2014 Honda Accord Hybrid & 2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTEC

HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK!

JOIN US AND SEE IF THE NEW HONDA ACCORD HYBRID CAN MAKE UP FOR PAST SINS.

PAT GOSS CHECKS HIS CHARGE DOWN AT GOSS' GARAGE.

YOLANDA VAZQUEZ SHOWS US CARS WHERE AGE IS TRULY A THING OF BEAUTY.

AND WE'LL CHECK OUT THE PROMISE OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ E250 BLUETEC.

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION Announcer: MOTORWEEK, TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... AHH!

OHH.

AHH.

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John Davis: DESPITE BEING THE FIRST BIG PLAYER IN THE HYBRID GAME WITH THEIR INSIGHT, HONDA'S LESS THAN FOCUSED APPROACH LET HYBRID SUPERIORITY SLIP TO THE TOYOTA BRAND.

ONE OF HONDA'S MISFIRES WAS THE ORIGINAL ACCORD HYBRID.

A HYBRID THAT ODDLY FAVORED POWER OVER MPGs.

WELL, NOW THERE'S A NEW ACCORD HYBRID THAT IS SO EFFICIENT IT RIVALS THE MARKET-LEADING PRIUS.

SO LET'S SEE IF HONDA'S AIM THIS TIME IS ON TAET.

THE 2014 HONDA ACCORD HYBRID IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAN THE V6 ACCORD HYBRID THAT ARRIVED FOR THE 2005 MODEL YEAR.

THE NEW ACCORD HYBRID IS ALSO A SEPARATE MODEL FROM THE LIMITED PRODUCTION PLUG-IN HONDA ACCORD PHEV, ALTHOUGH THE TWO CARS DO SHARE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY.

MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE 2014 ACCORD HYBRID, BUILT IN OHIO, IS AIMING FOR MASS-MARKET APPEAL AND A MUCH LARGER IMPACT THAN ANY FUEL-SIPPING ACCORD BEFORE IT.

IT ALL STARTS WITH A FRESH HYBRID APPROACH.

NO LONGER THE IMA SYSTEM, THE ACCORD HYBRID BARES A NEW 2-MOTOR HYBRID ELECTRIC CVT POWERTRAIN.

CALLED I-MMD, IT FOLLOWS THE CHEVROLET VOLT IN USING AN ELECTRIC MOTOR TO ACTUALLY DRIVE THE FRONT WHEELS MOST OF THE TIME, GETTING ELECTRICAL POWER FROM A GASOLINE GENERATOR, WHICH IS CALLED THE "SECOND" MOTOR.

HONDA'S TWO-MOTOR APPROACH DOES COME WITH A WEIGHT PENALTY, AS THE HYBRID WEIGHS ALMOST 300 POUNDS MORE THAN A STANDARD ACCORD SEDAN AUTOMATIC.

THE HYBRID HARDWARE'S EXTRA POUNDAGE IS TEMPERED BY A NEW ALUMINUM SUB-FRAME AND REAR BUMPER BEAM.

WITH CLOSE TO 16-GALLONS OF FUEL CAPACITY YOU CAN STRETCH THE HYBRID'S REFUELING STOPS TO OVER 650 MILES.

ONLY AT MEDIUM TO HIGH SPEED OPERATION IS THERE A MECHANICAL LINK THAT ALLOWS THE CAR TO RUN ON GASOLINE POWER ALONE.

SO FAR THE TWO-MOTOR UNIT IS IDENTICAL TO THE ACCORD PHEV.

HOWEVER, THE ACCORD HYBRID HAS A MUCH SMALLER 1.3KWH LITHIUM-ION BATTERY AND CANNOT BE PLUGGED IN TO RECHARGE.

THERE IS AN EV DRIVE MODE FOR VERY LOW SPEEDS, AND RANGE IS VERY LIMITED.

THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE PRIUS.

SOME CARS PULL OFF THE HYBRID TRANSFORMATION BETTER THAN OTHERS, AND THE ACCORD IS ABOUT AS UNDETECTABLE AS YOU CAN GET AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THOUGH YOU DO SENSE A LITTLE DRIVETRAIN SWITCHEROO WHEN DARTING AROUND TOWN.

THE GAS BURNING GENERATOR PART OF THE EQUATION IS A 2.0-LITER I4 THAT OUTPUTS 141-HORSEPOWER AND 122 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

ADD IN THE 124 KILLOWATTS OF ELECTRIC MOTOR POWER AND TOTAL POWERTRAIN PRODUCTIVITY COMES IN AT 196-HORSEPOWER.

AND WHILE NOT A HOT ROD BY ANY MEANS, TOGETHER THEY DELIVER A SURPRISINGLY SPORTY ATTITUDE.

REGENERATIVE BRAKING IS SMOOTH IN OPERATION EXCEPT AT VERY LOW SPEEDS.

IF MORE AGGRESSIVE REGEN BRAKING IS DESIRED, YOU CAN ENGAGE A BRAKING MODE WITH THE GEARSHIFT LEVER.

EQUALLY SMOOTH ARE THE UPGRADED AMPLITUDE REACTIVE DAMPERS THAT HELP REDUCE THE FLOATY FEEL OVER BUMPS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND AGAIN FOSTER A MORE SPORTING FEEL THAN OTHER FAMILY SIZE HYBRID.

WHEN IT COMES TO EXTERIOR STYLING, THE HYBRID'S LOOK IS TWEAKED PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY FOR A HONDA PRODUCT.

THERE ARE OPTIONAL LED HEADLIGHTS, STANDARD BLUE TINTING ON THE TAIL LIGHTS AND GRILLE, 17-INCH AERO-STYLED ALLOY WHEELS, TRUNK LID SPOILER, AND A REAR DIFFUSER.

IT'S A LOOK THAT IS MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN "GREENER," WITH ONLY A FEW CLASSY HYBRID BADGES INDICATING A MORE EFFICIENT STATUS.

AS FOR INTERIOR COMPROMISES, THERE'S 3.1 CUBIC-FEET LESS OF CARGO SPACE AND NO FOLDING REAR SEATBACKS DUE TO BATTERY PLACEMENT AT THE FRONT OF THE TRUNK.

LIKE MANY HIGH EFFICIENCY VEHICLES, THERE'S ELECTRIC POWER STEERING, WATER PUMP, AND A/C TO HELP TAKE SOME OF THE LOAD OFF THE ENGINE.

AND THE ACCORD HYBRID ALSO KEEPS TRACK OF YOUR DRIVING HABITS AND EVEN GIVES YOU AN ECO SCORE.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS COME IN AT 50-CITY, 45-HIGHWAY, AND 47-COMBINED.

THAT COMPARES TO A COMBINED RATING OF 50 FOR THE TOYOTA PRIUS, 41 FOR THE TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID, A MORE DIRECT RIVAL, AND 30 FOR THE STANDARD ACCORD AUTOMATIC.

NATURALLY, THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE IS STELLAR AT 7.0-BARRELS OF ANNUAL OIL USE WITH CO2 EMISSIONS OF 3.1-TONS.

THAT'S A LOT OF NUMBERS.

AND THERE'S OTHERS IN PRICING AS THE ACCORD HYBRID COSTS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN A BASE 4-CYLINDER ACCORD STARTING AT $29,945.

TO BE FAIR, THE BASE HYBRID IS FAR BETTER EQUIPPED THAN ANY BASE ACCORD, WITH HONDA'S PUSH BUTTON START, REARVIEW CAMERA, LED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, AND SIDE TURN SIGNAL MIRRORS AS STANDARD.

YOU HAVE TO UPGRADE TO EX-L TRIM FOR HEATED SEATS, AND TOURING LEVEL TO GET NAVIGATION WHERE THE HYBRID PREMIUM IS A SMALLER JUMP.

WHILE IT'S STILL DOUBTFUL THE 2014 HONDA ACCORD HYBRID CAN STOP THE PRIUS JUGGERNAUT, IT'S GOOD NEWS THAT HONDA FINALLY HAS A COMPETITIVE HYBRID.

MOREOVER, IT'S A CAR THAT DELIVERS ON ITS HIGH MILEAGE PROMISES WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE IMMENSE POPULARITY THAT THE ACCORD ALSO ENJOYS.

THIS IS INDEED ONE HONDA HYBRID THAT LOOKS TO BE RIGHT ON TARGET.

WE'VE SEEN OUR FAIR SHARE OF CAR COLLECTIONS HERE AT MOTORWEEK, FROM THE WILD AND WACKY, TO SOME THAT ARE TRULY ICONIC.

WELL, YOLANDA VAZQUEZ HAS FOUND ONE IN BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS THAT MAKES QUITE A BOLD CLAIM: AMERICA'S OLDEST CAR COLLECTION.

SO WE JUST HAD TO SEE FOR OURSELVES.

Yolanda: IT'S KNOWN AS AMERICA'S OLDEST CAR COLLECTION, AND WITH VINTAGE VEHICLES THAT DATE BACK TO THE 1890s, IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY THE LARZ ANDERSON AUTO MUSEUM IS A SIGHT TO BEHOLD.

Visitor: I LOVE IT.

I'LL BE BACK.

THIS IS A GREAT PLACE.

Yolanda: THE 14 CARS ON DISPLAY WERE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BY ISABELLE AND LARZ ANDERSON, WEALTHY SOCIALITES WHO WERE INTRIGUED BY A VARIETY OF VEHICLES BOTH EUROPEAN AND DOMESTIC.

Sheldon Steele: THEY WERE PIONEERS, IF YOU WILL, OF THE MOTORING AGE.

AND THEY WERE EARLY ENTHUSIASTS, SO I THINK MR. ANDERSON OR MRS. ANDERSON, THEIR FAVORITE CAR WAS THE NEXT ONE.

Yolanda: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHELDON STEELE SAYS THE ANDERSONS BOUGHT A NEW CAR NEARLY EVERY YEAR, WITH TECHNOLOGIES RANGING FROM STEAM TO ELECTRIC.

IT ALL BEGAN WITH THIS 1899 WINTON PHAETON.

IT RESEMBLES A HORSELESS CARRIAGE, WITH PADDED SEATS, BUGGY SPRINGS, AND GAS LAMPS ON THE SIDE.

ONE OF ONLY 100 MADE, IT USES A STEERING TILLER LIKE A BOAT.

TWO YEARS LATER, THE TECHNOLOGY PROGRESSES.

NOTICE HOW THIS 1901 PHAETON HAS A STEERING WHEEL.

Sheldon Steele: SO INNOVATION AND EVOLUTION...

THE GRADUAL CHANGE OVER TIME.

Yolanda: AND THE ANDERSONS SPARED NO EXPENSE ON THEIR VEHICLES, FROM THIS 1907 SIX CYLINDER ENGINE FIAT, THAT WAS CONSIDERED A ROCKET SHIP IN ITS DAY, TO THIS 1906 C-G V, THAT MADE ITS TRANS-ATLANTIC JOURNEY FROM FRANCE.

Sheldon: IT HAS A 4-CYLINDER, 90-HORSEPOWER DRIVETRAIN CHASSIS, THAT IN 1906 COST $11,000.

IT WOULD BE ABOUT $800,000 TODAY.

Yolanda: AND DESPITE ITS MANY AMENITIES, LIKE A BENCH THAT FOLDS INTO A BED FOR LONG RIDES, THE ONE THING EVERYBODY COMMENTS ON IS THE PORCELAIN COMMODE.

Sheldon: SO, NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE HAWKING, OR DISPLAYING, EXHIBITING, PEOPLE ALWAYS WALK AWAY TALKING ABOUT THE CAR WITH THE TOILET.

Yolanda: AND HERE'S SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE: THE ANDERSONS' MONOGRAM IS PAINTED ON EACH AND EVERY CAR, ALONG WITH A NICKNAME.

SOME SAY IT REPRESTS THE QUALITIES OF THAT PARTICULAR CAR; BUT OTHERS BELIEVE THAT SINCE THE ANDERSONS DIDN'T HAVE ANY KIDS, NAMING EACH CAR WAS LIKE NAMING ONE OF THEIR CHILDREN.

Barbie: I THINK IT'S GREAT.

IT'S GREAT.

I'M JUST ENTHRALLED BY ALL THE CARS HERE.

I'M SEEING CARS THAT I'VE NEVER EVER SEEN BEFORE, AND I KNOW A LOT OF OLD CARS.

Yolanda: LOCAL RESIDENT BARBIE JETTER IS NOT ONLY FASCINATED BY THE CARS, SHE'S ALSO TAKEN A LIKING TO ISABELLE ANDERSON.

SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN IN MASSACHUSETTS TO GET HER DRIVER'S LICENSE.

AND WAS OFTEN SEEN DRIVING AROUND TOWN IN THIS 1908 BAILEY ELECTRIC PHAETON.

Barbie: LUCKY LADY.

REALLY.

AND THE FACT THAT SHE'S SHARING THIS.

I WISH MORE PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF THIS.

Yolanda: UNLIKE MOST MUSEUMS, WHERE THE CAR COLLECTION IS PRISTINELY RESTORED, STEELE SAYS THE VEHICLES IN THE LARZ ANDERSON AUTO MUSEUM ARE FEATURED IN THEIR ORIGINAL CONDITION.

THEY LOOK EXACTLY AS THEY DID WHEN THE MUSEUM FIRST OPENED IN 1949 AND WERE HOUSED IN THIS EXQUISITELY DESIGNED CARRIAGE HOUSE.

Sheldon: THE CAR WORLD IS STARTING TO -- MORE FULLY EMBRACE THE CONCEPT OF PRESERVATION, BECAUSE SOMETHING IS ONLY ORIGINAL ONCE.

Yolanda: THAT PRESERVATION VERSUS RESTORATION THEME IS PART OF AN ON-GOING EXHIBIT AT LARZ, WHERE THIS DUSTY 1939 PACKARD BEGS THAT AGE OLD QUESTION, ALONG WITH THESE TWO '53 VETTES PARKED SIDE-BY-SIDE.

Sheldon: YOU CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL FACTORY INSTALLED GAPS IN THIS CORVETTE.

IT TELLS A STORY, BUT THE TWO TOGETHER TELL A BETTER STORY.

Yolanda: BUT PERHAPS THE BEST STORY OF ALL IS THE UNYIELDING ENTHUSIASM THIS MASSACHUSETTS COUPLE HAD FOR THE DISTINCTIVE VEHICLES OF THEIR DAY, AND THEIR LONG HELD DESIRE TO SHARE THEM WITH THE WORLD.

Sheldon: SO MANY WONDERFUL CARS IN THIS COLLECTION.

PEOPLE JUST HAVE TO COME AND SEE US.

IT'S FABULOUS.

PAT GOSS IS ALL CHARGED UP WITH HIS ALWAYS HELPFUL TIPS, SO LET'S HEAD ON DOWN TO GOSS' GARAGE.

Pat: OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND IS HOW MOST PEOPLE LOOK AT THEIR BATTERIES.

WELL, ACTUALLY, THEY DON'T LOOK AT THEM AT ALL.

AND THAT'S A BAD THING BECAUSE THE BATTERY IS ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF EVERY CAR ON THE ROAD.

IF YOU TAKE THE BATTERY OUT OF THE CAR, YOU CERTAINLY CAN'T DRIVE IT; YOU CAN'T EVEN SIT IN IT AND LISTEN TO THE SOUND SYSTEM.

WELL, TO GIVE US SOME POINTERS ABOUT NEW BATTERY TECHNOLOGY, WE HAVE GEORGE KRAKOWSKI, OUR BATTERY EXPERT.

GEORGE, WELCOME TO GOSS' GARAGE.

George: GREAT TO BE HERE, PAT.

THANK YOU.

Pat: ALRIGHT, TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON WITH BATTERIES THESE DAYS.

George: WELL, WHAT IS IN FRONT OF ME IS A TRADITIONAL LEAD-FLOOD ACID BATTERY.

AND IF YOU OPEN IT UP, WHICH WE SUGGEST YOU DO NOT, WHAT YOU'LL SEE MISSING IS THE ELECTROLYTE.

EACH OF THE CELLS COMPOSED OF THE 12-VOLTS THAT IS NECESSARY TO USE IN YOUR SYSTEM.

WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, PAT, IS THE NEW ABSORB GLASS MAT TECHNOLOGY, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT INSTEAD OF THE ELECTROLYTE, OR THAT ACID-FREE FLOWING SOLUTION, IT IS BEING ABSORBED INSIDE THESE PLATES; BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PLATES, WITH A CERTAIN RETAINER.

IT'LL HOLD EACH OF THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PLATES TOGETHER AND REPLACES THAT ELECTROLYTE OR THAT ACID SOLUTION.

Pat: OK. NOW, THERE ARE ADVANTAGES TO THIS... WHAT, LONGER LIFE?

George: TERRIFIC.

LONGER LIFE, EACH OF THESE BATTERIES, THE ABSORB GLASS MAT, HAS THE ABILITY, BECAUSE OF THAT LESS ACID, AND THE CONDENSING OF THE PLATES, TO HAVE THICKER PLATES, MORE ROBUST PLATES, AND MORE LIFE AND MORE POWER.

Pat: ALRIGHT.

AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT AFFECT THE LIFE OF THE BATTERY THAT WE DIDN'T USE TO HAVE IN CARS.

PARASITIC DRAW FROM THE KEEP ALIVE MEMORY OF ALL THE COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS BUILT INTO THE CAR.

AND THEN OTHER THINGS... George: EXACTLY.

EVERYONE HAS A LITTLE TYKE PLAYING A GAME BACK THERE; YOU'RE CHARGING YOUR CELLPHONE; YOU'RE CHARGING YOUR LAPTOP; NUMEROUS DEVICES THAT DIDN'T EXIST 10, 15 YEARS AGO, TODAY ARE BEING POWERED BY THAT BATTERY.

Pat: AND THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE AUTOMOBILES THEMSELVES IS CHANGING, LIKE STOP/START TECHNOLOGY.

George: EXACTLY.

ONE OF THE REASONS THE MANUFACTURERS ARE MOVING TO THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY, THEY'RE TRYING TO USE COMMON PARTS THAT ARE USED IN EUROPE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN START/STOP TECHNOLOGY; YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THESE BATTERY SIZES COMING ON THE MARKET THESE DAYS, AND THAT IS BASICALLY THE ABSORB GLASS MAT TECHNOLOGY FOR THOSE DEVICES, FOR THOSE CARS.

Pat: SO, WITH A START/STOP CAR, IT SHUTS OFF EVERY TIME YOU COME TO A STOP.

THAT MEANS ON YOUR TRIP TO WORK, YOU MIGHT START IT AND STOP IT 100 TIMES, AS OPPOSED TO ONE IN THE PAST.

George: ANOTHER FACTOR THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT HERE IS HEAT.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT HEAT KILLS THE BATTERY.

AND THERE'S AN OLD EXPRESSION IN THE BATTERY BUSINESS, THAT THE BATTERY DIES IN JULY, DOESN'T FALL OVER UNTIL DECEMBER.

SO HEAT IS A TREMENDOUS STRESS FACTOR ON THE BATTERY.

Pat: AH, OK.

SO THE ABSORBED GLASS MAT BATTERY FIGHTS ALL OF THESE THINGS.

George: EXACTLY.

THE ROBUST PLATES, BETTER CONSTRUCTION, THE FACT THAT IT'S AN ABSORBED TECHNOLOGY GIVES IT THE ABILITY TO, AGAIN, COMPRESS THOSE PLATES AND GIVE IT MORE POWER.

Pat: AND SOMETHING TO LOOK FOR FOR YOUR CAR.

George: EXACTLY.

Pat: GEORGE, THANK YOU.

AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT, DROP ME A LINE RIGHT HERE AT MOTORWEEK.

John: NO VEHICLE WORKS HARDER THAN A FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK.

BUT TRUCKS LIKE OUR QUAD CAB 2013 RAM 1500 4X4 CAN PLAY JUST AS HARD.

OUR FUEL CONSCIOUS SLT IS EQUIPPED WITH A V6 AND AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC, AND EVEN ACTIVE GRILLE SHUTTERS FOR A MOST RESPECTABLE 22.6 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR.

SOME OF OUR STAFF FEARED THAT THE RAM BOX CARGO SYSTEM WOULD COMPROMISE CARGO SPACE.

BUT, IN REALITY, YOU STILL HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM, AND THE BENEFIT OF LOCKABLE OUTSIDE STORAGE.

YOU RIDE HIGH, WIDE AND HANDSOME IN THE RAM 1500.

SO FAR A COMPLETELY RELIABLE CHOICE, FOR OUR UNIQUELY AMERICAN LIFESTYLE.

ALMOST DAILY WE'RE ASKED ABOUT OUR TIME WITH THIS TOYOTA RAV4 COMPACT CROSSOVER.

WE RESPOND WITH PRAISE FOR THE 5-SEAT RAV4'S RELIABILITY, PRACTICAL ROOM FOR PEOPLE AND CARGO, AND A DRIVING EXPERIENCE THAT BORDERS ON SPORTY.

FUEL ECONOMY IS A BIG REASON SMALLER UTILITIES ARE IN HIGH DEMAND.

WE'RE AVERAGING 25.5 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR IN A DECENT MIX OF CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING.

ALSO, IN FOUR MONTHS AND SOME 11,500-MILES, THERE'S NOT BEEN A HINT OF A MECHANICAL PROBLEM.

THIS NISSAN PATHFINDER IS OUR CURRENT CHOICE AMONG LARGER, THREE-ROW CROSSOVERS.

CALLED MID-SIZE, YET DOING MANY OF THE DUTIES OF FORMER FULL-SIZE TRUCK BASED SUVs, THE PATHFINDER SEATS SEVEN IN EXCELLENT COMFORT.

YOU DO PAY FOR SIZE WITH FUEL ECONOMY OF COURSE, BUT WE'RE HAPPY WITH OUR V6 PATHFINDER'S AVERAGE OF 23.5 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR.

AT SIX MONTHS AND 20,500 MILES, WE'VE NOTICED LITTLE WEAR EITHER INSIDE OR MECHANICALLY.

WE'LL GANG UP ON TWO SEDANS, OUR MAZDA6 AND KIA OPTIMA HYBRID, ON THE NEXT MOTORWEEK LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE.

NOW FOR A COUPLE QUICK SPINS AND THE FIRST DRIVING IMPRESSIONS WE CAME BACK WITH.

AMERICANS SURE DO LOVE THEIR TRUCKS, AND INCREASINGLY LOVE SPENDING MORE AND MORE MONEY ON THEM.

THAT'S WHERE THESE TWO GUSSIED-UP, NEW GENERATION PICKUPS COME IN: THE 2014 CHEVROLET SILVERADO HIGH COUNTRY AND THE 2014 GMC SIERRA DENALI.

THE SIERRA DENALI IS NOT A NEW NAME OF COURSE, AS THIS PREMIUM TRIM HAS BEEN ON THE GMC BOOKS SINCE 2002.

FOR THE EXTRA MONEY TO UPGRADE TO DENALI STATUS, YOU'LL GET HEADLIGHTS WITH LED DRS, A BOLDER CHROME GRILLE, 20-INCH CHROME WHEELS, BODY COLORED BUMPERS, AND A FEW OTHER UNIQUE DETAILS.

INSIDE, THERE'S LEATHER CLAD EVERYTHING AND A DENALI SPECIFIC VIRTUAL GAUGE PACKAGE WITH COMPLETE VEHICLE INFORMATION, INCLUDING NAVIGATION DIRECTIONS.

THE NEW NAME IN HIGH BUCK TRUCKS IS THE SILVERADO HIGH COUNTRY.

WHILE IT SUPPOSEDLY NICHES IN JUST BELOW DENALI, YOU STILL GET A CHROME PLATED TREATMENT FOR THE EXTERIOR, AS WELL AS A COWBOY-CHIC LOOKING SADDLE BROWN LEATHER INTERIOR WITH HEATED AND COOLED SEATS.

STANDARD POWER IN BOTH TRUCKS IS GM'S 5.3-LITER ECOTECH3 SMALL BLOCK V8 WITH 355-HORSEPOWER.

BUT IF YOU'RE SPENDING ALL THAT MONEY, WHY NOT SPEND 2-GRAND MORE AND GET CLASS-LEADING TOWING WITH THE 420-HORSEPOWER 6.2-LITER V8.

Brian Robinson: THE 6.2-LITER IS INCREDIBLY SMOOTH AND FAIRLY QUIET IN BOTH OF THESE HIGH DOLLAR HAULERS; I'M NOT SURE WHY YOU WOULD NEED ANY MORE POWER.

John: AND WHILE BOTH TRUCKS DO COME HEAVILY EQUIPPED, THERE'S STILL ROOM TO ADD SOME OPTIONS, SUCH AS Z71 OFF-ROAD PACKAGE, SUNROOF, TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER, AND ADVANCED SAFETY FEATURES.

BOTH ARE ON SALE NOW, WITH THE GMC SIERRA DENALI AND CHEVROLET SILVERADO HIGH COUNTRY STARTING AROUND $48,000.

AND WE'LL SPIN UP SOME MORE QUICK FIRST DRIVING IMPRESSIONS SOON.

AN INCREASING NUMBER OF DIESEL PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE BEEN TRICKLING DOWN TO U.S.

BUYERS IN RECENT YEARS.

WELL, THAT TRICKLE IS SLOWLY BECOMING AN ALL-OUT WAVE, AND THE GERMAN BRANDS ARE RIDING ON TOP OF IT.

THE LATEST SPLASH ON THE SCENE IS A 2.1-LITER TURBO DIESEL I4 FROM MERCEDES-BENZ.

IT TOTALLY TRANSFORMED THEIR GLK CROSSOVER.

NOW LET'S SEE WHAT IT DOES TO THEIR MAINSTAY CAR, THE E-CLASS SEDAN.

THE MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS IS NOT ALL-NEW FOR 2014, BUT IT HAS BEEN UPDATED INSIDE AND OUT WITH NEW POWERTRAIN OPTIONS.

OUR FAVORITE BEING THE NEW 2.1-LITER I4 TURBO DIESEL IN THIS E250 BLUETEC.

IT MAY BE DOWN 2-CYLINDERS FROM THE PREVIOUS "E" V6 OIL BURNER, BUT IT GAINS OPTIONAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND POWER IS NOT FAR OFF AT 195-HORSEPOWER AND 369 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

ON THE ROAD, SOME OF OUR TESTERS DID FIND IT A BIT NOISIER THAN WHEN WE SAMPLED THE SAME ENGINE IN THE GLK, BUT IT'S STILL LIVABLE; AND WE THINK IT MAKES WHAT WAS ALREADY A REMARKABLE CAR THAT MUCH MORE SO.

AS ARE GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS AT 27-CITY, 42-HIGHWAY, AND 32-COMBINED, FOR 4MATIC EQUIPPED CARS SUCH AS OUR TESTER, WHICH ALSO FEATURED AUTO STOP/START.

BUT UNLIKE PREVIOUS TURBO-DIESELS, WE CAME UP A LITTLE SHORT OF THE COMBINED NUMBER, AVERAGING 30.8 MILES-PER-GALLON.

YOU CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER IF YOU STICK WITH REAR-WHEEL DRIVE.

THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE COMES IN AT 11.9-BARRELS OF OIL BURNED ANNUALLY WITH CO2 EMISSIONS OF 5.2-TONS.

AS FOR TRACK PERFORMANCE, 0 TO 60 IN A JUST FINE 7.2-SECONDS.

THAT'S SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN THE GLK BLUETEC.

THE QUARTER-MILE PASS TAKES A RESPECTABLE 15.5-SECONDS AT 88 MILES-PER-HOUR.

THE 7-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DELIVERED SMOOTH, QUICK, AND CONSISTENT SHIFTS THROUGHOUT THE TRIP DOWN THE STRIP.

WHEN TACKLING OUR CONES, THE E250 FELT NICE AND TIGHT WITH ONLY MINOR UNDERSTEER, WHILE THE STEERING ITSELF WAS QUICK, BUT WITH A SLIGHTLY RUBBERY FEEL.

4MATIC ALL-WHEEL DRIVE WORKS SEAMLESSLY, WHILE THE ADDED SPORT HANDLING PACKAGE WITH LOWERED SUSPENSION AND STICKIER TIRES, KEPT US VERY WELL PLANTED.

NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BRAKING PACKAGE EITHER, WITH ONLY MINOR FADING AND STOPS THAT AVERAGED A SHORT 124-FEET FROM 60.

ABOVE AVERAGE BRAKES ARE JUST ONE OF THE MANY SAFETY FEATURES AVAILABLE ON THE NEW E-CLASS; THE NEWEST BEING ACTIVE LANE KEEPING ASSIST FROM THE S-CLASS, WHICH APPLIES SELECTIVE BRAKING TO KEEP YOU BETWEEN THE LINES.

AS THOSE LINES ARE RECOGNIZED BY A NEW STEREO MULTI-PURPOSE CAMERA MOUNTED IN THE WINDSHIELD.

IN TYPICAL MERCEDES FASHION THE INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT IS VERY WELL DONE.

THERE'S NOT THE EXTRAVAGANCE THAT ONE MIGHT EXPECT, JUST AN INCREDIBLY CLASSY DESIGN WITH THE EXPECTED HIGH QUALITY OF ITS CLASS.

EVEN WITH FIRM BOTTOMS, SEATS ARE VERY COMFORTABLE, AND WE FELT VERY AT HOME WITH THE COMAND SYSTEM, THOUGH WE SURE WOULD LIKE A SEPARATE RADIO TUNING KNOB.

THE EXTERIOR ALSO GETS SOME TENDING TO OF COURSE, WITH THE MOST NOTICEABLE CHANGE BEING THE NEW HEADLIGHTS THAT NOW COMBINE THE DUAL LIGHTS BEHIND A SINGLE LENS.

THE OVERALL LOOK IS STILL RICH BUT THERE IS AN INCREASING AMOUNT OF AGGRESSIVENESS ENTERING THE DESIGN.

LIKE THE C-CLASS, YOU NOW HAVE YOUR CHOICE OF LUXURY OR SPORT FRONT ENDS, AND ON THIS "FRONT" WE HAVE NO PROBLEM BREAKING WITH MERCEDES TRADITION AS WE MUCH PREFER THE STAR IN THE GRILLE AND NOT MOUNTED ON THE HOOD.

RIDE QUALITY IS VERY GERMAN, WHICH MEANS YOU FEEL JUST ABOUT EVERY RIPPLE IN THE ROAD WITHOUT EVER BEING HARSH.

THAT'S JUST FINE BY US, BUT MAKE SURE YOU'RE PREPARED FOR THAT BEFORE CHECKING THE SPORT PACKAGE BOX.

AS FOR PRICING, THE E250 BLUETEC FOLLOWS THE RECENT BENZ TREND OF BEING THE NEW BASE MODEL, STARTING AT $52,325.

THAT'S A GREAT STRATEGY IF YOU ACTUALLY WANT PEOPLE TO BUY DIESELS.

AND THAT'S REASON ENOUGH FOR US TO LIKE THE MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS EVEN MORE THAN WE ALREADY DID.

BUT THE 2014 E250 BLUETEC OFFERS MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

THERE'S A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF SAFETY AND A GREAT RIDE AND HANDLING PACKAGE TO GO ALONG WITH THE ALREADY STELLAR INTERIOR.

FURTHERMORE, IT'S PROOF THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND HUGE BUCKS TO GET MERCEDES-BENZ MOTORING AT ITS FINEST.

AND JOIN US NEXT TIME AS WE LIVE OUT AN AUTOMOTIVE FANTASY WITH THE BUGATTI VEYRON GRAND SPORT VITESSE.

THEN GET A LITTLE MORE REALISTIC WITH THE KIA FORTE.

UNTIL THEN, I'M JOHN DAVIS.

WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK.

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