Another CX-50 ... just as pleasant as previous Mazdas

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 -- Me and the Mazda CX-50 have a thing going on.  We keep running into each other.

And while the compact crossover sport-utility vehicle can be had many ways -- and I've tested almost all of them -- I was fortunate enough this time around to sample the 2025 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus version.

Call it the CX-50 with just about everything.

Up front, I admit that the CX-50 is one of my favorite SUVs for comfort, affordability and getting a lot for a fair price.  I've driven CX-50s all around the state of California and always found them checking a lot of positive boxes.

With the Premium Plus, everything from past experience was sort of amplified.  Not that I was complaining.

The 2.5-liter turbocharged engine rated at 227 horsepower is a definite highlight. It propels the compact SUV with press-to-the-seat authority.  I particularly enjoyed jetting it down a freeway on-ramp, easily slotting it into place and actually backing off from 70 miles power.

Premium Plus?  Maybe Power Plus is more accurate.

Inside, compact does not equate to cramped. And the vehicle can carry a surprising amount of cargo, as I've discovered in previous trips to the California Wine Country.

It looks good on 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels and automatic power-folding side view mirrors.

It's not stripped.  Inside, ventilated power front seats are a comfort. A full boat of safety technology is likewise a comfort. 

All this for a bottom line of $44,720.

Will we be running into each other up the road in the near future?  Hope so.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N AWD: hot rod SUV of your dreams

This review first appeared in the August 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 -- So, you have been reluctant to get an electric vehicle for multiple reasons ... including the painful prospect of missing out on the fun of blowing off various, classic sports cars.

Fear not, the tested 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N AWD exists to scratch your itch.

Consider dual electric motors rated at a road-ripping 601 horsepower. Wow, this thing scoots along with alarming intensity.

But wait, there's more.

That little red button placed at 3 o'clock on the steering wheel is called the N Grin Boost feature.  Think of it as what the IndyCar Series drivers call the "push to pass" button.

Push it and you get an additional 40 more horses for 10 seconds.  I should point out that the owner's manual informs one that great care should be exercised when pushing the button.

Wise advice, that. Because pushing the button delivers a press-you-into-the-seat wallop.  I'd advise using it on a wide open stretch of road, with both hands firmly on the steering wheel.

It's that serious a rush.  I felt like I was riding a streak of lightning. Yes, I was hooked.  It's one of the highest highs I've experienced behind the wheel in some time.

And it's essentially guilt-free, given the electric vehicle equivalent ratings of 84 miles per gallon in the city and 72 mpg on the highway.

While all of this is terrific, be advised that the Ioniq 5 is a full-on luxury liner.  My tester was priced at $67,685 and loaded up with plenty of perks to justify that number.

While I was blazing around Mustangs, Corvettes and other iconic sports cars, I also was enjoying heated/ventilated seats, highway driving assist, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a premium Bose audio system, metal pedals and ambient lighting.

The hands-free power liftgate and wireless phone charger also came in handy.

My tester looked particularly aggressive with an all-black interior and an exterior paint job of "Abyss Black."

But for me, it all comes back to performance.

Not only have Hyundai engineers filled up the horsepower tank, they have incorporated useful sports/performance car technologies to maximize driving enjoyment and precision.

Tech features include drift control, torque distribution, launch control and sway control.

Simply put, I can't remember when I've had so much fun driving a sport-utility vehicle.  And an electric one to boot.

Mustang reviewed in latest edition of Cruisin' News

My review of the Ford Mustang Premium coupe can be seen in the latest, September 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.