The Auto Channel's Andrew Frankl at Best of the Bay 2024

By Andrew Frankl
European Bureau Chief
The Auto Channel
2024 Best of the Bay

Santa Cruz California, October 2024; It would be silly to pretend that driving new, exotic cars in Santa Cruz was anything but fun. Educational-of course, exciting-absolutely, requiring maximum concentration-without doubt.

The appropriately named Dream Inn was HQ for the two days during which 17 auto writers from the Bay Area caught up with the very latest products .

At one end you had the truly adorable Fiat 500E from Stellantis with stable mate Dodge Durango with a 6.2 liter semi engine. I tested one after the other and it did take some adjusting.

As the Dodge Durango is presented as the SRT Hellcat Last Call AWD you don’t have to be a genius to figure out that this amazing machine will not be with us much longer.

If you can afford to buy one for just over 100 thousand dollars you should, because it will become an instant classic. The engine alone is a masterpiece.

Having said that it will not save the world with fuel consumption of about 15mpg, but as a reminder of a bygone age it is wonderful. especially in Texas and most definitely not in leafy Belvedere, California where the speed limit is 25 miles per hour.

Moving swiftly on I must mention the Genesis brand, something I knew little about as I‘ve never ever had one for test before. Taking just one, the 2025 GV80 3.5T MHEV AWD (phew), the specification itself is awesome.3.5liter twin turbo with supercharger it looked stunning and went like smoke.

The interior of the three Genesis cars belonged some very modern houses in Malibu Beach, the colors, the stitching of the leather, the total silence as the GV80 was gliding along reminded me of the days when I was a Rolls-Royce chauffeur many moons ago. Maybe there isn’t a dealer in Marin County but should there be one the Mercedes and BMW dealers whose products currently fill the parking lots of the San Francisco Yacht Club and the Belvedere Tennis Club would have plenty to worry about. The Genesis prices in the upper 80s are in line with the best of what Germany can offer.

It was an eye opener for me.

The joker in the pack was definitely Hyundai’s 2025 Ioniq 5 N AWD which is every schoolboy’s dream. Fully electric and full of fun this baby was made for the young or young at heart. An 18 year could figure out all the gizmos-of which there are many. The one that blew my socks off was the button which made the Ioniq leap forward at insane speeds.

At 67 thousand this is a very expensive toy essentially for techies but having said that you don’t have to be a boy racer 24/7. Bit like a Ferrari, you know you can go fast but drifting down Worth Avenue in West Palm would be just as satisfying. A very special product the likes of which I’ve never come across.

After the Ioniq, KIA’s 2025 Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige seems pretty mundane but frankly anything short of a Porsche 911 would have been.

1.6L turbocharged GDI hybrid powertrain was impressive and tremendous value for at just over 50 thousand dollars. It always astonishes me how the KIA company has the courage to offer 100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty.

Offering 33 miles per gallon the Carnival should certainly be on your shopping list before making a decision.

I hope my many friends at Lexus will forgive me if I am somewhat disappointed by the styling or rather lack of on the 2024 Lexus GX 550 Premium+4AWD.

Once you are inside it is a different matter. The 349 hp 3.5 lit V6 twin turbo pulls well and you are sitting in total comfort while carrying half a soccer team in the back!

I will be getting the GX for an extended test in the future when I will be able to tell you more about it.

The Range Rover-my all time favorite felt just right dodging all the boarders getting ready to Hit the waves. Funky old place Santa Cruz, helps if you are a boarder, tourists are about as welcome as in Barcelona these days.

We managed.

The Range Rover came with a striker price of 118 thousand dollars but as they are discontinuing gas driven cars there might be some bargains to be had. Conversely fans of the brand might want to buy the last non-electric ones. Either way I have driven many over the years and I love them.

Truth be told they had my vote.

Overall though after a great deal of deliberation the collective vote for the Best of Bay went to the all electric Lucid.

I had a chance to drive it and it is lovely. Quiet, comfortable and has an amazing range of over 350 miles. Like all EV makers they are losing money presently but as they have the financial clout of Saudi Arabia behind them the chances of Lucid going bust are nil.

The Toyota Camry hybrid was rock solid and at 42 thousand had a great deal to offer. It is I believe the best selling car in the USA and if the testimony of Uber and Lyft drivers can be believed a Camry will go well over 200 thousand miles without any trouble whatsoever. I think it is every middle class family’s dream and rightly so.

So ended the second, highly successful Best of the Bay test days brilliantly organized by Melissa Taylor of Page One and Aaron Hansen of the Drive Shop. Well done to all concerned, can’t wait for B of B 3!