Driving Soul EV keeps eyes on the mileage prize

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California – I was thinking about those brave motorists of the early 20^th century during my recent week in the 2015 Kia Soul EV, the all-electric version of Kia’s quirky-cool vehicle.

Imagine being a motor vehicle owner at the dawn of the automobile age in America.  You like the car and consider it the wave of the future.

But you’re asking: Where can I fuel it up?

And how to keep it in one piece, looking at the rutted minefields that passed for roads back then?

I’ve written a lot copy about electric vehicles and the accompanying infrastructure over the past 20 years, and let me say up front that EVs and their alternative-powered ilk are absolutely the wave of a glorious, diversified energy future in California and elsewhere.  Bravo to the automotive engineers and technicians making it happen.  Bravo to those who turned ideas into hardware reality.

But I was a nervous wreck after my week in the Soul EV.  I can boil it down to one word: infrastructure.

In my little corner of the world – which includes a daily round-trip commute of about 30 miles – there is not enough quick-charge infrastructure to ease my mind with an EV in my hands.  To be sure, there are quick-charge EV sites within fairly close range of where I live, and in the San Francisco Bay Area, there are plentiful outlets.

But in my commute loop, the infrastructure is not yet developed to the point where I can hook up and charge up conveniently.

And that left me with one option: Use the on-board, standard, plug-in charger.  The owner’s manual on the Soul EV calls this a “trickle charge.”

And they aren’t kidding.

I received the vehicle with a range of 55 miles on it, and it was around 39 miles when I got home that night.  An overnight charge brought it back up to 57.  WOW!  I was actually fortunate in that there was a standard plug on a light pole in my workplace parking lot.  An uninterrupted, eight-hour charge, however, bought me only an additional 22 to 25 miles at a time..

Suffice it to say that my eyes stayed almost constantly glued to the mileage range readout when I was driving the Soul EV.  It was an obsession…”Oh no, I lost another mile,” I would say in my head. “It didn’t seem like I was driving that fast.”

That’s another thing.  I am not the only Soul EV driver who confessed to – I hate to say it – “driving like grandma” trying to conserve as much range as possible.

And that’s a shame, because the Soul EV that was totally redesigned last year is an otherwise enjoyable motor vehicle.  With a sloped-back roofline, it looks ready to take off like a scalded cat at a moment’s notice.  Interior comfort and controls are exceptional.  Storage area is likewise impressive.

But if you’re a daily commuter, as I am, all other issues are crushed by the need to conserve energy … not a bad thing in the scheme of things, I suppose.  And you do get help from the car, which charges the on-board battery under braking and coasting.

Kia computes the equivalent horsepower to 109, adding that the EPA-estimated miles per gallon gasoline equivalents are 92 miles on the highway and 120 mpg in the city.

As for me, even with an all-night charge, the biggest mileage range number I saw on the in-dash readout in my week with the Soul EV was 85.

More numbers: The price range on the Soul EVs two trim levels is about $33,500 to $36,000.

Bottom line: I like the car and the technology.  And I’m sure my EV-driving grandchildren will, in the distant future, love driving incredibly evolved EVs with 300-mile ranges on roadways where getting a quick-charge boost will be as routine as stopping at a Starbucks.

I can envision their future, and I feel good about it.  But as for me, where did you say the nearest charge point can be found?

Mazda3: A small package with large appeal

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California – I hadn’t spent serious seat time in a Mazda3 in something like forever, so my recent week in a 2015 Mazda3 i Touring four-door model reminded me just how charming a compact-size, affordable vehicle can be.

Mazda certainly seems pleased.  The Mazda3 is the automaker’s top-selling vehicle in North America.

Not much mystery there.  Low-riding and aerodynamically pleasing to the eye – especially in profile – the Mazda3 looks attractive parked in any driveway, regardless of household income level.

I like the relatively stretched wheelbase (106.3 inches, according to the manual) on this ride, and maybe that contributed to its solid, no-wiggle handling at high speed.  The 2-liter, four-cylinder engine has a max 155 horsepower, so you’re not going to get that drag strip rush.  But the power plant certainly handles most things rather well.

Here’s something that’s sure to impress: 30 miles per gallon in the city and 41 mpg on the highway.

Currently low gas prices might negate the good feelings those numbers normally bring, but rest assured, they feel good standing at the gas pump.  And if you think gas prices will not be heading up again, well, check with me later.  I have an East Coast bridge I want to sell you.

The back-seat area is not cavernous, but volunteer passengers said they were comfortable in our short rides around town.

The Mazda3 is a pleasure to operate from the cockpit.  Vision is good all the way around the car, and standard rearview camera and blind spot monitoring equipment made me feel secure.

The Mazda3 was extensively reworked for the 2014 model year, so it goes into 2015 pretty much unchanged, which is all good.  The starting price on the tester was an easy-on-the-eyes $20.645.  An optional package with some technology goodies pushed the bottom line to $23,410, still pretty good in this class.

Perhaps the largest praise I can give to this Mazda3 is that it’s a compact that doesn’t feel, or drive, like a compact.  It feels midsize all the way in my hands.

Safety ratings, by the way, are top-tier.

This is a great second family car or a safe and secure ride for young folks just starting out in the work-a-day world.

It gets a solid “B” from me.

Hold the phone!: Get a load of THIS Genesis

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California – Hold the phone!  Last week’s posted review of the 2015 Hyundai Genesis 3.8 was really cool and everything.

But if you can get the 2015 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 rear-driver sedan instead, you should do just that.

Why?  Here’s a hint:  VROOOM!!!!

The 5-liter V-8 engine making a max 420 horsepower with the 5.0 is a major boost.  I can’t overstate it.

I can demonstrate it, however.

During my recent week with the Genesis 5.0, I encountered one of those freeway situations that makes the hair stand straight up.  I’m in the extreme left lane when the driver of the car five lengths ahead of me slams the brakes.  I glance up in the rearview mirror to see that I have maybe two feet of clearance between my rear bumper and the grille of a car one lane over moving at about 65 miles per hour.

Instinctively, I hit the gas and dart for the tiny opening one lane to my right. An eye-blink into the maneuver, the Genesis just bolts like a runaway comet.  Even as I’m escaping disaster, I’m thinking: “Can you believe this car?  It’s killing this move.  Jeff Gordon would be wide-eyed if he was my passenger.

And so it went.  Several more times during my week in the car, I asked it to dig in and create a Star Wars-like, warp speed burst that would blur the surrounding lights and the stars overhead.  Every time, the car responded like a champ.

Ordinarily, I don’t get all that excited over a 109-horsepower difference in models – the 2015 Genesis 3.8’s V-6 power plant makes 311-horsepower – but the 5.0’s performance was so much more profound that it made my head spin.

Yes, you will pay a price at the pump for the extra power.  The Genesis 5.0 is rated at 15 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg on the open road, as opposed to 18/29 in the 3.8.  So you have to do the economic math and determine whether a periodic heart rate rush is worth the extra cash.

Starting price on the tested 5.0 was a hefty $51,500, and a luxo package of extras pushed the bottom line to $55,700.  So, yeah, that high-level math definitely goes into the mix when you’re pondering the Genesis.

Dollar signs aside, this Genesis gave me a satisfying week of muscular performance.  Think of it as a Genesis 3.8, only way faster.

A new beginning: Hyundai's reworked Genesis

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo reviews of the latest motor vehicle models also can be seen on The Sacramento Bee’s website at www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

This review originally appeared in the November 2014 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California – Way back when, the Hyundai Genesis was a car few – me included – believed the South Korean automaker could have built.

Luxury to the max.  Dripping with appealing comfort/convenience features.  Able to turn heads in a single parking lot.

And now, a new beginning.  The extensively reworked 2015 Genesis sedan is better in every way than the previous generation.

I did not need a press release to figure this out.  When I walked up to the tested 2015 Hyundai Genesis 3.8, it bore little resemblance to the Genesis cars of recent years past.  The grille seems to have doubled in size, now resembling something of Bentley-like proportions.  The design is also much smoother and aerodynamic over the top, a wind-cutting machine for sure.

Hyundai calls this “Fluidic Sculpture 2.0,” but my simple brain boiled it down to: “Wow, this Genesis looks sharp.”

The good feelings remained climbing into the cockpit, where I was greeted by a thoughtful layout of controls amid a cabin both luxurious and comfortable.  Some of the features blew me away: 12-way power front seats, a blizzard of high-tech safety features and puddle lamps that project the image of the Genesis logo on the street with you hit the key fob.

That last feature drew open-mouthed stares from passersby and curious neighbors in the twilight hours.

The tester was dressed up to tuxedo levels with plush, techy extras that brought the bottom line on the sticker to around $50,000.  Pricey, you say, but I’m telling you this reshaped Genesis sedan looks, smells and quacks like a Lexus of equivalent value.

Drives like one too.  Putting the rear-drive Genesis tester through its paces was not a chore, but a pleasure.  Acceleration from the 3.8-liter, 311-horsepower V-6 was forceful, but not a noisy experience.  High speed felt smooth and buttery.  A sport-tuned suspension was a road-hugging joy, and the sedan dug in and climbed steep hills with comparatively little effort.

Speaking of hill climbing, I saw multiple fellow motorists gawking at me as I blew past them on particularly challenging ascents.  That’s not unusual.  What is unusual that I was blazing along at maybe half-throttle.   I’m not into auto snobbery, but I confess: It felt really good.

I almost put a sign in the back window: “Follow me to see my puddle lights.”  Alas, I thought that would be a bit much.

Fuel mileage on the Genesis is fair at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.

You can’t have too much good stuff, but personally, I would have taken this Genesis, sans extra goodies, for the starting price of $38,000 and been perfectly happy.  And yes, I’m a sucker for good looks, which this Genesis has.

Overall, a former “B-plus” car gets a solid “A” grade in its new skin.

2014: Year of the recall and mixed racing results

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California – Car sales were up in 2014, back to the sort of numbers we fully expected in the years before the Great Recession.

It’s all good, but in my view, the story of the year in the automotive industry was a no-brainer: 2014 was the year of the recall.

Depending on your source, 50 million or 60 million or so motor vehicle recalls occurred in 2014, destroying the previous record.

It seemed like there was a big recall every week.  Over some short periods in 2014, that’s exactly what was going on.

And yet, recalls are not a bad news story, not if you have perspective.

In years past, automakers fought recalls like squirrels scrapping to be first in line at your backyard bird feeder.  The thinking back then was that caving in and proceeding with a recall was a sign of weakness, all but admitting that your vehicles were inferior.

Over time, things changed.  And for the better.

Now, automakers readily jump on the recall bandwagon, even if the publicized problem is relatively minor.  The current environment finds automakers willing to fix any and all vehicle problems, and in the public arena, this is seen as a positive response that carefully considers public safety and consumers’ best interests.

Any effort to fix seat belts or mushy breaking systems or, you name it, is a positive development.

Expect lots more recalls in 2015.

Everybody loves the 2015 Volkswagen Golf (pictured) and its multiple variations.  Sure, a Golf is not the sexiest car on the roadways, but Motor Trend magazine thought enough of the Golf to name it Car of the Year.  Given all that it offers in terms of versatility, environmental friendliness and overall engineering excellence, it’s hard to argue.

It will be interesting to see how the award votes go at the upcoming North American International Auto Show in Detroit.  But as for me, I have no gripes with the Golf.

Finally, looking back at the year in auto racing, it was not exactly a golden 2014.

Yes, Will Power finally got the monkey off his back and won an IndyCar season championship.  And yes, Ryan Hunter-Reay won his first Indianapolis 500 in a sizzling late-laps duel with three-time Indy winner Helio Castroneves.

But other top-tier series left me wanting.

The lords of Formula One changed the rules so that four-time champ Sebastian Vettel could not win all the races.  Instead, Mercedes-Benz cars dominated the 2014 races that pretty much were decided at the end of two laps.  Brit Lewis Hamilton claimed his second F1 crown in impressive fashion, but his “competition” boiled down to teammate Nico Rosberg.  Not very heart-racing over the long season.

NASCAR changed things up with a revised “playoff” format that ultimately crowned Kevin Harvick champion.

Good for Kevin, but the new format came within a hiccup of giving winless-in-2014 Ryan Newman the championship.  It also succeeded in eliminating hugely popular NASCAR stars Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski from the hunt before the final round.

Yet, NASCAR saw success in the TV ratings and on other fronts.  Go figure.

My concern in 2015 is NASCAR racing teams getting wise to the system and doing things like deliberately wrecking top competitors at key moments in the playoffs.  Maybe it won’t happen in 2015.  But it will someday.  Unless things change.

That said, I’m already looking forward to the first races of the new year.

Thanks for following along throughout 2014.

A Christmas message: Thanks and my best to you

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California – Hopefully, kind readers, you are all wrapping up your Christmas chores and preparing to enjoy some quality holiday time with family or friends.

Here’s hoping you get all those automotive goodies you put on your holiday wish list.

Personally, I am not expecting to see a new Lexus topped with a giant red bow in my driveway on Christmas morning.

Which is fine.

My blessings are many.

Thanks for stopping by throughout 2014 and reading my words about motor vehicles, auto racing and the auto industry in general.

I will wrap up the year with one last posting before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.

Until then, hope all your holidays are merry and bright.

 

Reworked Chrysler 200 rides the waves with ease

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California – A “new” version of an already existing model typically means that the vehicle has been changed somewhat.

However, the new-for-2015 version of the Chrysler 200 deserves the all-new billing in my view.

I could go through the whole laundry list, but the bottom line is this: the 200 looks like more car, feels like more car and drives like more car than I remember.

My ride was the 2015 200C, a sophisticated sedan for such a reasonable starting price of $26,225.  Mine was oh-so-dressed-up with a blizzard of optional equipment that brought the bottom line to $31,700.

It felt very much like a luxury model with all it had in it.

My tester was immediately put through a trial by fire … Check that, trial by water.

The 200C had to brave the torrential storms in my world this week, and on that score, it handled like a champ.

With the 184-horsepower, 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine driving it forward with fairly little noise, the 200C tackled roadway puddling and slick surfaces with rock-solid handling.  Best of all, at high speed, it powered between and around wobbling trucks and hydroplaning cars like it was glued to the road.

That was an extraordinary feeling of security.  I felt I could put it anywhere, and it would keep me out of harm’s way.

Interior comfort is good, and a thick steering wheel gave me an enhanced feeling of control.  The automatic rain-sensitive windshield wipers, which are optional, seemed to have a hard time adjusting to the conditions, so I set them on a regular, stay-on pace.

My biggest gripe was with the nine-speed (yes, NINE) automatic transmission, which seemed to struggle with what it wanted to do when starting up in the lowest gears.  Once cruising speed was reached, no problem.

One other gripe: The tire pressure-monitoring system continuously warned me of a low-pressure problem on the right front, even though I increased the pressure twice.  I’m going to chalk this up to the system in general.  I understand the value of tire pressure-monitoring systems, but in my experience, they often serve up a “false positive” related to tire temperatures and other factors not related to inflation.

Just saying.  Maybe it’s just my bad luck.

The exterior of the 200C was robust and broad-shouldered for this class.  Interior comfort and convenience features are plentiful and easy to use.

Chrysler says its 200 offers the most available safety features in the midsize segment, and I believe it just scanning the long list.

All in all, THE NEW TWO is a step up from the previous generation. This remake gets a B-plus on my report card.