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AUTO REVIEW: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Ultimate 2.0T

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “…the Santa Fe crossover that I test drove had a bolder design, new safety, comfort and convenience technology, and better sight lines and cabin storage space. All of that is a long winded way of saying the Santa Fe has been reworked for the better.”

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By Frank S. Washington, AboutThatCar.com

DETROIT – There have been some big changes for the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. The five-passenger Santa Fe Sport is now called Santa Fe. The current long wheelbase three-row, seven-passenger model called Santa Fe has been renamed Santa Fe XL. And an all-new three-row, eight-passenger SUV is currently under development and will carry an all-new name.

What’s more, the Santa Fe crossover that I test drove had a bolder design, new safety, comfort and convenience technology, and better sight lines and cabin storage space. All of that is a long winded way of saying the Santa Fe has been reworked for the better.

The first thing I noticed about the 2019 Santa Fe was the quiet smoothness of the engine. Its ride was silky, much like an all-round air suspension. Instead, the 2019 Santa Fe had a multi-link with gas shock absorber and 24 mm stabilizer bar w/self-leveling suspension.

I had the top-of-the-line 2.0-liter direct injected turbocharged four cylinder engine that made 235 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque at a low 1,450 rpms. In other words, the Santa Fe 2.0T could get up and move from just about any speed. It had an EPA rating of 19 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg combined.

The engine was mated to an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission. Despite having two extra gears, the new eight-speeder, which was designed in-house, was lighter than the outgoing six-speed model. The automatic transmission added ratio range at both the top and bottom of output speeds allowing for extra thrust off-the-line and a quieter, more fuel-efficient dash down the interstate.

My test vehicle had an all-wheel-drive system that Hyundai called advanced. It was developed as a multi-mode scheme that provided an electronic, variable-torque-split clutch with active torque control between the front and rear axles.

The 2019 Santa Fe had an overview camera and a stop start system that was so smooth I never turned it off because of irritation. That’s rare.

The driver-selectable normal, sport and smart drive modes aided traction control in all weather conditions. Given that we got bunches of snow, followed by warmer temperatures and the accompanying slush and wet pavement and then followed by refreezing during the test drive, I left the drive mode in smart and I don’t think there was even any wheel slippage much less wheel spin.

Still, I could sense the slick ride, comfort, handling and stability of the 2019 Santa Fe. Hyundai said they were achieved through a change in suspension geometry. The major adjustment came when engineers moved the rear shocks from an angled position to upright, improving the ride and handling no matter the driving conditions.

The Santa Fe featured Hyundai’s cascading grille and composite light design with LED daytime running lights positioned on top of the LED headlights. The midsize crossover had a wide stance and it looked athletic. Hyundai keeps calling the Santa Fe an SUV but I’m not sure it can go off-road.

Its character line went from headlights to taillights and what the automaker called a daylight opening with satin surround that provided better visibility. I called it windows. There was also diamond cut 19-inch wheels. The rear featured a muscular high and taut shape. There was also a panoramic sun roof that of course never got used but I did let the shade back.

Except for the panoramic roof most of the descriptive stuff I pulled from the Santa Fe’s press material. When you are cleaning snow off a vehicle, you’re not checking character lines, trust me.

But the Santa Fe’s interior was quiet, stately and posh. It was like looking at snow, ice and windblown elements through the window from the cozy surroundings of a den. There was even the feel of a fireplace. Well, okay, that might be a bit much. But it was comfortable.

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe had a floating touch infotainment screen. Climate controls were underneath it and there were USB, auxiliary and 12 volt jacks and sockets beneath that along the back wall of a small storage bin at the start of the center console.

A large circular TFT speedometer dominated the space in front of the driver. It had digital speed readout within it. The fuel and temperature readouts were combination TFT and analogue gauges on either side. There was also a heads-up-display. Overall this was an uncluttered look.

This 2019 Santa Fe could be locked into four-wheel-drive. It also had a hill descent control which I thought laughable since this area is about as flat as a billiard table. But other parts of the country have hills and mountains galore.

Anyway, I climbed into the backseat and was really surprised. First, there wasn’t much of a drop off in the quality of the rear seats. They were comfortable and maintained the sleek styling of the front seats.

They were also heated and the panoramic roof covered the rear seats as well. There were privacy shades on the side windows and the green house had an airy feel because of the expansive windows.

And those seats were movable — manually. They slide forward and the backs tilted. They were also 60/40 split seats. There was a latch on the back cargo floor. I pulled it and it revealed three cargo bins under the floor.

Hyundai engineers did a number of little things to enhance the driver and rider experience. The audio/visual/navigation system screen had been tilted and positioned to reduce glare. The window switches and grab handles had been moved forward for more elbow room. The door map pockets had been reduced in size for more legroom and cup holders in the center console had been re-positioned for ease of use and the height and length of the center armrest has also been increased. None of this stuff would you necessarily notice but it makes the experience more satisfying.

There was the usual equipment. These days that includes blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, implicit is a rearview camera, smart cruise control, satellite radio, Bluetooth, premium audio system, etc.

What impressed me most was the back seat monitor reminding me to check back there every time I got out of the vehicle and the oncoming traffic alert. This wasn’t traffic from in front but vehicles from there rear. If I parked on a busy street and unlatched the door to exit, it would alert me if traffic was coming.

It was a well-equipped crossover and Hyundai continues to hold on to its DNA of offering more for the money; I thought the $39,905 sticker as tested was a pretty good price for the 2019 Santa Fe Ultimate 2.0T.

Pros:

  • Lots of equipment
  • Great price: $39,905
  • Good ride and handling

Cons:

  • Mileage less than 20 in the city
  • Only front doors have pushbutton unlock
  • No fully automatic power windows in rear

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.


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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

 

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