There are plentiful reasons behind the Genesis surge

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 -- Perhaps you've noticed: South Korean automaker Genesis has been on quite a roll of late.

Seoul-based Genesis Motor has been gorging on prestigious automotive awards like a sweet-toothed child gobbling M&M's.  It's pretty remarkable, given the competition and the fact that Genesis didn't formally launch as a division of Hyundai until late 2015.

A recent week in the 2022 Genesis GV70 AWD 2.5T Advanced compact luxury sport-utility vehicle (pictured) gave me the opportunity to take a deeper dive into the Genesis ways.

Upon closer inspection, it's easy to see why Genesis is riding the wave.

First off, be advised that the Genesis GV70 pulled down Motor Trend magazine's 2022 SUV of the Year award.

My tester was powered by a 2.5-liter, turbo-4 rated at 300 horsepower.  Like all Genesis products, the GV70 scoots.  The turbocharged engine is instantly responsive, and the suspension is sufficiently tuned for driver enjoyment.

The tested GV70 was stuffed with state-of-the-art safety technology, including rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, a driver attention warning system and lane keeping/following assist.

Comfort/convenience features are likewise plentiful, including a handy wireless device charger and multiple ports and power outlets.

The Advanced Package lays it on thick with leather seating surfaces, a Surround-View monitor, remote start and parking assistance to name just a few.

Oh, it looks good too. Sleek, sporty styling with eye-catching sculpting on the back and front ends.  Some automakers overdo the grille sculpting.  Not so with the GV70.  It's subtle, yet noteworthy.

Then you get into areas of fine detail that aren't necessarily noticed the first time around ... like the second-row seats that are shaped in such a way to provide more legroom for passengers.

Attention to detail?  You bet.

What's the cost?  I've seen similarly equipped compact luxury SUVs go for around $70,000.  The bottom line on my tester, even with the Advanced Package: $51,320.

Genesis is not lapping the field, but it's running out front with a formula that's simple and highly effective: Give 'em everything they want for a fair price. And grab the awards, of course.

Toyota 4Runner has its place in a world of EVs, hybrids

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 -- As we rush toward an electrified future, is there room for a Toyota 4Runner rated at 16 miles per gallon in the city and 19 mpg on the highway?

At this point in time, the answer is YES.

A recent week in a 2023 Toyota 4Runner 4X4 TRD Pro V6 made the point.  For starters, there's a lot for the dedicated off-roader to like.

My tester included standard Multi-Terrain Select & Crawl Control, next-level shocks/springs, an aluminum front skid plate, and Hill-Start Assist Control.

Being an off-road wimp, I did not test these features to the max.  But off-road warriors I talked with were absolutely salivating at the package on the tester's sticker.

For me, the civilized charms in addition to the rock-roaming features were eye-catching.  I did not expect to see a panoramic view monitor, a power sliding rear window, high-performance LED fog lights and a sliding rear cargo deck on this ride, but there they were.

Rugged and well-equipped.  What's not to like?

And I must talk about the exterior color: Solar Octane.

Some describe it as bright, vivid orange, but that doesn't really cover the bases.  Think Competition Orange with explosive Day-Glo accents ... under a blazing desert sun.  Yes, I think that adequately says it.

Neighbors and strangers trotted up to me with questions about the color, seemingly oblivious to what was under the skin of this 4Runner.

Too bad ... because what lies beneath is pretty nice -- bolstered by Toyota's typically excellent engineering.

The 4Runner is powered by a 4-liter V-6 engine rated at 270 horsepower.  It's a peppy, responsive power plant, but not a noisy one.  At freeway speed, the tester was silky smooth, and I found myself creeping above 70 miles per hour with very little effort from my right foot.

The tester was a strong hill climber, and it was pleasingly agile when I did some dodging on tight urban streets.

All in all, an impressive package and priced at a hefty $55,380.

As it enters its 40th year of existence, the 4Runner still has a place on our roads ... and in the hearts of Toyota devotees.

Tucson plug-in hybrid is Hyundai's long-range roamer

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 -- These days, getting a second look at a motor vehicle model is more important -- and helpful -- than ever.

Take the 2022 Hyundai Tucson.

Yes, I enjoyed my time in the 2022 Tucson Limited Hybrid AWD, and my Oct. 21, 2021 blog post/review reflected that.

Attractive, sleek exterior look. Universally praised interior, stylish and surprisingly roomy for a compact crossover sport-utility vehicle.  Generous standard features and priced below equivalent SUVs offered by competitors.

And yeah, that hybrid powertrain felt pretty good at 37 miles per gallon in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

But a week in a 2022 Hyundai Tucson Limited AWD plug-in hybrid felt REALLY good with a gas-electric fuel rating equivalent of 80 miles per gallon.  Gas prices being as volatile as they are, the PHEV Tucson is a noteworthy option at Hyundai car lots.

The plug-in has a 1.6-liter turbo-4 base, and the gas-electric hybrid powertrain generates a max 261 horsepower.  The plug-in battery is more robust than the standard hybrid battery.

What the PHEV Tucson gave me was feisty performance and quick response. All-electric range is generally pegged at 33 miles, and with a high-speed charger, the PHEV Tucson can be restored to 100 percent in less than two hours.

Impressive?  Very.

Everything else on the PHEV is what you'd expect, with a wealth of features -- including rain-sensing wipers and smart cruise control -- not necessarily expected in the compact SUV segment.

You do pay a price for the plug-in technology.  The tester came in at $44,370, but the long-term fuel savings quickly balances the economic scales.

Overall, the Tucson competes very well in the ridiculously competitive compact SUV category.  And with the PHEV option, shoppers have a bonus in their favor.

Haven't driven Toyota's GR86? You're missing something

This review first appeared in the December 2022 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 -- Now hear this: Toyota knows how to produce a car.

To which you might say: Thank you, Captain Obvious.

Well sure, but I was struck by this thought in my week in a 2022 Toyota GR86 Premium coupe.  I'm willing to bet that a good 75 percent of the motoring public isn't familiar with the car.  And I'd bet that a larger percentage couldn't name the model upon seeing it for the first time.

And that's too bad...because this sleek Toyota creation is a gorgeous sports car, from its aerodynamically sculpted grille to its beautifully smooth profile to its stylishly cut rear "duckbill" spoiler.

It's a head-turner.  A crowd-stopper, literally.  Several times folks came up to my parked, bright-red tester and wanted to know what I was driving. Verbal compliments came in a flood.

So that's kind of fun.

Some critics of the GR86 -- for the record, the GR designation is a reference to Toyota's Gazoo Racing motorsports program -- complain that the performance does not live up to the visual delight.

Power comes from a 2.4-liter flat-4 rated at 228 horsepower.  OK, it's not rated at 400 horsepower, but let me tell you, the performance characteristics of the tester got my heart racing double-time, thank you very much.

I powered the GR86 around everything on the road during an up-and-down trip through the Sierra Nevada.

Response was very good.  Steering was just-right firm.  And the sport-tuned suspension was top-drawer, which means that I could feel every imperfection in the road surface at all speeds.

For those who like paddle shifting, yeah, that's on the program too.

Simply put, the car is tuned to go fast and feels most comfortable in that mode.

I agree with critics that the interior is pretty much standard issue.  And as for those back seats, I'm not sure I'd try squeezing any adults into those cramped quarters.

While the critics are adept at finding shortcomings, here's the important thing to remember: The tested GR86 had a bottom line of $33,350.  Yes, that's sub-$35,000 for a car in the super-enjoyable sports car toy segment.  That's about half of what you would expect to pay for other sports cars that draw crowds in parking lots.

Toyota doesn't miss the point, touting its GR86 as "a track-ready, driver’s car made for pure fun."

So if you are looking for that coupe/toy guilty pleasure, should the GR86 be on your test-drive list with the Porsches, Jaguars and Corvettes?

Absolutely, positively.

Electric vehicle advances carry us into the new year

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 -- As we head down the road into another new year, change is in the air.  And that air is electric-charged.

The electric future of the automotive industry is everywhere, especially here in California. And there's plenty more to come.

What I'm experiencing now on my test drives is vastly different than what I experienced less than a decade ago.

New hybrid and electric vehicles are showing up on dealer lots -- and in my driveway -- in unprecedented numbers.  And the infrastructure to charge up those EVs is growing at a rapid rate.

I'll confess that this once-nervous electric vehicle driver has, over time, become entirely comfortable with the technology and the related infrastructure.  If I can adjust, well, I'm betting that most others will be fine as well.

The electric rush has worked its way into every crevice of automotive thought.  The Motor Trend magazine SUV of the Year -- the 2023 Inoiq 5 -- is an electric.  Remember when seeing an electric vehicle on the road was a rarity that prompted your heart to race?  No longer does that happen.

And how many parking lots did you pull into in 2022 and find numerous EVs lined up and taking on juice at charging stations? A fair number, I'd bet.

Rest assured, the electric wave will continue in 2023, big-time. The domestic and foreign pipeline is stuffed with new contenders, and some mind-blowing technology to boot.  Is it a good time to be alive and experience the incredible advancements in motor vehicle manufacturing?

You bet it is.  Hang on for a thrilling ride in 2023.

On the auto racing front, here are some things to watch for in three major series:

+ IndyCar: Helio Castroneves will seek a record-setting fifth Indy 500 win in May. He's one of four who have won the famous race four times, and the only one who remains active.

+ NASCAR: An army of young newcomers has come into the top tier of the stock car series, replacing the Jeff Gordons, Jimmie Johnnsons and others.  Expect a young gun to win the Cup Series next year, but whoever that is will have to take down former young gun Joey Logano, now a seasoned veteran with two NASCAR Cup Series championships under his belt.

+ Formula One: Here's hoping other teams -- backed by their many millions of dollars -- can somehow find a way to keep two-time F1 series champ Max Verstappen from winning virtually all the races. I crave more competition in this tech-laden series.

Given all this, I look forward to a year of exciting changes and competitive races. And my wish for you in 2023 is never changing: be safe, be happy, motor easy.

Mazda's CX-9 SUV feels right at home in luxo setting

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 took the latest version of the Mazda CX-9 midsize sport-utility vehicle to a special event ... the kind of event where those in attendance are driving motor vehicles priced at $100,000 and up.

So, as you might imagine, I was feeling a bit insecure parking my 2023 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD among so many Cadillacs, Porsches and even a Lotus or Ferrari or two.

I was surprised right off the bat when an event attendee paused and asked: "Say, what is that you're driving?"

Here it comes, I thought.

Instead, he walked over the asked take a look inside my "sharp-looking" sport-ute.

His head emerged moments later with nothing but praise for the "very nice" interior.  And I'm not even sure he spotted the heated/ventilated front seats, the heated steering wheel and automatic LED headlights.

And well, he was right.  My tester had Nappa leather surfaces, passenger seating for six, paddle shifters and a full boat of high-tech safety features.

Sometimes, you don't know what you have until somebody else points it out. And then, after the event was over, it happened again. Another well-dressed gentleman was giving my tester a close look through the driver's window.  And he likewise wanted to take a look inside.

I asked him if he ran into another similarly interested gentleman during the event, and he looked at me like I was a dullard.  So, apparently, this guy's interest was totally independent of the other guy.

Go figure.

Throw in the peppy 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine, smooth cruising characteristics, a max five-star safety rating in federal government crash tests and the CX-9's long list of standard features and buyers of this latest CX-9 might be feeling pretty good about things.

But what they really should feel good about is the price.  The bottom line on my loaded CX-9 was $50,330. For the math-challenged, that would be well short of 100-grand.

You can take that to the bank ... and park the CX-9 amid the high rollers with nary a worry.

Chevy's Bolt delivers an electric jolt to the heart

This review first appeared in the November 2022 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 -- It's electric, egg-shaped and energetic.

But most of all, the tested 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV 2LT hatchback is -- dare I say it -- an influencer.

It is so finely engineered, so fun to drive and so pleasingly peppy that it should convince most electric vehicle doubters that "this one is actually pretty cool."

Yes, cool.  That's the word.

At first glance, the subcompact hatchback Bolt's lines are definitely egg-shaped, but in an aerodynamic way.  The exterior badging and space-age look tell you that this is something different from the norm.

In this era of super-expensive gas, the biggest difference is the electric/gas mileage equivalent, using a formula that is beyond my brain power.  But the bottom-line numbers tell the tale: 131 mpg equivalent in the city and 109 mpg on the highway.

For the record, charging it up is as easy as grabbing a chocolate chip cookie out of the jar.

Range is good ... nearly 300 miles on a single charge if you're babying it along.

My ride was generously equipped with all the features you would expect in a vehicle powered with something other than electricity.  That included heated seats, LED lights all around and driver-assistance features.

But the best part is the driving.

The tester was exceedingly smooth, perhaps enhanced by the silence accompanying movement.  It takes some getting used to, but it doesn't take long.

Steering is top-tier.  The Bolt doesn't drive into spaces as much as quickly scoot into them.  And that is a heart-racing blast.

Response off the line is incredible.  Repeatedly, without smashing the accelerator to the floor, I zipped away from intersections and glanced at the rearview mirror to realize that I was 20 car lengths ahead of the vehicle that was beside me only seconds ago.

This "instant-go" feeling is habit-forming, and I found myself beating sports cars down the road with very little effort.

This is a universal smile-producer, no matter if you're driving an electric vehicle or a gas guzzler.

The bottom line on the tester was $36,165, hefty for a subcompact but totally justified by the technology under the skin.  One assumes Bolt buyers are in for the long haul.

And for those on the fence about electric vehicles, one test drive in this Bolt might put your feet firmly on the ground.