Feel-good 4Runner looks handsome in updated skin

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- Even now, I sometimes get nervous tooling around in a substantial sport-utility vehicle like the Toyota 4Runner.

You never know who is out there resenting you.

I've heard it before: "Hey, don't you know you're killing the planet?" ... Or: "Does that thing even get 20 miles per gallon?"

Awkward.

But in my recent week in the 2025 Toyota 4Runner Limited with four-wheel drive, I found nothing but love.

In a Raley's parking lot, a young couple approached, the woman offering, "That really looks nice. What is it?"  Two days later, another parking lot, a middle-age man: "That is a handsome vehicle, son. How much for it?"

Such was my all-around-charming week in the 4Runner dressed in "Heritage Blue" paint.

I'm sure that some of the good vibes radiating from the venerable sixth-generation SUV can be attributed to a 2025 restyling that offers an eye-catching, sporty, wide-shouldered look.  It's a look entirely suited to the bread-and-butter off-road reputation of the 4Runner.

For its part, Toyota refers to the 4Runner as "an icon in American off-road culture." Can't say that I can argue with that.

Even parked, the 4Runner looks ready to take on backwoods trails, and yet I'd feel perfectly comfortable handing the keys over to a valet at a country club.

Inside, a wealth of safety/comfort/convenience features are within easy ready and quickly mastered.  Freeway cruises with the 2.4-liter turbo-4 (278 horsepower) are decidedly smooth and quiet.

My ride was liberally loaded with extras that brought the bottom line to $62,785 -- actually a bit of a bargain considering all that's there.  Fuel mileage came in at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

In sum, Toyota has contemporary-tweaked the 4Runner to what is arguably its best version ever, dating back to its U.S. debut in 1983.

Kia Carnival combines best of multiple auto segments

This review first appeared in the June 2025 edition of the Cruisin' News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

To subscribe to the Cruisin' News, visit www.cruisinnews.com, call (916) 933-0949 or send an email request to subscribe@cruisinnews.com.  Mailed requests for information should be sent to Cruisin' News, P.O. Box G, Virginia City, NV 89440.

Sacramento, California -- One thing about the car-reviewing game ... You gotta speak the language. Know the lingo.

Take the Kia Carnival, for example. With that long body and sliding doors on either side, observers seeing it for the first time are likely to call it a full-on minivan in a New York minute.

Kia calls it a multi-purpose vehicle.

After a week in the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige, I call it a multi-tasker offering the best of multiple vehicle segments.

Let's start with the look.

Yes, there's a long minivan-like body, but the front end is a decidedly sport-utility vehicle piece of sculpture.

Inside, there's plentiful room for even jumbo-size adults.

Got cargo? The Carnival can be configured to carry a bunch of it, with a smart power liftgate to ease the loading process.

Driver comfort is enhanced by plentiful comfort/convenience features within easy reach ... very luxury passenger car-like.

Perks on the tester included tri-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch panoramic screen display and heated/ventilated front seats.

And I'll confess to liking those sliding side doors, great for long family road trips as the kids can easily move in and out of the vehicle (and yes, there are remote door triggers on the key fob).

The tester's road manners were good -- firm on the freeways and just a slight bit of expected sway in hard corners.

Power comes from a 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain rated at nearly 250 horsepower.  That proved to be more than adequate for virtually all driving conditions in the Sacramento Valley, but I did have to lean on the accelerator during steep hill climbs in the Sierra Nevada.

With the hybrid system, fuel mileage is an admirable 34 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

The Carnival also excels in connectivity, including a thoughtful available feature for the rear seat crowd.

Kia’s Connected Car Rear Cockpit (ccRC) Rear Entertainment System features dual 14.6-inch monitors and full-HD resolution for streaming of multiple platforms. Cool.

Kia has made huge strides over a generation, giving motorists the kind of perk-laden vehicles they crave. This Carnival is a prime example of that.  Back in the day, I would have crawled on broken glass to have a substantial, long-haul vehicle (with entertainment for the kids) like this Carnival.

Just don't force it into the minivan category.

Lexus pleases the crowd with a versatile TX sport-ute

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- With the goal of trying to please nearly everybody, Lexus offers up the TX model sport-utility vehicle.

How do you like your SUV?  Three rows of seating, plenty of interior space, a peppy turbo engine, loads of clever features.

That last item was particularly evident on my tester: a 2025 F Sport Handling grade, available only on the TX 350 AWD.

That new-for-2025 package comes with standard adaptive variable suspension, intuitive parking assist with automatic braking, panoramic glass roof, power-folding third-row seats and ventilated front seats.

Exterior touches included dark chrome window trim, black outside mirrors and 22-inch wheels with a matte black finish. Inside, I was happy to see second-row captain's chairs.

Translation: It looks good inside and out.  It's comfortable to ride in; it drives with buttery smooth freeway manners.

About that trying-to-please-everybody part: the TX can be had in seven different ways, including hybrid power plants.

You might figure on paying around $90,000 for such a vehicle produced by other manufacturers, but the bottom line on my ride was $69,430 -- a relative bargain in this segment.

Oddly, some critics have found fault with the TX exterior styling ... too vanilla for some, and too much like the recently reviewed Grand Highlander for others.  I am not among the critics.  It looks like a contemporary three-row SUV and is so loaded with excellently engineered features that I would guess even styling snobs would be happy owning one.

Kudos to Lexus for producing a wide-ranging crowd-pleaser.

Sporty Toyota Prius reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2025 Toyota Prius Nightshade can be seen in the latest, July 2025, edition of the Cruisin' News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news and marketplace."

The "Hot Laps" reviews, along with my "Oil Drips" observations on anything with wheels, appear monthly in the publication.

To subscribe to the Cruisin' News, visit www.cruisinnews.com, call (916) 933-0949 or send an email request to subscribe@cruisinnews.com.  Mailed requests for information should be sent to Cruisin' News, P.O. Box G, Virginia City, NV 89440.

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- Somehow, various versions of the Honda Odyssey minivan periodically show up in my driveway.

Not that I object, mind you.

The Odyssey is sort of the Rolls-Royce of minivans.  That's particularly true of the recently tested 2025 Honda Odyssey Elite.

It's absolutely loaded: state-of-the-art safety technology, five-star hotel comfort/convenience features and a roomy, cozy interior that's reassuring to passengers and a treat for drivers.

OK, I get it that minivans appeal to a specific segment of motorists.  But even sports car folks who inspected my ride came away impressed.

First off, it looks better than ever in 2025 with sportier lines and a nicely sculpted grille.  Inside, Honda has upgraded entertainment systems and bumped up the size of the high-resolution touchscreen.

For the long family road trip -- right in the minivan devotee's wheelhouse -- this Odyssey is a veritable rolling amusement park. The tested Odyssey featured wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto Integration, SiriusXM audio and CabinTalk, the in-vehicle communication system that negates shouting to be heard.

And all of it can be enjoyed amid perfectly stitched leather surfaces, tri-zone climate control and a power moonroof with tilt feature.  The power, sliding side doors triggered by a key fob still provide a bit of a thrill for onlookers.  Ditto the hands-free power tailgate.

The tester's bottom line was a surprisingly reasonable $52,275.  Fuel mileage checked in at 19 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, via a nicely responsive 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 280 horsepower.

In sum, the Odyssey is a minivan segment leader, and a fun-to-drive vehicle for all odysseys.

'Grander' Highlander has all the bells and whistles

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- Let me start by saying that I have always liked Toyota's Highlander sport-utility vehicle.

But now we have a Grand Highlander, which is, well ... grander.

My recent tester was a 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Nightshade Hybrid, and it was a three-row, perk-laden luxury liner to be sure ... with a bottom line price of $56,818.

Some asked: "Isn't that a Lexus."  And the answer is, yeah, pretty much.  It seems that Toyota, as always, wants to have all customer desires covered.  And this Grand certainly goes a long way toward doing that.

My ride came with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine rated at 245 horsepower. It felt stronger than that and handled everything quite well. The hybrid system was rated at 36 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

But Toyota devotees have more options: the Grand Highlander also can be had with a gas-fueled 2.4-liter turbo-4 rated at 265 horsepower or a road-ripping "Hybrid MAX" power plant tipping the scales at 362 horses.

This being a near-Lexus, the long list of standard features on the tested Grand Highlander included cross-traffic alert, 3,500-pound towing capacity, all-wheel-drive "Trail Mode," a hands-free power liftgate, heated seats in the first and second rows, leather surfaces all around, three-zone climate control and so much more.

Add the Nightshade touches, the optional panoramic roof and panoramic view monitor and we're talking four-star hotel territory.  And yet, you might notice that a couple of those features are geared to taking the big-shouldered Grand Highlander off-road ... although I'm not sure I'd want to risk scratching the exquisitely painted surface with tree branch scratches.

The control-loaded interior is roomy and comfortable, I should mention.  And the exterior looks good riding on those 20-inch alloy wheels.

Overall, for those looking to spend wisely in this SUV segment, I'd says this Highlander is simply grand.

BMW's X3 SUV upholds automaker's stellar reputation

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- I was parked in a grocery store lot when I was reminded that BMW still matters to many.

In 10 minutes, no less than a half dozen folks walked up to my open driver's side window and commented on what a "lovely, beautiful, gorgeous, hot" vehicle I was occupying. And then most went over the top when they realized that the object of their affections was a BMW.

Like a dinner guest learning that your wife's pretty necklace was bought at Tiffany & Co.

OK, I'm convinced.

Sure, my ride was wearing rich "Vegas Red Metallic" paint, made even more striking by a fourth-generation restyling that is both sporty and classy.  But it was more than that.  Folks are still moved by a brand that bills itself as a builder of the "ultimate driving machine."

Priced at $72,225, the tested 2025 BMW X3 M50 xDrive certainly qualifies as a primo SUV in the luxury midsize segment.

For starters, the tester was absolutely loaded with customer-pleasing, high-tech features. What do you like?  My ride had it: adaptive suspension, variable sport steering, multiple infotainment options, Sky Lounge panoramic roof, wireless device charger and enough driving-enhancement/safety tech to soothe the soul of even the most nervous driver.

Seating for five is roomy and comfortable.

Besides the classic BMW grille, the automaker separates the X3 from the blizzard of crossover SUVs by calling its creation a Sports Activity Vehicle.  It's an apt label as the 3-liter, twin-turbo 6 (393 horsepower) dishes up power in aggressive, large helpings.  Once at freeway cruise speed, the ride is buttery soft and smooth.

The mild hybrid system on the tester was rated at 25 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.

To be truthful, it will likely take an X3 buyer a month to figure out all the vehicle can do.  It will be time well-spent, a bonus from an automaker that still matters.