FORD F-150 LIGHTNING

ALL-ELECTRIC LIGHTNING HAS ALL THE VIRTUES OF FORD’S BEST-SELLING F-150

The biggest difference between the all-electric Ford Lightning pickup and the gas-powered version of the company’s best-selling F-150 is that the drivetrain is pretty much the only difference in the two.

That results in differences in performance, of course, but the Ford Lightning is a true truck that delivers a smooth and quiet ride and fuel economy that the standard F-150 can’t come close to matching.

Though it may lag in chores like long-distance towing, the Lightning is up to handling routine truck-like tasks and makes good use of the space vacated by replacement of the V8 engine up front with a large stowage space dubbed a frunk.

Introduced as a 2022 model, the Ford F-150 Lightning has undergone little change since then. Though our test vehicle was a 2024 model, the 2025 version gets only minor updates, though one is a Tesla-style adapter that considerably expands public charging opportunities.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is offered in four trims for 2025 with the XLT serving as the base. Our test version was the top-of-the-line Platinum trim. In between are Flash and Lariat editions.

Standard features on the Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum include such niceties as heated and ventilated front seats, second-row heated seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, sliding rear window, woodgrain and chrome interior accents, a hotspot telematic modem, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, and dual-zone climate control.

Safety features include a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, pre-collision assist, lane-keeping system, blind-spot warning, evasive steering assist, and forward collision prevention assist with emergency braking.

What sets the Lightning apart from your ordinary F-150 is the power from the dual electric motors. With the standard range battery,  horsepower is 452 hp. Horsepower is the 580 hp with the extended range battery. The 775 pound-feet of torque is the same with either battery.

All-wheel drive is standard, and zero-to-60 mph time is a lightning quick 4.0 seconds.

Towing capacity is a generous 10,000 pounds for Flash and Lariat trims, 7,700 for XLT models, and 8,500 for the Platinum. Range is seriously impacted, however, depending on the size of the load. While the extended range battery can deliver up to 300 miles between charges, trailering a large load can cut that in half according to various sources.

Another downer for the Ford F-150 Lightning is the price. The base XLT trim starts at $63,345, which is close to the starting price for the upgraded Lariat trim in the gas-engine F-150.

The F-150 Flash trim starts at $69,995 and the Lariat at $76,995. Thet Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum starts at $84,995. Add options like BlueCruise hands-free driving, a mobil power cord, bedliner, and the Rapid Red exterior and my test Ford F-150 Platinum checked in at $90,760 including a hefty $2,995 destination and delivery charge.

What I liked about the Ford Lightning Platinum: The roomy Supercrew cabin has the ambience of a high grade SUV.  Grab handles on the A pillar and a running board make getting in and out a snap.The ride is comfortable, especially on expressways. Front storage capacity (frunk) is spacious.

What I didn’t like about the Ford Lightning Platinum: The size is a bit overwhelming, making for challenging situations on crowded urban streets and mall parking lots. Sometimes touches to the large touchscreen are slow to react, which can create a hazardous situation if you are driving and by yourself. Towing a particular large load seriously impacts range. 

Would I buy the Ford Lightning Platinum? I’m not in the market for a truck of any type but the Lightning does have some advantages over the popular gas-powered F-150. I’d stay away if you do a lot of towing over long distances. If you don’t, have at it.

2025 CADILLAC ESCALADE

ESCALADE GETS MID-CYCLE REFRESHING
AFTER PASSING QUARTER-CENTURY MARK

For just over a quarter of a century the Cadillac Escalade has enjoyed an elite status in the rap music community, a symbol of glitz and glamour that boldly flaunts an air of success in hip hop culture.

But more than just rap stars are buying the Escalade as evidenced by recent sales results. Cadillac reported a jump of nearly 39 percent in Escalade sales in the first quarter of 2025 with 12,683 sold from January through March compared to 9,135 in a similar stretch a year earlier.

Confirming data isn’t available, but I’m thinking it’s a safe bet there aren’t over 12,000 rappers in the world, at least successful ones that can meet a price tag that can easily venture into six figures.

In its fifth generation, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade gets a mid-cycle refreshing that includes an illuminated bigger grille, revised taillights, new colors, an expanded 55-inch curved display with updated infotainment features, standard Super Cruise hands-free driving, and more safety features.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade is offered as an all-electric vehicle, the Escalade IQ, and in a larger version, the Escalade ESV, but this review is based on the 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum edition with all-wheel drive and powered by beefy 6.2-liter V8 engine.

Luxury, Premium Luxury, Premium Luxury Platinum, and Sport models get the same 420 horsepower V8 that puys out 460 pound-feet of torque and the Escalade-V gets a supercharged V8 that boosts power numbers to 682 and 653, respectively.

All engines are matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum AWD is a thirsty beast with fuel economy figures of 14 miles-per-gallon city,  18 miles highway, and 16 combined. Escalades with 2-wheel drive add a mile to each number.

All Escalades have three-row seating with capacity at seven or eight passengers depending on the second-row configuration (captain’s chairs or bench seating). The V-Series comes with standard all-wheel drive, which is optional on other trims.

The inside of my test 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum was spacious (44.5 inches of legroom in the first row, 41.7 in the second, and 34.9 in the far back) and packed with all kinds of standard goodies.

They included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 40-speaker audio system, heated and ventilated front seats, power assist open and close doors, power panoramic sunroof, semi-Aniline seating surfaces for all three rows, a sueded microfiber headliner, hands-free power liftgate, a massage function for the front seats, adaptive cruise control, tri-zone climate control, and a rear-seat entertainment system.

Also included in the $119.895 starting MSRP are safety systems like night vision, enhanced automatic emergency braking, reverse automatic breaking, HD surround vision, forward collision alert, and rear pedestrian alert.

My test 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum added an Executive Second Row Seating Package (heated and ventilated, seats, Captain’s chairs, a console, power massage for the second row),  24-inch wheels, a refrigerator for the front console, and Deep Seat Metallic exterior paint.

That ran the final tab to $132,515 including the $1,995 destination and delivery charge. The base Luxury trim starts at just under $90,000 and the Sport and Premium Luxury models keep pricing in five figures (though barely) and the Escalade-V starts in the $160,000 bracket. 

What I liked about the 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum: It’s a great cruiser on expressways. Super Cruise (hands-free driving) is standard with a 3-year subscription. The V8 engine packs plenty of punch. Lots of room for both passengers and their stuff (25.5 cubic feet of cargo space) for traveling. Retractable running boards ease getting in and out. Doors secure automatically if not closed properly.

What I didn’t like about the 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum:   The size is overwhelming. It can be frustrating looking for parking spaces in crowded mall lots or just driving in close quarters. The V8 engine is definitely on the thirsty side.

Would I buy the 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum: Far too big for my taste and needs, but if a domestic large luxury SUV is on your list, your choices are limited.

CAR CARE

 

SOUTH FLORIDA AUTOMOTIVE

MEDIA GETS BRIEFING ON CAR CARE

If you are a car enthusiast — i.e., someone who looks at an automobile as a gift from God and not merely a mode of transportation — you probably spend a lot of Saturday mornings washing and often waxing you pride and joy.

Hate to be tell you this but you are probably doing it wrong.

Well, maybe wrong is overstating it a bit. After all, you’re getting your car cleaned and that’s the point.

But you can do so much more as a presentation by Blake Beamish and Jaime Ayara of Meguiar’s car care products revealed to South Florida media members at last week’s meeting of the Southern Automotive Media Association (SAMA).

Mequiar’s started out in 1901 making furniture polish but founder Frank Meguiar quickly recognized that the automobiles that were gaining popularity in the 1910s had the same wooden finishes as the furniture his products were targeting.

After working for years with manufacturers and dealers, Meguiar’s expanded into the consumer market in the 1970s. Today Meguiar’s offers hundreds of products for your car, boat, or recreational vehicle and choosing the right one depends on several factors.

“The No. 1 question very often we get is ‘What product do I use to accomplish whatever that goal might be with whatever problem they might have with their vehicle?’,” Blake Beamish, Global Portfolio Manager for Meguiar’s, said during his portion of the presentation. “We usually answer that question with more questions.

“We’ll ask about the condition of the surface, not necessarily how old the vehicle is but what’s its condition. What are your goals? Are you trying to get your car Show Car ready or are you just trying to clean it up.

“And also how much time to you have? Do you want to dedicate an entire weekend to cleaning your car?”



Evaluating the condition of the surface is actually the first in a three-step operation. The next step is getting the right product, and the final is using good technique. No, you don’t use the swirling “wax on, wax off” procedure popularized in the Karate Kid movie. That can lead to streaks in the surface. Wipe in a straight motion in one direction.

“So there are a lot of questions that go into what products you use,”Beamish said. “A lot of people ask us how many products do you have. The answer is hundreds. We have all these products to solve all these problems.”

Steps for a full clean can be broken down into five categories: wash (using quality tools like a micro-fiber mitt), clean (using a clay bar kit to remove items like road tar clay, tree sap, or other contaminants), polish for a high-grade shine (Meguiar’s offers 10 different polishes, including liquid and spray-on options), protect (wax/ceramic coating), and maintain.

“Frequent car care is easy car care,” Beamish said. “So just make sure that you are washing your car frequently. Washing it frequently we have these products that are called spray detailers. They are really great products to just have on hand. It’s a way to give your car that’s just been washed a detailed look by just spraying it and wiping off. It’s especially great for removing bird droppings. We also have some waterless products as well.”

And a final tip: “We also recommend washing the wheels first before you wash the car,” Beamish said. “That way if there is overspray (from the wheel cleaning product) you’re able to wash it off when you wash the car.”

For a review of the products you can visit the company website at www.meguiars.com. products include even waterless washes.

2025 KIA K4

KIA RETURNS TO SMALL CAR ROOTS

WITH INTRODUCTION OF K4  SEDAN

Kia kind of gets back to its roots with the introduction of the 2025 Kia K4, a well-equipped compact sedan that replaces the Forte in the company’s stable.

A partner to the Kia K5 midsize sedan that replaced the Kia Optima back in 2021, the 2025 Kia K4 offers the latest technology and lots of room at a competitive price in a segment dominated by imports from Japan and its South Korean colleague Hyundai.

Styling is bolder than its Forte predecessor and when it comes to quality, the 2025 Kia K4 is miles ahead of the small Sephia sedan that along with the Sportage SUV marked the company’s first venture into the U.S. market.

Since earning a reputation in the 1990s of producing shall we say less than reliable vehicles, the overall quality of the Kia fleet has risen to the top of the charts. J.D. Power ranked the K4’s immediate predecessor, the 2024 Kia Forte, the highest in its listing of top compact cars last year.

The 2025 Kia K4 is offered in five trim levels. This review is based on the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo that sits at the top of a portfolio that also includes LS, LSX, EX, and GT-Line models, Most come with a 2.0 4-cylinder engine that tops out at 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. The turbo inline-4 in the GT-Line Turbo bumps those figures up to 190 hp and 195 lb.-ft., which gives it a more satisfying performance.

All K4s run on regular gas with the power boost in the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo making it a bit thirstier with EPA fuel economy figures of 26 miles-per-gallon city, 36 highway, and 29 combined compared to 30/40/34 for the base LS and 29/39/33 for the other trims.

The GT-Line Turbo also gets an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddles for manual gear selection. Other trims come with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT),  which Kia dubs as “Intelligent.”

All 2025 Kia K4s are front wheel drive. GT-Line and GT-Line Turbo models ride on 18-inch wheels, other trims 16 or 17.

Inside a rather spacious cabin is where the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo stands out. Standard comfort and conveniences features include a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, power driver’s seat with power lumbar, Smart key with push-button and remote start, and a GT-Line Sport steering wheel. Seat surfaces are of cloth and Syntex synthetic material.

Safety systems include lane-keeping assist, blind-spot collision avoidance, forward collision avoidance assist,  rear-cross traffic collision avoidance, and navigation-based Smart cruise control.

Also included at no extra cost to the $28,090 starting MSRP were such features as a power sunroof, LED headlights, fog lights, and tail lamps, a Harmon Kardan premium sound system, and alloy sport pedals. It also came with a 1.4L Turbo engine.

A Technology Package added such features as a Smart phone digital key, memory driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, reverse parking collision avoidance, surround-view and blind-spot monitors, multi-color ambient lighting and Kia’s Highway Driving Assist2 system (adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, and lane-centering assist).

All that plus the $1,155 destination and delivery fee ran the final total to $31,445.

What I liked about the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo: A lot of friendly-to-operate tech features are included as standard. Hard buttons serve as easy access to some basic functions like the navigation map, radio, and AC blower and temp controls. The interior is comfortable and roomy with 42.1 inches of legroom up front and 38 in the rear. ‘the cargo area also is generous for the segment at 14.6 cubic feet. If you like large cupholders, you’ll love the ones on the console.

What I didn’t like about the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo: No manual transmission or hybrid version is offered. You might expect a bit livelier performance from the turbo.

Would I buy the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo? The price line makes this very competitive in the segment making it a definite “yes” if shopping in the segment.