Ford Bronco Raptor reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the Ford Bronco Raptor Advanced 4X4 sport-utility vehicle can be seen in the latest, April 2023, 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.

There's more to like in Honda's 11th-generation Accord

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 -- Honda bills its 11th-generation Accord midsize sedan as "sleek, powerful and electrified."

Yeah, it's all that.  And you know what that means ... a few more years of monster sales for Honda's venerable, just-the-right-size passenger car.

The new look sparkles.  Let me count the ways that the remade-for-2023 Accord is a consumer magnet.

About that look: Honda extended the body lines to promote a trim, sleek look.  It works.  When I first saw my 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Sport tester for the first time, I was stunned how much bigger this model looked compared with previous Accords.

In my case, the sporty look was made even saucier by the "Radiant Red" paint job.  Would I feel good taking this car to park at the racetrack?  Yes indeed.

And my run to the track would be a spirited one.  The 2-liter four-cylinder engine combined with Honda's two-motor hybrid system generates a max 204 horsepower and 247 foot-pounds of torque.

I found myself enjoying those numbers to the fullest as a I sprinted the tested Accord around the suburban streets and on busy highways.  I couldn't help myself.  I was jetting everywhere, even on a quick run to the post office.

Kudos to Honda engineers for incorporating such a robust punch in a hybrid power plant.  And it's guilt-free: the fuel mileage numbers on the tester were an impressive 46 miles per gallon in the city and 41 mpg on the open road.

One significant note on the hybrid system: Honda says that 50 percent of Accord sales will be hybrid models.

For those who seek plentiful perks in their midsize transportation, Accord does not disappoint.  The list of standard features on the tester was lengthy and downright luxurious. The lineup includes at 12.3-inch color touchscreen, a multi-view rear camera, a driver-attention monitor, a power/tilt moonroof and a driver's 10-way power seat.

Craftsmanship is, frankly, exceptional.

Throw in a full boat of contemporary safety features, and you're talking about the ideal midsize model in full. And on the loaded tester, a very fair price of $33.445.

Best Accord ever?  You'll have to try it first. But my vote is YES.

Honda's hot-selling CR-V just gets better with age

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 -- If you're going to make over a top-selling vehicle, you better not mess it up.

Thankfully, Honda hit all the right buttons with its reworked-for-2023 Honda CR-V, the compact crossover the automaker proudly bills as "America’s best-selling SUV of the past quarter century."

After a week in the 2023 CR-V Hybrid AWD Sport Touring model, I can say without equivocation that this is the best version of the CR-V produced to date.

For starters, it looks more sporty and rugged; it now stands out from the crowd of similar-looking SUVs -- a good thing in my book.

An upright grilled rolls back to a long hood line, a streamlined roof and rectangular exhaust finishers. By the way, this CR-V is nearly three inches longer than its predecessor.

Inside, the look is more refined and, well, more modern-looking in terms of materials and placement of controls.  Seating surfaces are precisely laid out and comfortable.  Volunteer passengers noted that they felt like they were riding in a purpose-built luxury SUV.  Also noted: plentiful interior space for a compact model.

The extraordinarily long list of standard features on the tester also leaned toward the luxury label. Beyond-the-norm perks included a power/tilt moonroof, rain-sensing windshield wipers and remote engine start.  No options were offered on the tester, which came in at a reasonable $39,845.

I enjoyed the CR-V's surprisingly feisty power plant: a 2-liter, four-cylinder engine matched to two electric motors. They combine for a max 204 horsepower and 247 foot-pounds of torque.

I couldn't get enough of zipping the CR-V tester around with complete, secure control on wet suburban streets, twisty rural highways and steep Sierra Nevada roadways.  The suspension was rock-solid; steering was just-right firm.

With the hybrid system, you get the additional bonus of exceptional fuel mileage: 40 miles per gallon in the city and 34 mpg on the highway in the tested CR-V.

Honda makes a point of saying you can take its CR-V anywhere, from the country club parking lot to the most rugged off-road trails.  That's a typical boast for an SUV, but in this case, I concur.

Overall, this is a textbook example of how to make the new generation of a popular vehicle even better.

Infiniti QX sport-ute continues to set luxury standard

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 remember driving a big Infiniti QX4 sport-ute back in 2000; I was particularly impressed with the luxurious look and feel of the vehicle, and the attention to detail within reach of the driver's seat.

All that remains in the tested 2023 Infiniti QX60 Sensory AWD sport-utility vehicle ... only about three times better.

The QX60 just drips with luxury, and it starts before you even step into the vehicle. Auto reviewers have praised the elegant lines and smoothly sculpted front of the QX60, and rightly so.  This SUV will turn heads in the fanciest country club driveway.

The 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels added to the classy look on my ride.

Inside, it's a five-star hotel suite.  Perfectly placed leather, wood and chrome touches make you feel at home.

Helpful comfort and convenience features can be found bumper to bumper.  The long list of standard perks on the tester included a power panoramic moonroof, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a power tilt/telescoping steering column, power/folding/heated/auto-dimming exterior mirrors, a motion-activated rear liftgate, power/heated/ventilated/massaging front seats and rear door sunshades.

Shouldn't I be paying 80-grand for this vehicle?  And yet the bottom line on the tester's sticker was a mere $64,785.

The tested QX60 was silky smooth and quiet on the open road, with the 3.5-liter V-6 engine (295 horsepower) handling the chores with effortless ease. The QX60 was surprisingly robust off the line, which helped me negotiate inner city traffic with confidence.

There is some slight body roll on sharp corners taken at high speed, but nothing out of line for a vehicle of this size. Fuel mileage is OK at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Overall, luxury lovers should be pleased to step behind the wheel of the QX60, with the bonus of knowing that similarly equipped vehicles are priced at thousands of dollars more.

Sequoia with twin turbos is a genuine road warrior

This review first appeared in the February 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 -- I'm rolling eastbound on an Interstate 80 entrance ramp just outside of downtown Sacramento.  My ride is a 2023 Toyota Sequoia, the automaker's big-brute, full-size sport-utility vehicle, 17.3 feet long and topping 6,200 pounds.

On my left, a sedan and an 18-wheeler have just zipped even with me at 70 miles an hour, leaving me only about 200 feet of entrance lane to work with.

So, I'm pinned against the right shoulder with no other option but to back way off and fall in behind the 18-wheeler, right?

Wrong.

That's because I'm in the cockpit of a Sequoia Capstone Hybrid 4WD powered by a twin-turbo V-6 hybrid powertrain rated at 437 horsepower and 583 foot-pounds of torque coming in at 2,400 revolutions per minute. And that changes everything.

Nailing the accelerator, I'm pressed into the seat as the massive SUV is pushed forward by what seems to be an impossibly sudden, strong force.  I easily clear the sedan and 18-wheeler, and I can only imagine the looks on the faces of the drivers in those vehicles.

Wow, that is fun!  And there's a big selling point for the Sequoia Capstone, an SUV that some might consider a dinosaur of the Gas Guzzling Era.

OK, sure, it gets only 19 miles per gallon in the city and 22 on the highway, but I couldn't help but be impressed by the engineering that went into making such a feisty full-size sport-ute.

I'm sure there will come a day when electric car-driving motorists will look back on the Sequoia and its relatives as vehicles that needed to fade into history, what with environmental concerns and volatile gas prices.

For the record, I totally get that.  I truly do understand.

But if this Sequoia is among the last of its species, it is something to behold.

Besides its road-ripping performance characteristics, the tester was a smooth, spacious cruiser with a downright luxurious feel ... and loaded with perks.

The standard list included power running boards (extremely helpful for hopping up into the vehicle), a power tilt/slide panoramic roof, a monster-size touchscreen, three-zone climate control, heated/ventilated front/second-row seats, power folding/sliding third-row seats and a power liftgate.

All of this comes at a price; on the tester, the bottom line was $80,481.

Well, if the Sequoia represents the end of an era, let me just say that it's ending with style.  And heart-racing muscle to boot.

Not a bad way to go.

Ford Expedition sized just right for big-time endeavors

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 -- Charged with transporting five musicians and their instruments, who ya gonna call?

For my assignment, the Ford Expedition Limited 4X4 three-row sport-utility vehicle did the trick ... with ease.

Yes, it's big.  Yes, it gets only 16 miles per gallon in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. Yes, the bottom line on the tester's sticker was a hefty $83,000.

And it was just what I needed for the job.  I'm guessing that Expedition buyers with similarly large people and cargo needs feel the same way.

For all its bulk, the Expedition does not drive like a truck.  Not even close, actually.

At 70 miles per hour, the tester was smooth as butter, and quiet to boot.  Steering was precise and perfectly balanced.  I never felt like the vehicle was getting the better of me.  It rode between the lines with no quiver.

Power comes from a turbo 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 400 horsepower and 480 foot-pounds of torque (at 2,250 rpm). Plenty of muscle to spare.

Wow, was it dressed up!

Perks by the score, including ambient lighting, tri-zone climate control, remote start, a hands-free liftgate and a heated steering wheel.  Multiple driving-enhancement features also were part of the deal on my sizable ride.

For my purposes, the sliding/folding second-row seats made for easier passenger loading.  At the back end, the third row seats were power folding, clearing serious space for large cargo.

Ford has taken its lumps for producing the Expedition in this day and age of electric and hybrid vehicles. But given its ability to handle certain tasks, I confess that I'm grateful for the services it provided me during my week in the vehicle.

For the big jobs, size matters.  And the Expedition has size in spades

Electric Genesis G80 reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 AWD luxury sedan can be seen in the latest, March 2023, 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.