Venerable Ford Explorer cooks with turbo power plant

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 -- It has been through ups and downs over the years, but here is the fact that commands respect for the Ford Explorer: It is America's all-time best-selling sport-utility vehicle.

And of all the Explorers I've test driven over the decades, the recently delivered 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum RWD was the best of the lot.

I'm sure I was influenced by the 3-liter, turbocharged engine with a pavement-scorching 400 horsepower. So strong and so responsive was the power plant that I had to patiently work my way into a comfortable driving pattern.  The first few attempts found me jumping off the line like a dragster.

Once mastered, I easily outperformed everything else on the road, bolstered by a seamless 10-speed transmission.  Silky freeway cruising and cargo carrying capability were once top priorities in my Explorer outings.  Performance bolted to the top spot this time around.

The tester also featured a sleek profile enhanced by 21-inch dark alloy aluminum wheels.

Inside, a comfortable and thoughtfully laid out interior made me (and passengers) feel secure from the get-go. The tester demonstrated admirable stability and agility in both urban and highway runs.

The tester was loaded with off-road chops that included hill start assist and a terrain management system. I also liked the moonroof and ambient lighting, two cool features on a long list of perks.

Fuel mileage clocked in at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.  My loaded version had a bottom line of $57,865 on the sticker.

Overall, the newest Explorer deservedly retains its spot on the Mount Rushmore of sport-utility vehicles.

K4 and CX-50: Two good things in compact packages

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 -- I managed to grab some seat time in two different trim levels of models I recently reviewed. Here's my take ...

The 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo compact sedan (pictured) gave me the turbo boost that I typically enjoy.

There is some turbo lag, but once revs are up, the K4 moves along with genuine muscular authority.  The horsepower curve from the 1.6-liter turbo-4 feels more powerful at full song then the advertised 190.

For a compact model, the interior is surprisingly roomy, and a very impressive list of comfort, convenience and safety features are close at hand.

I frankly was stunned to see a most-reasonable bottom line of $31,445 for this feature-loaded sedan. Fuel mileage also was impressive at 26 miles per gallon in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

I was pleased with the excellent all-around vision from the cockpit -- a happy departure from other compact models that make one feel vulnerable in dicey traffic.

Is this Kia offering worth a look?

Absolutely, especially in an era of seemingly endless $50,000 vehicles.

The same goes for the tested 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus.  I've driven numerous versions of this compact crossover sport-utility vehicle, and it has consistently exceeded my expectations.

Whether I'm hauling a surprisingly large amount of cargo in the back end or managing the generous array of standard features, this CX-50 goes beyond the "compact" label to a decidedly reliable favorite.

My most recent CX-50 tester included a double-long list of perks -- including leather surfaces, a panoramic moonroof, rain-sensing wipers (with de-icer) -- for a bottom line of $40,060.  You might expect to pay around 50-grand for similarly equipped models from other manufacturers.

Bonus: A max five-star overall safety rating in federal crash tests.

Simply said: Another reliable vehicle for those carefully counting their dollars.

Feel-good 4Runner looks handsome in updated skin

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 now, I sometimes get nervous tooling around in a substantial sport-utility vehicle like the Toyota 4Runner.

You never know who is out there resenting you.

I've heard it before: "Hey, don't you know you're killing the planet?" ... Or: "Does that thing even get 20 miles per gallon?"

Awkward.

But in my recent week in the 2025 Toyota 4Runner Limited with four-wheel drive, I found nothing but love.

In a Raley's parking lot, a young couple approached, the woman offering, "That really looks nice. What is it?"  Two days later, another parking lot, a middle-age man: "That is a handsome vehicle, son. How much for it?"

Such was my all-around-charming week in the 4Runner dressed in "Heritage Blue" paint.

I'm sure that some of the good vibes radiating from the venerable sixth-generation SUV can be attributed to a 2025 restyling that offers an eye-catching, sporty, wide-shouldered look.  It's a look entirely suited to the bread-and-butter off-road reputation of the 4Runner.

For its part, Toyota refers to the 4Runner as "an icon in American off-road culture." Can't say that I can argue with that.

Even parked, the 4Runner looks ready to take on backwoods trails, and yet I'd feel perfectly comfortable handing the keys over to a valet at a country club.

Inside, a wealth of safety/comfort/convenience features are within easy ready and quickly mastered.  Freeway cruises with the 2.4-liter turbo-4 (278 horsepower) are decidedly smooth and quiet.

My ride was liberally loaded with extras that brought the bottom line to $62,785 -- actually a bit of a bargain considering all that's there.  Fuel mileage came in at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

In sum, Toyota has contemporary-tweaked the 4Runner to what is arguably its best version ever, dating back to its U.S. debut in 1983.

Kia Carnival combines best of multiple auto segments

This review first appeared in the June 2025 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 -- One thing about the car-reviewing game ... You gotta speak the language. Know the lingo.

Take the Kia Carnival, for example. With that long body and sliding doors on either side, observers seeing it for the first time are likely to call it a full-on minivan in a New York minute.

Kia calls it a multi-purpose vehicle.

After a week in the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige, I call it a multi-tasker offering the best of multiple vehicle segments.

Let's start with the look.

Yes, there's a long minivan-like body, but the front end is a decidedly sport-utility vehicle piece of sculpture.

Inside, there's plentiful room for even jumbo-size adults.

Got cargo? The Carnival can be configured to carry a bunch of it, with a smart power liftgate to ease the loading process.

Driver comfort is enhanced by plentiful comfort/convenience features within easy reach ... very luxury passenger car-like.

Perks on the tester included tri-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch panoramic screen display and heated/ventilated front seats.

And I'll confess to liking those sliding side doors, great for long family road trips as the kids can easily move in and out of the vehicle (and yes, there are remote door triggers on the key fob).

The tester's road manners were good -- firm on the freeways and just a slight bit of expected sway in hard corners.

Power comes from a 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain rated at nearly 250 horsepower.  That proved to be more than adequate for virtually all driving conditions in the Sacramento Valley, but I did have to lean on the accelerator during steep hill climbs in the Sierra Nevada.

With the hybrid system, fuel mileage is an admirable 34 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

The Carnival also excels in connectivity, including a thoughtful available feature for the rear seat crowd.

Kia’s Connected Car Rear Cockpit (ccRC) Rear Entertainment System features dual 14.6-inch monitors and full-HD resolution for streaming of multiple platforms. Cool.

Kia has made huge strides over a generation, giving motorists the kind of perk-laden vehicles they crave. This Carnival is a prime example of that.  Back in the day, I would have crawled on broken glass to have a substantial, long-haul vehicle (with entertainment for the kids) like this Carnival.

Just don't force it into the minivan category.

Lexus pleases the crowd with a versatile TX sport-ute

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 -- With the goal of trying to please nearly everybody, Lexus offers up the TX model sport-utility vehicle.

How do you like your SUV?  Three rows of seating, plenty of interior space, a peppy turbo engine, loads of clever features.

That last item was particularly evident on my tester: a 2025 F Sport Handling grade, available only on the TX 350 AWD.

That new-for-2025 package comes with standard adaptive variable suspension, intuitive parking assist with automatic braking, panoramic glass roof, power-folding third-row seats and ventilated front seats.

Exterior touches included dark chrome window trim, black outside mirrors and 22-inch wheels with a matte black finish. Inside, I was happy to see second-row captain's chairs.

Translation: It looks good inside and out.  It's comfortable to ride in; it drives with buttery smooth freeway manners.

About that trying-to-please-everybody part: the TX can be had in seven different ways, including hybrid power plants.

You might figure on paying around $90,000 for such a vehicle produced by other manufacturers, but the bottom line on my ride was $69,430 -- a relative bargain in this segment.

Oddly, some critics have found fault with the TX exterior styling ... too vanilla for some, and too much like the recently reviewed Grand Highlander for others.  I am not among the critics.  It looks like a contemporary three-row SUV and is so loaded with excellently engineered features that I would guess even styling snobs would be happy owning one.

Kudos to Lexus for producing a wide-ranging crowd-pleaser.

Sporty Toyota Prius reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2025 Toyota Prius Nightshade can be seen in the latest, July 2025, 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.