3,000 option on Active, but now comes standard with all other trims.

Despite few powertrain changes, Ford has still upped the Expedition's max tow rating slightly to 9,600 pounds.

Wheels now range from 18 to 24 inches.

These 20s are part of a comprehensive Touring Equipment Group, that also includes BlueCruise, panoramic glass roof, tow package, and a sliding Flex Powered Console with a media slot for holding tablets to keep rear seat dwellers entertained.

The suspension has been re-tuned to improve what was already a fairly smooth ride for a body-on-frame utility, feeling completely different than the F-150 it's based on.

Continuously Controlled Dampers are available to take it a step farther.

With the standard setup, a slow and steady approach was necessary through our handling course.

There wasn't much feedback to help us easily get a good feel of things.

But after a few runs we were able to keep a steady pace without much oversteer or understeer; just lots of weight transfer, body roll, and an overall softness that felt much better on the street than here at the track.

Off the line, there was good grip for launching, with a nice little punch of power to get us moving to 60 in just 5.9 seconds.

It was very quiet in the cabin with minimal engine and wind noise, while gear changes in the automatic transmission were smooth and consistent.

We finished the quarter-mile in 14.4 seconds at 97 miles per hour.

And stops in our braking runs averaged a good 117 feet from 60.

(SUV whooshing by) Government Fuel Economy Ratings for a 4X4 MAX with the standard engine are 15 city, 22 highway, and 18 combined; we averaged a good 19.9 miles per gallon of Regular.

MAX pricing starts at $67,995, three-grand over the standard-length Expedition; you can easily get into Navigator territory at the high end with King Ranch starting at $89,595.

An off-road-focused Tremor is available in standard wheelbase only.

The 2025 Ford Expedition MAX is indeed a max effort from Ford, a family-friendly monster of a utility vehicle equally capable of handling tough tasks and delivering tech-heavy, luxury-minded comfort for family travels near and far.

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 a hot lap session in the Porsche 911 GT3, followed by a tuned trucklet, the Ford Maverick Lobo.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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Learn more at AutoValue.Com and BumperToBumper.Com.

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