Vehicle Review: 2014 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring

Take a look at the 2014 Mazda MX-5! This was my first sports car and also my first convertible to review! I took my review car up to Northern California for a week and drove over 1,200 miles! Let's check out some of the great places I went to visit and of course learn more about the car itself! Let's jump into the review!

All ready to hit the road and make the drive up the I-5 to Sacramento! I love the big 17" alloy wheels!

Time to drive but first let me take a selfie! Yes, I am parked and not driving! Safety first!

But before I get too carried away with my trip, let's take a look at the 2014 Mazda MX-5 itself! The smooth lines are impossible to ignore! That huge "smile" of the grill is like the MX-5 is telling you it is happy to be driven! The car says sports car, speed and sexy without even saying a single word! There is more than enough horsepower to zip around traffic with the greatest of ease. Plus I was surprised by the gas mileage. A full tank got about 300 miles. It was easy to want to drive everywhere on my trip and I did!

Brilliantly bright xenon headlights and fog lights throw more than enough light to light up the night!

The cabin actually has a lot of room and the layout is simple enough. The steering wheel has both cruise and audio controls. It was cool to see a 6-disc CD changer even though I mostly made use of the Sirius Satellite Radio!  

This is part of a 7 speaker Bose system provide for incredible surround sound as you drive with the top up or down! I was surprised by the audio quality with the top down and driving on the Southern California freeways!

The seats are tight and almost body forming. They hold you well as you drive and take sharp turns. I was very comfortable during my 6 hour drive from Southern California to Northern California.

And taking the top down is a simple one touch button system! I can't tell you how great it was to drive with the top down and have the wind in my hair!

The smooth lines continue to the back of the MX-5.

As to be expected not a whole lot of trunk space here! But I easily fit my suitcase and several other items back here for my trip!

I took the MX-5 to visit this replica of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The travel stories that these two could share.

I also took the MX-5 to the oldest operating McDonald's in the United States. You will find this in Downey, California. This location has a great museum and they still make the fried apple pies and not the baked ones!

Love the look of the oldest operating McDonald's with the smooth lines of the Mazda MX-5!

On the way up to Sacramento I took advantage of one of the vista points along the I-5! Such great lighting and scenery along the way!

As you head up or down the I-5 stop in Kettleman City and go to Bravo Farms! A great stop for BBQ, or ice cream, or wine tasting, plus they have a play area and a shooting gallery!

If you stop here make sure you pick up a glass bottle of root beer milk! Yes, root beer milk! It tastes like a root beer float! So good! I stopped here on my way up north and on my way back down south! And you know I bought root beer milk each time!

Another vista point with a great view of some of the central valley's farmland.

Sacramento is not only the home of my mom and dad but also a cool relocated Disney landmark! These are the old California letters that once stood in front of the entrance to Disney California Adventure! They are now in front of Cal Expo, home to the California State Fair!

Finishing up the review with a few more photos of the Sacramento River. With the sun going down on my last day of my trip, it was fitting to get these photos of the Mazda MX-5.

The 2014 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring is the perfect car for those that are single, couples without children or adults with kids out of the house. The car is sleek and demands attention.

The Grand touring that I reviewed came in at $32,735.00. It comes with a 36 month/36,000 mile 'bumper to bumper' warranty, a 60 month/60,000 mile powertrain warranty, and 24 hour roadside assistance.

I loved driving this car! It was sad to return the MX-5. The car just begs to be taken out on the open road!


*Disclaimer: The vehicle was provided for a week to review and the review is strictly my own opinion.*

Vehicle Review: 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer SE

Here is my second review of a Mitsubishi vehicle.

This is the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer SE that was a lot of fun to drive! The  2.4-liter four cylinder engine produces 168 hp that provided a lot of power to get through Orange County traffic. The winding roads of Trabuco Canyon provided a great test of the handling of this car as it easily made its way through miles of curvy roads!

The smooth lines of the Lancer are very attractive and provides for a distinctive look.

Taking a look at the 2.4-liter four cylinder engine that makes 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. The SE comes standard with a CVT and all-wheel drive.

The cockpit and dashboard are very simplistic and downplay's the aggressive nature of the car's exterior. The factory stereo system is so unappealing especially after the the great stereo systems in the Kia's. It appears that the Lancer's stereo can only be upgraded with factory stereos and nothing after market. 

The environmental controls are very easily within reach.

The center console is nicely laid out. Nothing is intrusive or difficult to reach.

So weird to have an actual key after so many cars have push to start. I think Kia has spoiled me with push to start vehicles.

Taking a closer look at the dashboard reveals an easy to read display.

Lots of leg room in the back. The fold down cup holders are not too intrusive unless you are a larger or taller person.

The premium package adds the sunroof.

Ample trunk space to be found here.

The premium package also adds a 710 watt Rockford Fosgate punch premium sound system with nine speakers including a 10-inch subwoofer.

One of the best features is the full size spare. Something that you don't seem to find much anymore.

The 2013 Mitsubishi Lance is a great car to drive on a budget. With the premium package, the vehicle comes out to $22,640.00! A solid car with lots of power, great styling and handling but little effort on the interior.

Vehicle Review: 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid

Every driven a hybrid? Well, I got to drive my first hybrid this past week. What did I think of it and is a hybrid right for you? Well, read on!

The non-hybrid Kia Optima is already my favorite vehicle review ever. Such a beautiful vehicle! Smooth European styling makes this car look better and better each time I see it! Peter Schreyer is the guy in charge of design and he came from Audi so you can see the influence.

Aggressive features make this a total standout car!

Powerful HID headlights cut through the night with ease!

Well thought out cockpit. Everything is easily within reach!The navigation center is angled slightly towards the driver than the previous model I tested. I like the subtle change as it keeps the information closer to the drivers peripheral vision.

The navigation system is spot on and makes driving from destination to destination a breeze! Calculation of your destination as well as any recalculation is quick. Plus, the Sirius XM is one of the best things to keep you company on any length drive. And I love the rear view camera! I hope one day that the Optima will also get the side mirror blind spot detection system that the Sorento has. Nothing like making it easier for the driver to spot other vehicles or people.

The bluetooth connectivity is easy to set up and making phone calls is a breeze. Speaker quality is top notch and had no problem hearing the person on the other side and they had no problem hearing me.

 Easy to read dash even in daylight! I love that the gauges are simple to read and are nice and bright!

You can see where the vehicle gets its power from as it switches back and forth from engine to battery. The change from one to the other is pretty much flawless. The car is super quiet and when you start it up, it's so weird to not hear a thing.

The gas engine cranks out 159 HP which is great for heading for long distances, over the grapevine or just driving around town. The tank is a huge 17.5 gallon tank and with an average of 37 miles per gallon for both city and highway makes for one long road trip!

 Lil Oishi loves being environmentally friendly!

The EX model is fully loaded! HID headlights, a panoramic sunroof, 17-inch aluminum wheels, an Infinity audio system, an eight-way power driver’s seat, Kia’s UVO infotainment system, heated front and rear seats, and a cooled driver’s seat are all standard on this model!

You never realize how nice it would be to have air cooling seat backs until you have a hot, humid summer day!

Memory drivers seat that slides back when you turn the car off to allow you an easier exit. The seats are very comfortable and almost feel like they were built just for you.

These outlets are on the center console and are easy to reach and give you a variety of charging options.

With the Optima having push to start, this is also the space that I leave my keys and key fob. I don't like having the keys in my pocket. This was a problem with the Mazda 3i Grand Touring as it didn't have a convenient place for me to toss my keys.

The drivers side door has all the typical control options.

Infinity speakers offer crystal clear sound throughout the entire vehicle.

Lots of leg room in the back. These seats are just as comfortable as the front seats.

Powerful air conditioning vents for the rear passengers.

Pulldown cup holders and additional arm rest for the back.

Each rear door has an additional space for another drink if you need it.

 One of my favorite features, the double panoramic sunroof! It is just a beautiful as the rest of the car!

Look at that view! So great to look at the stars or watch the rain fall down.

Lots of trunk space is perfect for grocery shopping or going on vacation!

No spare tire but a tire repair kit is supplied.

One last look at the beautiful Kia Optima Hybrid!

The model that I test drove came fully equipped a $32, 725.00 with all the features discussed above. 

An impressive vehicle that handles fantastically! I loved driving my first hybrid and did not notice any real difference in power or handling from its regular gas engine version. The biggest difference is obviously the quietness of the vehicle. One of the best I have driven still and hope one day someone like Oprah will buy it for me!

Stylish good looks, a well equipped car, and great power and gas mileage make this Kia Optima Hybrid EX a winner! A must buy in my book!