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

We'll get up close and personal with the latest Mitsubishi Outlander... Dan Maffett preps the garage for DIY spray can-job magic... We'll see how competition fuels the race for efficiency... Then, race across red and white apexes in the Lamborghini Revuelto...

So, come drive with us, next!

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whether it's... JOHN: While sometimes, we may question what exactly Mitsubishi is doing in regards to marketing their Outlander SUV, so far, their strategy appears simple: Build a great-looking, spacious, compact-class utility with more features, flexibility, and function than anyone else.

And for 2025, simple pays off even better.

♪ ♪ Mitsubishi keeps hanging in there and vehicles like this 2025 Outlander SUV are a big reason.

This is a significantly updated version of the 4th gen Outlander that launched for 2022.

And yes, that does mean the typical, easily made styling tweaks to the front and rear of the vehicle.

Indeed, Mitsubishi went a lot deeper here with actual mechanical updates to improve the driving experience and a substantial reworked interior.

Materials have been upgraded throughout the cabin, and the console has been reconfigured to provide better storage and more space for wireless charging.

An updated 12.3 inch infotainment touchscreen is standard.

It includes navigation along with wireless connect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Mitsubishi has partnered with Yamaha for a new stereo, and by partner, we mean they didn't just slap in a new head unit.

Speakers and software were designed by Yamaha specifically for this application, and door panels were redesigned by Mitsubishi to work with those speakers, not against them.

And it's not a costly option; that's the new standard system, though you can upgrade it from 8 - 12 speakers.

Every Outlander continues to come with three rows of seating as standard, one of the very few compact utilities to even offer 7-passenger capacity.

Though, things are most useful when that 3rd row is folded into the floor to provide 30.6 cubic-feet of cargo capacity which grows to 64.3 with the 2nd row folded as well.

The revised face features a new grille and slightly reshaped lower bumper, there are new dark-tinted clear lens taillights in back, and '25s ride on new 18 or 20 inch wheels.

Power is unchanged, a naturally aspirated 181 horsepower 2.5 liter 4-cylinder with 181 pound-feet of torque, still working with a Continuously Variable Transmission, the combo the biggest reminder of their partnership with Nissan.

But Mitsubishi has improved the suspension with a thorough retuning of the shocks, springs, and stabilizer bars, noticeably providing a more settled ride over larger bumps and a smoother experience overall.

Steering response has also been tightened up, helping the Outlander really shine through the handling course at our Mason Dixon test track.

Mitsubishi loves to draw a direct line from their 1980's rally car heydays to their current Super All Wheel Control all-wheel-drive system, and it is more complex than most, torque-vectoring power front-to-rear and side-to-side to find the best traction, plus, gentle amounts of selective braking.

Acceleration is still not a strong point, taking 9.4 seconds to hit 60 and 17.2 to run the quarter at 82 miles per hour, with lots of CVT-induced engine whine along for the ride.

But things do seem to have quieted down in the cabin a little, and if you're in a hurry, there is a PHEV alternative that's 2.0 seconds quicker to 60.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings with all-wheel-drive remain at 24 city, 30 highway, and 26 combined, but we averaged a great 30.1 miles per gallon of regular in our driving loop.

Pricing starts with ES trim for $31,240, with all-wheel-drive an $1,800 option; top Platinum Edition comes with S-AWC and starts at $44,740.

When we tested the reborn Outlander in 2022, we called it a clear win for Mitsubishi.

This updated 2025 version is the spike in the endzone that should bring new fans to their feet, and into the showrooms.

♪ ♪ With automotive technology evolving so rapidly, real-world, hands-on experience is crucial when training the next generation of vehicle engineers.

That's why collegiate automotive engineering competitions, like the Ecocar EV challenge, are more important than ever.

2025's competition has just wrapped up, so let's dive into the results.

♪ ♪ The Ecocar EV challenge is a 4-year competition in which students from 15 North American colleges were challenged to re-engineer a rear-drive 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ EV.

The competition focused on enhancing the LYRIQ's automated vehicle systems and vehicle-to-everything connectivity, while also replacing the LYRIQ's stock electric drive unit with a different one of their own choosing.

JARED BEHR: This EV we worked with, the Cadillac LYRIQ, is super complex.

Um, The systems that run within it are not easy to comprehend and, luckily, with our GM mentor we can go to them and say "Hey, we're having a problem with this," and he can connect us with someone who their entire job is to be an expert in that field, know everything about it and give us exactly what we need.

JOHN: The U.S. Department of Energy pitched in their own expertise and organizational muscle, with engineers from Argonne National Lab managing the competition.

JESSE ALLEY: Some of Argonne's research and development portfolio is deployed into Ecocar.

There's a couple of the, uh, connected and automated vehicle events that we ran this week that are the result of DOE funding and Argonne research, and we get to see those realized here in Ecocar, which really, uh, creates a win-win for everybody involved.

JOHN: Teams were given their vehicles for year two.

And now, at the end of year three, they've gathered at GM's desert proving grounds to showcase their accomplishments, and showdown for a final week of tech inspections, and scored testing.

BILL CAWTHORNE: I think the thing that's impressed me most this week...

It continues to be the camaraderie that the teams have.

You know, this is a competition and everybody wants to win and likes to win, but I really see them working together to be successful.

You know, sharing notes, sharing tools, sharing ideas, sharing components.

I had one student even say: "You know, I want to...I want to beat you on the track, so I want to win, but I don't want to beat you because you couldn't get on the track.

JOHN: In this test, vehicles were expected to recognize and interpret real-time traffic signal data, calculate time and distance, and come to a stop, without driver intervention.

Other scored events evaluated lane-centering, driver attention monitoring and drivetrain controls, all created with student-developed software.

Judging measured each team's progress in terms of performance, energy efficiency, and component integration, as well as consumer acceptability, meaning how close to production ready is each car.

And more importantly, how does it drive?

NATHAN SINGEISEN: They essentially handed us the car and said, "Do what you feel is right to it," and we decided that we didn't want to just pick efficiency over performance, like most other teams did.

We wanted to hit both.

We want a consumer to get into our car and say, "Hey, I can drive this across the state or I could go down to a dragstrip and be competitive."

JOHN: Ohio State University, working in tandem with Wilberforce University, claimed top team honors for 2025.

Congratulations also to Georgia Tech for 2nd place and the University of Alabama in 3rd position.

Amazingly, all 13 teams produced a drivable, nearly-production-ready vehicle, re-imagined, re-engineered, and built solely by college students.

And no matter the results, the real prize for these students in terms of knowledge and experience gained has been invaluable.

CONNOR KANGHENG: For the current state of the vehicle and the challenges faced this year, we're happy with where we're at.

There's a lot of improvements to do, but that's part of the challenge and the fun of it.

JOHN: You probably imagine a booth, flashy tools, and years of experience when it comes to respraying car parts, but, our Dan Maffett is here to show us how high-quality canned spray paint can produce high quality results on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

♪ ♪ DAN MAFFETT: If you're anything like me, you love driving your vehicles.

The only downside to driving all the time is the wear and tear on that vehicle.

Now, the paint is no exception to wear and tear.

And one of the common questions I get is... "Can I paint a vehicle at home with rattle cans?"

Now, the answer is yes.

It's a loaded answer, but yes you can.

First thing you need to know is that not all spray paint cans are the same.

And we have a hardware store one here that's a single stage that we sprayed this fender with, and got a really professional result.

Now, your environment really has to be kind of perfect for that: You want to avoid bugs, orange peel, humidity, things like this.

Now, on the other end of this table we have a 2k professional line of paint.

Now, you can get this color-matched to your vehicle, and there's actually a punch on the bottom that releases an activator in the can.

So, you get very professional results that are going to last a very long time.

But, if your budget doesn't allow for that or you're a little too intimidated for that, a hardware store paint like this is going to do just fine as long as your prep and techniques are on point.

You want something like this that you can scuff the panel down, give it a little bit of tooth so the paint can stick really well.

You want to make sure that you have good masking and masking paper that's not going to leak.

Also, you want to have some type of a tack cloth to wipe off between every coat of paint, so that you're not getting any dirt or any kind of stuff imbedded in the paint.

If you're doing a large panel, spray fatigue is real.

Your finger will get very tired, so something like this that clicks onto the can to give you a trigger instead of spraying like this is going to make it a lot easier.

Now, we're going to show you a couple of techniques on that panel.

We're going to get it hung up, show you how to avoid orange peel, tiger stripes, and just get a really nice even coat of paint on the panel.

So, let's get that set up.

So, we've got our panel hung, masked and ready to prep.

So, the first thing I'm going to do... is we're going to use this 2k paint right here, and I'm going to pop this out, turn it over, and get this activated so we're ready to spray when the panel's ready.

(spray can rattles) Now, while that activates and that chemical circulates in there, we're going to prep this panel.

And to do that, we're going to use this Scotch-Brite pad.

Now, this panel already has a black sealing primer on it, but you have to scuff it and put your top coat on it.

So, that's what we're going to do now.

This is the equivalent to about a 320.

Um...you don't want to go too aggressive, you just want enough to add a little bit of a bite.

(wiping down the panel) Whenever you wipe down the panel, you want to make sure you're using lint-free rags.

You don't want to use a microfiber or a shop rag because it will leave stuff behind on the panels that you won't see until you go to spray it.

When you spray a panel with rattle cans, the most important thing is to make sure that you have a 50 percent overlap with your spray pattern.

If you don't, you'll get these negative spots between the coats, and that's called zebra patterning.

(hissing sound of spray paint) So, as you can see, we've got a nice professional result, with rattle cans, that you can get in your own home.

You follow these simple techniques, avoid zebra striping, and a good prep on the panel, and you're golden.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, hit us up right here, at MotorWeek .

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: Our very Italian red Fiat 500e is a true standout, easy for anyone to pick out of a crowded parking lot assuming it isn't blocked by a sea of honcho pickups and SUVs.

Its small stature continues to be one of our favorite attributes, allowing for easy traffic and city navigation.

And its single front-mounted motor's 117 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque is enough to leave tailgaters in the dust.

"Sport" isn't in the 500e's name, but it feels like it could be.

This 2,900 pound EV gets up to 60 miles per hour quickly, but the power does drop off after that.

Make no mistake about it, though, this is a city car and we're still enjoying how nimble it is around town.

Even 1,900 miles in, we're still finding new things to love about this base model "e," like its standard automatic front wipers and rear wiper, an often-overlooked hatchback inclusion.

One additional thing it would benefit from is a Tire Pressure Monitoring System that actually gives individual PSI readouts.

Still, when Fiat cooked up this 500e, we'd say it was done al dente... just right.

We'll have an update on our other red electric, the Subaru Solterra, and say "hi" to this Mitsubishi Outlander, on the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update.

JOHN: There's never a dull moment in our world, especially come time for a new QuickSpin.

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: The Ford Maverick has come a long way in the short time since its 2021 revival as a compact pickup.

This 2025 Maverick represents its first major refresh, and our drive time in San Diego centered around what is arguably the biggest improvement.

The hybrid powertrain is now available for all-wheel-drive models.

This doesn't change power; the 2.5 liter naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder is still rated at 191 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque, but it does unlock the 4,000 pound tow rating of the available 4K tow package, along with various tow assists.

Acceleration feels nicer here in the all-wheel-drive, because when you want to put power down, and we do have a fair amount of power, this powertrain is still very peppy, even though numbers don't really change.

Um...it puts power down very well, very smooth, very stable on the highway.

Um...we're getting some wind noise.

Not a ton of road noise, which is really nice.

Even better, the all-wheel-drive hybrid model sees a combined fuel economy of 37 mpg, only one less than the front-wheel-drive units.

That 2.0 liter EcoBoost is still available, and is the engine powering the street truck-inspired Maverick Lobo.

Its 238 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque is unchanged, but the Lobo deploys it through a 7-speed automatic and standard all-wheel-drive.

It sits lower on a sport-tuned suspension, minimizing autocross body roll while looking pretty fly thanks to these 19 inch turbo fan wheels and other appointments.

The Lobo's graffiti-inspired seats are equally rad.

All Mavericks also see an updated cabin, now with a 13.2 inch infotainment screen which sees a digital integration of climate controls.

While, it's starting price of $20,000 is no more, we still think starting around $30,000 isn't too shabby.

♪ ♪ GREG: Cadillac's EV lineup has gained another, smaller member, the 2025 OPTIQ, which we recently sampled in San Francisco.

The OPTIQ broadens the scope of Cadillac's battery-electric portfolio by targeting younger buyers with sharp styling and a driving feel to match.

DAVE SCRIVENER: OPTIQ is the new entry level into the Cadillac brand, and they wanted a sporty, nimble nature for the vehicle, and I think they achieved that.

Dual-motor all-wheel-drive is the standard layout here, and the wheelbase at 116 inches is 6.0 inches less than the LYRIQ, so it's a compact package with midsize feel and stability.

GREG: That stability is thanks in part to its Ultium platform, holding an 85 kilowatt hour battery with up to 302 miles of range.

Front and rear motors combine for a healthy system output of 300 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque; and notably fast is its DC fast charging, recouping nearly 80 miles in 10 minutes.

Sharp LEDs and a sweptback roof are commonplace in Cadillac's electrics.

The sculpted bodywork and stylized side quarter glass are striking visual cues, while the cabin flexes its own glass, a 33 inch display, to good effect.

This all adds up to a starting price of $54,000 and it's available now.

We'll have more on the 2025 Cadillac OPTIQ, and more QuickSpins, soon.

JOHN: Supercars, hypercars, thousand-horsepower pickup trucks, seemingly ordinary EVs with mind-boggling power numbers; the lines are blurring when it comes to high-performance specs these days.

But when you see any Lamborghini, you know exactly what you're in for!

♪ ♪ And just so we're all on the same page, what we're in for with the Lamborghini Revuelto is 12-cylinders worth of hot hybrid performance.

So, to those who thought the race to electrification meant the demise of the V12 supercar, Lamborghini defiantly says: "Not so fast!"

This is the successor to the Aventador, but forensic fanatics can trace its DNA back to the iconic Countach.

The Revuelto shoulders the burden of not only being the brand's latest and greatest V12 super sports car, but their first high-performance electrified vehicle.

Just when the adrenaline rush from attending the Revuelto's coming out party at Italy's Vallelunga circuit was fading, we're back on track here at Roebling Road Raceway attacking corners like-- we're getting paid to do it.

(engine revs) Its mid-mounted naturally aspirated 6.5 liter V12 has flipped compared to the Aventador and now has an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission with an integrated electric motor bolted to the back of it that sends power directly to the rear wheels.

Output there is 814 horsepower.

But Lamborghini's mechanical mixologists didn't stop there, putting two more 110 kilowatt electric motors up front, powering strictly the front wheels and making the total output 1,001 horsepower.

As you can imagine, the drive mode situation gets a lot more complicated as in addition to the usual chassis and drivetrain settings, you can dial in where the power comes from, and when and how much battery you're using; 13 options to choose from in all.

Set it up for max power, and the Revuelto will get to 60 in 2.5 seconds; all-wheel-drive provides plenty of traction, even on a cold winter's day, and power delivery never lets up until you ease off the throttle.

We were lucky enough to get two days of track time at Roebling Road Raceway before a rare snowstorm blew through coastal Georgia.

And the Revuelto was instantly fast around this track, the kind of push you back into your seat thrust that can throw your equilibrium off in a hurry; in fact, it was the fastest we've ever been at the end of the front straight here.

It holds onto plenty of that speed through the corners too, with Corsa mode allowing just a bit of slip before easing back power, allowing you to maintain momentum and rocket off corners with authority.

Now, it doesn't feel playful or toy-like; rather a big, fast, precise, purposeful machine that requires your full attention.

Especially when it comes to braking zones, where you really must put some foot into it-- so that it knows you're serious.

The Revuelto's mono fuselage chassis is made entirely of carbon fiber, something they have much experience with, and it is both lighter and stiffer than the Aventador's.

There's plenty of carbon fiber in the slick bodywork too, crafted to produce the necessary downforce without a bunch of add-ons.

Standard wheels are 20 inchers up front and 21 inches in back, the rears sporting 345 Bridgestone Potenza Sports.

Lamborghini claims the interior was inspired by spacecraft, and we'd be on board with blasting off to anywhere in these leather and Corsa Tex sport seats.

If you can afford the insane $612,858 base price, you can add your name to the list and wait a year or two for Lamborghini to assemble yours exactly how you want it.

With the Revuelto, not only has Lamborghini kept the V12 supercar alive, but they've also crammed this square peg of performance right through the round hole of modern mobile electrification.

What else did we expect from Lamborghini?

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 practical start in the new Volkswagen Taos, followed by the fast and fashionable Aston Martin Vantage.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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We test tires, then share our results.

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We offer multiple installation options.

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