Changes by the bunches expected in 2019

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

Sacramento, California -- It's hard to believe another year has passed, with a flurry of heart-pumping test drives, incredible changes in the auto industry and yet more significant shifts in the world of auto racing.

The coming year promises to bring more changes.

Automakers are increasingly embracing electric vehicle technology and are pushing the envelope with EVs that will travel farther, and more efficiently, than ever before.  There are plenty of good sedans still to be had, but the trend of smaller crossovers is solidly entrenched and will continue to expand.  The days of the family sedan appear to be numbered, but those vehicles are not yet extinct.

Horsepower keeps increasing in the performance and exotic car segments.  You have to wonder where that will end.  I'm not sure I trust myself with 800 or more horses under the hood.  Seems like you should be required to have special license training before taking command of some of these rides.  Just sayin'

Expect more moderate-size SUVs in 2019, but they will be rolling off the line with a wider range of power plant options ... everything from super-economical four-bangers to hybrids to full-on electrics.  This trend will be accompanied by a continued expansion of electric vehicle-charging infrastructure, especially in car-crazy California.  I expect to be behind the steering wheels of the most diverse group of test vehicles ever in 2019.  I can't wait.

In the major auto racing series, much needs to be done, in my view.  NASCAR needs to shorten its races, cut back on its schedule and walk away from relentless rule changes.  And the sanctioning body needs to win back fans by marketing its younger stars.  Will they listen to me?  I doubt it, but I've said it.

Formula One simply needs to be more competitive. I'm encouraged by the fact that the governing body appears to recognize this and is trying to take steps to provide more competitive races.  As for IndyCar, it's getting a dose of Formula One talent in 2019, and it is venturing to some new venues. All good news.  The series needs to be more than the Indy 500 in May.

So, yes, there will be lots to write about in 2019.  As always, thanks for dropping in to read.  Here's wishing all of you a safe, happy and prosperous 2019.  I'll be seeing you up the road.

This Honda compact hybrid has a lot going for it

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

Sacramento, California -- The trouble with getting a hybrid motor vehicle is that steep price you pay, and usually, the desired power output falls short of expectations.

And then there's the Honda Insight.

Rolled into Honda's 2019 model year lineup, this compact sedan with a four-cylinder engine and electric motor does not do major damage to your pocketbook, available for as little as $22,830 and capable of a combined fuel mileage rating of 55 miles per gallon.  The 151-horsepower power plant is no weakling either, as I found out.

My tester was the 2019 Honda Insight Touring edition, more of a primo offering with a bottom line of $28,985 and fuel mileage ratings of 51 miles per gallon in the city and 45 mpg on the highway.

Yes, it's basically a hybrid Civic, except that the Insight is sculpted in such a way to advertise a slim and sporty look.  Performance-minded motorists will have no trouble identifying this Insight in a crowd of Civics.

Personally, I was surprised at the pop the Insight delivered in "Sport" mode.  A spirited run up into the Sierra Nevada foothills was a genuine pleasure, with the Insight digging into uphill climbs and zipping around stragglers with no sign of a wiggle.  Driving it was not routine.  It was fun.  Sincerely.

A super-strong list of comfort and convenience features enhanced a comfortable, surprisingly roomy interior.  The car's night presence was bumped up by thoughtfully designed LED headlights, taillights and fog lights.

But wait, there's more.

A stout list of state-of-the-art safety perks helped the Insight earn a max five-star overall safety rating from the federal government.  The in-dash, real time view of the right side of the vehicle when the right-turn signal is triggered is most helpful.  The automaker calls it the Honda LaneWatch.

Need more? OK, in late November the Insight was named the 2019 Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal.

Is this the hybrid sedan at the optimum level of evolution?  It just might be, in my view.

Toyota's Avalon gets an impressive upgrade

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

Sacramento, California -- I've said it before: A Toyota Avalon is pretty much a Lexus wearing a Toyota badge.

With significant changes made for the 2019 model year, the latest Avalon resembles a super-sporty Lexus sedan.

Yes, that's a good thing.  The sticker price on the tested -- and loaded -- 2019 Toyota Avalon Touring four-door model was a robust $44,665, but that's a pretty reasonable fare for what this Avalon (and its competition) have in hand.

The new Avalon just looks racier, with smooth, clever, aerodynamic sculpting bumper to bumper.  The aggressive front end is particularly head-turning.  Believe me, the neighbors will notice this one parked in your driveway.

Inside, it's a spacious, comfortable and downright luxurious cabin.  Adults out on the town will love the ride and the experience.  The ride on the freeway is velvet-smooth, and steering response is quick and precise.  The tested Avalon bolted around inner-city pokes with the firmness of the peppy midsize sedan.

My ride was loaded up with a long list of bells and whistles, with an especially impressive lineup of state-of-the-art safety features.  The bird's eye view camera/display was a welcome addition among the options.

Most impressive for me was the improved power curve, with the Avalon's upgraded 3.5-liter V-6 now maxing at 301 horsepower.  This power plant moves the Avalon into tight freeway holes with authority.  Hard accelerations from a standing start are a fun experience is smoothly dished-up power.

Fuel mileage is pretty good at 22 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

Toyota says the interior cabin is quieter now, and I believe it, given the easy conversations I had with volunteer passengers who shared my praises of this nicely improved Avalon.

So, there you have it: A really good sedan gets even better for the new year.  This Avalon makes you feel like a proud owner, whether it's parked on the farm or in the country club lot.  A solid "A" effort from Toyota.

It's not the GT, but this Mustang still cooks

A menu of 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 first appeared in the November 2018 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California – A recent week in the 2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Coupe Premium gave me a deeper appreciation for the subtle differences in engine muscle.

OK, this is not the Mustang GT, recently enjoyed and reviewed with its 460 horses roaring through a 5-liter V-8 power plant.  The EcoBoost dishes up 310 horsepower through a 2.3-liter turbo-4.  And yet, the rush from the EcoBoost thrills with more spirited sound and fury off the line.

Simply put: The Mustang EcoBoost was just as enjoyable at the Mustang GT in the adrenaline-rush department.  Power in the tester was laid down via a 10-speed automatic transmission, a complex piece of technology to say the least.  And seamless in the tester.

The EcoBoost was a quick and agile ride in all conditions, particularly on dicey freeways.  It could maneuver out of harm's way in a flash, providing a strong dose of security to the driver, thank you very much.  For the record, motorists tend to get out of the way of a fast closing Mustang.

Even with the robust performance, fuel mileage came in at a respectable 21 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

And my tester was an eye-catcher, wearing blinding "Triple Yellow" exterior paint and dual exhausts spread wide at the back end.

Interior comfort was excellent from the cockpit, with good vision all the way around and easy-to-understand controls within easy reach.  Two people in the front works.  Mashing two folks into the very tight back seats might cause harm.  You've been warned.

Given the EcoBoost's Premium's reasonable starting price of $30,600, I can see how it would be a popular choice among folks who want a daily driver with some flash and performance.

Alas, my ride was dressed up with extras that pushed the bottom line to nearly $43,000, a price that might make some think long and hard about getting the dressed-up EcoBoost or the more horsepower-laden GT.

I guess it's a matter of personal preference. But then, isn't everything?

Rest assured, however, that the EcoBoost offers the full Mustang experience, with a look that still retains some of that good old-timey DNA from the 1964 original.

Yes, there is up-to-date technology, good safety features, LED lighting and more in the mix, but the EcoBoost is all Mustang.  It has more than enough to give you a nostalgia fix and a skin-tingling sports car rush.

Infiniti coupe reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

Check out my review of the 2018 Infiniti Q60 3.0t Sport Coupe in the latest, December 2018, edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News, published out of Folsom, California, by John Sweeney and Evonne Sotelo.

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 e-mail request to cruisinnews@mac.com. Mailed requests for information should be sent to Cruisin’ News, P.O. Box 1096, Folsom, CA 95763-1096.