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

Join us on our Road Test safari in the unflappable Ineos Grenadier... We'll self-checkout a grocer reaching a green milestone... Our "Road Test by Request" revisits an '80s workhorse, the Chevrolet Suburban... Then, we'll log some hours in the updated Honda Pilot... So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: This is likely to be the only time you will ever see someone in a sports coat and dress shoes next to the Ineos Grenadier.

Adventure gear and knobby boots would be a far better dress code for what is admittedly a modern interpretation of the original Land Rover Defender 110, bringing tech and performance up to date without losing that unique style.

So, let's find out if there's more to this British brute than just nostalgia.

♪ ♪ The Ineos Grenadier has been around for three years now, launching the Ineos brand for 2023.

Since then, a Quartermaster pickup truck has joined this 6-door wagon-cum-SUV in their lineup.

But the big news for 2026 is a host of updates aimed at improving the driving experience of this retro rig.

There are about 20 Ineos dealers in the U.S.

While most have inventory, Ineos would much prefer to custom build one to match your exact wish list, just like Land Rover did with the original 110.

Our long wheelbase Station Wagon was outfitted in Fieldmaster trim, designed for those looking to do some adventuring, but don't want to leave all the pampering behind.

Included are alloy wheels, some very cool safari windows, a ladder in the back for roof access, and "Smooth Pack" which adds a compass, altimeter, lockable storage and additional lighting.

The available "Rough Pack" adds BFG KO2s, front and rear locking differentials, a tow hitch, black roof, and privacy glass.

The decidedly old-school exterior is complemented by a no-nonsense interior.

It's short on screens and frills, but makes up for it with durable, water-resistant materials, military-like functionality, cool aircraft-like switchgear, and an overall purposeful nature represented best by the appealing tank-like kerchunk when you shut the doors.

The front seats are very supportive manual Recaros.

The rear seat area is equally straightforward but also a little tight.

Two unique 70/30 split rear doors allow for easy access to the 41 cubic-feet of cargo space.

When it comes to providing the power to move this full-time 4-wheel-drive beast, Ineos went with the tried and true, partnering with BMW to incorporate their 3.0 liter turbocharged inline-6 engine along with a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission.

Output is 282 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque.

When we think of rugged off-brand off-roaders that we've tested over 45 years at MotorWeek , two that come to mind are Lamborghini's LM-002 and UAZ.

Lambo's land rover may have looked more like a lunar rover, but this Italian Hummer was packing the Countach's V12 under the hood and impressed us with its driving experience.

On the other hand, Russia's $12,000 UAZ took a totally back to basics approach.

Spend much time daily driving this Grenadier, and you appreciate how far things have come since the first Defender, as the Grenadier's old-school charm fades a bit as you realize what a chore it can be to steer, especially at low speeds.

While, improved for '26, steering still relies on low tech recirculating ball components, with a decidedly lack of urgency for self-centering.

But, like everything else in the Grenadier, it's really designed for off pavement use, where speeds are slower and obstacles abundant.

This is where it feels perfectly at home and where that lack of self-centering makes most sense.

Our limited off-road course proved no challenge whatsoever for this Grenadier.

Back on tarmac, the inline BMW 6 got us moving quicker than we expected, hitting 60 in 7.6 seconds.

It ripped through first and second gears of the 8-speed automatic very quickly, before settling into a more relaxed pace for the rest of the way down the track.

The quarter-mile clocked in at 15.9 seconds and a respectable 85 miles per hour, feeling plenty stable and sounding pretty mean.

It performed mostly as expected through our handling course, more lumbering than limberness, with stability control systems stepping in early to keep things from getting out of sorts.

Those safety systems have been upgraded for '26 and can be quite aggressive on the street when it comes to lane keeping and driver distraction detection.

Braking performance was also firmly in the modern era, aggressively stopping from 60 in a fine 125 feet.

(SUV whooshing by) Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 15 across the board for city, highway, and combined; yet, we averaged 16.2 miles per gallon in our driving loop.

The Grenadier may be built to celebrate British off-road superiority, but with parts coming from all over Europe, and final assembly taking place in France, it's clearly an international effort.

One that stateside buyers can own for a starting price of $72,995; Fieldmasters start at $80,995.

Not bad for such an exclusive vehicle.

The 2026 Ineos Grenadier is certainly not for everyone, but it's both surprisingly charming and desirable.

It not only delivers more off-road capability than just about anything on the planet, it gives buyers an opportunity to roll in an authentic rig that also celebrates a significant piece of automotive history.

Add in a more than reasonable price, and it is one truly unique piece of work.

♪ ♪ JOHN: We Americans are certainly feeling an economic pinch at the gas station, the car showroom, and at retail stores.

But it's not just individuals; mainstream businesses are watching the bottom line harder than ever.

We recently visited one company that cleaned up its trucking fleet, and its ledger sheet, by making a smart fuel switch.

♪ ♪ Wegmans is a regional grocery chain with 114 stores covering nine East Coast states and Washington D.C.

With that much territory to cover, keeping all of those shelves stocked is a monumental task.

Wegmans' three distribution centers process and ship out 2,600 trailer loads a week of meat, produce, fresh baked goods, and everything else from soup to nuts.

Grocery profit margins are notoriously slim, so one way Wegmans has improved efficiency is with their trucking.

Beginning in 2015, they started fueling their over-the-road haulers with compressed natural gas and, within the next year, expect to be diesel-free across their entire 200 truck fleet.

MATT HARRIS: Fuel cost is certainly, uh, something that drove us towards CNG.

We can contract fuel for natural gas-powered trucks at a lower rate and we can also do it for a longer time.

Diesel and the price of oil can shoot up and go down overnight.

The price of natural gas, and more specifically, uh, domestically-sourced natural gas and renewable natural gas, stays very consistent.

JOHN: Another smart move was switching to battery-electric power for box trucks and the 17-yard tractors that move trailers around the loading docks day and night.

Not only are these right-sized EV machines more maneuverable in confined spaces, but they've cut maintenance costs by 80 percent compared to diesel and greatly improved the air quality for warehouse workers and drivers alike.

MATT: I'm proud to say that we didn't shoehorn EV in where it didn't belong.

Right?

We looked at the application, we looked at trucks like this one here, you know; can an EV box truck do the same thing as a diesel box truck would do?

And the answer, you know, was yes for this particular application.

Uh, Same thing for our yard spotter trucks.

Those are the trucks that just move trailers on and off the docks for us every day.

They're really just big material handling equipment tractors, that's what they are, and so for those to be electric was just kind of a no-brainer.

ROB CULMONE: It's the way that everything is going right now, with electric cars, electric trucks.

Um, the CNG is...is, for what we do...it's great.

As a trucker, and guys that been here 35-40 years, it was a little bit of a transition, but I think we're all moving into the fact that this is the route that Wegmans is taking, and everybody's, uh, onboard.

JOHN: Beyond just making a dollars and cents business case for alternative fuels, that endorsement by the drivers and employees proves the wisdom in Wegmans decision, and making the switch to natural gas and electric powertrains has allowed the company to better manage their entire transport operation.

MATT: You know, for a while, because of the cost of diesel, we actually were using some other companies to help us with our, with our efforts.

Now because our cost per mile has gone down, using compressed natural gas trucks, we've been able to get back up to around 21 million miles a year as a fleet.

JOHN: What an amazing transformation, done by simply choosing the best fuel for the job.

And to that we say: Keep on clean truckin'!

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: We're just one month and 2,500 miles into our yearlong adventure with this 2026 Subaru Outback, and simply put: we dig it.

The Outback's logbook is full of positive comments including one staffer claiming it to be their favorite long-term we've had in a very long time.

High praise considering both Porsche and Acura have recently occupied space on our lot.

Subaru has developed a very family-friendly reputation over the years and that continues in this Outback.

It does so in the traditional Subaru way with a variety of kid-resistant interior materials, but also in a very new-age Subaru way with advanced safety systems and driver assistance features like highway hands-free assist, which really helps out when it comes time to open up snacks.

So far, we're averaging a great 27.9 miles per gallon, aided by some extended highway time on a quick trip to the Midwest, where we found highway ride short of luxurious but plenty comfortable enough for our working-class posteriors.

We'll see what our Kia Sportage Hybrid has been up to on the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update!

♪ ♪ JOHN: If the Chevrolet Suburban were a feature film, it would have all the makings of a cult classic.

It's bigger than life, older than almost anyone can remember, and it's won a whole new generation of audiences.

Once reserved for road maintenance crews, this nine-passenger wagon is now more likely to be found on duty at posh shopping malls.

After more than a few facelifts, the Suburban has become a top-drawer status symbol.

Our long-term Suburban is a two-wheel drive model, but also is luxuriously outfitted, and it tipped the scales at just under $21,000.

That's with the optional 6.2 liter diesel V8.

It clatters out only 130 horsepower, but a full $240 pound-feet of torque.

Besides lots of seating room, towing limits are a hefty 9,500 pounds with the 7.4 liter.

Any Suburban can pull a ton, and the diesel's limit is four times that.

The Suburban is also the only station wagon you can order with either double rear doors or a traditional tailgate with roll down window.

Commercial buyers seem to prefer the rear doors.

Suburban owners should also consider the optional rear heater and rear air conditioning units plus, the deeply tinted glass.

It's a long way from the dash vents to the third bench seat.

In front, a bench seat is standard, but we recommend the comfortable buckets with fold down armrests.

Yes, we know the Suburban is really a light truck, but Chevrolet has done such a fine job of insulating the passenger compartment that it really does have the comfort of a luxury station wagon.

But once a truck, maybe always a truck.

The dash will never fool anyone.

Bulky shapes and too much chrome abound.

It's an old-fashioned look, but it does have full instrumentation minus a tach.

Obviously, an open highway workout is where the Suburban comes off best.

A sound level of 71 decibels at 55 is average for a car and good for a truck.

There's little diesel noise intrusion.

And the ride in our two-wheel model is so smooth that the Suburban makes a perfect moving camera platform.

Four-wheel-drive Suburban's do give up a bit of ride comfort for their traction advantage.

What can you say about the Chevrolet Suburban?

It has no competitor and does everything quite well.

On long trips, our staff fights over the keys.

No other vehicle can provide so much comfort, interior room, and thanks to diesel power, economy in one package.

So, it's no wonder that those who know best how to make money are calling the Chevrolet Suburban's comeback performance a sure thing.

JOHN: We've got just enough time to check in with Stephanie Hart with this week's MotorNews.

♪ ♪ STEPHANIE HART: Britain's annual Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of the premiere destinations for automakers to show us what they're working on.

And this year, two unconventional concept cars from Audi and Jaguar lined up for the hill climb.

The Audi Nuvolari is a near-production prototype supercar, shown off "at speed" for the first time.

This mid-engine design features a 4-liter biturbo V8 and a trio of electric motors, combining for nearly 1000 horsepower, and it boasts active aero elements derived from Audi's F1 cars.

We know a bit less about the Jaguar Type 01 concept.

This all-electric GT car pulls some performance tech from Jag's Formula E endeavors, including regenerative braking, fast charging and range; previous reports claim nearly 1,000 horsepower.

And now for something much more attainable: the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is seeing a few changes for 2027.

Nothing major, but the SE's standard gauge cluster has been swapped for a larger 7.0 inch unit or an available 12 inch display as part of an $800 Premium Package, also mounting a larger 10.5 inch infotainment screen.

Both come standard in the XSE grade.

These white 18 inch wheels are taken from the outgoing FX grade, available for an extra $1,500.

Minimal price increases see the SE start around $26,00 and the XSE around $29,000, retaining the 2027 Toyota Corolla Hatchback's status as a bargain buy when it arrives this summer.

And speaking of bargain, Polestar is leaving the U.S.

market and drastically reducing prices on their remaining inventory.

With cuts as high as $25,000 the Polestar 4 starts at just over $32,000, and the Polestar 3 starts in the mid-40s.

Those are some serious deals, assuming you can find one.

The brand's exit follows the Department of Commerce's decision to ban the sale of all Polestar models due to the brand's Chinese ownership.

Commerce says they do not meet the Bureau of Industry and Security's Connected Vehicle Rule requirements.

And that's it for this week's MotorNews.

JOHN: If you're shuttling a family around, chances are you're already piloting an SUV.

But if your brood is growing fast and you need three rows with top-notch reliability, you might consider piloting an actual Pilot.

The Honda Pilot, that is.

This family taxi has taken off since its 2003 debut, and Honda hopes updates for '26 will lift it even further.

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: This 4th gen Pilot arrived in 2023, getting more rugged with the TrailSport while piling on luxury with the Black Edition.

2026 sees the arrival of a host of updates for all Pilots, touching just about every aspect of the vehicle.

Honda considers this Pilot to be both rugged and family friendly.

And since, a lot of people say the same exact thing about me, it'll be my pleasure to take you on this journey through the updated Pilot.

2023 saw a major departure in exterior design, so most of that remains the same this time around.

The big changes are here up front where the bumper is replaced by a giant faux skid plate looking thing, and the grille is now even bigger.

The rear bumper gets a similar treatment, and for '26 the power liftgate and roof rails are now standard on all Pilots.

There are also some new color choices; this Sonic Gray Pearl-- not one of them, but it does show off the Elite's new 20 inch machine-finish alloy wheels.

With our vehicles becoming tech devices as much as transportation these days, Honda has focused most of their updates there.

The dashtop touchscreen is 3.0 inches bigger at 12.3, and the 10.2 inch driver info display is now standard after being optional before.

You've got Google built-in, a 5G wi-fi hotspot, and wireless connectivity for both Apple and Android now included with all trims.

This Elite gets some Ultrasuede materials in the seats along with a new diamond stitch pattern.

Comfort in those seats remains quite good, and Honda has always been great about integrating lots of storage places for small items.

While, not as easy to get into and out of as a minivan, there's still plenty of space here in the 2nd row for children and adults.

And for access to the 3rd row, it just takes one press of a button.

(click of the seat moving) Now, I can fit in this seat, I just wouldn't want to spend a ton of time back here.

And behind me with this 3rd row up, there's 18.6 cubic feet of space.

Well said...thanks, man!

Folding the 3rd row is so simple it takes just one of me to do it, just pull the strap and push it down; the 2nd row is just as easy with a pull of this lever on the seat bottom, and doing so will increase the space to 48.5 and 87.0 cubic-feet.

One cool feature with the Pilot is you no longer have to decide if you want captain's chairs or a three-place bench when you buy it because this section comes out, you take it to the back, then you store it in its own purpose-built cubby.

Throw in some more active safety features for '26 and you can see that a lot has changed.

But even more importantly, they've addressed some driving aspects too.

ALEXANDER KELLUM: Yeah, so for this update, Honda's found other ways to improve the driving experience.

For example, they've added more sound deadening materials and they've even added semi-tempered glass to the side windows here, which quiets things down here in the cabin.

More significantly, they've actually re-tuned the power steering as well, which is good for a more solid, on-center feel.

What hasn't changed is the powertrain, as this Pilot, like all Pilots, is still rocking a naturally-aspirated 3.5 liter V6, same as they have since day one.

Its current rating of 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque has been in effect since 2023.

Of the six trims available, only two come as front-wheel-drive.

The rest, including this Elite, come with Honda's i-VTM4 all-wheel-drive.

All Pilots work with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

What we have here is more than enough to get you up to cruising speed and make sure all your passengers make it to their gate on time.

That includes runs at our test track, where the Pilot ramped up to 60 in 7.3 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.6 seconds at 90 miles per hour.

(engine revving) Okay, yeah.

So, this Pilot doesn't exactly get catapulted off the flight deck, but even as I'm gaining speed, power stays consistent, which is great for, say, merging onto a busy highway.

This all-wheel-drive system can send up to 70 percent of the goods to the rear wheels.

Most of the time it's shuffling side-to-side to prevent understeer.

As you can imagine, there's a lot of body roll here, which means I'm shuffling side-to-side too.

Even with a pedal travel that's soft at the top and ABS-pulsing at the bottom, braking performance is good, with no side-to-side stepping and stops coming in at an average of 114 feet.

GREG: Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the Honda Pilot Elite are 19 city, 25 highway, and 21 combined; we averaged 21.8 miles per gallon of Regular.

Pricing starts reasonably at $43,690 for Sport trim, Elite goes for $54,990, with top Black Edition coming in at $56,490.

The 2026 Honda Pilot is not that different than before, but the updates made were well chosen and nicely executed.

That's the kind of thing Honda does on a regular basis, and why their customers keep coming back for more.

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 get busy with the Toyota bZ and a fresh look at the Mazda CX-30 Aire Edition.

Until next time, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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