This Toyota RAV4 is a rugged off-road warrior

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've driven a lot of Toyota RAV4 sport-utility vehicles over the years ... And in truth, I currently own one.

What recently showed up in my driveway was called a Toyota RAV4, but it was several light years removed from any other RAV4 I had driven.

It was the 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road sport-ute.  It was dressed up in edgy-looking skin, with a serious roof rack and 18-inch Matte Black alloy wheels wearing what looked to be stone-crushing tires.

It was sort of a RAV4 on steroids ... or maybe a paramilitary RAV4 wearing camo and body armor.  No doubt, this new addition to the 2020 model lineup certainly looked ready to tame the unpaved wildlands. Toyota proudly notes that the vehicle's hard-nosed suspension is specifically tuned for off-road use. Heavy-duty coil springs and twin-tube shocks are key components of the off-road hardware.

On top of the rugged standard features, the tester was decked out in some $5,000 worth of extras, including an off-road weather package, a premium navigation/audio set and an off-road technology package.

For me, the most fascinating feature in the blizzard of optional perks was the Digital Rearview Mirror. It displays a crystal-clear, wide-angle image of what's behind you via a high-definition camera.  I confess that the strikingly detailed image projected onto the rearview mirror was so sharp that it took me some time to get adjusted to it.

The tester was powered by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine rated at 203 horsepower.  When I stepped on the gas for the first time, the noise was so loud that I thought I had mistakenly left the RAV4 in neutral.  Turns out that's just the normal sound the engine makes with an aggressive nudge on the accelerator is applied.  That also took some getting used to.

Three notable things: The Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road has a max five-star overall vehicle score in federal government safety ratings.  The robust power plant gets an impressive 25 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.  And all those options on my tester pushed the bottom line on the sticker to a lofty $42,507.

Given all this, I wager that this particular RAV4 would be a dream car for a serious off-roader who also enjoys many of the comfort/convenience perks of a contemporary motor vehicle.  Would a weekend warrior who loves to climb over rocks in the Sierra Nevada now and again love this RAV4?  My guess: Absolutely.

But if you are happy with your standard RAV4 daily driver and chore doer -- and many Californians have long loved and purchased that very version of the model -- I'd stick with what you have.

Small and peppy, Hyundai Kona has what it takes

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 -- In a competitive field of small crossover sport-utility vehicles, the Hyundai Kona has a lot going for it.

That understanding was further stamped into my brain during a recent week with the tested 2020 Hyundai Kona Ultimate FWD.  Compact crossover SUVs are a U.S. market darling because they handle easily and are just big enough to do most of the drive-a-day chores that most folks expect of them.

And a little bit more, in the case of the Kona.

Mine wore a brighter-than-bright "Lime Twist" paint job, which stole some attention away from the Kona's smooth exterior lines.  Happily, the black interior was the perfect counterpoint to the glow-in-the-dark exterior coloring.

Power was provided by an enthusiastic 1.6-liter turbo-4 (175 horsepower) that was capable of speeding up the heart rate in a flash.  I was impressed by the Kona's ability to snap around freeway pokes with instant response. And it darted into neighboring lanes with the quickness of a cutting horse.  Those are not typical crossover SUV traits, but they're thoroughly enjoyable.

Interior comfort is nice, especially in the front seats, and everything is nicely arranged around the driver's cockpit.  Vision all around is excellent.

New for my Ultimate model was the Smart Cruise Control system recently developed by Hyundai.  Frankly, I enjoyed letting the Kona have its head by my own hands and right foot.  It was a decidedly pleasant driver.

An ample list of standard safety features was a bonus.  Ditto the fuel mileage numbers, which came in at a budget-saving 28 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

The price was fair for the tester's package -- $28,980 on the sticker's bottom line.

Please note, there's an electric version of the Kona, and a basic Kona can be had with a more-humble 147-horsepower, four-cylinder engine.  For my money, I'd opt for the stronger turbo power plant every time.

The Kona received an overall vehicle score of five stars -- the maximum -- in federal government crash-safety ratings.

All in all, Hyundai's Kona nicely fills a niche that is hugely popular with American motorists.  Sure, you might want to consider competitors made by Honda, Toyota, Nissan and even Jeep.

But if the Kona is not part of the conversation when you are compact crossover SUV shopping, your report card is incomplete.

Big Sequoia SUV ideal for those family adventures

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 -- Toyota proudly notes that its three-row Sequoia sport-utility vehicle was named for the massive, sky-scraping trees that are a California treasure.

The name fits, especially when walking up to the driveway-filling SUV and feeling significantly smaller than you did sitting on the family room couch.

The power liftgate on the tested 2020 Sequoia 4X4 TRD Pro yawned open to reveal nearly 70 cubic feet of cargo space with only the third-row seats folded.  Fold the second-row seats, and the open area balloons to 120 cubic feet.  This Sequoia can carry an object up to 11 feet in length.

Put all the seats up, and passengers are treated to plentiful room to spread out and relax.  And they can do so even when the Sequoia is motoring along at 70 miles per hour.  The tested Sequoia cruised easily and only somewhat noisily on the highway.

Power comes from a more-than-adequate 5.7-liter V-8 rated at 381 horsepower.  The engine is surprisingly robust off the line and barely labored on hill climbs.  I did not take the big brute off road, but given what the engine showed me, I believe those who sometimes venture off the paved surfaces will be more than pleased.

Toyota touts the Sequoia TRD Pro as the ultimate vehicle for "family adventures" and heartily encourages excursions "off the beaten path."  That makes sense to me as the big SUV can transport most of a campsite -- and the campers -- with no sweat.

The Sequoia's exterior styling is pretty traditional, but underneath the skin there's an impressive array of state-of-the-art safety technology.  Top-tier shocks and brakes are part of the deal, adding an extra layer of comfort and security.

Not surprisingly for such a big vehicle, fuel mileage comes in at a thirsty 13 miles per gallon in the city and 17 mpg on the open road.

For me, the Sequoia is indeed a family adventure vehicle that's best purchased when the kids are young and kept in service until said youngsters leave the nest.  If you're going to spend that kind of cash -- $67,829 was the sticker's bottom on the tested Sequoia -- you might as well get your money's worth.

If it was my call, I'd consider this Sequoia as a 10-year investment, minimum, and spend the next decade piling up the road miles, and plentiful family memories.

Here's a sporty Toyota toy that is unlike any other

This review first appeared in the March 2020 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News published out of Folsom, California – mg
 

Sacramento, California – There are few Toyota motor vehicles flying under the radar these days, but I recently tested one: the Toyota 86.

I discovered that some folks had never heard of it.  Neighbors walked up to the car and routinely asked: "What is THAT?"

No surprise.  The limited-production 86 has not been marketed to anything near the degree that the Toyota Supra has; to further make things interesting, my tester was the 2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition.  And that made it special.

The little four-seater -- don't try fitting two adults in the back seat, unless you're a sadist -- is an interesting-looking sports car as is.  The Hakone Edition goes beyond interesting, into the realm of a sports car lover's favorite toy.

First off, the exterior paint job is a lovely "Hakone Green," but what most (me included) would call "British Racing Green," a dark, rich green that makes this compact 86 look like a purpose-built racer.

Inside, the appearance presents a dramatic change: a tan and black scheme that is likewise super-sporty in appearance.

Who came up with this?  The 86 is a Toyota-Subaru collaboration.  In Subaru trim, the low-to-the-ground, spoiler-equipped coupe is called a BRZ.  For the record, you could publish a book on the origins of the Toyota/Subaru model names, but it might be easier for you to just look those up online.

I will confess to being mesmerized by the appearance of the little 86.  For me, it brought back memories of Triumph models of my youth.  Others were not so impressed, with some calling it a glorified Celica.  Ouch!

For me, the big challenge was getting my 6-4 frame down to the level of the driver's seat; unfolding myself out of the car was an even bigger challenge.

In between, the ride was spirited.  The 2-liter, flat-4 engine generates a max 205 horsepower, and that drives the little 86 forward with some serious authority.  The accompanying noise level is likewise serious.

In fact, the 86 functioned as a low-to-the-road eardrum, picking up the sound of virtually every bump and pebble on paved surfaces.  The super-stiff sport suspension delivered those bumps and jolts to the seat of the pants in the cockpit as well.

No complaints from me.  It's a sports car, after all.  Happily, agility was excellent as I put the 86 through multiple slalom runs at various speeds.

Fuel mileage is pretty fine for this segment at 24 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.  The sticker's bottom line was a shade more than $31,500, a fair price for this merchandise.

All in all, the 86 is a toy capable of bringing joy to the sports car fan's racing heart.