Hold that SUV: 2025 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
It’s a fact that we love tall-riding SUVs like we love Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey, peel ’n eat shrimp and re-runs of Friends. But if you’re car shopping, can I humbly suggest you take another, long hard look at the once-beloved family sedan. After spending a surprise-and-delightful week behind the wheel of Honda’s latest Accord, the absolutely joyous Accord Hybrid Touring, it’s hard to imagine there’s a better all-round family ride for the money. Here is a spacious four-door loaded to the roof with more bells and whistles than an Amtrak locomotive for what has to be a bargain-basement sticker of $40,395. Yes you can drive off the lot in a base, gas-only Accord for under $30,000. But for around $10-grand more, the flagship Hybrid Touring comes loaded with luxe features, like leather seats, a 12-speaker Bose stereo, a power moonroof, 19-inch alloys, heated and ventilated front seats with a 10-way power driver’s seat, and a 12.3-inch central touchscreen. Add to all that, Honda Sensing, a suite of standard safety and driver-assist tech that includes everything, from automatic emergency braking, to adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, to traffic sign recognition. A head-up display? Yup, that’s standard too. Without doubt my favorite feature that’s definitely up there with the Ben & Jerry’s, is the Accord’s state-of-the-art hybrid powerplant. It’s pretty amazing that Honda has been offering hybrid Accords in the U.S. since 2005. But without doubt, this latest version is the best yet. And the most powerful. Here it combines a Teflon-smooth 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder gas engine with a pair of compact electric motors to deliver a combined 204-hp. Click into Sport mode, hit the right pedal, and gas and electric combine to whisk you from standstill to 60 mph in a zippy 6.7 seconds. Go into Eco mode and electric power will glide you along in zero-emission, whisper-quiet EV mode. And this hybrid Accord is an absolute miser when it comes to quaffing fuel. Around town, with lots of electric-assist, expect an impressive 46 to-the-gallon average. On the highway, according to the folks at the EPA, think 41 mpg, or a combined average of 44 to the gallon. It adds up to a car that’s an absolute joy to drive, with brisk off-the-line performance and strong mid-range thrust. Even when revved hard, that Honda four-cylinder is turbine-smooth, sophisticated, refined, church-mouse-quiet and eager. Show it a twisty, and the Accord verges on Usain Bolt-athletic, with precise, nicely-weighted steering, terrific body control with low-roll cornering, superglue-like grip, yet with a smooth, pothole-absorbing ride. Inside, the cabin is a sanctuary of calm and quiet, with the only negative being the increased rumble from the Touring’s low-profile 19-inch tires. That said, you probably hear it more because everything else is so quiet. Controls-wise, the Accord scores big because of the simplicity and keep-it-simple-stupid design. I love that there’s a traditional PRNDL shifter at a time when every other manufacture is trying to complicate things with either push-button, flimsy lever, or twist shifters. Want to change drive modes? There’s no wading through five levers of computer-screen tapping. The Honda has a single flap switch right by the shifter. Love it. Climb into the back and there’s legroom aplenty, while trunk space is a cavernous 16.7 cubic feet, with a split-folding rear seatback for added flexibility. Finally, I think the Accord looks terrific, with its fresh face and fastback profile, its raked-back windshield, and slivers of LED daytime running lights. Every time I walked away from it, I couldn’t resist a quick look back to check-out the wide stance and sleek lines. Yes, Toyota’s Camry Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata’s Hybrid are solid rivals. But the Accord’s sportier look, impressive performance, refinement and fuel economy put it at the top of my list.
Weekend Wheels Spotlight – Back to the Future: 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser
True mud-and-guts off-roading enthusiasts are still teary-eyed at Toyota’s decision back in 2021 to euthanize the big ol’ V8 bus that was the Land Cruiser 200-series. I wasn’t one of them. Too big. Too butt-ugly. At 12 to the gallon, too thirsty. And with a sticker close to $90,000, way too pricey. Only its unstoppable off-road capability and beefy 5.7-liter V8 power were its saving graces. Of course the Land Cruiser nameplate was too iconic for Toyota to let disappear for good. So at the end of last year, Toyota pulled the wraps off its 2025 Land Cruiser that sent the fabled 4×4 in a completely new direction. Gone is the big V8. In its place is a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder boosted by a pair of electric motors to make 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. Yes, it’s a hybrid. By comparison, its V8 predecessor summoned-up 381 horseys and 401 torques. Sizewise, Land Cruisers old and new are suprisingly close, the newcomer being only 1.2 inches shorter, with both having exactly the same 112-inch wheelbase and same 78-inch beam. Where the big change came was in design. While the old Cruiser looked, to me, as if it came out of a Jell-O mold, this new one is all square-edged, boxy, retro-cool. I love the flat roof, the upright windshield, the kinked-up side window profile, plus the beefy arches over the wheels and long, contoured hood. Love too our tester’s beige-brown Trail Dust with Grayscape two-tone paint. Very 70s. Step up into the cabin and there’s a nice balance between wipe-down utility and leather-trimmed luxury. Our tester’s brown Java leather seats came nicely contrast-stitched and bolstered, with matching leather on the center armrest and doors. But that said, there are acres of cheap-looking black plastic on the dash, doors, and center console sides. Did I mention that this new 2025 Land Cruiser kicks off with a sticker of $58,195, which is for the base, round-headlight ‘1985’ model. Step up to the top-of-the-line Land Cruiser trim – yes, that makes it a Land Cruiser Land Cruiser – and you’re looking at $62,925. Check a few options boxes, like the $4,600 Premium Package, $1,440 for the roof rack, and $1,240 for the 20-inch alloys, and it’s easy to to pass $70,000. Yikes. Space-wise, there’s no shortage of kneeroom in the back, but with the battery pack mounted under the rear load platform, there’s no third row option. It also raises up the cargo area floor making it harder to lift heavy stuff into the back. But hybrid power does make this new Cruiser a delight to drive, with the instant torque making it feel quicker than the 8-second 0-to-60 mph time suggests. A terrific eight-speed automatic too that’s responsive and oily-smooth in its shifts. On the road, the Toyota rides smoothly for a body-on-frame off-roader and feels safe, predictable and nicely-balanced through the curves. My only off-roading was on the sandy beach by the Gandy Causeway Bridge which proved to be not much of a challenge. Featuring full-time four-wheel drive with low-range gearing, a center-locking differential and a crawl control system, it’s designed to climb the side of Everest. If you can stomach the Land Cruiser’s ambitious price tag, it makes a terrific go-anywhere, adventure-ready off-roader. Who needs a V8? For instant gratification we saw that our friends at Morgan Auto Group’s Toyota of Tampa Bay store have a new, bright white Land Cruiser 1958 in stock (pictured here), with delivery miles. Yours for its MSRP of $63,749. And just arrived is a Trail Dust and Grayscape Land Cruiser-spec model, almost identical to our tester, but with black leather upholstery. Sales specialist Tristan Soto tells us this loaded example is selling for $70,183, or can be leased for $742.60 a month for 35 months, with $11,269 due at signing. “Imagine throwing-in camping gear, or strapping a kayak to the roof, and going off and having fun. For our Land Cruiser customers, it’s all about the spirit of adventure,” says Tristan.
Weekend Wheels Spotlight: VW’s new electric ID. Buzz is one cool retro ride
Break out the tie-‘n-dyes, the groovy boho pants and pop a little Mamas and the Papas in the eight-track for some California Dreamin’. We’re going back, baby, back to the swinging sixties. Well that’s the feeling I got every time I clambered aboard Volkswagen’s brand new ID.Buzz, the spiritual successor to the hippy-dippy, Little Miss Sunshine VW Microbus. Unless you’ve been living under a rock on Tristan de Cunha, you’ll know that VW has brought back the iconic bus as an all-electric, smiley-faced, family-friendly, people-carrier. It’s taken a while. After teasing us with endless ‘concepts’, then taking a year to introduce a U.S.-friendly, three-row, long-wheelbase version of the European model, the ID. Buzz finally went on sale, albeit in teeny numbers, last fall. Now with more arriving on dealer lots, I felt it my duty to take a closer look and see what all the ‘buzz’, the hype, and somewhat lofty price tags, were all about. So behold our 2025 ID. Buzz Pro S 4Motion tester, in delicious Mahi Green and Candy White two-tone, with cool 20-inch rims, and more head-turning power than a buzz-cutted Brad Pitt at the F1 movie premiere. While Buzz pricing starts at $61,545 for the Pro S, our loaded tester stickered at a non-trivial $70,540. Yikes. Did I love it? Despite the hefty price tag, that would be a boundless, jumbo-sized, overwhelming ‘yes’. I love the shape, the design, the interior, and the fact that it’s all-electric. Most important, I loved the way it drives. This thing is as fun as a ride on Cheetah Hunt at Busch Gardens. Step on the right pedal and whoosh, you’re slingshotting from standstill to 60 mph in around 6.5 seconds. Our tester was the single-motor version, with a rear-mounted 282-hp electric motor juiced by a 91 kWh lithium-ion battery under the floor. Pay extra for the 4Motion version and you get a second motor at the front for a combined 335 horseys and 0-to-60 sprinting in 5.5 seconds. Yes, the EPA-estimated full-charge range of 234 miles won’t win any prizes. With all that space inside, you thought they could have added a few extra batteries. But find a 200 kW DC fast charger and you can go from 10 to 80 percent charge in around 30 minutes. With that battery pack close to ground level for a low center of gravity, steering is as precise as McDreamy’s scalpel, the Buzz can buzz around the curves like an oversized Mazda Miata. That said, the thing is huge and takes up a lot of real estate of the road. It’s a little like driving a full-size pick-up or extended wheelbase Cadillac Escalade. But those expanded dimensions make it a master of its intended mission to carry seven or eight people in absolute stretch-out comfort. Slide open those minivan-esque side doors, step inside, and the second-row captain’s chairs are like oversized La-Z-Boys. Back in the third row, we haven’t seen this kind of legroom since a prom Town Car. And the interior fixtures and fittings, the cool Scan Design-like materials, and the excellent fit and finish, go a long way in justifying the lofty price tag. No, VW’s ID. Buzz magic bus won’t be for anyone. The adulation from fellow motorists and pedestrians, the finger points, the waves and constant selfies can get wearing. But the too-cute retro design aside, this new Buzz is a terrific all-round family hauler and a fun-driving EV. A Magic Bus indeed. For instant gratification, Morgan Auto Group’s Volkswagen of North Tampa has a rare 2025 ID. Buzz 1st Edition 4Motion in stock. I went to take a look. Hard not to love the Cabana Blue and Candy White two-tone exterior, the off-white ‘Dune’ interior. Plus the 1st Edition features, like the surfboard-ready roof rack, silver-faced wheels and huge, full-length electrochromatic-glass sunroof. Sales specialist Michael Moceri says it’s on offer at the regular 1st Edition 4Motion MSRP of $71,895 which includes destination. And right now VW is sweetening the deal with $2,500 off the retail-price, or $7,500 off a lease. While ID. Buzzes are still in short supply, VW of North Tampa currently has three in stock, including this coveted 1st Edition, plus another four at the port ready to be shipped.
Weekend Wheels Spotlight: Range Rover Sport delivers dynamic luxury
Within a nano-second of climbing in and driving off in Land Rover’s newest Range Rover Sport Autobiography, you know you’re behind the wheel of something a bit special. It’s like slipping-on a made-to-measure Savile Row suit. Or a pair of bespoke John Lobb loafers. Or a pair of Duluth Trading Buck Naked boxers. It all fits perfectly. Of course, there’s no shortage of luxury sporty-utes on the market – BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes-AMG GLE53, and Audi SQ8. All worthy rivals. But somehow the Range Rover stands out, like a suited-and-booted George Clooney in a sea of Woody Allens. A lot of it is down to cool, classy design. There’s a broody elegance here, from the towering waistline, to the slope of that coal-black roof, to the chiseled, cat’s-eye LED headlights, to those 23-inch gloss-black rims. And see that thrusting, bluff, mile-wide front end in your rear-view, with that unmistakable Range Rover script writ large, and chances are you’re moving over. It’s not just looks that thrill. Under that massive clamshell hood lurks a nuclear reactor of a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 delivering a mighty 523 horsepower and stump-pulling 553 lb-ft of torque. Coupled to one of the creamiest-shifting eight-speed automatics in the business, this BMW-sourced V8 can thrust the Sport from standstill to 60 mph in a zippy 4.5 seconds. Pretty impressive for a full-fat off-roader that weighs roughly the same as a Brinks armored truck. And the Rover isn’t just about straight-line performance. Show it a twisty back road and it starts to justify that Sport badge on the tailgate. With dynamic air suspension, front and rear active anti-roll bars, full-time all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, the thing can carve curves like a tall-riding Corvette. For those times you prefer not to drive it like you stole it, the Sport is happy to lose its Sport badge and morph into a Lincoln Town Car with a ride that’s as smooth and supple as Ali Baba’s magic carpet. Even with those massive 23-inch gumballs at each corner, there’s surprisingly little road or tire noise. At 75 mph on I-75, the cabin is more hushed than a basket of snoozing kittens. For me, the only serious rival to this Firenze Red Sport Autobiography – base sticker $125,025, or $130,110 as tested – is the truly-impressive plug-in hybrid version. Here a 355-hp 3.0-liter in-line six gas engine is hooked-up to a 141-hp electric motor fed from a 39 kWh battery. The result is a combined and non-trivial 543-hp, 0-to-60 acceleration in 4.7 seconds, and a combined 53 MPGe economy. But the icing on the cake is its terrific, electric-only range of 53 miles that makes it perfect for daily commutes on silent, zero-emission battery power. It’s also slightly less pricey at $120,325. Inside, our V8 Autobiography is, as you’d expect from the sticker, a temple of luxury, though also an exercise in minimalism. All the typical switches and knobs you’d expect are now a tap or swipe away on the 13.1-inch curved touchscreen. Take your pick of cloth or lovely semi-aniline leather, though our test car’s acres of black leather, piano black trim and all-black dashboard made it look like the inside of Gene Simmons’ closet. Range Rover Sports start in price at $81,325 and soar to over $180,700 for the potent 626-hp Sport SV. But this Autobiography V8 might just be the best all-round SUV money can buy. For instant gratification, I saw that Land Rover Tampa up on East Fowler, is currently offering a loaded 2023 Range Rover Sport P530 First Edition with just 12,551 miles on the clock for just $96,250. That’s an impressive $30,700 saving on the original $126,955 MSRP. LIke our test Autobiography, it’s painted a stunning shade of Firenze Red with shiny black 23-inch rims and Ebony-black leather interior. And the First Edition package means more toys than an FAO Schwarz store during the holidays. Comes with that lovely 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 too. Take a look at www.landrovertampa.com
Maserati’s MC20 is one Trident missile
Just look at the thing. To my eyes, Maserati’s hip-high MC20 supercar is one of the most stunning exotics money can buy, up there with pricier rivals like Lamborghini’s Huracán, Ferrari’s 296 GTB and McLaren’s Artura. The beauty here is a swimsuit catalog of toned curves and taut muscle, without the typical supercar plethora of fighter-jet wings and aero add ons. And its exotic style goes deeper than looks. The car is built around a state-of-the-art, single-piece, super-stiff carbon fiber chassis. Flying down the highway, the whole car tips the scales at a fighting-fit, no-fat 3,700 pounds. That helps account for the car’s rock-out-of-a-catapult performance. Dial-up the most aggressive Corsa drive-mode setting, engage launch control, hit it, and the Mazzer will slingshot from standstill to 60mph in a neck-jolting 2.9 seconds. And won’t quit till the speedo is showing 202mph. Powering this achingly-gorgeous projectile is Maserati’s own 621-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 cranking out a massive 612-hp and 538 lb-ft of torque. The way its screams to its 7,500 rpm red line is like having AC/DC sitting in the passenger seat. Maserati calls this V6 masterpiece ‘Nettuno’, which translates to Neptune in Italian. The mythical sea god use to wield a three-pronged trident, which happens to be Maserati’s iconic logo. Climb aboard through that lovely high-lifting butterfly door, settle into the hip-hugging bucket seat, and lay your hands on the lovely carbon-fiber-and-Alcantara wheel. Ahhh. It’s the feeling Tom Cruise must have had sitting in that Top Gun F-18 jet. And to drive it is to absolutely love it. The beauty here us just how easy it is to drive fast. Very fast. The car almost shrinks around you, making it feel way less intimidating than some supercars. The steering is laser precise, with perfect weighting and telepathic feedback. It just adds to the sensational feeling of lightness and agility the car has. Turn into a tight corner, and the combination of that awesome steering, huge chunks of rubber at each corner, and adaptive suspension, make the MC hammer around as if it’s running on invisible rails. For 2025, you get the choice of this MC20 Coupe (pricing from around $243,000) or open-top Cielo ($277,000), while waiting in the wings is the thundering GT2 Stradale, a street-legal version of Maserati’s GT2 race car. Alas, the all-electric MC20 Folgore due to launch this year, has been cancelled due to weak demand. Pity. For me, the MC20 Coupe makes the perfect supercar that you can run hard around the track, or do the grocery run to Trader Joes. A true bella macchina. For instant gratification, our friends at Morgan Auto Group’s Maserati Tampa have this stunning 2022 MC20 Coupe with just 3,309 miles, on offer for $182,900 – a massive $125,645 saving on its original $308,545 MSRP. Out of curiosity, I went and took a look. Painted a classy shade of stealthy-gray called Grigio Mistero, the car looks gorgeous with its black-painted 20-inch Birdcage forged alloys and contrasting blue brake calipers. What’s so impressive about the car – and what makes it such a great deal – is its mile-long list of pricey options that come included. Like the $35,000 carbon fiber body package. Or the $7,000 interior carbon fiber trim. Add to those, the $10,000 carbon ceramic brakes, the $4,000 black roof, and the the $5,500 for the carbon fiber rear wing. Then there’s the $2,300 e-diff, and the $4,000 Sonus Faber sound system. The list just goes on and on. Inside, the charcoal Nero cabin features fabulous, body-pinching sports seats trimmed in leather and Alcantara suede with lovely bright-blue piping and detailing. Cool blue Maserati trident logos in the headrests too. Just gripping that thick-rimmed wheel makes you feel as if you’re doing 200 mph around the Monza track in Italy. It’s a lovely mix of carbon fiber and Alcantara, with those huge, elephant-ear carbon fiber paddles just ready for action. And there really isn’t a mark to be seen inside or out. I looked hard but couldn’t see a single blemish. It’s as if the car just came fresh out of the factory. Take a look at www.maseratitampa.com
Dream Maker: Cruising on a $29 Million charter superyacht
In your average seven-day week, there are 168 hours and 10,080 minutes. Now add into the equation the figure 260,000. That’s the basic cost in dollars, of chartering the newly-built, 133-foot Italian dream machine Contigo for seven days. If my math serves me right, that works out at $37,142 a day, or $1,547 an hour. As your privileged boating correspondent, I’ve been tasked with spending the next 24 hours, or 1,440 minutes, aboard Contigo, enjoying a fleeting glimpse at what it’s like to live the life of one of her lucky charter guests. My singular aim; to make every one of those minutes count. Right now, Contigo is swaying gently at anchor under a Windex-blue sky just off sandy-beached Rose Island, eight miles east of Nassau in the sun-drenched Bahamas. She’s just wrapped-up a lavish photo shoot for her new charter brochure, and my 24-hour stay starts now. Delivered just last summer, Contigo – it translates to “with me” in Spanish – is hull #16 in Italian shipyard Benetti’s hugely-successful Oasis 40M superyacht series. Much of that success – total orders and deliveries now total more than 30 – is down to the yacht’s headlining feature, its resort-like beach club at the stern. Here, huge terraces on each side can power down to create a tanning and lounging space measuring close to 900 square feet. You could land a helicopter back here were it not for the glass-sided Jacuzzi pool and multitude of sunpads and sofas on her lovely teak decks. Step aboard and Contigo’s crew of eight is waiting patiently to welcome, whisking away my bag to be unpacked, thrusting a frosty libation into my hand, offering a cool towel to mop my brow, and to show me around this sleek superyacht. My tour guide is AJ Blackmon, CEO and founder of Miami-based Ikonic Yachts who looks after Contigo’s charter schedule. Wearing his broker hat, he helped the yacht’s owner, a 50-something California entrepreneur, acquire the Benetti last October and ship her from the South of France back to Florida. She entered the charter market last December. Blackmon tells me that much of the yacht’s appeal to charterers is her lavish accommodations for up to 14 in six cabins, her three distinct levels for entertaining and relaxing, and the fresh and breezy interior design by New York-based architects Bonetti/Kozerski. Those and that “oasis” back deck. Maybe my favorite spot? Contigo’s vast, open flybridge with its circular Jacuzzi tub up front – perfect for star-gazing at night – and the 10-seat table for magical alfresco dining. The area can also quickly transform into a dance club with its full DJ set-up, interactive disco lights and killer sound system. Having fun is what this yacht is all about. Contigo’s other headline feature is the owner’s suite on the main deck that spans the yacht’s entire 28-foot beam. It boasts huge windows on each side, his-and-hers work spaces, his-and-hers bathrooms with walk-in closets, and an massive shower that doubles as a searing-hot steam room. Time to hit the water. Contigo’s small armada of water toys includes a trio of speedy Sea-Doo Spark jet-skis. An hour of strenuous Sea-Dooing has me ravenous for lunch. Chef Rusty has prepared a grilled and oven-baked red snapper seasoned with his famous chipotle rub. Each of the meals aboard proves to be a gastronomic feast cooked to perfection. Day two is cruise day, so Captain Jean-Damien – JD to everyone – has the anchor raised and we glide serenely back towards Nassau. Contigo is powered by a pair of 1,400 hp MAN V12 diesels that can give a top speed of 17 knots; at her 14-knot cruise speed there’s hardly a whisper from the engine room. With her 12,000-gallon fuel tanks brimmed, she can cruise for over 4,000 nautical miles. By the time you read this, Contigo will have been shipped across to the Med for the summer charter season. Come fall she’ll be back in Florida for winter charters in the Bahamas and Caribbean. Of course, like most superyachts these days, Contigo is for sale with Ikonic Yachts listing her for a cool €26 million, or $29 million. And she’s worth every euro. After enjoying 1,440 exquisite minutes aboard, I can only imagine the joy of spending an entire week being pampered by the crew of this truly remarkable superyacht. I’d say it was $37,142 for 24 hours well spent. For more information, go to https://www.ikonicyachts.com/contigo
The Curious Case of Mazda’s CX-70 Plug-in Hybrid
Color me confused. In the red corner we have Mazda’s elegant and svelte CX-90 SUV. It comes standard with three rows of pews for versatile, seven-or-eight passenger family hauling. Now over in the green corner, we have Mazda’s brand-new CX-70 that’s pretty much identical in every way to the CX-90. But it offers just two rows, and seats for four or five. Now you’d be forgiven for thinking, like me, that the CX-70 would be a lot less-expensive than the 90, on account of not having that third row. Alas, you’d be wrong. The CX-70 line-up kicks off at $40,445 with the Preferred model, which is $2,400 more than where the CX-90 range starts with the Select version. Even comparing Preferred with Preferred, the CX-90 costs only $500 more. Makes no sense to me why Mazda wouldn’t have simply offered a CX-90 with or without a third-row instead of creating a new model range. After all, who wouldn’t want the option of a third row? While legroom isn’t exactly spacious back there, the seat is perfect for a couple of kids, or a couple of adult buddies who don’t mind being scrunched-up for a quick trip to dinner or the beach. It’s not as if that third row sacrifices any load space either. Both three-row and two-row models offer the very same 75-cubic-feet with rear seats folded. The reason for all this 70-versus-90 comparison is that I’ve just spent a week piloting the new flagship CX-70 Premium Plus PHEV plug-in hybrid, $58,825, or $59,420 as tested. Just like the equivalent CX-90 hybrid, the 70 pairs a 189-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine with a 173-hp electric motor juiced by a 17.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It gives a combined 323 horseys and 369 torques. Plug it in, and with a full battery, it’ll run for around 26 miles on electric-only power. Perfect for around-town commutes, school runs or retail-therapy expeditions. And when the juice runs out, the gas motor kicks in, returning 24 mpg city, 27 mpg highway fuel economy, according to the EPA. Find yourself a 240-volt Level 2 outlet, and the 70 can be amped-up from 20 to 80 per cent in about 90 minutes. Out on the highways and by-ways, the hybrid powertrain works a treat, providing zippy, off-the-line acceleration, with 60 mph coming up from a standstill in just 5.9 seconds. But that four-cylinder Mazda motor could be smoother. Mash the throttle and as the revs rise, so does the volume and harshness. At wide-open throttle, there are chainsaws that are more refined. Being a Mazda, even a hefty mid-size SUV like this, there’s still plenty of zoom-zoom. Standard all-wheel drive and a low center of gravity courtesy of the battery pack, makes the CX feel nimble and agile through the curves. From behind the wheel, this CX-70 is certainly a lovely place to be. Mazda cabins have always seemed a cut-above in terms of design, craftsmanship, quality of materials and fit and finish, and this new 70 is no exception. The front seats are super-comfy, heated and cooled, and have plenty of adjustment. In the rear, the 60/40-split bench offers stretch-out legroom, with the cabin lit by the near full-length glass roof above. While build quality is first rate, my only disappointment is with the doors, which close with a cheap, tinny sound. Not what you expect from a $60,000 sport-ute. But like the CX-90, the 70 looks terrific, with its bold, air-gulping front-end, curvy body and muscular stance on those lovely-looking 21-inch rims. And no one does metallic red paint like Mazda. In the end, it’s hard to justify this two-row CX-70 over the three-row CX-90. No doubt it was a Mazda marketing decision aimed at expanding its model portfolio. Or maybe I’m just missing something.
Red Mist: Ferrari’s Miami Racing Days Extravaganza
It’s good to be a Ferrari owner. No, it’s really good. And not just because you get to drive one of the most iconic, most exciting, most intoxicating sports cars on the planet. You also get perks. Lots of perks. Like being invited to take part in such VIP, top-shelf, red carpet customer events as in last weekend’s Ferrari Racing Days spectacular in Miami. This four-day Ferrari love fest was a celebration of all things rosso red with more Prancing Horses than the Kentucky Derby. Naturally, there was fabulous, all-Ferrari racing centered around around the Hardrock Stadium, home of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix two weeks earlier. And Ferrari guests got to see all the action while luxuriating, being wine and dined, and totally pampered at the famous Casa Ferrari traveling hospitality mega-suite overlooking the track. In addition, there was a private viewing of a secret Ferrari collection hidden away in Miami’s Coral Gables neighborhood, where Ferrari unveiled a new line of memorabilia. Then there was an A-list Saturday night party at Miami’s New World Center concert hall for the reveal of a new Ferrari 296 Speciale. I was privileged to get a red-letter invite to all the Ferrari Racing Days festivities, which also included a special bonus; the keys to a brand new, baby blue, Ferrari Roma Spider convertible to drive for the weekend. Powered by a 612 hp twin-turbo V8, this $280,000-and-up bundle of joy is currently the first rung on the Ferrari ownership ladder. It transported me to a nondescript glass door, right next to the Tesla dealership in Coral Gables, for Ferrari’s “Born for Speed, Reborn for Beauty” event. The venue was the fabled Garage 26 collection, owned by Miami real estate entrepreneur and Ferrari racer, Tomas Cabrerizo who has amassed a spectacular collection of rarest-of-rare Ferraris that he displays in the marble-floored space. We’re here to see Ferrari’s latest in its Collectibles series, where the brand is offering pieces of racing and prototype memorabilia to owners. Everything from the engine from Michael Schumacher’s 2000 F1 engine (yours for $280,000), to a F1 race car brake rotor ($2,000), to an F1 nose cone (price on application). And these were not just spare parts in a box. Each was beautifully mounted and displayed by Ferrari’s design department, overseen by Chief Designer, Flavio Manzoni, who was on hand at Garage 26 to explain. Me? I had my eyes on the exquisite V12 engine from a prototype La Ferrari, “exploded” to show the components, with the parts suspended on aluminum and Lucite supports. A true piece of art, its rarity was reflected in the eye-watering $330,000 price tag. Like all 13 pieces, it was sold by the end of the evening. The Roma Spider whisked me north, rather quickly, early Saturday morning to the Miami Dolphins’ Hardrock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Here was the biggest collection of customer-owned Ferrari racecars ever assembled – probably more than 130 – that would be competing over the weekend. Highlights included a privately-owned V10-engined Ferrari F1 racer, six of the rapid Le Mans-inspired 499P Modificatas, and no fewer than 25 FXX racers. Those and a rousing show put on by the Dolphins cheerleading squad. There were also more than 100 customer-owned cars, that had gathered for morning coffee at Miami’s Perez Museum of Art and driven in convoy to the track, where they had got to do a formation lap of the 2.8-mile circuit. Up in the huge Casa Ferrari, with its balconies overlooking the racing pits, guests could unwind in a pop-up Wellness Lounge where they could enjoy a spell in a pressurized oxygen chamber, buy pricey Ferrari gear, or simply binge on endless gourmet food and beverage. Saturday evening was the big customer party at the Frank Gehry-designed New World Center Concert Hall in Miami Beach. After Perrier-Jouet champers and endless hors d’oeuvres, the silk was pulled off the brand new $500,000 Ferrari 296 Speciale, a lighter, more powerful version of the regular 296GTB. Max power of this hybrid supercar is now a staggering 868 hp. What a beast. Few other brands come anywhere close to involving their owners as Ferrari does. And this Miami Racing Days extravaganza is just one on the calendar. Anyone for Japan’s Fuji Speedway in June?
Fast and Furious: 2025 BMW X6M Competition
If you thought the term ‘muscle car’ best described some Seventies big-block Chevy or tire-fryin’ Dodge Charger, you might want to think again. Fast forward to well, today, and ‘muscle car’ perfectly describes the 2025 blunt instrument BMW X6M Competition I’ve been driving. Or better still, make that ‘muscle’ SUV. Look at the thing. Those bulging fenders were surely modeled from Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s massive, gym-honed guns. That air-gulping front end had to inspired by a military A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately-known as the Warthog. And while it has that high-ridin’, mountain-climbin’ 4×4 stance of a sport-ute, the sloping rear window has more in common with Steve McQueen’s Mustang Fastback from the movie ‘Bullitt’. Then there’s the power and performance. And here the word ‘insane’ kinda comes to mind. Under that vast Texas-sized hood resides a BMW Motorsport-honed, twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 that’s paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Working in harmony, the honking V8 and all those ohms deliver a combined 617 horseys and stump-pulling 553 lb-ft of twist. Pedal to the metal, you’re looking at zero-to-60 mph blasts in a mere 3.7 seconds, with a top speed electronically-limited to 155 mph. This is officially BMW’s ‘bad boy’ SUV, a $133,275-and-up, testosterone-fueled performance rocketship that butts heads with slopey-back rivals like Audi’s 591-hp RS Q8, the 650-hp Porsche Cayenne Turbo, and Mercedes-Benz’ 603-hp AMG GLE 63 S Coupe. Of course it makes absolutely no sense. For less money – over $5,000 – you could get into BMW’s similarly-powered, square-back X5 M which offers a lot more practicality and load carrying. But who needs more practicality when you can have something that spins heads, looks this wild, breaks rules and throws convention to the wind? It’s a design thing. And it drives like a dream. Step on the gas and it feels otherworldly in the explosive way it delivers those 617 horseys. Coco the Clown being ejected from a Ringling Brothers circus canon doesn’t feel this much thrust. It’s not just off-the-line sprinting where it excels either. Merging from a freeway on-ramp, scything through slower traffic, blasting out of tight curves. All just breathtaking. And this forward motion is accompanied by one of the sexiest, deepest, rumbliest soundtracks this side of Pavarotti hitting the low notes in Nessun dorma. This is truly one of the world’s great engines. That said, fuel economy sucks. Don’t expect much more than 13 to the gallon around town and just 18 on the highway. The EPA’s combined figure is a miserable 15 mpg. Show it a curvy backroad however, and it all makes perfect sense. Surgically-precise steering, low-roll cornering and the kind of grip you only get with a gallon of Gorilla glue, makes the X6M a sportscar in disguise. One downside is size. On the road the X6M feels big and bulky, and rides with no shortage of jolts and jitters. Even with the adaptive suspension set in ‘comfort’ mode, potholes and sharp ridges send jolts through the body. It’s the price you pay for that Competition badge on the trunk lid and 21-inch front, 22-inch rear wheels. Talking of trunk, while the X6’s fastback rear does shave a few cubic feet off the load space compared to an X5, it’s still an accomplished load carrier. Think 27.4 cu ft with the back seat in place, and a whopping 60 cu-ft with its folded flat. As you’d expect of a $133,000 BMW, the cabin is a wonderful place to be. It’s all glorious, hand-stitched leather – sexy red with our test car – with lovely diamond quilting. New last year was the 27.2-inch sweeping curved center touch screen that looks like it came out of your local cineplex. The graphics are needle-sharp. No, this latest X6M Competition won’t be for everyone. But for anyone looking for a modern-day musclecar in an SUV coupe body, it’s an enthusiast’s dream come true.
Spin Class: 2025 Mercedes-Benz all-electric G 580
Talk about a cool party trick guaranteed to gain you celebrity status at the next Cars and Coffee gathering. Mercedes-Benz’ brand new, all-electric G 580 with EQ Technology has, among its considerable technical repertoire, the ability to do a “G Turn”. G What, I hear you exclaim? Courtesy of its four potent electric motors – one for each wheel – which can spin in opposite directions, the 580 can rotate in its own length. Just like a tank. Or Mark Wahlberg in his Marky Mark days doing a break-dancing shoulder spin. You get the picture. Some technique has to be mastered before you try it out for yourself. Start by pressing the “G Turn” button, then pull back and hold either steering wheel paddle shifter – left for a left spin, right for a right – and then hold tight and keep the steering wheel centered. Now mash the throttle and experience the highly-unnerving, overwhelmingly-nauseating sensation of spinning inside this three-and-a-half-ton automotive blender. Thankfully you only get two full pirouettes. No doubt to preserve tires and the contents on your stomach. But pray explain what is the point? I don’t think there is one, bar blatant exhibitionism and providing thrill rides for the kids and grandma. Just maybe, on a snowy trail up to your Aspen ski lodge when you’ve forgotten the Dom Perignon, you’ll appreciate a rapid U-turn – or make that G Turn – to get you back to the wine store pronto. Thankfully there’s are more serious distinguishing features to this latest version of Mercedes’ beloved Geländewagen luxury off-roader, now in its 46th year of production. Electric power, and heaps of it, for starters. With a 116 kWh lithium-ion battery pack juicing those four two-speed electric motors, there’s an impressive 579-horsepower and stump-lifting 859 lb-ft of torque on tap. As you’d expect of an electric ‘Benz, off-the-line acceleration is up there with a rock exiting a catapult. A mere 4.6 seconds is all it takes to lunge from standstill to 60 mph. For something tipping the scales at close to 7,000 pounds, that’s pretty impressive. As for the 112 mph top speed? Maybe not so much. Definitely less impressive is the 580’s EPA-estimated range of 239 miles. These days, 300 miles and above is the norm. Rivian’s long-range R1S SUV is good for 410 miles. Cadillac’s new Escalade IQ can whizz along for up to 460 miles on a single charge. I suspect however that few G 580s will be called on to go the distance, being relegated to school runs, commutes to the golf course, yacht club or fine dining. That said, your 580 will come with a Mercedes fast charging adapter to let you connect to one of Tesla’s 20,000-plus Supercharger stations. Here, the Merc’s 400-volt charging system can suck-in up to 200kW of charge, taking the battery pack from 10 per cent to 80 per cent of capacity in 32 minutes. Or plug it in at home and you can go from empty to full in 13.5 hours. If you have to take the road less traveled, and splatter mud on that pricey paintwork, know that this new electric G is a superstar when the going gets tough. For starters it can wade through water 33.5 inches deep, which is 5.9 inches more than the gas-engined G 550. That’s a major plus in these times of hurricanes and storm surges. Back on the blacktop, electric power makes this new G 580 a more luxurious alternative to its dead dinosaur-fueled siblings. Around town there’s nothing but spooky silence, aided and abetted by the new acoustic glass and re-shaped windshield pillars to cut wind noise. All the better for experiencing the ear-bleeding Burmester 3D Surround Sound system. While nothing too much has changed style-wise with this new 2025 G range, you can spot this new 580 by its new, flat-panel grille ringed by a white LED strip, to match the ring of LEDs around the headlights. At the rear, instead of a hard cover for the spare wheel, there’s a slimmed down version to hold the charging cable. Pricewise, you’re looking at a starting sticker of $161,500, which is roughly middle ground between the $148,250, 416 hp G 550 V8 and thundering $186,100, 577 hp twin-turbo V8 G 63. As for the ability to perform G Turns on your neighbor’s gravel driveway? Just tell ’em you’ve joined a Spin Class.
Still in the Game: 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum
A lot happened 35 years ago in 1990. The Dow closed above 2,800 for the first time ever. Tim Berners-Lee created the internet. The Exxon Valdez dumped oil in Alaska. And Pretty Woman opened at the movies. It was also the year Ford unwrapped its tall-riding Explorer and introduced those three little letters – SUV – to our vocabulary. Designed to replace the much-maligned Bronco II, the boxy Explorer became an instant hit. To date, almost nine million have been sold, making it the best-selling sport utility vehicle ever. In 2000 alone, Ford sold a staggering 445,000 Explorers. That’s a lot. Thirty-five years on, and it’s still going strong, holding its own despite buyers having more choices of mid-size SUVs than cheeses at the Fresh Market deli. Those three-row rivals include the likes of Kia’s Telluride, Toyota’s Grand Highlander, Mazda’s CX-90, Hyundai’s Palisade and Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L. To keep the Ford high on the shopping list of buyers tempted by more dynamic rivals, the trusty Explorer has just had a mid-life makeover to cement its appeal. Nothing too radical, mind. It gets a bold new grille, new sparkly LED headlights and taillights, and a more beefy lower front bumper design. It also got a refreshed interior with some cool, new tech. Like its BlueCruise hands-free driving feature, and Disney-sounding Ford Digital Experience. This offers a new Google-based operating system with 5G connectivity, a built-in wi-fi hotspot and Alexa to answer all your queries. Hey Alexa, how do I turn this thing on? Ford also took a hatchet to the model range for 2025, culling it to just four models; the base Active priced from $41,380, the ST-Line from $46,190, the fancy Platinum from $53,695, and performance-focused ST at the top of the range from $55,835. I’ve just spent the week in the company of that swanky Platinum model, with the so-called Ultimate Package. This adds a twin-panel panoramic roof, lovely leather seats, second-row captain’s chairs and dark-painted 21-inch alloys. Definitely pricey at just over $60,000. But it came with one of the best engine/transmission packages in the business; Ford’s 3.0-liter Ecoboost twin-turbo V6 packing a punchy 400 horsepower, and coupled to a swift-shifting 10-speed automatic. While the Platinum’s base engine is a 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder with 300 horseys on tap, it’s the V6 you want, simply for the extra performance zip. How much extra zip? Pedal to the metal, you’ll rush from standstill to 60 mph in right around five seconds, compared to six with the four-cylinder. And this Usain Bolt sprinting is accompanied by a decidedly rorty exhaust note from the quad exhausts at the rear. Dial up ‘sport’ mode and the steering firms up and the shift points for the transmission change to boost low-end power. In addition to the meaty power, the V6 offers an impressive 415 pound-feet of torque to slingshot you out of freeway on-ramps and give confidence when passing on a two-lane. For a near-4,800-pound trucklette, it also feels surprisingly light on its feet through the twisties. Steering is precise and responsive, body lean is well-contained, and grip is plentiful. Yes, the ride can get a little fidgety over lumps and bumps, but it’s never uncomfortable. Add a few warm bodies in the three rows of seats, and things smooth-out nicely. And talking of seats, the Explorer’s enduring appeal is its family-sized accommodations. While that third row has decent kneeroom, its flaw however is that the seat cushion is too low to the floor for real comfort. No problem for short trips, but the kids will be whining after a few miles. While this Platinum model has plenty of luxury accoutrements, like nicely-stitched perforated leather on the seats with quilted inserts, quirky cloth dashboard panels, and a thumping 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, to me it’s still no match for high-luxe rivals like the Telluride, Palisade and Cherokee L. Yet this Built-in-Chicago family hauler is still very much in the game. Thirty-five years of being king of the hill makes sure of that.
Fastback Flair: 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe 3.5T
Such an odd word ‘coupe’. Back in the day it covered everything from a four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage, to a fancy glass for serving Champagne. In car-speak, it tended to describe a two-door with a slanty rear window. Who can forget Cadillac’s mile-long, two-door Coupe DeVille, derived from the French word couper, or to cut, and ville for town? Of course, me being from Merrie Olde England, I pronounce it coupe-hay and might even write it with an accent on the ‘e’ as in coupé. That said, English friends can’t quite understand why we Americans would name a car after a place chickens call home. More recently, the word has been used to describe four-door SUVs with their boxy rear-ends given a more sloping rear window. BMW’s X6 is widely considered the first coupe SUV when it launched back in 2008. Today, there’s a multitude of ski-slope-roofed SUVs, including everything from a Buick Envista, to Porsche’s Cayenne and Mecan Coupes, Audi’s Q8, Mercedes’ GLE and GLC Coupes to Lamborghini’s blunt-instrument Urus. The newest coupe SUV joining the ever-growing list is the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe I’ve just spent a blissful week piloting, base price $81,300 or $87,100 as tested. As you might expect, it’s closely based on the regular, square-back Genesis GV80 sport-ute. This new Coupe though, with its slanted rear end, more chiseled nose, and new 22-inch rims, really does look gorgeous. That fastback rear window does, however, mean the regular GV80 SUV’s third-row seat is jettisoned, so there’s now only room for five instead of seven. And with the rear seat folded, luggage space is shaved by 9.6 cubic feet, mainly in reduced height at the rear. Those big boxes from the big box stores might have to get delivered. So what’s the appeal? It’s all about style. Coupes look sexier than squared-off sport utes, hinting at sportier performance and a sportier lifestyle. Think of it as panache over practicality. In the case of the GV80 Coupe, there’s no shortage of performance. Powering this feisty fastback is Genesis’ glorious twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 which makes 375 horsepower in base form. But you can opt, for an additional $6,000, for the e-Supercharged version, like our test car, that ups the horseys to a stampeding 409-hp. It uses an electric supercharger to fill-in the gaps in the engine’s torque curve, especially at low rpms. It makes for zippier sprints away from stop lights, more solid response merging from freeway on-ramps, and smoother engine stop-starts. Alas, even with 409-hp the GV80 doesn’t morph into a Porsche Cayenne or BMW X6. The focus here is still on Genesis-famous silky-smoothness and rolling refinement. But to add to the giddy-up, the Coupe does come with a new Sport+ driving mode. This supposedly sharpens the steering, quickens the transmission shifts, and tightens the suspension. Not that you’d really notice. As for that all-important 0-to-60 mph time, think 5.2 seconds. No, what this new GV80 Coupe 4×4 does exceedingly well is transport you down the road in sublime comfort, with astonishing mechanical refinement and Teflon-like smoothness. And the Coupe’s cabin would provide plentiful pampering for going the distance. Everywhere you see there’s gorgeous, diamond-quilted, glove-soft leather, with contrasting red stitching and piping. Sumptuous doesn’t even come close. Those front pews are supremely comfy, with lots of power adjustment, along with cooling and heat. Rear seat space is up there with a prom stretch limo, with the huge panoramic glass roof flooding the cabin with light. The only miscue is the suprisingly cheap and almost tacky-looking plastic trim across the dash and on the center console. Genesis calls it carbon fiber, but it’s nothing of the sort. But the chunky, flat-bottomed steering is a joy to hold, while the 27-inch digital display sprawling across the dash has pin-sharp graphics and easy commands. Nice-to-have standard features include heated armrests, a fragrance diffuser that doesn’t smell like a New York taxi cab, and a UV light above the wireless charger to sanitize your smartphone. Genesis really does luxury brilliantly well, and this new GV80 Coupe couples luxury with head-turning fastback style. It really is one heckuva super coupe.