Feature-loaded Toyota Highlander SUV is in Grand form

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 believe I've said it before: The Toyota Grand Highlander is so grand that it's pretty much a Lexus.

That's not a bad thing. Quite the contrary.

The tested 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Platinum Hybrid Max was a luxurious, powerful machine stickered at $60,770.  Lexus territory all the way.

My ride looked sharp on 20-inch alloy wheels. The usual big grille was set nicely on an aggressive front end.

And again edging into Lexus-level luxury, it had extra-nice features throughout.  I enjoyed the panoramic view monitor, full-time electric all-wheel drive, the panoramic moonroof and much more.  Passengers loved the second-row heated seats on a particularly chilly day.

The best part? Exceptional performance for a three-row SUV.

Power comes from a hybrid 2.4-liter turbocharged system ... Hybrid in this case does not translate to anemic.

The power plant, rated at 362 horses, was a warrior off the line and an agile heavyweight in dicey traffic.  It was easy to dart out of harm's way, and I found the Grand Highlander especially nimble in downtown traffic.

Simply said: A very pleasant, smooth machine.  Fun to drive in every way.

The hybrid contribution equates to fuel mileage ratings of 26 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

Please note: The Grand Highlander can be had in several versions. And for those who need something more than the smaller Toyota RAV4, the Grand Highlander represents a tempting option for prospective buyers.

Hyundai's Palisade sets bar high among three-row SUVs

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 -- Taking everything into account -- styling, luxury, performance and price in that mix -- I have regarded the Hyundai Palisade as the gold standard among three-row sport-utility vehicles.

Happily, Hyundai has upped the ante with thoughtful upgrades for the 2026 model year.

Can a three-row sport-ute be stylish?  The Palisade (my tester was the 2026 Palisade Calligraphy AWD) radiated elegance, particularly on the finely sculpted front end.  There's virtually universal agreement among auto reviewers that the interior is elegant, comfortable and as functional as anything in the segment.

Volunteer passengers praised the third-row roominess -- a plus in an era when third rows are sometimes considered an afterthought.

From the driving cockpit, I was surrounded by helpful features ... all within easy reach and a snap to master.

Everything from the head-up display to the heated steering wheel provided useful convenience and comfort, and much of what you need can be done via the 12.3-inch digital display screen.

The ride was buttery smooth, and I had no discomfort that sometimes comes with driving a sizable SUV. Even in tight parking lots, steering was one-hand easy.

The 3.5-liter V-6 is advertised at 287 horsepower, which some auto-reviewing colleagues found a bit lacking.  Personally, I found the power plant capable in all situations, even hill climbs.  Fuel mileage was posted at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

FYI, the Palisade can be had in hybrid form.

I think the thing that most draws me to the Palisade it its versatility.  Many sport-utes I've tested check boxes here and there, but don't quite emerge with a perfect score.  Not so with the Palisade.  It checks every box.

And for $60,000 to $75,000, right?  Not even close; the sticker on the tester was an exceedingly reasonable $57,800.

This reworked-for-2026 Palisade has drawn a lot of praise from diverse sources.  All of those kudos are well-deserved.

Hybrid Lexus SUV reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2025 Lexus LX 700h sport-utility vehicle can be seen in the latest, February 2026, 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.

Hybrid Lexus NX sport-ute features luxury for less

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 -- Here's an automotive checklist for our times: Luxurious, stylish, responsive, powerful, safety-loaded and plug-in hybrid efficient.

I had all that in the recently tested 2026 Lexus NX 450h+ AWD, priced at $67,134.  While that might strain some budgets, I would have guessed my tester's value at $90,000 to $100,000 before looking at the sticker's bottom line.

It was that loaded.  And for those with the means to seek out an SUV in that ballpark, this NX should be at or near the top of your wish list.  Simply said, one gets a lot for a comparative bargain in this luxury SUV segment.

It's a sleek piece of work, but the heart and soul of the NX 450+ is the 2.5-liter plug-in hybrid electric engine rated at 304 horsepower.  Zero to 60 miles per hour is touted -- a pretty good number in this class.

I found the power plant quite enthusiastic, and guilt-free in combined gas-electricity mode with a miles-per-gallon equivalent of 84 mpg.  Gasoline-only gets you 34 mpg in combined city/highway driving.

Lexus also claims up to 37 miles in electric-only mode.

I was happily rolling along the busy interstates in the tester ... rock-solid on the turns, quiet on the roll and muscular when I asked for it. Front and rear torque with the AWD system was silky smooth.

Volunteer passengers commented on the comfortable, roomy seating areas.  And they liked the fact that quiet conversations could be heard even at freeway speeds.

Helpful standard perks on the tester included a head-up display, a power moonroof and a power rear door with kick sensor.

All in all, this NX is a good find for the discriminating luxury SUV shopper.

Mazda CX-30 'Aire Edition' wins points for style, perks

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've had a lot of seat time in Mazda's subcompact crossover sport-utility vehicle, the CX-30.  And yet, I only recently experienced the latest version.

The "Aire Edition" joins the lineup for 2026.  Simply said, it has all the usual pleasing amenities, some special perks and an easy-on-the eyes sticker price.

Let's start with amenities ... Wow, a long list.  Plenty to keep one's nose buried in the owner's manual for days.  Happily, virtually everything in the package is easily mastered.

Helpful features include heated front seats, a lane-departure warning system, rear cross-traffic alert, four-wheel disc brakes and LED lights all around.  Driver-assistance technology is exceptional for this vehicle segment.

Special touches are part of the Aire Edition label.  Think black.

The tester included gloss black badges, 18-inch black metallic aluminum alloy wheels, black roof rails and black side mirrors.  Stylish and distinctive.  I liked it.

Now, about that price.  A 2026 CX-30 starts at $25,975.  There's a number you don't see on a lot of SUVs.  Seems like you need 50K just to walk in the door these days.

My exceptionally loaded tester -- full name 2026 Mazda CX-30 2.5 Turbo Aire Edition -- came in at $37,240 ... still a nice number in today's market.

So, how does it drive?  Quite nicely. A fun, agile vehicle with a responsive power plant.

The 2.5-liter turbo engine is rated at 227 horsepower and 310 foot-pounds of torque ... ample oomph for all driving situations.  And having loaded plenty in the back of my tester, I'm guessing most will be surprised at the vehicle's cargo-carrying capacity.

Seating surfaces are comfortable.  Large adults in the back seats might feel a bit cramped.  After all, it's a subcompact.

Bonus: A full boat of max five-star ratings in federal government crash tests, including five on the overall vehicle score.

In sum, Mazda's Aire Edition is yet another solid model in the automaker's CX lineup.

Signia sport-ute is another jewel in Toyota's Crown

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 -- Yes, that's me with a "Finish Line Red"-painted version of the Toyota Crown Signia Limited hybrid sport-utility vehicle in my driveway.

But wait, wasn't I just in a passenger car-like Toyota Crown Nightshade? What gives?

It's all in the name.

With the Signia, the look is absolutely SUV-like.  So is the storage area ... 10 more cubic feet than the standard Crown. And there are special perks to be had, including a panoramic fixed-glass roof.

So, it all boils down to what you like, and need.

In the tested Signia, there was plenty to like.

I particularly enjoyed the 2.5-liter, four-cylinder hybrid power system (240 horsepower) that performed strongly, paired with a finely tuned suspension that saw me doing slalom moves on the open road.

Like a skier gone mad in a mountain paradise.

The payoff, of course, is fuel mileage: 39 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.

Toyota's current-generation 12.3-inch multimedia screen -- easy to figure out and use -- is part of the package as well. Standard features are at the Lexus level.

You pay more for the hybrid SUV compared with the standard Crown offering ... but not much.  The loaded tester came in at $52,565 on the sticker's bottom line.  Just about right given all the features, in my view.

Is this Crown Signia Limited worth test driving in a world populated by numerous practical-size sport-utes with instantly recognizable names?  A definite YES on that.

Forester Wilderness SUV is instantly outdoor-ready

This review first appeared in the December 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 -- Back at the turn of the millennium, it seemed like I was getting a Subaru Forester to test every week.

Not that I was complaining.

Great engineering.  Peppy boxer-style engine. World-class all-wheel drive.

And Subaru was aggressively touting the off-road capabilities of the compact, five-seat SUV, which came onto the U.S. market for the 1998 model year.

And yeah, I could appreciate that.  But frankly, I spent the majority of my time enjoying the on-pavement charms of those Foresters.

Recently, I spent a week in a new-for-2026 Forester called the Wilderness edition.

Simply put, it delivered on the off-roading promise of all those other Foresters put together.

For starters, the 2026 Subaru Forest Wilderness just LOOKS like a backwoods tamer.  Just the right ride height. Armor in just the right places. Sophisticated differential. All-time-high towing capacity of 3,500 pounds.

Who's ready to go camping? With this Forester Wilderness, just about everybody is my guess.

And the state-of-the-art features add a feeling of confidence and security.  That included deep snow/mud modes designed to drive one out of tight spots, should that happen.

Attention to detail is a treat.

Water-resistant seating surfaces include copper stitching with the Wilderness logo embossed on the front headrests and other surfaces. A rugged cargo area is built to handle heavy loads. Tie-down hooks, of course.

Beyond its off-road charms, the 2.5-liter, four-cylinder boxer engine is nicely capable at 180 horsepower.  And even at full song on the pavement, the power plant is smooth and not noisy.

As with past Foresters, freeway runs were silky, and the vehicle felt lighter in my hands than the advertised curb weight of 3,675 pounds.

My tester was stickered at $42,430 -- reasonable for the numerous features in the package.

Overall, this Wilderness version was the most enjoyable Forester in my experience -- a pleasing combination of the rugged, the technical and the luxurious.