Improved Outlander SUV gets 2022 off to a good start

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

Sacramento, California -- For car devotees, the year changes right about now.  My 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander SEL 2.5 S-AWC tester gets the year off on the right foot -- a redesigned crossover sport-utility vehicle that has won praise from auto-reviewing colleagues across the board.

In its recent "Ultimate Car Rankings" edition, Motor Trend magazine gushed " ... we cannot overstate just how much of an improvement -- inside and out -- the redesigned Outlander is compared to the outgoing SUV."

I second that.  Sporty good looks on the outside, a spacious and highly functional interior and an extensive list of customer-pleasing standard features are the norm for the 2022 model year.

The front end tweaks turn heads, with large, multi-function headlights perfectly placed in front and wrapping around to the sides.  Other eyes are drawn to the sculpted wheels, which appear to be a hatchets on the fly -- a very cool look.

Inside, passengers in the first two rows of seats will be pleased to find more room to spread out -- length-wise and width-wise.  The third row of seats does not cramp the interior cabin as those are kids-size.

I was blown away by the numerous comfort, convenience and safety perks, all standard.  They are too numerous to list here, but the short list of luxury-level features included heated front and rear seats, leather all-around, multiple-function voice-recognition controls and three-zone climate control.

A full suite of standard communication/entertainment technologies, driver-assist features and state-of-the-art safety equipment had me feeling spoiled and secure.

My ride was dressed up with another $3,000 in extras, including a primo Bose sound system with 10 speakers. But even with all that and a $1,195 destination/handling charge, the bottom line on the sticker came to a very reasonable $37,995.

In a nutshell, Mitsubishi threw everything into the Outlander stew and kept the price within range of many household budgets.

On the fly, the Outlander was smooth and responsive.  Steering was index finger-thumb easy.  For the adventurous, all-season motorist, there are seven driving modes to choose from, including ECO, GRAVEL, MUD and SNOW.

Power comes from a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine rated at 181 horsepower.  Frankly, the power plant felt stronger than those numbers would indicate.

Fuel mileage is good at 24 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.

Overall, this seriously reworked Outlander deserves a look from motorists pondering the ocean of crossover SUVs on the market.  Based on this Outlander, 2022 promises to be a very good year.

The Bronco returns as an impressive off-road warrior

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

Sacramento, California -- The 30-year run of the venerable Ford Bronco closed out in 1996, and for those with off-road passions and excellent memories, it once competed with such trail tacklers as the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout.

So, when Ford rolled out the return of the Bronco for the 2021 model year, I was nervous. So many chances to screw it up, or make it unrecognizable from the off-road warrior of years ago.

Fortunately, Ford did not mess it up. In fact, the tested 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands 4X4 was everything I would expect a Bronco to be.  It looks like a rugged off-roader, drives like one and is admirably equipped for days and nights under sunny, cloudy or starry skies.

Where to start?  There's the "safari-style" roof with durable rails.  Ford touts the high roof that enables the Bronco owner to tote 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes and other bulky outdoor cargo.

My ride had rugged, 17-inch, all-terrain tires that sung on the pavement and dug into the dirt. This compact Bronco also features a "Terrain Management System with up to seven available "G.O.A.T. Modes." For the uninitiated, that translates to "Goes Over Any type of Terrain." In the Badlands model, drivers have a choice of Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl.

The Bronco handles the rough stuff with an independent front and rear suspension, specially tuned shocks and major league springs.

The tester also had "Trail Control" technology,  essentially an off-road cruise control that functions up to 20 miles per hour in a forward setting and 6 mph in reverse.  With the vehicle handling the throttling and braking chores, Trail Control allows the driver to focus on steering and control.

All this is topped off by some charming shout-outs to Broncos of yesteryear.  My favorite: round headlights.

Power comes from a 2-liter turbo-4 engine rated at a robust 250 horsepower.  Fuel mileage comes in at 21 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

Simply put, I found driving this Bronco to be an absolute delight.  Even on a modest off-road course, the smile never left my face.

I'm sure Bronco buyers of years ago loved their adventures far from the paved highways, but this current model cashes a check those motorists could only dream of.  The excellent mix of technology, driver-assistance perks and power make this 2021 Bronco a dream camping machine.

And it's pretty enjoyable on the pavement as well.

Impact of Chevy Blazer SUV : 'I want one of those'

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

Sacramento, California -- I took delivery of the tested 2021 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD in exchange for turning over the all-electric Kia Niro ... and my attitude changed in a heartbeat.

No more obsessing over the electric battery range.  No more feather-footing.  In some circles, I would have been found guilty of driving the midsize Blazer crossover sport-utility vehicle like an energy-wasting knucklehead.

Yet one more layer of judgment in today's world, but all worldly transitions are full of such stuff.

There was one more thing that happened in my week with the Blazer, however ... something that crops up every now and then.  My spouse liked the vehicle so much that she thought I should purchase one.

A quick glance at my checkbook told me that this was an unlikely development, but I did take note of her extensive list of likes.

It all boiled down to this: the tested Blazer did everything well.  That included looks, performance, comfort, spaciousness and amenities.  Throw in safety as well, given the Blazer's max five-star federal government crash test safety ratings and excellent standard safety equipment.

It was an impressive test week, and somewhat surprising to me in a segment that typically touts the charms of the Subaru Outback, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

I was lucky right off the bat as my Blazer was the RS model, almost universally praised for its sporty good looks. My ride looked particularly spiffy in its "Cherry Red Tintcoat" skin and jet black interior.

On top of that, the tested RS had the strongest Blazer engine, by far.  Power came from a 3.6-liter V-6 rated at 308 horsepower, muscle far ahead of the 2.5-cylinder and 2-liter turbo four-cylinder ratings of 193 and 227, respectively, in other Blazer trim levels.

I could do pretty much whatever I wanted to do with the V-6 power plant, whether it was jetting around downtown pokes or freeway stragglers.  The Blazer easily moved out of harm's way when asked.

Interior comfort and roominess was praised by occupants of all five seats.

The generous standard perks included leather surfaces, a hands-free liftgate and a blizzard of connectivity technology.  Nearly $4,000 in extras turned the tester into a luxury liner. That included a primo Bose audio system, a surround-vision vehicle-position screen and a wireless charger.  Fuel mileage was OK at 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

All that brought the bottom line on the sticker to a somewhat hefty $47,680.  All in all, it was a fair price for this Blazer.

If you have some funds to loan to my wife for purchasing one, give me a buzz.

Cadillac CT4-V is a worthy representative of the brand

This review first appeared in the August 2021 edition of the Cruisin' News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California ­– When I was growing up in Dayton, Ohio, the Cadillac brand meant something.

For starters, Dayton was a General Motors town, home to a major assembly plant, GM subsidiary Frigidaire and multiple GM suppliers.  The old joke used to be: If GM gets a cold, Dayton gets pneumonia.

And the swankiest dealership in town was the Cadillac store, with gleaming models visible through the storefront glass. Many folks would stroll by and just stare, perhaps dreaming of the kind of status such luxurious cars could command.

Fast forward decades to my recent week in the 2021 Cadillac CT4 V-Series compact luxury/sport sedan. I'm lucky in that the V-Series is considered the cream of the CT4 crop.

And more to my interests, this ride more than lived up to the Cadillac brand reputation that imprinted itself on my brain all those years ago.

For starters, it looks classy and sporty at first glance.  Nice angular cuts on the side and a sweetly sculpted grille make for an easy on the eyes package.  My ride wore Shadow Metallic paint with a Sangria/Jet Black interior.

Power comes from a 2.7-liter turbo-4 rated at 325 horsepower. Matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission, the turbo power plant blasted the CT4-V around with serious authority, with the bonus of a throaty exhaust note in the deal.

Freeway cruises were silky smooth, and the CT4 was decidedly agile in dicey urban settings.  Good acceleration from a standing start came in handy on numerous occasions, jetting me out of harm's way and freeing up driving room in a pinch.

Cadillac was wise to emphasize performance in the V-Series as this sedan stacks up very well against similarly sporty compact sedans made by rival automakers.

Inside, I was comfortable and surrounded by a wealth of comfort and convenience features.  Some critics have bashed Cadillac for not putting enough luxury in the CT4, but I was not buying that. My ride was nicely appointed for the starting fare of $44, 895.  Option packages on the tester pushed the sticker's bottom line to $50,015, but the extras were heavy on safety.  They included rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, blind zones alert and following distance indicator.

Fuel mileage was OK at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.

So, in the final analysis, does this CT4 V-Series uphold Cadillac's legacy in this modern age, in a world of numerous small crossover SUVs and increasing numbers of hybrid/electric cars?

In my estimation, the CT4 V-Series wears the Cadillac badge with honor.