Lexus GX 460 is a strong bet in luxury SUV segment

 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 -- You desire to reward yourself with a luxury sport-utility vehicle, but you're hopelessly lost in the alphanumeric jungle of the segment -- a tangle of widely varying features and sticker prices.

I feel your pain.

But a recent week in the 2021 Lexus GX 460 Luxury convinced me that folks in your boat might be able to find contentment in this particular model.

Lexus fans might ask: How does the GX stand out among the Lexus SUV fleet?  It's right there in the name -- Luxury -- and lots more.

The look is classic Lexus luxury liner -- big-shouldered sport-ute stance, monster shark mouth grille and a comfortable riding height that gives the driver a good overview of everything going on around the vehicle.  Triple-beam headlamps sweeten the front-end appearance.

Inside, luxury is plentiful.  Just absorbing all the features in the major novel-length owner's manual is a blast.

All this, for me?  Of course, you deserve it.  On my tester, the long list included a power moonroof, a 17-speaker Mark Levinson Surround-Sound audio system (it's concert hall quality, I assure you), heated second-row seats, power-folding third row seats, nicely placed wood trim and more leather surfaces than you'll find in a country club lobby.

Safety features are likewise maxed.  That includes a sophisticated pre-collision system, dynamic radar cruise control and a lane-departure warning system.  I'm sensitive to ultra-sensitive lane-departure warning systems, but they do keep you on your toes in the driver's seat.

For all this, you might expect to pay $80,000 or more, but the bottom line on my generously loaded tester came to $71,690.

Oh, it drives nicely as well.  Smooth as butter on the interstates.  Surprisingly quick and agile when maneuvering its way through downtown streets.  The 4.6-liter V-8 with 301 horsepower is an able power plant, although I did need to plant my foot in it during steep climbs in the Sierra Nevada.  Fuel mileage is tepid at only 15 miles per gallon in the city and 19 mpg on the open road.

How about taking it off-road? Lexus encourages it.

There's this from the automaker's marketing materials: "As a dual-purpose luxury vehicle, GX 460 can go from a short work commute to a long family vacation deep in the Rocky Mountains." On the Lexus website, these words are accompanied by a photograph of a GX climbing a bare rock surface in a high-mountain setting.

Well, I'm not sure I'd risk scratching my $72K beauty on those high country boulders, but that's up to you.

If all this helps you decide that the GX 460 is the luxury SUV of your dreams ... you're welcome.

 

Odyssey competes at minivan segment's top level

 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 -- Is the Honda Odyssey the best minivan on the market?  Some auto reviewers certainly believe that to be true.

Others, including myself, have found the Chrysler Pacifica to be an exceptional people hauler.

In its "Ultimate Vehicle Rankings" for 2021 motor vehicles, Motor Trend put the Chrysler Pacifica at the top of its list, with the Odyssey No. 2.  So the good news is that, either way, you get a top-quality minivan whether you're signing a check at a Honda lot or a Chrysler dealership.

And for those looking elsewhere, the latest Toyota Sienna is being highly touted on the airwaves, on social media and in print.

I'm not inclined to rank these minivans.  All I know is that my recent week in the 2021 Honda Odyssey Elite proved to me that the Odyssey is a top-flight minivan that definitely competes for that much-debated top spot.

My tester was generously equipped, downright luxurious, loaded with safety features, comfortable, versatile and highly-ranked on the safety front (a max five stars overall from the federal government).

As such, it was priced about where I expected it: $49,335.

Best of all, the Odyssey in my hands felt like an old friend.  Controls and technology were easy to understand.  After two days, it felt like I'd had the vehicle for a year....a comfortable, enjoyable year.

The look is classic minivan with a conveniently comfortable step-in height.  Inside, soft leather surfaces are warm and welcoming.  Everything is within easy reach of the driver.  Honda Sensing, the exceptional suite of safety technology features, is standard on all Odysseys, adding an extra layer of confidence and security before the ignition is triggered.

And there are some extra-special features of note.

Removing the middle seat from the second row enabled me to slide the passenger-side seat left and right.  This drew raves from a passenger who said "it's great to see out the front of the vehicle from the middle, instead of just the back of the seat in front of me."

The "CabinWatch" camera enables the front seat passengers to keep an eye on what's going on in the rear seats -- a godsend for parents of restless children who might indulge in the occasional in-vehicle scrap.

The bird's-eye view monitor also is helpful, providing a fuller view of surroundings, a plus in busy neighborhoods and tight parking lots.

The Odyssey Elite was an easy driver, with just-right firm steering and a surprisingly agile turning radius.  It's particularly smooth on the freeway, and the 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 provides more-than-adequate power.

Fuel mileage is pretty fair at 19 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

So, how does it rank among the minivan crowd?  High.  You want specifics?  I'll leave that to others, many of whom can be found on this thing called the internet.

 

Award-winning G70 continues to earn high marks

 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 -- Given the opportunity to step back into a car I loved the first time around, I was quick to jump at the offer ... especially with a twin turbo under the hood.

The tested 2020 Genesis G70 RWD 3.3T Sport was everything I expected from the luxury brand, with a performance boost thrown in.  I have not been alone in my praise of the G70.  It was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year in 2019.

So, what's to like?  Looks, for starters.  Aerodynamic lines with athletic cuts on the front end put the G70 squarely near the top of the entry-level luxury sedan segment.  The promise of luxury and road-hugging excellence is kept.

The tested G70 was packed with customer-pleasing features.  A short list included smart cruise control, 16-way power driver's seat (with four-way power lumbar settings), automatic full LED headlights, leather seating surfaces and a crystal-clear 8-inch touchscreen for easy navigation.

The interior feel is decidedly comfortable, although large adults might feel a bit squeezed in the backseat area.

The comforts of the cockpit were momentarily forgotten when the tester was on the move.

The 3.3-liter V-6 rated at 365 horsepower and 376 foot-pounds of torque is a road-ripping pleasure. At freeway speed, I found that I could snap the steering wheel left in a challenge to full tire grip, only to lose in that effort.  The G70 stayed rock-solid firm, like a cat-quick NFL tailback making an open-field cut.

Consequently, passing stragglers was not so much a normal procedure as a thrilling display of top-flight suspension engineering and engine performance.  And yet I felt completely safe and secure with the steering wheel on my fingertips.  No sway.  Not even a hint of a tire squeal.  Just a thrilling performance jubilee.

Best thing I can think to say about the car: I literally was saddened to end my test drives up into the Sierra Nevada and back down to the Sacramento Valley floor.  It was that much fun to operate.

The bottom-line price for all this was a very reasonable $51,245. I've driven similarly-equipped, high-performing cars that were priced $20,000 above that number.  So yes, the G70 is a pretty nice deal in this segment.

Fuel mileage was only fair at 17 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.  Fuel costs are probably a low priority for shoppers in the luxury compact/high-performance sedan segment, but it's always good to know what you have coming before you sign that check at the dealership.

In the case of this G70, what you're getting is one of the top sedans currently rolling on U.S. roadways.

 

Rumble, roar of iconic Mustang pleases the senses

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

Sacramento, California – There are some motor vehicles that are just brand models. There are others that are instantly recognizable consumer favorites. And then there are iconic vehicles, those that are drenched in history, nostalgia and universal affection.

The Ford Mustang attained iconic status long ago.

And I'm pleased to report that the recently tested 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Coupe Premium (photograph by Charles Glover) retains all that which earned the Mustang its place in history ... with styling DNA dating back to the original 1964.5 Mustang and performance characteristics that one expects from this venerable coupe.

If I sound like a fan, well, I plead guilty. But really, it's more than that.  The Mustang has been following me around for most of my life.

As a very fortunate 10-year-old, I saw the 1964.5 Mustang with my own eyes at the 1964 Indianapolis 500 and at the World's Fair in New York later that same year.

There's more.  My mother grew up in a wooded holler of Kentucky and did not earn her first driver's license until she was 40 years old. She did it in a 1965 Mustang, which became my driver "training" car. I later obtained my first driver's license in high school, in yet another Mustang.  Over the years, I've driven scores of Mustangs.

The tested EcoBoost coupe ranked right up there with the best.  Priced just short of $40,000, the tester was generously equipped and handled with monorail-like precision.

The 2.3-liter, turbo-4 engine served up 330 horsepower in press-me-to-the-seat doses, and it was a pleasure to easily slip through busy freeway traffic with effortless ease.

To be sure, you can get Mustangs with lots more horsepower, but this particular power package gave my fastback coupe more than enough oomph to make me happy.

Best part of all: The note coming from the quad exhausts in the back.  Outside the vehicle, it was a roar.  Inside, the noise was a satisfying rumble that filled the cabin and sent shivers down the spine, a pleasing feel for multiple senses.

One bonus on the sticker: The tester scored a max five stars in every federal government crash test category.

Was mine the complete Mustang experience?  Well, I suppose a 760-horsepower Mustang GT500 would be a blast.

But for my money, the tested EcoBoost coupe was satisfactory and then some.  For me, it was a high point in the otherwise challenging year of 2020.