Dr. Boost or how I learned to love turbochargers

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'm in between test vehicles right now, which likely prompted a debate (argument) I had with several car-loving friends last week.

Well, it's not like we had anything else to do.

Anyway, my confession is: I love turbochargers.  There, I said it.

It has been a long-running love affair, dating back to some of the snake-like turbos of the 1980s

So sue me....I love that blast you get when the turbo kicks in, when I'm pressed into the driver's seat by invisible hands.  The rush of blazing past common stragglers.  The whine coming from under the hood.

Crazy?  My car-loving acquaintances think so.

They point to turbos causing a flood of problems: heat issues, the dreaded turbo lag and even driver laziness that can lead to losing control of the car.

Please, spare me.  Keep your hands on the steering wheel boys.

Of course, similar debates have blown up in the auto racing world.

I remember Mario Andretti struggling with turbo heat issues in his 1969 Indianapolis 500-winning Brawner Hawk racer.  The team tried putting a suitcase-sized cooler on the back of the car before the race, but Indy officials shot down that plan.

Andretti somehow nursed the car through 500 miles but wondered whether the famous Borg-Warner trophy would stick to the red-hot back of the car during the Victory Lane celebration.

Formula One dabbled in turbos during the "Turbo Era" running from 1977 to 1988. During that time, horsepower in its sleek racers soared from about 500 to more than 1,000.  Horses reportedly hovered near 1,500 in qualifying trim.  Alas, F1 legislated the super turbos out of existence by the end of the 1980s.

Ah, the memories.  Well, time to get back to reviewing cars.

Hope the next one has a turbo.

Ford's Maverick stands out from the pickup crowd

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 dictionary defines maverick as an independent sort, differing from the norm. Separate from the crowd.

And those words are entirely appropriate for the tested 2025 Ford Maverick XLT AWD, a compact pickup that is easy to handle, just-the-right-size for many motorists and priced well below the $50,000 or $60,000 you expect to pay for a full-size pickup these days.

This Maverick can handle chores without taking up all the space in your driveway. That's likely the primary reason that Ford calls it "the truck (Americans) never knew they needed."

But wait, there's more.  The tester was equipped with a 2.5-liter hybrid engine getting 40 miles per gallon in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.

It's the pickup for the rest of us ... including an ever-growing group of budget-conscious buyers.  The bottom line on my ride was a reasonable $36,860. The starting price on a basic Maverick is less than 30-grand.

Discount, however, does not equate to bare bones.

The long list of standard amenities on my ride included under-seat storage, pre-collision assist and LED lighting all around. The tester's options included rear parking sensors and a 4,000-pound towing package.

The hybrid power plant was efficient and quiet, and passengers commented on the smooth ride in the back seats.

Side note: The gleaming "Velocity Blue" paint job on the tested pickup drew admiring crowds in parking lots and my driveway.

How many times have you wanted a vehicle to occasionally do pickup duty, but handle like a midsize passenger car?

You're talking Maverick's language.

This BMW might be the ultimate sport-utility vehicle

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 -- If you have been out there looking for the ultimate sport-utility vehicle, I think I might have found it.

The recently tested 2025 BMW X5 M Competition midsize crossover SUV has just about everything.

There is a cost. But we'll get to that in a minute.

Like horsepower? How about 617 horses from a 4.4-liter turbocharged V-8?  Yeah, I thought so.

The tested X5 didn't just drive from place to place.  It bolted in the desired direction. Amid a quiet cabin, I felt myself pushed deep into the driver's seat time after time.  On freeway runs, the X5 dispatched lowly speeders with a mere tap on the accelerator.

I quickly learned that I was master of just about everything on the road.  A cool feeling of power?  I confess: yes.

It looks pretty saucy too, with those quad tailpipes, exquisitely sculpted grille and high-riding spoked wheels.

Fuel mileage is a mere 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the highway, but I'm guessing most X5 buyers won't be concerned about that.  There are enough perks stuffed into the vehicle to keep one happy for many a mile.

Where to start?  Besides the full suite of state-of-the-art safety technology features and driving enhancements, the tester was loaded up with crowd pleasers such as a panoramic "Sky Lounge" LED roof, heated/ventilated/massaging seats, carbon fiber trim, wireless device charging and so much more.

There are fancy extras, like BMW Gesture Control, a component that enables operation of the infotainment, navigation and other systems using hand gestures, as opposed to voice/touch prompts.

I think I mentioned earlier that there's a cost for all this.  On my ride, it was $140,175.

Yes, that's a bunch. But it's a fair price to pay for the ultimate SUV manufactured by the maker of ultimate driving machines.

In 'Mustard' skin, Toyota's Prius is one hot number

This review first appeared in the July 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 -- Remember the first-generation Toyota Prius of the 1990s?

Yeah, me too.  Boxy appearance, albeit a car with a then-state-of-the-art hybrid system.

Owners tended to drive the Prius like they stole it.  But even among leadfoot motorists, respect for the brand was in short supply.

Then a couple of years ago, Toyota introduced a fifth-generation model that all but screamed hot sports car.  Motor Trend magazine called it "drop-dead gorgeous."

I was in complete agreement.

Then, a few weeks back, a 2025 Toyota Prius Nightshade rolled into my driveway.

Not only did it have the dark, sporty touches of the Nightshade motif, the all-black interior was set off by a super-bright yellow "Mustard" paint job.

That did it for me.  That completed the Prius transition from gawky green machine to super-hot-looking sportster. Kudos to Toyota designers for adding just the right styling touches, without trying to make the car look like a faux Corvette.

And not only did the tested Prius look like a sporty sprinter, it drove like one as well.

With a hybrid system anchored by a 2-liter, four-cylinder, 16-valve engine, net horsepower is just a whisper short of 200. From the driver's seat, that translates to smooth, impressive acceleration from standing starts ... and muscular in and out moves in dicey freeway traffic.

It's easy to forget that you're driving a hybrid.

As for passersby and fellow motorists, my yellow beauty drew crowds wherever it was parked.  Almost no one guessed that it was a Prius that drew their attention.

On top of the look and the ride quality, the interior of the Prius has been improved to look more like a performance sedan, as opposed to an energy-monitoring computer screen. A long list of standard controls are within easy reach and easy to use.

My Prius had a couple of worthy options: a 12.3-inch  auto/multimedia screen and a fixed glass roof.

Additional bonus: Max five-star ratings in federal government crash tests, including five on the overall score.

Among other good-news numbers: a combined city/highway rating of 52 miles per gallon.

All this brought the tested model's bottom line to a still-reasonable $36,308, a fair price considering what consumers are paying for hybrid technology these days.

Is it the best Prius ever?  In my view, by a mile.

Hot-rod Hyundai reviewed in latest Cruisin' News

My review of the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N AWD can be seen in the latest, August 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.

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.