Plentiful changes are coming in 2020 and beyond

  Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- A new decade arrives in just a few hours, and in the auto industry and motor sports, the next 10 years likely will be highlighted by enormous changes.

By the close of 2029, I expect that fewer than half the motor vehicles on U.S. roadways will have traditional internal-combustion engines.  In populous states, electric vehicle charging stations will be as commonplace as convenience stores are now.  And self-driving vehicles will be rolling in numbers in densely populated urban centers.

Many see this as progress.  Other don't.  But trust me, it's coming.

There will be plenty of developments in 2020 alone.

For starters, it will be interesting to see if domestic new-car sales taper off.  Experts have been shouting this prediction from the rooftops for more than a year, but strong sales have been hanging in there due to the popularity of crossover sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks.

I have to wonder how long sport-ute/pickup sales can continue to stay hot, given the relatively high costs associated with these vehicles.  In just my auto-testing outings, it seems like every truck/crossover SUV I receive is priced in the $40,000 to $60,000 range.  That's a major investment.

Yet the stock market and the economy continue to hum along, seemingly producing enough U.S. consumer confidence to keep dollars flowing at the dealerships.  Even so, I expect things to cool off, albeit moderately, in 2020.

There are numerous new vehicles to look forward to ... none more anticipated than the mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette.  Beautifully styled, horsepower heavy and getting rave reviews, the new 'Vette has already nailed down Motor Trend magazine's prestigious Car of the Year award.

The coming year will find more alternatively-powered hardware coming to market.  Hybrid systems continue to evolve, as do on-board batteries.  Consumers who once complained that they were avoiding electric vehicles due to limited range don't have much reason to voice that complaint now.  Expect alternative-powered vehicle sales to rise in 2020, counter to the overall trend, in my view.

In the auto racing world, NASCAR and IndyCar ended 2019 on the upswing in the eyes of most analysts.  NASCAR has seen an infusion of young, talented drivers who have been unafraid to challenge the established stars.  IndyCar remained incredibly competitive, right down to the last race of the season.  Happily, IndyCar's crown jewel, the Indianapolis 500, has showcased the best of the racing series, with yet another breathtaking finish in 2019.  The grand old race was bolstered by a strong debut of network coverage from NBC.

While there is no doubt that Lewis Hamilton established himself as one of the all-time greats with his sixth Formula One world championship in 2019, the open-wheel series needs to become more competitive.  My guess is that many American racing fans watch the start of Formula One races and then drift off when the second-lap leader runs away with it from there.  Two or three cars dicing for the lead at the finish of a Formula One race is a rarity ... and exactly what the globe-trotting series needs.

Well, I can't wait to get started on a new year. As always, thanks for dropping in to read.  Here's wishing all of you a safe, happy and prosperous 2020.  I'll be seeing you up the road.

VW's Atlas SUV lives up to its legendary name

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- Atlas ... The very name implies size, power and an imposing presence.

It all fits with the recently tested Volkswagen Atlas sport-utility vehicle.  My ride was the 2019 VW Atlas V6 SEL Premium with the automaker's 4MOTION all-wheel drive system.  The three-row tester was a smooth performer in this class, and it proved useful in a holiday season week of cargo- and people-hauling chores.

Coming off some recent reviews of big SUVs priced at $60,000 and up, I was pleasantly surprised to see a bottom line of $49,390 on the sticker of my fully-loaded tester.  If 50-grand can seem like a bargain, this Atlas was Exhibit A.

A massive listing of standard amenities included 20-inch alloy wheels, the Intelligent Crash Response System, power/folding/heated exterior mirrors, a Parking Distance Control system, hill start/descent control, leather/heated seating in the first and second rows, puddle lights and LED lighting all around.

Interior comfort and space was impressed.  And although I didn't need it, the trailer hitch was set up for a 5,000-pound towing capacity.

All in all, the Atlas shaped up as a workhorse, although it burned fuel at a brisk rate of 17 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.

For a workhorse, the Atlas was silky smooth on the interstates.  The 3.6-liter V-6 rated at 276 horsepower was capable, and passengers commented on the quiet, monorail-smooth ride the Atlas delivered at freeway speeds.  I did not take the Atlas off-road, but fellow vehicle reviewers have praised this SUV's agility on the unpaved trails.

Some of those same reviewers, however, complained that the V-6 was under-powered, but I did not find that to be the case.  Yes, it made some noise on steep uphill runs, but the Atlas nevertheless dug in and stepped up to my satisfaction.

Worth noting: The Atlas scored a max five-star rating in federal government crash testing.

The Atlas, in my view, is under-publicized among three-row sport-utes.  There are some heavyweight competitors out there, but a discriminating SUV shopper might be wise to give the Atlas a look.  You might walk away with a pleasing, reliable vehicle for a comparatively bargain price.

Luxurious and lovely, XT6 is a Cadillac in every way

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- Cadillac boasts that its all-new 2020 Cadillac XT6 "three-row crossover makes every seat the best in the house ... "

I'm inclined to agree, although I'm not sure I'd label this XT6 -- my tester was the Sport model with all-wheel drive -- a crossover.  For my money, it's a sizable sport-ute with exceptionally smooth cruising characteristics and plenty of luxurious perks.

For a bottom line of $71,840 on the tester, that should be the case, right?

Let's start the with the look.  Well, it looks like a Cadillac: impressive, imposing, perfect fit and finish and an elegant grille with the world-famous Cadillac logo front and center.

Inside, there is plenty of room for full-grown adults and cargo of all stripes; behind the first row of seats, the XT6 is capable of taking in nearly 80 cubic feet of belongings. For convenience, the third row of seats is powered, folding up or down at the push of a button.

Cadillac engineers filled the XT6 with numerous driving-enhancements and safety features, so prepare to spend a good week cozying up with the owner's manual if your purchase this SUV. The blizzard of perks includes parking assist, cross-traffic alert, forward-collision alert, following distance indicator, automatic emergency braking, lane-change alert and multiple sensors.

The seven-passenger SUV qualifies as a rolling luxury suite with leather all around, heated seats/steering wheel, hands-free liftgate, a sunroof and much, much more.  Happily, you can disable the automatic stop/start feature.

Most impressive was the vehicle's incredibly smooth, stable cruising dynamic.  Unprompted, passengers marveled at the quiet, silky ride that could be had at speeds of 70 miles per hour and up.  Going seventy in the XT6 felt more like 40 mph on a perfectly smooth surface.  The 3.6-liter V6 -- mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission -- is advertised at 310 horsepower, but frankly, it felt much stronger than that.

My ride was dressed up with a handful of exotic extras, including Cadillac’s in-vehicle air ionizer.

OK, this solid XT6 is not within the range of many household budgets, but I'm quite sure that those who are fortunate enough to have the funds to buy one will agree with me on one thing: This new Caddy upholds the sterling reputation of the venerable American luxury brand.

No matter how you spell it, this Lexus sedan is fast

This review first appeared in the November 2019 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California – Alphanumeric names for car models are a reality, but in some cases, they fail to make the point.

Take the recently tested 2019 Lexus IS 350 sedan, for example.

Mine was the F SPORT edition, so it looked racy just parked in the driveway.  And when I took it out on the roadways, the 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 311 horsepower was instantly responsive and blew away every other vehicle in spirited urban/suburban runs.

But when you get back home and talk to friends and neighbors about the experience, they don't seem to get the same mental rush as when I say I was driving a Corvette or a juiced-up Mustang.

That's a shame.

Because this Lexus IS 350 really cooks and is a blast to drive.  Besides its performance-plus characteristics, its sport-tuned suspension is rock-solid, and braking is top-end perfect.

Maybe Lexus could call it the Flamethrower, or something along that line.

I've suggested this to Lexus, but amazingly, I haven't heard back.  Go figure.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is this: You are not likely to hear the IS 350 mentioned in the same breath as other performance models on the market.  But if you're searching for a four-door passenger car with the soul of a racing machine, I'm telling you right now that you need to add the IS 350 to your test-drive list.

If you don't, you're missing out.

What I liked about the car beyond the obvious was its mixture of elegance and sportiness.  The tester was packed with comfort/convenience favorites.  High-tech safety features were plentiful.  The interior layout was functional and classy in design.  The IS 350 pulled a max five stars in federal crash safety testing, by the way.

Gas mileage is pretty fair too, at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

Oh, and there's the F SPORT package.  That gets you a pile of goodies that includes the sport-tuned suspension, 18-inch wheels, heated/ventilated seats, sporty body sculpting, triple-beam headlights, a power rear sunshade and much more.

On my ride, the bottom line was $52,163, a hefty price to ponder.  But in my view, worth it.

Simply said, the IS 350 is a rolling advertisement for Lexus luxury and heart-racing performance.

Limited-edition Lexus reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

Check out my review of the 2019 Lexus RC F 10th Anniversary Edition coupe in the latest, December 2019, 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.

Subcompact Nissan Versa sedan has lots to love

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- I have several friends who are Nissan Versa owners, and they represent a wide range of incomes and interests.

What they have in common is that they all LOVE their Versa.  Love it, I tell you.

OK, I get it.  What's not to love?  You get attractive, super-affordable, subcompact transportation with lots of standard features and exceptional gas mileage.  A car for the 21st century?  Sounds like it to me.

After spending a recent week in a 2020 Nissan Versa SR sedan with a continuously variable transmission, I had nothing to offer my friends but absolute agreement with their ardor for the Versa.

OK, the 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine is rated at only 122 horsepower.  But I knew going in that this was not a Corvette.  That's another review, and another planet altogether.  I will note that those 122 ponies moved my tester around quite nicely, and the fuel mileage ratings of 32 miles per gallon in the city and 40 mpg on the highway looked pretty good too.

The 2020 Versa is the model's third generation, and there are tweaks, design improvements and new touches bumper to bumper.  The exterior look of my ride had a friendly, sporty appeal.  Thankfully, the designers applied subtle changes and resisted temptation to go utterly wild.  If you've seen the size of some of the wildly oversize grilles on newly reworked subcompacts recently, you know what I'm talking about.

Inside my Versa, everything was just right, and well within reach of my hands.  The back seat area is tight, but again, that kind of goes with the whole subcompact experience.  The tester was stuffed with scores of perks, and even with some $3,000 in options -- heated front seats, intelligent cruise control and special lighting packages among them -- the bottom line on the sticker came to decidedly reasonable $21,490.

Nissan stressed that sedans remain popular among "Gen X, Millennials and multicultural customers" in the United States.  Well, for my money, I think this Versa's appeal goes well beyond that.  How about retired empty nesters needing a solid, affordable vehicle for their lifestyle?  Or maybe a good second car for 40-something suburbanites?  Or perhaps a nearly ideal car to purchase for your college-bound high school senior?

I think the Versa fills the bill for all these customers.  I would venture to speculate that all would end up loving their subcompact.