Thursday, March 14, 2024

Versatile electric Ford pickup has high-volt bonus

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 -- The last time I reviewed the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck, it was helping me survive a nearly week-long power outage.

It charged my mobile phone, kept me up to date with the news via radio and transported me to buy food that would not go bad in the useless freezer.  It was an oasis in a desert devoid of electric power. A reliable companion.

This time around, in my week in a 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning 4X4 SuperCrew, I found more time to appreciate the other features I was too stressed to examine the first time.  Simply said, it's a remarkable machine.

And while some pickup purists have been struggling with the idea of an electric truck, I can assure you that the Lightning can do anything that an internal-combustion driven truck can do ... and more, given its electric equipment.

It's rugged and powerful, and yes, it can provide power to your home in a pinch.

Of course, there's always the fuel mileage equivalent of 73 miles per gallon in the city and 60 mpg on the highway. Zero fuel bills feel good, no matter how you feel about electric vehicles.

I must point out that my tester was loaded, pushing the sticker price to a whopping $97,674.  Was I complaining?  Not for a second. I thoroughly enjoyed the extras and the long list of standard features that made up my Lightning.

This is one of the most versatile EVs ever built, in my view.  The very fact that Ford made the effort to produce an electric, full-size truck during a time of uncertainty over public acceptance of such vehicles is, in my mind, a feather in Ford's cap.

So, Mr./Mrs. Die-Hard Pickup Driver, have you test-driven one yet?  If not, you should.  You don't know what you're missing.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Two SUVs tell the tale of Honda's market popularity

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 -- In this tale of two Hondas, there are only winners.

In the recently tested 2023 Honda Pilot AWD TrailSport and 2024 Honda Passport AWD Black Edition (pictured), there is much shared DNA.  And it all adds up to tell you why Honda is producing such popular midsize crossover sport-utility vehicles.

Both testers had long lists of standard features, excellent fit and finish, superb handling and the kind of interior cabin quality one expects from Honda.

In the Pilot SUV TrailSport, priced at $50,500, standard features included a panoramic roof, a power liftgate, road-departure mitigation and a heated windshield.

The Pilot was powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 285 horsepower.  This was more than enough to jet me around urban gridlock and freeway pokes.

The same is true in the 2024 Passport, also packing a 3.5-liter V-6 with plenty of pop.  By the way, the Black Edition label entitles you to an assortment of cool interior/exterior styling touches.

My Passport tester again tipped the scales near the 50-grand mark, stickering at $49,365.

Both vehicles give up a little bit of fuel with six cylinders: 18 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg on the highway for the tested TrailSport, 19/24 for the Passport.

So, for the buyer looking for the ideal midsize crossover SUV, sanely priced, fully equipped and likely to run forever, these two Hondas certainly measure up.  But of course, I've left out the one obvious trait of both vehicles: Honda has built and marketed them as rugged outdoor/off-road performers.  And yes, they are precisely that.

Little wonder that Honda promotional materials picture these Hondas cutting through the mud and muscling across fast-moving water.  Fellow auto reviewers, who obviously are braver than I in taking test vehicles into the backcountry, have praised the off-road suspensions.

In today's market, with $60,000 to $80,000 vehicles as common as M&Ms, it's hard to imagine that you could purchase this much versatility and fun for $50,000.  Yet you can. I should know.  I've just driven two of them, both wearing Honda badges.

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Mazda CX-90 SUV reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2024 Mazda CX-90 sport-utility vehicle can be seen in the latest, March 2024, 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.

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Woodsy, loaded Sienna stands out in minivan market

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 -- There are some auto reviewers who won't go near a minivan.  Too 1980s and uncool, they say.

Not me.  Give me a spacious people carrier with multiple entertainment systems and a smooth cruising pace for the open road, and I'm hooked.

And just in time to deliver all of this in spades was the recently tested 2023 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD, Woodland Edition.  The Woodland label delivers decidedly rugged, outdoor styling touches sure to please those who consider camping an experience to be something other than a motel.

First impression beyond the woodsy look: plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the ride, and the drive. If you're taking a long road trip, few vehicles provide this much space to relax and avoid muscle cramps.  A 500-mile travel day will pass much easier for passengers in this Sienna.

And there's lots to do.  My tester had the usual dozen JBL speakers and lineup of ports.  In addition, a $1,415 option included a 1080p HD rear seat entertainment center with an 11.6-inch display, HDMI input, remote and two wireless headphones.

Oh, where was this entertainment gem when my kids were small?

Beyond entertainment, the Sienna was stuffed with numerous safety/convenience features, including lane tracing assist, a pre-collision system and radar cruise control. On top of this: a maximum five-star overall rating in federal crash tests.

The highway manners of the tested Sienna were excellent.  River cruise comfort and just enough pop when needed from the 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with Toyota Hybrid System II assist. The package produces 245 horsepower.

Perhaps more significant, fuel mileage is an exceptional 35 miles per gallon in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

Sound tempting?  I should say so.  Suburban chore doer or summer vacation dream vehicle. The Sienna checks both boxes.

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Six figures gets you the Land Rover of your dreams

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 -- Can pure motoring happiness be found for $128,475?

I'm here to tell you that, yes, you can be made quite happy with a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover PHEV SE SWB wearing that sticker price.

Just the opulent luxury alone makes it a pleasure.

And while it might be beyond the household budgets of many, if you get the chance to simply sit in one -- or test drive it -- prepare to be made happy.

SWB designates the smaller, standard wheelbase version of the vehicle, and my tester did indeed have the plug-in electric helper. Rest assured that power is not a problem with the workhorse 3-liter turbo-6 handling the heavy chores. Rated at 434 horsepower, the power plant is a marvelous machine, propelling the solid SUV around with magnificent authority.

With electricity and gasoline working in tandem, the tester checks in at 51 miles per gallon in combined city/highway mileage.  The needle drops to 21 mpg on gasoline alone.

This is one of the rare cases where brute power was trumped by everything else on the vehicle.  For starters, the super-clean look built into the 2023 Land Rover is striking.  Everything is so precise and expertly fitted that the tester reminded me of a radar-defying aircraft.  Impressive.

For me, luxury stood out the most.  That six-figure price might make one swallow hard at first, but given all the features of the vehicle, it's totally justified.

Where to start?  There's the panoramic roof with power sunblind, deployable door handles, power tailgate, Windsor leather seating surfaces, the infotainment system with the 13.1-inch screen, three-zone climate control and on and on.  If you've ever been gifted a night at a five-star hotel's luxury suite, just put four wheels on it and you have the Land Rover I tested.

Very British. Very elegant. Very luxurious. Very pleasant.

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Kia's subcompact Seltos SUV delivers in big ways

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 -- How to explain Kia's success in recent years?

Sure, the automaker tends to stuff its vehicles with standard features and price them well below similarly equipped autos.  Yes, the warranties are great.  Reliability has improved dramatically.

And then there's this: Kia delivers vehicles that the driving public wants (or should want).

A perfect example of this is the recently tested 2024 Kia Seltos SX Turbo AWD subcompact sport-utility vehicle.

There is an enormous crowd of small SUVs to choose from, and yes, they tend to blur together at some point.  But for 2024, Kia revised the front and rear fascia for a more dynamic, sporty look. The Seltos stands out in a crowd.

Inside, the eyes are drawn to the 10.25-inch panoramic display screen for navigation and other purposes.  There is no squinting to make out the features of the large, helpful display.

Small does not translate to sluggish, thanks to the 1.6-liter turbo-4 engine rated at 195 horsepower and 195 foot-pounds of torque. This power plant is the heart and soul of the SX version of the vehicle, and nearly 50 horses more than the standard engine offering for other trim levels.

I had enormous amounts of fun whipping the Seltos around, but given its ability to quickly get out of harm's way, I don't think I angered any of my fellow motorists. Fuel mileage on the tester was pretty fair: 25 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

I was frankly stunned at the features packed into the tested subcompact, much more than one would expect for a vehicle priced at $33,085 on the bottom line.  More-than-expected goodies included an SX Moonroof Package, a wireless charger and heated front seats.

Thinking small and exceptionally functional?  Kia has a vehicle that might just be a perfect fit.

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Lexus RC 350 stands out with luxury, sportiness

This review first appeared in the December 2023 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 -- Here's the sentence fragment you hear a lot when stepping out of the 2023 Lexus RC 350 F Sport AWD: "Say, isn't that a ... "

The last word never seems to find its way to daylight, because the speaker typically realizes that the car is not a Corvette ... or a Mustang ... or a McLaren ...

It that uniqueness that makes the RC 350 fun to drive, and I imagine, fun to own.  You don't notice that many of them on the road.  And being unique has its advantages.

First off, the sleek RC 350 just shouts sports car just sitting there.  The long hood line, muscular power grille and aerodynamic sweep of the roof turn heads.  The F Sport trim touches only add to the aggressive look.

Triple-beam LED headlights lend a saucy Star Wars touch.

Do you feel proud just knowing that people are looking at your eye-catching ride?  Of course.  That's part of the fun.

And then there's performance.  The tester was powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 311 horsepower. The power plant pushes torque at the low end and horsepower at the high end.  The result is robust sprints off the line and speedy moves on the freeways, with the bonus of a satisfying rumble from under the hood.

I found fellow motorists not only gawking at the car but -- amazingly in California -- kindly stepping aside and letting me pass. Again, looks mean everything, and motorists seemed to take it for granted that I could dust them off if I chose to do so.

Adding to all this driving pleasure was a stellar package of comfort, convenience and safety features.

Among my favorites: The lane departure alert with steering assist was helpful without being annoying.  And I liked the intelligent high beams with road sign recognition, a premium Lexus sound system and the F Sport suspension tuning. Added bonus: the super-luxurious feel of the cabin.

Please note: This RC 350 is billed as a four-seater, but two adults in the rear likely will feel pressed to the edges in those tight quarters.

Fuel mileage is fair at 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

Uniqueness and luxury come with a price: the $61,430 on the sticker puts this vehicle solidly in a segment of elite sporty machines.

But well worth the price if you are so fortunate.