GMC Yukon XL Denali: Luxury in a large package

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 -- Continuing a trend of reviewing motor vehicles so large that they make their own weather, today's offering examines the 2019 GMC Yukon XL Denali 4WD.

This is a huge vehicle, so long it resembles a customized stretch SUV rented by a half dozen teens for that oh-so-special prom night.  But trust me, this ride is meant to be appreciated by adults, preferably those who have a lot of driving experience.

The Yukon XL Denali's extreme size and weight require concentration.  Yes, you can easily stray outside the lines on an uphill/downhill run in the Sierra Nevada.  So, right away, getting behind the wheel prompts you to sit straight up, concentrate and keep those hands in the 10 and 2 positions on the steering wheel.

Once you've done that, enjoy, because the tester glided easily over paved surfaces of all stripes.  My run in the Sierra Nevada was a pleasure and a breeze. That 6.2-liter V-8 engine with 420 horsepower made some noise during the journey, but the muscular response of the vehicle was a sensory-pleasing tonic.

Please note that the Yukon XL Denali is equipped with the full suite of off-road and towing perks to make those chores easier.  Fuel economy, however, is not so hot at 14 miles per gallon in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.

I consider myself spoiled by the number of test vehicles I receive that are opulently loaded up with features.  Even so, the staggering list of goodies on the tested Yukon made my head swim.

Among the standouts were perforated leather front seats with heat and ventilation, second row heated bucket seats with power release, power heated exterior mirrors, a head-up display and remote vehicle start.

With all this and the kitchen sink thrown in for good measure, the bottom line on my tester was a whopping $82,190.  Go ahead, take some deep breaths. OK now?

Oh yes, that's a steep price to pay, but consider that you're investing in something resembling a rolling luxury home.  I've lived in apartments that didn't come close to matching the domestic charms poured into this Yukon XL Denali.

And I know some folks who own this model.  Not surprisingly, owners of these stretched out Yukon Denalis tend to own them for a long time.  Good idea, I say.

With this much vehicle stuffed with so much for driver and passengers to enjoy and treasure over the long haul, this Yukon stacks up as a blue-chip investment.

Old friend Armada remains a big attraction

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 -- A big, gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicle is not a stylish thing to like these days, but I received a 2019 Nissan Armada Platinum 4WD tester like it was an old friend.

I've liked the big brute since it came on the scene in 2004.  I have warm memories of wheeling it through a tight, underground garage in Monterey way back when.  Any large-size SUV that could handle that well in close quarters won my heart.

The current version is decidedly better from bumper to bumper -- better equipped, safer, more tech-loaded, and yet, still surprisingly agile for its size.

And that jumbo size hits you right in the face just walking up to the vehicle.  It's a big-shouldered eight-seater with an imposing front end that all but shouts: "Get outta my way, I'm coming through."  That sort of thing will win you positive points in some driving situations.

The Armada needs a muscular power plant to move all that hardware down the road, and the tester had just that with the standard 5.6-liter V-8 with a max rating of 390 horsepower.  That engine was robust in all conditions, hill climbs in the Sierra Nevada included.

There was a deep, but not overbearing rumble when I asked the tester to dig in on steep uphill runs. Response was instant, and the big Armada motored around stragglers with no wiggle and a remarkably secure stick-to-the-road feel.

You want to talk fuel mileage?  The unvarnished truth: it's a wallet-smacking 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the open road.

Once fuel costs understood, most owners probably will talk up the myriad safety, security, comfort and convenience features on the 2019 Armada.

The long list of state-of-the-art safety systems on the tester included intelligent back-up intervention, around-view monitor, blind-spot warning, automatic emergency braking, intelligent cruise control and a lane-departure warning system. An even longer list of comfort/convenience perks included heated/cooled front seats, heated second-row outboard seats, leather surfaces throughout the cabin, a top-flight family entertainment system and enough communications/audio options to qualify the SUV as a rolling sound studio.

Other things that grabbed my attention: a max five-star side crash rating from the federal government and striking 20-inch, machine-finished alloy wheels

For all that, the bottom line on my ride was an eyebrow-raising $67,850.  Yes, it's a luxury liner -- a classy old friend that goes first class all the way.

King Ranch a special treat in pickup segment

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 recently reviewed a Ford F-150 SuperCrew, and it had the usual, over-the-top perks found in the modern-era pickup truck.

But the 2018 Ford F-150 4X4 SuperCrew King Ranch pickup subsequently delivered to my driveway was really a step beyond its cousin.  Way beyond, in my view.

The King Ranch version is so exquisitely customized that you feel like Ford built the truck just for you ... a one and only.

Let me explain.

The pickup is named for the famous and massive King Ranch in South Texas.  Having driven on the grounds of the ranch years ago, I can tell you that it's not so much a ranch as a state within an enormous state.  You can drive for miles and miles and never leave the sprawling property.

Naturally, a big Ford F-150 pickup stacks up as the perfect vehicle for getting around such a place, and for hauling the tons of equipment and tools that make a big ranch run.  Ford marketed the truck as something special for the discriminating pickup purchaser.  With Texas home to more pickup trucks than any other state -- yes, even more than California -- it made perfect sense.

But trust me when I say that the special feeling of a custom-made pickup has evolved into something far above what it was years ago.

My tester was a stunning "Ruby Red" on the exterior, set off with an opulent leather interior.  The well-known King Ranch logo is stitched here and there inside, and I can tell you that my ride had some of the highest quality stitching I have ever seen.

The King Ranch has its own "Chrome Appearance" package as well.  And a twin-panel moonroof.  Chrome exhaust?  Of course.  Ten-way power seats?  Ditto.  And on and on it goes ... not to mention the generous perks built into the standard F-150 pickup package just for walking in the door of a Ford dealership.

By the way, all this does not come cheap.  My tester wore a bottom line of $65,675, and to be brutally honest, that's probably a bargain given all the goodies on this King Ranch special.

A cowboy Cadillac?  A ranch hand's dream ride?  Choose you description, because they all fit.

So if your budget permits, go for it.  But don't go looking for my tester.  I'm sure it was built just for me.

Just for Kicks, check out this crossover SUV

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 -- Leave it to Nissan to let you get your kicks with something new, saucy, affordable and loaded with youthful appeal.

This time it's the Nissan Kicks, an all-new crossover SUV that made its debut as a 2018 model.  My tester was the Kicks SR model with the Premium Package.  And while that's the top-end version among the trim levels, the bottom line was a most reasonable $22,630.

My Kicks tester was sporty looking, accented by a sharp-looking "Gun Metallic" exterior paint job topped by a "Monarch Orange" roof.  The sporty feel was continued inside the cabin with orange stitching throughout.  Interior comfort was fine, and it was surprisingly roomy for a crossover SUV.

I was surprised by the extensive list of perks, given the bargain price.  My ride included heated outside mirrors, a blind spot-warning feature, rear cross-traffic alert, LED lights, a superior Bose audio system and heated front seats.  I might expect to see a bottom line of $30,000 on a similarly appointed motor vehicle.

Also surprising was the pop delivered by the Kicks on the move.  The 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine puts out a max 125 horsepower, but my ride felt much stronger than that, whether it was zipping down a freeway on-ramp or dusting off a surface street slowpoke.  The Kicks motored uphill nicely but did produce a fair amount of noise at full song.

Some fellow auto reviewers have criticized the Kicks for calling itself an SUV and offering no all-wheel drive system.  Frankly, this didn't trouble my mind during my test runs.  And some of those same reviewers praised the Kicks for its performance in off-road tests.  For the record, the continuously variable transmission on my front-drive Kicks functioned flawlessly.

Given all this, the Kicks stacks up as a near-perfect ride for a young family that might otherwise assume it can't afford a sport-utility vehicle.  Likewise, it's a good choice for suburbanites who need a trustworthy multi-tasker that also functions as a comfortable ride on long road trips.

I give it a solid A-minus grade for a new-to-market ride in an ultra-competitive segment.