From $113K Luxury SUVs to Overlooked Muscle Cars: This Week's Auto Deep Dive

The automotive world spans an incredible spectrum from practical daily drivers to ultra-luxury vehicles that cost more than many homes. We dive deep into both extremes with our detailed examinations of the completely redesigned 2025 Infinity QX80 Autograph AWD and the efficient 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid XSE AWD.

The third-generation QX80 represents Infinity's flagship luxury SUV, combining imposing presence with incredible comfort features. With heated, ventilated, and massaging seats for both front and second-row occupants, a cutting-edge 14.3-inch touchscreen, digital instruments, and advanced safety features, this seven-passenger behemoth delivers a first-class experience. Powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 generating 450 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, it also offers substantial capability with 8,500 pounds of towing capacity. We explore whether its smooth air ride suspension, opulent quilted leather, and 24-speaker Klipsch audio system justify the eye-watering $113,965 price tag (yes, that includes the $355 optional umbrella holder).

Between our modern SUV reviews, we take a fascinating detour into automotive history with the overlooked 1971 Plymouth GTX. This gorgeous Mopar muscle car arrived just as the muscle car era was winding down, resulting in limited production despite its stunning fastback styling and powerful 440 cubic inch V8 options. With only 326 examples produced with the desirable 440+6 and four-speed manual transmission, values have skyrocketed to $150,000+ for well-restored examples.

Finally, we examine the American-built 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid XSE AWD, which delivers 219 horsepower and excellent fuel economy in a practical, versatile package. Priced at $43,509 as tested, we compare it to hybrid competitors from Honda, Hyundai, and Ford while evaluating its balanced capabilities for both daily commuting and light off-road adventures.

What's your take on these vastly different approaches to the SUV market? Would you splurge for the ultra-luxury QX80 or opt for the practical efficiency of the RAV4 Hybrid? Share your thoughts and join the conversation!

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Transcript

2025 Infinity QX80 Review

Speaker 1 0:04

all right time now for this hour's car review. Mr mars has the infinity qx80 to talk about the big infinity qx80.

Speaker 2 0:12

Now this is the 2025 infinity qx80 autograph. Trim level all-wheel drive. Now there are four different trim levels and starting with the pure, the lux, the sensory and the autograph. So we had I mean yes, and so we had the top of the line and it comes with all the lux, the sensory and the autograph. So we had I mean yes, so we had the top of the line and it comes with all-wheel drive. That's just the way you're going to get it. Now the final assembly for this vehicle is in la, so it's actually one of the cars that's built, put together, assembled in the united states. It's been redesigned for 2025.

Speaker 2 0:40

This, so this starts the third generation of this particular vehicle and and again we were talking about the autograph all-wheel drive comes with a standard seven-passenger. It's a seven-passenger vehicle, but you can get an optional bench seat in the second row so that you can make it a passenger. It's considered a standard SUV, but to me, this is a very large full-size SUV, but your government says it is a standard. But to me, this is a very large, full-size SUV, but your government says it is a standard. Now, outside, you're going to find a very large distinctive grille. It's got sharp LED headlights on it. It's got auto-folding, heated outside mirrors. It's got roof rails on it. It's got a motion-activated liftgate.

Speaker 2 1:18

Panoramic moonroof Not a sunroof but a moonroof and this is just a big vehicle. 22 inch wheels contribute to the luxury SUV. Look on it and the stance on it. Now. Inside you can find quilted leather upholstery. That too. Front seats are heated, ventilated and massaging. The second row, another set of captain's chairs, are also heated, ventilated and massaging. The third row is heated as well, and there are touch screens back there for the passengers to use. Up front, you're going to find a 14.3 inch center touch screen. You're going to find the digital instrument cluster for the driver as well as a heads-up display, and it's got that digital rear view mirror that I think just about everybody ought to go to just a much nicer view of what's behind you, even with a lot of people in the back.

Speaker 2 2:04

Technology I like it Technology it's wireless phone charger. It's got Google Apps in it, which gave me some issues because I like Apple CarPlay and I had to adapt not very well. Android Auto Now it did have the 24-speaker clips you and your Apple. Apple, yeah, 24-speaker clips audio system. Now that meant that in the headrest it's got two speakers, one on each side of the driver's head, and it's very nice when you're talking on the phone because it puts that phone conversation much easier to hear, but you still ignore them anyway, like you do us here on the show.

Speaker 2 2:37

He's got you blocked. Yeah, you're just blocked. The worst part is it's so much bigger to put that in there. It's already a big headrest. It's bigger if you're trying to look to your side, like we were taught to drive that way.

Speaker 1 2:49

Look back you can't see. Has anybody told you that? Yeah?

Speaker 2 2:53

uh, not in the last five minutes. The other thing we had I wanted to point out we had the optional umbrella holder at 355 dang 355 here.

Speaker 2 3:04

Hold this, yeah, yeah we had a 3.5-liter V6 twin turbo, which is the only engine that's available Up to, because it's a variable compression on the turbo. It's up to 450 horsepower, 516 pound-feet of torque, backed by a nine-speed automatic. So this vehicle can tow up to 8,500 pounds. Now EPA says in the city you should be looking for 16, highway 19, combined 17. Now I drove 433.5 miles in this vehicle and got 18.7 overall. I was very happy with that, with the mileage that I put on it, since it weighs about 10 tons.

Speaker 2 3:40

Absolutely One thing about the ride and handling it does have the air ride suspension, so the highway ride is smooth. It's pretty quiet, unless you really hammer that v6 and then you kind of hear a little bit of engine noise. But if you're just driving, uh easing up to cruise speed, even at uh i-10 speeds, you're just fine around town. It is very quiet, it is easy to drive. But you got to remember it's a big vehicle. So when you go to parker's thing you know you're driving a big vehicle. Now, base model price $82,450. Whoa, whoa, whoa, just wait.

Speaker 1 4:10

Just hold on Base trim price $109,900. And the price.

Speaker 2 4:17

And the as-tested price with a $355 optional umbrella holder is $113,965.

Speaker 3 4:24

Yeah, I don't want the umbrella holder. Pocket change Take a hundred grand, you know what?

Speaker 1 4:28

They've got people right out there in the driveway here at the Hemi Hideout taking that money right now. They're waiting for it. One of them just fainted.

Speaker 2 4:34

Now some people may be looking at other things, like the Cadillac Escalade that starts at $88,100. Yeah, the Lincoln Navigator starts at $99,995, which surprised me or even the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer that starts at $84,945. So this is the new Infiniti QX80. This is their big SUV, and if you're looking for something in that category, you really ought to look at this one.

QX80 Performance and Price

Speaker 1 4:58

All right, thank you, mr Mars. The In-Wheel Time Car Talk Show continues after this quick break. Okay, okay, time now for Jeff's Car Culture, the most overlooked Mopar muscle car of the 1970s.

Speaker 3 5:13

Yes, and since we're here at Hemi Hideout, why not?

Speaker 1 5:15

Absolutely, let's just check it out. So here we go.

Speaker 3 5:17

Michael, Let me put the button for you. You're on. So the early 70s were stacked with legends. You had Plymouth Roadrunner, you had Chargers lighting up the street, Youudas prowling the strip and Challengers flexing their serious muscle. If it had a Hemi it got attention. If it looked mean and sounded louder it probably sold well. But somewhere in all that Mopar noise, one car got unfairly lost in the mix. The reason it got overlooked was timing. This car showed up when the party was just starting to wind down.

Speaker 3 5:49

The Plymouth GTX had already been around for a few years by 1971, originally positioned as a gentleman's muscle car. By the time 71 model hit showrooms, the GTX had evolved into his final standalone. Year For this last hurrah of the Plymouth, Plymouth dropped the GTX name onto the redesigned B-Body platform. The result was a slick fastback, coke bottle curves, sculptured lines, arguably one of the best-looking Mopars of that era. The front end looked aggressive. The grill head attitude, the body head bulges like Don gave it some serious street presence. But buyers just weren't biting. Part of the problem was that insurance premiums had started to creep up, Emissions were tightening, Gas prices were staying. Not too friendly for the people that were using it.

Speaker 1 6:34

I don't believe I've ever seen that car.

Speaker 3 6:36

That's why it's one year. People were starting to cool off on the big block performance, but unfortunately that meant the 71 GTX flew under the radar, despite being an absolute beast. Now this P plymouth specs on this. The engine was a 7.2 liter v8 powered 385 horsepower. The torque was 490 foot pounds of torque, 0 to 60 at 5.7 seconds. I thought it'd be a little better than that, but that's what they say.

Overlooked Mopar: 1971 Plymouth GTX

Speaker 3 7:00

Under the hood, the gtx buyers could option up to a mighty 440 cubic inch v8 with a six barrel carburetor setup known to most of us. They'd be three, twos right, it would be the 440 plus six. Uh, the 440 plus six used two, three barrel two I'm sorry, three two-barrel Holley carburetors to create a flow of fuel at the air-made 385 horsepower. The 71 Plymouth sold just over 2,900 of the GTXs and of those only 326 were equipped with the 440 Plus 6 and a four-speed manual, mike, making it the rarest configuration from the majority of muscle cars with the nameplate of that era. To put that into perspective, David Dodge sold about 10,000 Chargers that year. Chevy moved tens of thousands of Chevelles. So there's a big difference, big variance there. Auction prices have been climbing. 71 GTX might go for about $50,000 to $80,000. A properly restored 440 Plus 6 version can easily clear $150,000.

Speaker 3 8:01

So, you know, get your money together. As Hagerty put it, one in good condition is a whopping $166,000. 71 buyers could spec it out with a grabber hood, vacuum-operated scoops that popped out under the throttle, a little bit more intimidation, graphic options and color options.

Speaker 1 8:18

So if you've got a rare one. Check the color options on it.

Speaker 3 8:21

It's going to be a good value car for you.

Speaker 1 8:23

Where is Hovis? How come he doesn't have one? I'm going to rib him about that, because he usually has all the pristine one-of-a-kinds, all of that sort of thing.

Speaker 2 8:33

Well, he's going to have to go shopping On that particular car there. If I'm not mistaken, that car would be even more rare Because I that car would be even more rare because I believe that car is called Sassafras Green.

Speaker 3 8:43

Something like that they had it in 70.

Speaker 2 8:48

I did a GTX in a 70 model that I shot for a magazine. It was that car and his was one of 90 painted that color. So a 71 might be even more rare. I'm thinking it should have been weed back in the day.

2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Review

Speaker 1 8:58

Well, yeah, all right Time now for this hour's car review. We had a chance to drive the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. By the way, the assembly location for this car is Georgetown, kentucky. All right.

Speaker 3 9:18

You go Kentucky, All right, you go.

Speaker 1 9:19

Georgetown. If you're following all of the tariff stuff, this is a built-in American car. Maybe there?

Speaker 3 9:27

should be a requirement on the car reviews from now on, where it's made.

Speaker 1 9:31

Well, as a matter of fact, I sent something to Mars about that that he mentioned where his car was made when he did his review.

Speaker 3 9:37

Yeah.

Speaker 2 9:37

LA is where it shows its final assembly point.

Speaker 1 9:40

Okay Well, mine has got a little accent to it Georgetown, Kentucky. It comes in several trim levels the LE, the XLE, the SE, the Woodland Edition, the XLE Premium and the XSE, along with the Limited. It's a lot, and Toyota's known for that. They have lots of packaged options that they put together and they call it something, and it saves you money as opposed to nitpicking all of the available options. I had the hybrid XSE all-wheel drive. This is a small SUV, seats five. I tried to find out what platform this is on. Well, toyota has got a new platform that is a platform for many of their vehicles. It's not just a Corolla or a Camry anymore that this is placed on. It's a special multi-purpose platform and that's what this utilizes.

Speaker 1 10:36

Exterior changes from last model year none. It was redesigned for 2019. Edgy, angular body style looks great. Sloping rear glass with the sunshade back over the top of it. Dual exhaust tips Really Okay. Bumper, front skid plate is melded into one Clever idea and it looks really great. What I liked about it the overall look gets high marks, in my opinion. Well balanced across all body panels.

Speaker 1 11:06

What could use improvement? A model with a little bling, perhaps A city version, because they've really tried to go with the off-road kind of tilt toward it, if you will. Interior highlights although it's small, there's more room than you expect in this. Fit and finish is kid-proof and well-placed. Controls easy to find and use. No-transcript. The cargo area limited but okay for a small SUV, especially with the rear seat up Enough to get the groceries back home. Let me put it that way Fit and finish, I guess again kid-proof on that. Controls easy to find and use. Dash is all business. Limited space back there behind the third-row seat. Rugged design. What could use improvement? Not a fan of the screen controlled by a knob on the center console. That's just my take on it. You know some people like it. I'm not a big fan, but okay, that's the way that it is.

RAV4 Hybrid Performance and Pricing

Speaker 1 12:06

2.5 liter, four-cylinder, uh, with uh, a electric motor also helping out. 2 219 horsepower CVT transmission. It'll tow up to 1,750 pounds. 41 miles per gallon, city 38 highway. I got it combined to 39. I got I'm sorry, that's what it's rated I got 28.6 miles per gallon, over 293 miles, what I liked the mileage with plenty of zip to get all those miles. How it rides and handling sporty, that's all I can say. It kind of rides like that Lexus UX that I had. It's really nice, it's not?

Speaker 2 12:47

too stiff.

Speaker 1 12:48

Yeah, it's nice. What could use improvement? It's a great, well-rounded ride. It can go off-road on a limited basis, so I think that this is a nice split. If you have, you know, your weekend ranch that you want to go up there from here up to the hill country in your ranch, it'd be a good one to get a little dirt road work here, yeah, yeah not crazy.

Speaker 1 13:11

It's not a. This is not a wrangler, but anyway, here's the pricing. Base trim price $37,560. Prices tested $43,509. Base trim price you can get into one of these at $32,300. Competitors Hyundai Tucson Hybrid $33,465. Honda CR-V Hybrid $34,050. And the Ford Escape Hybrid for $32,490. Great car. If you're into a small SUV, I would definitely suggest that you go and test drive. This Can't go wrong with that Toyota. And that's my car review of the 2025 Toyota RAV4 hybrid. Okay, time now for