Toyota Tundra has tools for the job, and much more

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo auto reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- I am sure other SUV/passenger car owners have shared my periodic lament ... Man, I wish I had a truck right now.

It happens.  That bulky piece of furniture just purchased is not going to fit in the back of a compact SUV, and you cringe at the $150 delivery fee.  Or maybe you're going to help your buddy move into new digs, and well, your little passenger car might be able to transport a lamp and a floor fan.

What I needed recently was a full-size pickup, with plentiful tie-downs and a roomy, rugged bed.  Lo and behold, a 2023 Toyota Tundra Capstone CrewMax pickup rolls up to my driveway.  Good timing as I have a desk and chairs to transport some 50 miles.  My prayers are answered.

The tested Tundra turned out to be perfect for the job at hand.  Nicely placed options to secure cargo against the rear passenger cabin, a convenient side step to hoist my aging legs into the bed and the additional bonus of power running boards.  Loading and unloading was a snap.

It's a far cry from the ancient pickup my maternal grandfather had on the old family farm in Kentucky.  Loading and unloading that beast typically resulted in injuries.  My, how pickup trucks have evolved over the years!

And to fully appreciate that, an hour drive through the Northern California countryside in the tester brought the reality home in full force.

First off, the tester's twin-turbo i-FORCE MAX V-6 hybrid powertrain is a force of nature -- 437 horsepower and 583 foot-pounds of torque at a mere 2,400 rpm.  This is power plus, and I reveled in repeatedly mashing the accelerator to dust off pokes and lean the big brute hard into corners.  Try as I might to escape adhesion, the truck was rock-solid, with virtually no body sway.  Five-star suspension on this baby.

The modified hybrid system does not buy you enormous fuel savings -- 19 miles per gallon in the city and 22 mpg on the highway -- but the power at your fingertips tends to trump fuel consumption concerns.

Like other contemporary pickup models, this Tundra is entirely civilized with luxury level features, including heated/ventilated front and rear seats.  And the tester was equipped with a full boat of state-of-the-art safety/convenience features. Given all this and the current state of full-size pickups, it was no shock to see $78,460 on the bottom line of the tester's sticker.

This being a Capstone model, my ride was dressed up with special exterior and interior touches, and the monster-size grille looked like it was capable of knocking over a trio of brick walls.

Big, rugged, roomy and a cargo king.  Just what I needed.

A favorite sedan loaded with helpful features, tech

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- The Lexus LS flagship sedan has long been a favorite of mine, even as I've watched the price creep up to six figures over the years.

I claimed years ago that, even if I was a multimillionaire, the LS sedan would be all I need in motorized family transportation.  I still feel that way.  Keep your Ferrari or your luxury-laden Euro make.  I'm just fine, thank you.

And while the LS starting price has gone up over time, the automaker has added numerous things along the way to justify the sticker.  That was apparent in the recent tester, the 2023 Lexus LS 500 AWD F Sport.

My ride was packed with a gaudy list of features.  Let's start with the F Sport items, which included adaptive variable suspension, exterior styling touches, leather trimmed interior, heated steering wheel, embossed head rests and 28-way power front seats.

Let's move on to the power moonroof, hands-free power trunklid, rain-sensing wipers, power rear sunshade, pre-collision/pedestrian-detection safety system, radar cruise control, intelligent high-beam headlights, intuitive parking assist, head-up display, 23-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system and panorama glass roof.

And that's just the partial list.

Given everything stuffed into the car, the $89,465 sticker price seemed like a bargain.

The exterior look is classy and sporty, with the latter quality enhanced by 20-inch alloy wheels with a "Dark Vapor Chrome" finish on the tester.

Perks aside, the most enjoyment came from driving the LS.  Buttery smooth even at high speed, steering was spot-on perfect, and the AWD vehicle handled with such ease that I wondered if there was some unlisted AI technology making my seat time a breeze.

When asked, the 3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 instantly turned the luxury liner into a powerful road warrior.  With 416 horses to work with, the LS darted in and out of tight spots with precision ... and with very little noise reaching the cockpit.

For the record, the LS 500 can make the zero-to-60 mph run in 4.6 seconds. Performance characteristics are enhanced by a sophisticated torque-distribution system.

In sum, the LS 500 remains the gold standard for combining luxury, performance, customer-pleasing features and driving pleasure in the luxury/sport sedan class.

Ford's Maverick Tremor is built for the rugged roads

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- Even drivers of compact pickup trucks want something rugged for their off-road romps.

The recently tested 2023 Ford Maverick Tremor AWD fills that order and then some with extras and options designed to tackle surfaces far from the paved roadways.

Most significant on the tester was the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, rated at 250 horsepower.  That's a substantial bump up from the 162 horses found on the hybrid-powered Maverick. The Tremor power plant was entirely satisfying.  Not only is it capable of rolling over all types of off-road terrain, it's an impressive performer on the highway.

Nothing like using a small pickup to dust off pokes in sedans and SUVs.

But the heart of the Maverick Tremor can be found in the off-road equipment specially made for this vehicle. Ford notes that it's equipped to deal with mud, sand or snow ... in other words, anything within 90 minutes of a Sacramento center point on a given day.

Among its many perks, Tremor comes with a cool feature called Trail Control, which essentially operates like cruise control in off-road driving. While you're tackling the terrain, Trail Control maintains a set speed. Very clever.

Other features include top-notch front/rear springs, a heavy duty transmission cooler, 17-inch aluminum wheels, steel skid plates and upgraded half-shafts.

The rugged package is rounded out with a special grille treatment and a cool Tremor Appearance Package. Black Onyx interior trim on the tester also looked fabulous.

It should be noted that the extras on the tester boosted the price of the 2023 Lariat Tremor AWD from an MSRP of $27,955 to $37,505. But for off-road fans, the additions and the extra money spent will be worth it. If you're a true off-road enthusiast, you understand.

Ford says this particular Maverick "is an entry-level option for buyers seeking greater off-road capability and bold styling in the same compact package that comfortably fits their daily life in the city while also supporting their outdoor passions."

True enough. Or in simpler words: Here's a right-size truck for city dwellers who don't mind getting rough and dirty in their spare time.

New Toyota Prius turns heads with its sporty styling

This review first appeared in the June 2023 edition of the Cruisin' News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

To subscribe to the Cruisin' News, visit www.cruisinnews.com, call (916) 933-0949 or send an email request to subscribe@cruisinnews.com.  Mailed requests for information should be sent to Cruisin' News, P.O. Box G, Virginia City, NV 89440.

Sacramento, California -- Upon seeing the all-new-for-2023 Toyota Prius Limited pull up to my driveway, I exclaimed, "That's a Prius?!"

It was a sentence I would hear repeatedly over the next few days: from neighbors, total strangers, food delivery workers and more.

The comparatively vanilla-looking Prius of years past is now wrapped in sleek, sporty skin that looks ready to take on most of the sports car brands rolling on our roadways.

What a rush!  But wait, there's more.

The power plant package backs up the look. The hybrid system -- anchored by a 2-liter, four-cylinder engine -- dishes up a net horsepower rating of 194.  And wow, it feels good!

Strong off the line, enthusiastic on the fly and nimble as a purpose-built sportster, I had more fun in this Prius than any of the previous versions I've tested.

Toyota wisely figured out that saving the planet can still be a visual and horsepower-laden treat.  The general stereotype I've heard for years is that Prius hybrid drivers tend to drive their fuel-sipping cars like they stole them.

No need to feel guilty about that now.

The sporty 2023 Prius all but begs to be hustled.  But the fuel ratings on the FWD tester -- 52 miles per gallon in both city and highway driving -- make the experience guilt-free.

The styling move took some guts.  After all, Toyota was making a major change to a 22-year model that the automaker proudly bills as the world's first production hybrid car.

Happily, Toyota designers and engineers did as well on the inside of the new Prius as they did the exterior.

I found the sedan's interior surprisingly roomy with an attractive, thoughtful layout of controls and digital displays.

The tester was generously equipped with standard features, including a power liftback, a fixed glass roof, an eight-speaker JBL audio system and heated/ventilated front seats.

Even with a $1,085 Limited Premium Package of options, the bottom line on the tester's sticker came to a reasonable $37,494, a fair price given the technology and perks on board.

For those who have long praised the fuel-saving powers of the Prius but wanted more flash for the eyeballs, your time has arrived.  Just be prepared to assure friends, family and strangers that this sporty-looking new model really is a Prius.

Cadillac sedan reviewed in the latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2023 Cadillac CT5 V-Series sedan can be seen in the latest, July 2023, edition of the Cruisin' News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news and marketplace."

The "Hot Laps" reviews, along with my "Oil Drips" observations on anything with wheels, appear monthly in the publication.

To subscribe to the Cruisin' News, visit www.cruisinnews.com, call (916) 933-0949 or send an email request to subscribe@cruisinnews.com.  Mailed requests for information should be sent to Cruisin' News, P.O. Box G, Virginia City, NV 89440.