Ram's pickup excellence shines in the 2500 Laramie

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 -- You can go through 50 crossover sport-utes and nearly as many passenger cars, but there is nothing quite like the pickup truck segment.

It's brutally competitive, constantly innovating and populated by a relatively small group of competitors stuffed with mind-blowing features and technology.

So, it's saying something when the Ram 1500 wins Motor Trend magazine's Truck of the Year award for 2025.

And this wasn't Ram's first rodeo.  So, what makes these Ram trucks stand out?

A recent week in the 2025 Ram 2500 Laramie Sport Crew Cab 4X4 provided some answers.

Walking up to it, and wow, it's large!  You see that big-as-California grille coming in your rearview mirror and you just naturally get out of the way.

And yet the tester's road manners at 65 miles per hour were remarkably smooth and civilized.  Kudos to Ram engineers for the combination of power and velvet-glove handling.

Power is plentiful, thanks to a 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel in-line 6 engine rated at 430 horsepower and a best-in-class 1,075 foot-pounds of torque paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

I found the Ram 2500 so strong that it felt restless at anything under 50 miles per hour.  It effortlessly cruised at 70 mph, and it was easy to touch 80 mph with a microscopic move of my right foot.

In the cabin, roominess was exceptional.  Ditto technology and comfort/convenience features.

Perks included adaptive cruise control, park assist, remote start, a surround-view camera system, pedestrian/cyclist emergency braking, a heated steering wheel and much more.

A boatload of options pushed the tester's bottom-line price to $89,590 ... very much in line with the contemporary world of loaded pickup trucks.

Overall, I can't think of anything the tested pickup did not have to please today's pickup motorist.  In this competitive class, Ram stands tall.

Venerable Sonata midsize sedan excels in hybrid skin

 This review first appeared in the April 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 -- I hereby confess that, over many years, I have recommended the Hyundai Sonata to folks who wanted my take on a midsize sedan purchase.

What made me do that with so many hot-selling Honda, Toyota and American-made models out there?

Usually, the tipping point was this: the Sonata gave you more for the price.

With the tested 2025 Hyundai Sonata Limited Hybrid, the tradition continues. You get a lot, with the bonus of a hybrid system that gets you 44 miles per gallon in the city and 51 mpg on the highway.

Another bonus: Styling.

The Sonata is now wrapped in sleek, sporty skin.  It has drawn mixed reviews, but I like it.  After all, it took some time for automakers to discover that you could make hot-looking hybrids, instead of glorified roller skates.

Per usual, the Hyundai tester was absolutely stuffed with features.  The super-long list included forward collision-avoidance assist, a panoramic sunroof, heated side mirrors, smart headlamps, leather-trimmed seats, a Bose audio system, a power trunklid, a head-up display and a heated steering wheel.

Bottom line on the tester's sticker: a reasonable $38,810.

Power comes from a 2-liter, four-cylinder hybrid system. The combined gas-electric systems pair up for a max 192 horsepower -- plenty for the open road or hill climbs in the Sierra Nevada.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of all: the refined, smooth ride. The tester was buttery on the freeways and rock-solid on twisty slalom runs.  Other auto reviewers were likewise surprised at the Sonata's ride quality.

This being a Hyundai product, warranties are exceptional.

Overall, the tested Sonata upholds the model's respected tradition, which dates back 40 years now.

The buyer still gets reliability, excellent engineering and extraordinary value. And with the hybrid system, one can count on improvements in the annual fuel budget.

The competition in this segment remains brutal, but this hybrid Sonata stands strong in the crowd.

Cool Kia compact reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line compact sedan can be seen in the latest, May 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.

74th Sacramento Autorama showcases cars as art

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 -- Sacramento once again will be the focus of the customized car world this weekend as the 74th Sacramento Autorama kicks off its three-day run on Friday.

Some of the nation's top custom artists will show off their handiwork and celebrate the area's rich history of car customization on the Cal Expo grounds at 1600 Exposition Blvd.

Presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts, this year's Autorama will feature more than 500 hot rods, customs, muscle cars, trucks, and motorcycles from across the country competing to win numerous awards. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Event organizers are touting the Custom d'Elegance award presented by ARP (Automotive Racing Products) as a top honor in 2025. It will be awarded to "the best chopped, channeled or sectioned vehicle from 1936-64 that embodies the true spirit of a classic custom." The award includes a $5,000 prize and a custom trophy.

Major "Big B" awards honor world-famous customizers from the Sacramento area, including Joe "Candy Apple Red" Bailon, Dick Bertolucci and Sam Barris.  Another long-standing, prestigious award is the Harold Bagdasarian Memorial World's Most Beautiful Custom trophy.

The World’s Most Beautiful Lowrider award, recognizing the show’s most outstanding lowrider entry, includes a $5,000 prize from ARP.

Hundreds more vehicles are expected to participate in the 18th Annual Sacramento Autorama Drive-In, featuring more than 400 cars and trucks.

The Butch Gardner Club House will again be part of this year's show, with numerous car clubs showing off their prize wheels. The Club House is organized in memory of Butch Gardner, a long-time member of the storied Thunderbolts auto club in Sacramento and a dedicated Autorama volunteer and participant. Thunderbolts club members played a key role in organizing the first Sacramento Autorama in 1950.

General admission tickets for ages 13 and older are $25 each. Tickets for ages 6 to 12 are $10; children ages 5 and younger are admitted free.

Tickets can be purchased online at https://rodshows.com/sacramento-autorama or at the event. Discount tickets are available at participating local O'Reilly Auto Parts stores. Parking on the Cal Expo grounds is $10.

More information can be obtained at www.rodshows.com or by calling 877-763-7469.

'Bargain' Land Rover Defender is loaded to the max

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 -- After reviewing the $129,680 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Autobiography PHEV sport-utility vehicle last week, I felt it was time to sample something a little more affordable from the automaker.

So, I present the 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 X sport-ute, a mere $106,092 on the sticker's bottom line.

After two weeks of Land Rover motoring, I can understand why the brand has long been the choice of the British royal family. Sure, the royals have the means to afford a fleet of the vehicles, but Land Rover also appeals with sturdiness, strength and power in abundance.

The tested Defender represents all that, and more.

Power is decidedly enjoyable, dished up by a 3-liter six at the heart of the vehicle.  With 395 horsepower and 406 foot-pounds of torque at your command, the smooth-accelerating Defender moves through traffic like a wolf among sheep.

There's virtually no sway in corners taken at high speed, and I found the Defender to be a champ at speedy climbs up steep hills.

In the back, ample room for big loads of cargo (and humans) makes the Defender a versatile multitasker -- on city streets or woodsy backroads. Don't expect any complaints from third-row passengers; they have legroom to spare.

Per usual, the tester was loaded with useful features.  That included heated/cooled power front seats with lumbar support, a terrain-response system, hill descent control, three-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, configurable cabin lighting and a panoramic roof.

Overall, this stout Defender is an SUV that pleases the senses and the driving passions.  While some might ask why one would spend six figures on a Land Rover, maybe the better question is: If you had the finances, why wouldn't you?

This Range Rover is a six-figure stunner of an 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 -- Auto reviewers don't like to admit being nervous behind the wheel of certain motor vehicles.

But when the bottom line on the sticker reads $129,680, you can't help it.  You don't want to put a single scratch on it.  You want to return it to the ownership in gleaming, perfect shape.

So it was in my week with the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Autobiography PHEV sport-utility vehicle.

Alas, I did settle down in the vehicle. And I was able to appreciate its numerous charms.  The overall experience is ... BIG.

They say everything is bigger in Texas.  The same can be said of this particular Land Rover.  The price is large and so is everything else. In a good way.

Take the powertrain, for example.  It's a 3-liter, six-cylinder plug-in hybrid engine rated at a whopping 542 horsepower and 590 foot-pounds of torque. One would expect that to behave like a brute on the open road.

Not quite.

The tester was remarkably smooth and quiet at 70 miles per hour.  Kudos to Land Rover engineers for a suspension that seemingly absorbed every wrinkle in the road, swallowing them before they reached the interior cabin.

But when you want to power up from calm to aggressive, there is ample oomph to be had ... darn near startling to be honest. Even at full song, the tester was remarkably stable, perfectly balanced.  I believe it could have taken on straight stretches of road with no hands on the steering wheel.

The PHEV system is capable of 53 miles of electric-only motoring. Gas-only driving nets you 21 mpg in combined city/highway travel.

Those favoring luxury will not be disappointed.

The tester was absolutely stuffed with passenger-spoiling comfort/convenience features and state-of-the-art safety/security technology.  The super-long list included  a power tailgate, leather surfaces, a front console refrigerator compartment, four-zone climate control, a power panoramic roof with power sunblind and power/heated/ventilated/massage front seats.

Overall, it's a remarkable piece of engineering. And worth all six figures.

Hybrid Honda Civic checks boxes, reaps awards

This review first appeared in the March 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 -- Knowing the way my brain works -- although some might insist that I lack one -- I couldn't avoid the "four-H" aspect of my Honda Civic tester.

I considered it a Hot Honda Hybrid Hatchback. Yeah, strange, I know.

But a fifth H is true as true can be -- This hybrid Civic is going to make a lot of owners very Happy.

In fact, that's already happening.

My tester was the sleek 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Sport Touring, recently named the 2025 North American Car of the Year and a finalist in Motor Trend magazine's ultra-competitive 2025 Car of the Year competition.

Pretty amazing for a car starting at less than $33,000.  How does this happen in a world of tech-loaded, ultra-luxury motor vehicles?

Simple: This Civic appeals on multiple levels, especially the levels that please car shoppers looking for a sanely priced car.

Evidence? Here's the rundown, the partial rundown:

Great quality for the sticker price.  Fit and finish on the tester was exceptional.  The same for driving dynamics.  Chassis rigidity and ride quality are nearly perfect.

The Civic Hybrid Sport Touring pairs a 2-liter, four-cylinder engine with two motors.  The result is a decidedly peppy sedan that darts into tight spaces with amazing ease.

In this particular passenger car segment, buyers have long felt that they're sacrificing performance for the money.  Not so with this Civic.  With a 200-horsepower gas-electric rating, it can stand up to all road conditions and deliver serious pop when desired.

But keep in mind, this is hybrid powertrain pop.  The tester was rated at 50 miles per gallon in the city and 45 mpg on the highway.

The interior does not feel small-car cheap.  On the contrary, leather surfaces are evident, a primo Bose audio system dishes through 12 speakers and a driver-attention monitor keeps things safe.

Speaking of which, this Civic earned a suite of max five-star crash test scores from the federal government, including a five-spot in the overall vehicle score.

Given all of this, one could make the argument that this Civic hybrid is, pound for pound, the perfect passenger car for the American motoring public.

Can't say that I have much to say in opposition to that claim.