Palisade and Lake Tahoe: a match made in heaven

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 -- It's a special feeling when a motor vehicle model flawlessly matches up with a specific environment.

I experienced this perfect pairing last week, taking the all-new 2020 Hyundai Palisade SEL AWD midsize sport-utility vehicle up to Lake Tahoe.  Rugged sport-ute meets alpine setting for a fall rendezvous.  What could be better?

Not much actually. And this Palisade is versatile.

If you've been following the advertising campaign for the Palisade, you're used to seeing photos and video footage of it tackling everything from off-road trails to suburban roadways.  During my week in the Sierra Nevada and along Tahoe's shores, I discovered the mountain country charms of the vehicle.

The Palisade dug into hard hill climbs with casual, yet authoritative ease.  The 3.8-liter V-6 rated at nearly 300 horses barely seemed to labor doing the most difficult of chores.  The ultimate test came just east of the Stateline, Nev., casinos as our cabin in the sky -- 7,400 feet -- had to be reached by a nearly straight-up road.

My tester responded to the challenge with strong acceleration and impressive, curb-hugging agility.  Even at full song, virtually no engine noise reached the interior cabin, an impressive bit of engineering by the Hyundai team.

The capability of the braking system -- with brake-force distribution and brake assist -- was tested on a run down that same steep road at dusk.  A brown bear suddenly darted out of a small pond on the right side of the roadway, and I somehow got my foot on the brake just as the woodland creature darted into my path.

The Palisade braked sans panic or rocking and easily gave the bear six feet of clearance to live another day. I've always been skeptical about motor vehicles saving you bacon -- yeah, I'm a defensive driving nerd -- but the Palisade was a crunch-avoiding lifeguard on that day.

Besides, it would have been a sin to have a bear torso bend the Palisade's bold, jumbo-size, cascading grille -- by far the most prominent exterior feature of this three-row SUV.

For all its rugged exterior look, the Palisade is a comfortable, luxurious transporter on the inside.  Everything is in its place and within easy reach.  A blizzard of top-notch safety/driving-enhancement/comfort/convenience features can be mastered quickly.

Power folding seats can be flattened for impressive cargo space -- nearly 46 cubic feet.  With seats at attention, full-size adults will be entirely comfortable.  Fuel mileage is so-so at 19 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.  The tester's bottom line was $43,155.

This Palisade is Hyundai's new flagship SUV, and it wears that label well.

Old reliable: Honda's Civic checks all the right boxes

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 -- Taking delivery of a Honda Civic is like meeting up with a trusted, close friend ... familiar, comfortable and as reliable as the tides.

Little wonder that the Civic is one of the best-selling passenger cars of all-time.

The tested 2019 Honda Civic 1.5T Touring sedan simply reinforced all that is good -- and long been popular -- in this model.  My ride looked downright sporty in "Cosmic Blue" exterior paint and riding on 18-inch alloy wheels.

The Civic no longer looks like a basic block.  The sporty cues are a welcome touch.

Likewise, the Civic is no longer a bare-bones driving machine.  The tester was generously equipped with useful standard features, including paddle shifters, heated front/back seats, leather surfaces and a 10-speaker audio system.

A strong lineup of safety features is headed by Honda's LaneWatch system, which gives a center dash display, real-time camera view of the exterior right side of the vehicle when the right-turn signal is triggered.  It's a helpful feature, even as Honda says it is transitioning to the more-common blind spot-monitoring system going forward.

All these features have boosted the price of Honda's monster-selling model.  The bottom line on the tester was $28,220.

Still, that's a fair price, given everything put into this Civic.  It's more than fair when you add in max five-star federal crash test ratings across the board, plus excellent fuel mileage of 30 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.

Oh, almost forgot, it's a fun driver.

The 1.5-liter turbo-4 is decidedly enthusiastic at 174 horsepower.  That power and the Civic's relatively light weight enabled me to zip it around in tight freeway traffic with total confidence.  In gridlock urban conditions, the Civic was responsive and easy to maneuver in and out of tight spots.  It climbed hills effortlessly in the Sierra Nevada.

One more bonus: the Civic's long history of reliability in countless consumer surveys.

In short, the Civic remains the gold standard for smart car buyers, everyone from parents seeking the ideal motor vehicle for their college-bound child to savvy seniors needing a dependable, affordable car to handle the usual chores in retirement.

A little bit of Soul ... and a whole lotta fun

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 -- The latest-generation Kia Soul is a head-turner, and maybe that's why it defies description ... or a permanent label.

Motor Trend magazine calls it a hatchback.  Numerous automotive texts call it a subcompact crossover sport-utility vehicle.  Kia calls it an urban runabout.

I call it fun.  Fun to drive.  And fun to see the reaction of folks who first focus their eyes on the Kia transporter.

My tester was the 2020 Kia Soul X-Line model. While some don't like the Soul's boxy design -- even Kia calls it unconventional --  a restyling for 2020 has incorporated fresh curves and cuts to make it an attention-grabber.  Folks walking up to my tester in parking lots had lots of questions. Most approved of the new look.

The fun factor continues inside the vehicle, with lighting options in the door panels, a kickin' audio system and state-of-the-art infotainment technologies throughout.  Yes, the Kia Soul still mixes mood lighting with music, another fun feature to be sure.

Yet for all of its cool-vibe touches, the Soul handles the basics quite well, and for me, this seals the deal on the vehicle's appeal.

A thoughtfully laid out dash is mastered quickly, with easy-to-understand controls.  With the rear seat folded, the subcompact opens wide to accept 62.1 cubic feet of cargo.  It's easy to steer, nicely responsive and offers the driver a good range of vision all around.

The 2-liter, four-cylinder engine is rated at 147 horsepower, which is more than adequate for the Soul's weight.  The engine noise is significant at full song, but my tester had enough oomph to make me feel secure on crowded city streets and dicey freeways.

Fuel mileage is very good at 27 miles per gallon in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.  The bottom line on the tested Soul X-Line was $22,615, a most agreeable number given all that is wrapped into this reworked-for-2020 model.

Overall, this Soul that defies labeling offers buyers a combination that's not easily found in today's marketplace: uniqueness, affordability, style, technology, versatility and, oh yes, fun.

Chrysler 300 with a Hemi engine: worthy of respect

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

Sacramento, California – Sometimes, I feel bad for the Chrysler 300.

I've always liked the big sedan with the monster-size grille.  It has been through various changes, but I ended up liking the different looks no matter what.

I sort of regard the Chrysler 300 as the old-school household car, the one that lugged the family and half their belongings on summer vacation trips covering many miles.

Alas, today, the big sedan seems to get little respect.  The Dodge Charger steals the headlines.  The two-door Challenger grabs yet more attention away from the 300.  Do an online search of local lots, and you know what Chrysler vehicle appears most often?  It's the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica minivan.

And yes, the American-made sedan seems to be on the endangered species list as we roll into the 21st century in earnest.

Despite all this, I jumped at a chance to get behind the wheel of a 2019 Chrysler 300 S ... with a 363-horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine.

Now, we're talkin'.

The Hemi emits a fine, satisfying roar when asked, and power is dished up in heart-pumping chunks. It's a thrill to be pressed into the driver's seat as the Hemi works up its considerable presence.

This is old-school sedan horsepower, and yeah, I miss it a lot.

I should note that the tester looked fine riding on 20-inch wheels, and the nicely equipped interior was spacious and comfortable.

The back seats were not a squeeze for even hefty adults, and the trunk swallowed up armloads of cargo.

My ride was priced well under $50,000, a notable plus in an era of big vehicles priced in the $45,000 to $80,000 range.

This latest version of Chrysler's history-drenched sedan is equipped with state-of-the-art safety and technology features, and my only gripe with the vehicle was some sway I felt when I dove into corners at high speed.

Is there still a place for a big American sedan in the driveways of the U.S. citizenry?  I certainly think so. The Chrysler 300 offers customer-pleasing comforts and big-shouldered roominess the way it always has.

 

And with a Hemi under the hood, well, that's a bonus.