BMW sport-ute upholds 'ultimate driving machine' label

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 -- You can drive and drive. You can study and test.  You study interior and exterior motor vehicle features until your eyes glaze over.  And just when you think you have it all figured out...

They deliver a BMW Alpina XB7 sport-utility vehicle to your drive way.  Sticker price: $159,145.  Three rows of everything you can imagine riding on 23-inch wheels.

Some vehicles have this and some of that and ... you won't need to worry about that if you drop some serious coin on this vehicle.  It has so much that BMW's "ultimate driving machine" slogan seems like a humble statement.

Lap of luxury?  How about soft-close automatic doors? Gotta have those crystal headlights and illuminated kidney grille. Not just cupholders but heated and cooling cupholders.  I could go on about extras, but rest assured that the list is quite long.

And that's on top of seemingly every state-of-the-art driving-enhancement, security and safety device known to the globe. Connectivity technology is particularly impressive in this Alpina XB7.

So, how does it drive?  Here's a clue: the power plant is a 4.4-liter bi-turbo V-8 rated at 631 horsepower.  That's more than some purpose-built professional racing machines.

Off the line, power comes on in a relatively quiet manner, but physical forces mash you deep into your seat.  With revs up, it's a dominant freeway force, capable of blazing through tight spots with startling ease.  Indeed, every other vehicle seems frozen in place when the Alpina is at full song.

Muscular performance does impact fuel mileage, which comes in at 16 miles per gallon in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.

Needless to say, this Alpina is in a lofty vehicle segment, one occupied by Mercedes-Benz sport-utes and Cadillac Escalades to name just two.  I can only imagine the satisfying high of browsing six-figure machines for purchase.

For those who know that high, this Alpina XB7 deserves a look.

Chevy Blazer EV sport-ute fills the wish list with 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 -- One of the common complaints I hear among folks reluctant to drive or buy an electric vehicle is ... EVs don't have everything I want in a motor vehicle.

For those folks, I offer up the recently tested 2026 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS AWD midsize crossover sport-utility vehicle.

First off, you get the Blazer name, a well-established label that virtually everyone in America knows.  No guessing involved.

So, you want performance?

How about dual motors dishing up 615 horsepower, enough to send you from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.4 seconds.  It took me some time to adjust to the regenerative braking rhythm of the tester, but once there, I was blasting off the line and dispatching freeway stragglers with remarkable ease.

Volunteer passengers were enthusiastic about the acceleration rush.  I advise handling it carefully.  You can be touching 80 mph before you realize it.

The payoff: A miles per gallon equivalent rating of 92 in the city and 77 mpg on the highway. Chevy touts a driving range of 302, given careful driving.

So, you want good looks?

The Blazer is not your typical SUV block. It profiles low with an extended roofline, cutting through the wind smoothly. My ride was a crowd-pleasing eye-catcher with one of my all-time favorite paint job names: Habanero Orange.

So, you want popular, top-tier features?  My tester had a ton of them.

Extra-special perks on the tester included Brembo brake calipers, a 17.7-inch diagonal color LCD display, a head-up display, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a primo Bose audio system, heated rear seats and a smart power liftgate.

All that added up to $64,485 on the sticker.

That price is just about right in this most competitive vehicle segment, in which this Blazer competes very well.

Lexus LX 700h sport-utility vehicle is big in every way

This review first appeared in the February 2026 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 -- There's something about taking delivery of a motor vehicle wearing a sticker with a bottom line of $141,350.

You want to shoo away kids on bicycles, lest they swerve and put a small dent in the body. Or maybe I should sit up all night in the driveway to warn away any pests that might likewise deface this jewel.  Should I drive it more than 30 miles per hour? I mean it's a dangerous world out there.

OK, all of that is (somewhat) ridiculous, because the tested Lexus LX 700h sport-utility vehicle is a big-shouldered auto that is assembled to be enjoyed.

Would you push away a $500 bottle of wine?  Of course not.  You'd savor it.

I did so with the tested SUV.

The first thing that struck me was the monster-size grille on the front. Could have passed for a locomotive.

If I saw it coming at me in the rearview mirror, I would definitely be inclined to bolt out of the way.  And maybe that's the point.

This LX was a powerful beast with a 3.4-liter V-6 hybrid engine that moved the machine forward with muscular authority.  To put things in perspective, the hybrid power plant fuel mileage rating was 19 miles per gallon in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

So, everything is big on this SUV, right?

Sure, and in a good way.

The list of state-of-the-art safety, comfort, convenience, luxury and driving-enhancement features was exceptionally lengthy.  So much to enjoy and master. Lexus isn't kidding when it uses "ultra luxury" in the same sentence with this vehicle.

Personally, I was impressed with the triple-beam LED headlamps, the multi-terrain monitor, the 8,000-pound towing capacity, the adaptive variable suspension, intuitive parking assist, 22-inch forged alloy wheels and primo Mark Levinson audio system.

That's a very short list from the blizzard of goodies.  Suffice it to say that you're getting your $141,350 worth, and then some.

While I'm aware of the level of professionalism Lexus engineers put into their vehicles, I was still amazed at the fluid grace of the tester on the roll.

Passengers likewise praised it.  At the wheel, the agility of the sport-ute was startling.  If asked, it cuts with the quickness and controlled smoothness of a champion alpine skier.  Impressive? Very.

If I laid out my own cash for this vehicle, I confess that I would be very reluctant to take it off-road.  Scratch the paint? Horrors!

And yet Lexus has installed multiple, top-tier off-roading features into the LX 700h.

Overall, the tester competes quite well with the ultra-luxury competition out there. It was my fantasy vehicle for a week; for those with the means to make it theirs for years, I salute you.

 

Sportage PHEV SUV reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2026 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD sport-utility vehicle can be seen in the latest, March 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.

Ram 1500 upholds pickup template: more is better

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 -- Faster, higher, stronger.

The Olympic motto, right?

Sure, but you could just as easily apply it to the world of full-size pickup trucks.  The producers of these American beauties keep adding, improving and strengthening their creations.

What is out there now is light years removed from the old school pickups of yesteryear ... the kind I remember on my maternal grandpa's farm.

Oh, and one other thing: Figure on bringing at least $50,000 to the table if you want one.

Amid this, I had a recent week in the 2026 Ram 1500 Express Crew Cab 4X2 pickup (which also goes by the label of 2026 Ram Tradesman Crew Cab 4X2).  This is a prototypical pickup for our times.

My ride was loaded and priced at $51,030 ... and worth every penny.

Packed bumper to bumper with the latest comfort, convenience, driving-enhancement and safety technology, I spent a substantial amount of time researching the owner's manual.  Once I was convinced that I could do everything humanly possible from the cockpit seat, it was time to take it out for a drive.

What a treat!  Amazingly smooth on the highway.  Sixty miles per hour feels like 40.  Yeah, it's that silky.

The twin-turbo, six-cylinder engine was instantly responsive and decidedly muscular.  I was particularly impressed with response even with the revs up.  For those craving more, the 1500 can be had with a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8.

And while I enjoyed the state-of-the-art technology, I was equally happy with the truck's old-school towing potential and cargo-carrying capacity ... Still among the main reasons for getting a pickup, best as I can determine.

Fuel mileage was fair for this segment, at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the open road.

Does this 1500 compete on equal footing with the Ford, Chevy, Toyota and other pickups out there?

Absolutely.

Mazda's CX-70 SUV could be just what you're seeking

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 -- It could be the definition of what most auto buyers are looking for these days: A peppy, midsize sport-utility vehicle stuffed with numerous customer-pleasing perks and priced around $50,000.

It was my tester for a pleasant week, wearing the label of 2026 Mazda CX-70 3.3 Turbo Premium Plus.

Mazda's CX lineup is loaded and formidable, and buyers looking for something in the middle range won't be disappointed with the CX-70.

The look is sleek and sporty, which matches the performance characteristics of the vehicle.  Power is provided by a 3.3-liter, six-cylinder turbocharged engine rated at 280 horsepower.

The power plant feels much stronger than that 280 number, especially off the line from a standing start.  And yet, as a freeway cruiser, the CX-70 smooths out for a serene, quiet ride that volunteer passengers absolutely loved.

The interior is modern, stylish and useful. From safety to luxury, the features added  up to a steal, given the reasonable $51,795 sticker price.

Particular favorites included Nappa leather, hill descent control, 21-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated front and second row seats, a hands-free power liftgate and rear cross-traffic alert. Really, this is a $60,000 vehicle with a starting price of $49,570.

Fuel mileage was pretty fair for this segment, at 24 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.  A max five-star federal government overall crash test score was another plus.

Taken in full, this CX-70 likely appeals to a wide demographic of motorists, particularly prospective buyers seeking value amid a blizzard of practical-size crossover sport utes.

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.