Pretty penny: Reworked Lexus RX hits the right notes

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 -- Lexus rolled up with something new, and well, my first thought was that it looked like a giant penny.

The striking "Copper Crest" paint job certainly made an impression, and judging from the popular vote during my week in the vehicle, that impression was positive.  Not only did I like it, but multiple passersby and motorists stopped me in my tracks and told me how much they liked the paint job.

But there was much more to like in the 2023 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance, a seriously reworked five-seater marking the RX's fifth generation in 2023.

The redesign highlights a sleek profile riding on a sedan-based platform. The wide-mouth grille appears ready to devour anything in its path.  Lexus notes that the exterior redesign resulted in more interior space, particularly legroom.

From the cockpit, everything is within easy reach.  And the standard features on the tester -- priced at $70,830 on the sticker's bottom line -- included state-of-the-art multimedia, safety, driving-enhancement, comfort and convenience perks. Notable among the features were intuitive parking assist (with auto-braking), an easy-to-see 9.8-inch touchscreen display and a kickin' 12-speaker sound system.

Lexus apparently wanted "Performance" in the vehicle name, although it was obvious from the start that this SUV could cook.

The powertrain package is anchored by a turbocharged 2.4-liter in-line turbo 4 matched with an electric motor. An electric inverter/motor powering the rear wheels throws in to raise total horsepower to 366; torque maxes at 406 foot-pounds ... all of it orchestrated through a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system.

Power management makes the vehicle a pleasure to drive.  Brisk accelerations off the line turn into seat-pressing sprints with the AWD system seamlessly managing front and rear power demands. Excellent suspension balance on the front and rear delivered a monorail-solid ride, but without uncomfortable stiffness normally experienced with sport-tuned platforms.

Thanks to the hybrid assist, fuel mileage comes in at a pretty decent 27 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

Overall, this RX is a flagship, show off, pretentious, bells-and-whistles-laden sport-ute made better than it has ever been with a thoughtful redesign and top-drawer engineering.

Genesis EV is packed with perks and luxury, for less

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 -- As Genesis continues to assert its commanding presence in the luxury automotive world, here comes an all-electric compact SUV that probably should cost between $90,000 and $100,000.

That was my take after having some seat time in the 2023 Electrified GV70 AWD Prestige, wearing a sticker showing $74,350 on the bottom line.  Granted, price is a relative thing in this world, and your views are likely influenced by your bank account.

But at the luxury level, this GV70 is a bargain.  I was treated to state-of-the-art electric technology, outstanding fit and finish, and a $6,800 Prestige Package that included Nappa leather seating surfaces, a 12.3-inch/3D digital instrument cluster, a head-up display and heated second-row seats.

Riding on 20-inch alloy wheels, the tester had a smooth profile and just enough SUV sculpting to keep the neighbors guessing: Is that a sport-ute or something else.  Either way, it's a sharp, elegant-looking machine.

The electric advantages are evident on the sticker -- a 98 miles per gallon equivalent in the city and 83 mpg on the highway. Range checks in at 236 miles.

A standard panoramic sunroof and an incredibly long list of standard safety technology features are nice, but the star of the show is performance.  The tested CV70 was so aggressive off the line and such a blur in tight spots that I found myself relentlessly darting it around, seemingly oblivious to the battery miles remaining readout in the dash.

All that oomph comes courtesy of an electric powertrain generating the equivalent of 429 horsepower and 516 foot-pounds of torque.  Numbers to respect?  Without question.  But wait, there's more.

You've heard of Beast Mode?  The GV70 comes with "Boost Mode," which enables the driver to experience a 483 horsepower rush for 10 seconds.

Sometimes, I can get so hung up on performance that I fail to appreciate all the technical sophistication that goes into a vehicle like the GV70, which is packed with impressive perks.

And really, one should be impressed with things like this (in the words of Genesis): "For added driving comfort, the Electrified GV70 also comes equipped with Active Noise Control-Road (ANC-R) that significantly reduces the level of noise by measuring and analyzing road noises and simultaneously creating sound waves at opposite frequencies."

Got that? Not the kind of thing you think about when you're zipping along at 70 miles per hour. But yeah, I'm impressed.

Come to think of it, I'm impressed by just about everything this EV has to offer.

Hyundai's Ioniq 5 sport-ute riding high on the EV charts

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 -- Is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 the epitome of electric vehicle evolution?

Many of my auto-reviewing colleagues seem to think so.  And scores of automotive experts around the globe have heaped awards upon it. It was the 2022 World Car of the Year.  Hard to argue with those accolades, right?

Nevertheless, I was happy to get more seat time recently in the vehicle -- a 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD in this case.

Right off the bat, it looks good.  Sort of a smooth-looking sedan with just the right amount of sport-ute DNA and functionality.  Stepping into the cockpit, I have every confidence that the Ioniq is perfectly sized.  And on the fly, it handles brilliantly -- responsive, agile and a nicely firm feel through the steering wheel.

Being a shameless watcher of power levels in the EVs I've tested, I confess that I was totally at ease in the Ioniq 5.  That probably has something to do with its mpg equivalents of 113 miles in city driving and 90 mpg on the highway. A prudent driver likely can hit the 300-mile mark on a single charge, courtesy of a long-range lithium ion battery and dual electric motors

And if the driver has strategized routes and equipment wisely, it can be recharged from 10percent to 80 percent in 18 minutes.

Driving range and gas pump avoidance are the two primary factors considered by prospective EV buyers. While the Ioniq 5 has those covered nicely, it's everything else that puts it up there in a special class.

The standard list of comfort/convenience features on the tester -- priced at $58,005 -- was extraordinarily long.  It included a hands-free liftgate, a head-up display, a surround-view monitor, remote street parking assist, smart cruise control, ambient interior lighting and much more.

Simply put, the vehicle -- with its state-of-the-art electric powertrain and standard perks -- probably should be priced at $65,000, or more.

So, is the Ioniq at the top of the EV food chain?  I find myself at a loss to argue otherwise.

Cadillac sedan upholds standard of American luxury

This review first appeared in the July 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 -- Cadillac has long been recognized as a brand that carries the banner for American luxury and craftsmanship.

But for me, it goes a little deeper than that.

Growing up in Dayton, Ohio -- a General Motors town in numerous ways -- I sometimes visited the Cadillac dealership, which was really much more than a dealership.  It had all the ambience of a world-class hotel.

There, behind giant windows, gleaming Cadillac autos stood on spotless, polished floors, where salesmen in finely tailored suits walked, ready to talk up the charms of the luxury models that were, in those days, far beyond the reach of our household budget.

Simply put, Cadillac represented the American-made passenger car in full.

Happily, a recent week in the 2023 Cadillac CT5 V-Series found me behind the wheel of a car that upholds the lofty Cadillac standard of excellence.

The sedan had smooth, long roof and hood lines that not only looked aerodynamic, but made the CT5 appear bigger than its advertised numbers.  Appearances aside, interior space was generous, enough to transport a full boat of sizable adults without complaints.

Attractive, angular sculpting on the front end added a sporty look to the rear-drive luxury liner.

Settling into the cockpit was taking a seat in the lap of luxury.  Rich, perfectly fitted surfaces were a comfort and contained a wealth of easy-to-use comfort/convenience features. I was particularly impressed with the 10-inch diagonal digital display, which did not require a one-hour read of the owner's manual to master.

Power was supplied by a 3-liter, twin-turbo V-6 rated at 360 horsepower and managed through a 10-speed automatic transmission.  This package produced enthusiastic response off the line.  Accelerations from zero were so brisk and clean that it felt like I was driving a light midsize car with a V-8.

On the fly, the tested sedan was instantly responsive, with a just-firm-enough feel in the steering wheel to make me feel secure in all conditions.

For such a feisty power plant, fuel mileage was pretty fair at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

Opening up the CT5 V-Series on an open stretch of road, surrounded by leather surfaces and eye-catching, jet-black accents, I found myself back in Dayton, Ohio, experiencing the kind of driving pleasure that a child could only dream of back in the 1960s.

It felt good.  No, make that fantastic.

And yet, with all the tester had, the bottom line on the sticker came in at $58,905 ... or about $10,000 to $15,000 less than what similarly equipped sedans are going for now.

Beyond dollars, it's good to know that the Cadillac brand carries on with style and swagger.

Mazda gets three rows right with its new CX-90 SUV

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 -- Mazda has had this crossover sport-utility vehicle thing figured out for some time.

I recently had a week behind the wheel of the vehicle that is now carrying Mazda's SUV banner ... It's carrying it quite well, thank you very much.

The all-new-for-2024 Mazda CX-90 plug-in electric hybrid vehicle -- it replaces the CX-9 -- combined enough luxury, performance, fuel economy, comfort and driving pleasure to justify a $70,000 sticker price. Instead, the bottom line on my ride was an "is-that-really-right?" $58,920.

Yeah, I did a double-take.  This is a state-of-the-art, seven-passenger, hybrid-technology vehicle that also included Mazda's Premium Plus package.  My tester was loaded up with Nappa leather, heated second-row captain's chairs, ventilated rear seats and a 360-degree monitor.

It looked sharp as well. It is not the boxy three-row sport-ute you see elsewhere.  Sleek and smooth over the top, the tester rode high and proud on 21-inch alloy wheels.

Safety/security technology?  Of course, and lots of it. I'm not a huge fan of driver attention-alert systems, but hey, they do make you sit up and pay attention on a long drive.  Can't hurt, right? Traffic sign recognition also comes in handy, especially if you're getting a little too frisky on the CX-90 paddle shifters.

And yes, you can get frisky with this gas-electric powertrain rated at 323 horsepower and 369 foot-pounds of torque.  I routinely zipped it into get-gone gear and found myself blasting around and away from all manner of motor vehicle models.  It was truly enjoyable to drive, and freeway handling manners were excellent.

Being aggressive on the accelerator need not produce a guilt trip, however.  The hybrid system is rated at an equivalent 56 miles per gallon in combined city/highway driving.

In a market loaded with pricey big crossover sport-utes, this new CX-90 deserves serious consideration. I believe it can deliver long-term happiness ... and save buyers a few grand in the short term.

Smokin' hot Kia reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2023 Kia EV6 GT can be seen in the latest, August 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.