Vehicle Review: 2018 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE Premium - My Birthday, Star Wars and Disneyland

It is time for another vehicle review and this time it is for the 2018 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE Premium. It was a great way to celebrate my birthday weekend for food adventures, Disneyland and a media screening to go back to a galaxy far, far away!

The Avalon has stylish good looks as you can see above! I love the large 17-inch alloy wheels and the large front grill is aggressive.

I started off my week with another trip to Disneyland in search of new food! I found this cute Mickey Mouse sundae at Clarabelle's in ToonTown! It's almost too cute to eat, almost!

After a day of walking around finding new food in the parks it was time to head home! The wireless charging is perfect to set my  phone upon and let it charge on the drive home!

The next morning brought me to the Brea Mall for the kickoff of the Toy Story Land Mall Tour! My friend Marco was there with his Pizza Planet Truck! I brought my Pizza Planet Truck for scale! This fun event had photo opportunities and prizes!

I am a huge Buzz Lightyear fan and was so happy to get my photo in a Buzz Lightyear toy box!

The hybrid does a great job as I had no problems with speed getting on the freeways here in Southern California. The EPA rates the Avalon at 40 MPG combined.

Another day and another day to celebrate my birthday weekend at Wokcano at the Main Place Mall in Santa Ana! This location is the only one that I am aware of that offers All You Can Eat and it was my go to choice for brunch!

A huge trunk came in handy to hold all the birthday presents!

No better way than to celebrate my birthday than at my favorite place on Earth!

There are a ton of safety features. There are 10 airbags including driver and passenger knee bags and rear outboard seat-mounted bags. A rearview camera is standard on all Avalons. Toyota's Safety Sense-P Suite is also standard and includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, active lane control and automatic high beams.

Gauges are bright even in direct sunlight.

Time to hope into the cockpit, I mean the drivers seat and head to Hollywood for a media screening of Solo: A Star Wars Story. The Avalon provided a smooth drive to the Arclight and I felt like I made it there in less than 12 parsecs.

The cabin is whisper quiet. There is very wind or engine noise. The large 7-inch touchscreen is easy to read and to use.

Time to go watch Solo: A Star Wars Story.

I love that the Arclight usually has costumes of the current movies they are showing at all of their theaters. The Arclight Hollywood has the costumes for Solo: A Star Wars Story.

After watching Solo: A Star Wars Story it felt good to sit in the comfortable drivers seat.

The rear seats are also large and can easily seat three adults. There is a lot of leg and head room here.

The 2018 Toyota Avalon XLE Premium is a classic looking vehicle, with a ton of great safety features, a solid hybrid engine that provides power and great fuel economy, with a spacious interior and providing a fun drive. As tested, my review vehicle came in at $40,132.00.

Vehicle Review: 2018 Mitsubushi Outlander Sport 2.0 LE - Disneyland Foodie Tour

This is the first time I have reviewed the Mitsubishi Outlander in nearly three years, so I was excited to get back behind the wheel of one again. Let's take a look at the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport! There are updated front and rear bumpers, LED running lights and a new rear skid plate and reflectors.

This week I took friends from Northern California through The Disneyland Resort for a Foodie Adventure!

We started the Foodie Adventure in Disney California Adventure in Cars Land! This is the kids waffle meal that comes with two Cars character waffles, two strips of turkey bacon, three pieces of fresh fruit and your choice of a kid's fruit juice or orange juice box! A perfect way to start the day! Plus, you cannot beat this view!

At Disneyland it's ok to have dessert before a meal! Here we have some of the red raspberry macaron, black forest cupcake, flourless cake and a Matterhorn macaron.

Now this is a secret menu item from Rancho Del Zocalo in Frontierland. If you are going to order this massive burrito just ask for The Zocalo burrito or the eveything burrito! Literally everything on the assembly line is in this burrito! Every meat option and all the fixings go into this monster and it is $12.99 and can easily feed several people!

Vehicle Review: 2018 Toyota C-HR - Holiday Time at Disneyland and Food Adventures!

Here is my last vehicle review for 2017 and it is the 2018 Toyota C-HR. First off this vehicle is a head turner! Take a look at it's futuristic good looks! Let's find out if the inside matches the outside!

The seats are sporty and very comfortable bucket seats. They are also heated which could come in handy in certain parts of the country.

The cockpit, while nicely laid out, is missing not only navigation but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Strange and sad to see these missing from such a futuristic looking vehicle.

The rear door handles are elevated near the roofline for a cool look but it is difficult for kids to reach. Also the rear windows are small and high up that kids won't be able to see out them.

Vehicle Review: 2018 Hyundai Sonata Limited - Titanic, a Wedding and a Food Adventure!

Hi everyone! It's Jason from Sasaki Time and it is time for another vehicle review! This time it is for the 2018 Hyundai Sonata Limited! The 2018 version has received a significant refresh. The lines were changed to give the Sonata a more family vehicle vibe.

There are large LED headlights and taillights, the headlights have dynamic bending light technology to light your way as the roads curve to help you to see around the bend, LED daytime running lights, large 17-inch alloy wheels, and heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators.

Time to hop into the driver's seat and meet a friend to see the 20th Anniversary re-release of Titanic.

Hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the movie Titanic hit theaters. For the 20th Anniversary release, Titanic was mastered for Dolby's premiere Dolby Cinema Theater. This is by far my favorite way to see a movie. Dolby partnered with AMC and has created the perfect way to watch a movie. The theater is a equipped with a floor to ceiling and wall to wall screen, a perfectly blacked out theater, Dolby Atmos speakers, a Dolby vision projector that produces the inkiest blacks, and perfectly aligned stadium seats that are angled at the edges to still provide the best view of the screen.

Watching Titanic in Dolby Cinema was like watching this movie for the very first time. The colors were sharp and breathtaking and you can feel the roar of the engines and feeling the rush of the flooding waters gave a bigger sense of urgency to get out of the ship. A truly amazing experience and hope that Dolby partners with more filmmakers to bring older films to this format for limit releases.



Take a 360 degree look at the interior. As you can see there is a lot of leg room for both the front and the rear passengers. There are power front seats with integrated memory seat for the driver's seat, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a power tilt and slide sunroof.

Vehicle Review: 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Disneyland Service Celebration, Halloween Time and a Galactic Meet-Up

This is my first time reviewing the Mazda CX-5 in nearly two years. Immediately, the exterior design changes of the 2017 model caught my eye. Clearly Mazda had decided to upmarket their vehicles. The Mazda KODO: Soul of Motion design philosophy creates a vehicle that has a sense of motion even when it isn't moving. The Soul Red Crystal Metallic paint really helps the 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring feel almost alive! You can see how the light plays off the reflective qualities of the paint! And the large 19-inch alloy wheels further enhance the look!

The SKYACTIV-G 2.5L engine is more than powerful enough for all of your driving needs. You get 187 Horsepower with 31 MPG on the highway and 24 MPG in the city.

Let's take a look at my week of some really cool Disney adventures including my 20th Anniversary Celebration with The Walt Disney Company, the start of Halloween Time at The Disneyland Resort and a really cool Disney Parks Blog Event for Guardians of The Galaxy - Mission Breakout!

Hoping into the driver's seat you will find ample legroom and headroom!

The drivers cabin is perfectly laid out. Everything is easily within reach. The dashboard gauges are bright and easy to read. The large 7-inch touchscreen display is perfect for your audio and communication needs. There is infotainment system voice command, SMS text message audio delivery and reply, a rearview camera, navigation system, Bluetooth, HD Radio, and SiriusXM.

The interior is super quiet with hardly any engine noise or road noise. Plus, the 10 speaker Bose audio system is ultra-clear and helps to create a very relaxing environment.

The first event for the week was to celebrate my 20th Anniversary with The Walt Disney Company! The celebration was held at Disney California Adventure! My lovely friend Sara joined me for the celebration!

Vehicle Review: 2017 Mazda CX-3 - Pirates, My Birthday and More

It is time for another vehicle review! This time it is for the 2017 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring! Join me and the White Pearl CX-3 for a week of movies, food adventures and Disneyland!

Time to jump into the Captain's chair for the first adventure of the week, a trip to the U.S. Premiere of Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood! The White Pearl CX-3 was the perfect ride to take me to see the Black Pearl!

The interior gauges are simplistic and nicely laid out. Not a lot of changes from last year's model. A central controller in the center console helps you navigate the large 7-inch infotainment screen. You also get a Heads-Up Display called the Active Driving Display that places all the essential information such as vehicle speed in your line of sight so you do not need to take your eyes off the road.

Zipping through Los Angeles traffic, yes actually zipping through Los Angeles traffic from Orange County, I made amazing time in the CX-3 on my way to Hollywood and the blue carpet for the U.S. Premiere of Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales! The drive was smooth and relaxing and the CX-3 had plenty of power to make it's way through Los Angeles.

The cast and crew take to the stage including Captain Jack Sparrow himself, Johnny Depp!

The next couple of days were off to Disneyland to celebrate my birthday! This is what the smooth style, called "Kodo" of the CX-3 looks like in a nearly empty Disneyland parking lot.

The large 18 inch alloy wheels are new for 2017.

The best way to celebrate your birthday is at Disneyland with great friends and of course a special treat or two!

Speaking of treats I treated myself to a Matterhorn Macaroon donut! Disneyland offers handcrafted donuts every day until they sell out.

And it was also a great time to enjoy one of my favorite meals in Disneyland, the chicken meal at the Plaza Inn. The fried chicken is one of the best fried chicken's in the entire area!

An overnight trip was also in order! I headed down to the San Diego area for the night! The drive was perfect and I loved the bright LED headlights with Adaptive Front-Lighting System that curves the road while driving.

The standard SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter engine comes on all models, paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine provided plenty of power on the freeway and going up and over the terrain in the San Diego foothills. The powertrain offering produces 146 horsepower and gets 29 mpg city / 34 mpg hwy / 31 mpg combined.

Amble room in the trunk was perfect for an overnight getaway!

And of course food was on the agenda! Sangria flight anyone?

Cajun seafood pasta was perfectly spicy and went perfectly with the sangria!

And a little salted caramel pudding for dessert was the perfect way to end the meal!

Options include a Tech Package on the Touring model, which puts together a premium Bose audio system, the panoramic moonroof and both satellite and HD radio. The i-ACTIVSENSE package, also available on the Grand Touring model, includes Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC), automatic Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) and Smart Brake Support (SBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), High Beam Control (HBC), automatic on/off headlights and rain-sensing wipers.

Every model gets standard Mazda Connect infotainment with a 7.0-inch touchscreen and rearview camera, Bluetooth streaming audio and phone connectivity, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows and locks, tilt/telescoping steering wheel with wheel-mounted controls, and keyless ignition.

Touring models get blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, six-speaker stereo, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, heated side mirrors, and brighter interior accents.

Opt for the top-of-the-line Grand Touring model and you get all of the Touring’s features, plus LED headlights with adaptive lighting, LED fog lights, LED taillights, a head-up display, leather seats with suede inserts, heated front seats, Bose audio with seven speakers, satellite radio, navigation, automatic climate control, and paddle shifters.

The CX-3 starts at $19,960 to the version of the Grand Touring I tested that topped out at $27,755. A solid driving experience from a subcompact-crossover combining great technology with a lot of options and features.

Vehicle Review: 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited - Dapper Day, Food Adventures and Guardians of The Galaxy, Vol. 2

It's time for another vehicle review and this time it is for the 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited! The Limited was my vehicle for some of my favorite events of the year including Spring Dapper Day at Disneyland, food adventures and an early media screening to Guardians of The Galaxy, Vol. 2!

We started our review week with the Dapper Day Expo at The Disneyland Hotel! For those of you not familiar with Dapper Day, it is a twice yearly event at Disneyland and almost every Disney theme park around the world. The idea was inspired by the original concept art for the park and throwback to a simpler time when men and women and yes, even children dressed up in their Sunday best to venture out into the world. While not an official Disney event, this fan event has grown to cover various time periods and grows in popularity every year. Along with my friend Kristen, it is one of my favorite Disney events of the year.

The weekend event includes a Dapper Day Expo held at The Disneyland Hotel convention center. Various companies show off their Dapper goods from women's clothing to men's clothing to accessories.

Using the Samsung Gear 360 camera to take this really fun photo of Kristen and myself at the Dapper Day Expo!

After a great day at the Dapper Day Expo, it was an early Sunday start to head to Disneyland for Dapper Day! The Elantra, while a compact four door sedan, is transformed into a premium sedan with the Limited option! The exterior has a gorgeous chrome grille and chrome door handles! There are also stunning LED daytime running lights, LED taillights and even door handle approach lights. And the 17-inch alloy wheels are stunning!

The premium features continue inside with standard leather seats. You will also find that the front seats are heated, a power driver's seat, a leather wrapped steering wheel and keyless entry with push- button start. There is nothing like arriving at Dapper Day at Disneyland in style!

Kristen and I went to Dapper Day, Disney Bounding as Carl and Ellie from the Pixar film UP. Disney Bounding is creating a look that emulates a Disney character without actually dressing up exactly like them which would be cosplay. All of our accessories are handcrafted from various people. Kristen's Ellie badge parasol and my UP balloons umbrella were big hits!

It is always a great day in the parks and thrilled with how many people liked our outfits and accessories.

Another successful Dapper Day for us!

The hands-free smart trunk came in handy to put away all of our Dapper Day accessories.

After a successful Dapper Day it is time for a food adventure! The first place is Birthdae Cake in Fountain Valley! The above is actually edible cookie dough on an ice cream cone! Absolutely amazing!

The next adventure was to Nitrolado, also in Fountain Valley, that specializes in nitrogen ice cream, but I was here for the churro pops! Fresh made churros wrapped into a lollipop! This is the maple bacon churro pop!

Time to head back into the cockpit and drive! The dual climate control system, a large 7-inch color display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, USB ports, a rearview camera, BlueLink, blind spot detection with rear-traffic alert are all included.

There are two package options to choose from, the tech or the ultimate package. While the tech package can be purchased alone, the ultimate package requires you to get the tech package as well. The tech package adds navigation with a larger 8-inch touchscreen, an Infinity audio system with eight speakers that include a center speaker and a subwoofer, a power sunroof, heated rear seats and a auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The ultimate package adds HID headlights with dynamic bending light technology to help around corners, automatic high beam assist, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, smart cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and a memory system for the driver's seat and exterior mirrors.

And all of this tech and luxury is more than enough to emulate a spaceship as I head to my final adventure of the week and that was an early media screening of Guardians of The Galaxy, Vol. 2! I loved the first one and the sequel is one of my most anticipated films of the year and I was not let down. Taking the characters that we learned about in the first one and expanding upon their relationships and motivations make this a huge summer movie!

My new Baby Groot popcorn bucket and sipper! I love these so much because I am just a big kid!

The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine creates 147 horsepower and provides plenty of power for your daily driving needs. I had no problems in the Southern California area at all. Getting onto the freeways was a breeze with the horsepower as well city driving. The ride was smooth though the cabin wasn't whisper quiet which is a problem with small cars. The Limited gets 32 MPG combines with 28 in the city and 37 on the highway.

The Elantra starts off at $17,150 but the Limited Edition with both the tech and ultimate packages brings the total to $27,880. You also get the best warranty with a five-year, 60,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty and a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. There is also five years of complimentary roadside assistance.

A stylish looking compact sedan with a ton of options and the best warranty in the business make this a vehicle that should not be overlooked.