Opportunity fell my way one day recently to drive all over the Denver metro area the first new luxury sedan introduced into this country in more than 10 years.

It’s the 2017 (Hyundai) Genesis G90, which is aimed at those German giants Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. Full-size luxury, no less.

Is it possible Hyundai, the Korean builder of small, economical cars, can compete in the exclusive, high-end world of automobiles?

“It’s all about value,” said Vince Armijo, general manager of McDonald Hyundai, as he handed me the keys to a caspian black G90 all-wheel-drive four-door, showing only a couple hundred miles on its odometer.

Up front on the long, sleek sedan is a large grille that resembles that of an Audi. The G90 stretches to 204.9 inches in overall length, only an inch and a half shorter than the BMW 740xi and Mercedes S550 4Matic.

“Our new one measures up in every way to those two $100,000-plus automobiles,” said Armijo. Look at our sticker. I did ‑ $71,550.

That indicates the G90 can compete not only with the top-level luxuries, also those a step down, such as the Lexus LS460, Mercedes E Class, BMW 5 series and the Jaguars.

Under the hood of the Genesis is a twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V-6 engine developing 365 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s strong in performance, not instantly, but at midrange, when the power comes on with a rush. An 8-speed automatic transmission is quick and smooth in shifts and can be more closely controlled with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Responses of the transmission, throttle, suspension, steering and stability control can be altered with Hyundai’s Intelligent Drive Mode between Eco, Smart, Sport and Individual settings.

Also available is a 5.0-liter, direct-injected V-8 producing 420 horsepower.

The V-6, though, handled the 4,800-pound four-door in impressive fashion, as I drove it all over the area, from Brighton at the north to the Denver Dumb Friends League at the south. It averaged 21 miles per gallon of premium fuel.

The interior is plush, with finely stitched nappa leather and a headliner of suede. Power sunscreens add comfort at the rear window and rear side windows. Put the car’s shifter in reverse with the back-window screen in place, and the screen automatically lowers to open up the reverse view. Move shifter back to drive and the back screen moves up into place again.

Among safety innovation for the G90 are automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, smart blind-spot detection, lane-departure warning and driver-attention alert.

Also included in the $71,550 sticker price are heated and cooled front seats, navigation and Lexicon 17-speaker surround-sound with 12.3-inch display screen, multiview camera front and rear, head-up display, power door closures, three-zone automatic climate control.

The creation of the Genesis G90 for the luxury division came after Hyundai a year ago halted production of two large standard autos, the original Genesis and Equus.

Added to the Genesis line also is a G80 midsize sedan, smaller than the G90.

The G90 will be sold only by Genesis dealers, of which McDonald’s is one of two in Denver awarded the honor.

McDonald Automotive Group dates back more than 50 years in Denver, when Doug McDonald came to town and opened a Volkswagen dealership. Added since are stores for Audi, Volvo, Mazda and Hyundai.

Doug McDonald was chosen Colorado Time Dealer of the Year in 1991.

In days long gone, majority of sales successes in the automotive market of the U.S. were spurred by new models of the Big Three – General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.

A few of those standouts remain, such as the Mustang/Camaro/Challenger competition.

And, of course, the intense domination of the full-size truck market by Ford/GM/Ram.

Another has emerged, this one close to home right here in Colorado.

The arrival of the third-generation 2017 Buick LaCrosse Premium all-wheel-drive sedan gave me pause to celebrate it.

To this point into 2017, it is a true Big Three battle aimed almost specifically at our state’s wintertime drives; it’s the full-size, all-wheel-drive-sedan comparison of the Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus and Chrysler 300 (and stablemate Dodge Charger).

For much of the rest of the country where there is less demand for AWD vehicles, the full-size market is a scramble with addition of Toyota Avalon, Chevy Impala, Kia Cadenza, Nissan Maxima, Volkswagen Passat, models which offer no AWD option.

While driving skill is primary, the addition of an all-wheel-drive option to large sedans is a secondary edge that increases security in this tough-driving part of the country. An example of the importance placed on the AWD security is that of Chrysler 300 sales nationally last year, 27 percent were equipped with the four-wheel mode; of Chrysler 300 sales in the Denver/Colorado region, 77 percent were with AWD.

Buick dealers in the Denver metro area have seen increased showroom attention drawn by the newest LaCrosse with AWD.

The new LaCrosse has grown by 3 inches in wheelbase and an inch overall, yet has shed pounds to a svelte curb weight of 3,840 in its AWD form, 300 lighter than a year ago. It sits lower and is a bit wider.

The Buick is equipped with a new five-link rear suspension, sharing a platform with the Cadillac XT5 I reviewed two weeks ago as my 2,000^th new vehicle driven in the past 40 years. Also like the XT5, the LaCrosse uses a 310-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission with a small electronic shifter and stop/start technology

A roomy, beautifully finished interior is very quiet and its head-up display is one of the most colorful I’ve viewed. The switch to the electronic by-wire shifter creates a floating console with good-sized storage space beneath.

The Buick, on a 10-degree night with snow and ice on the ground, carried Jan and me to Denver for the annual Christmas party of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) in the Bud Wells Board Room of the Colorado Automobile Dealers’ Bill Barrow Building at Speer and Grant.

David Muramoto has begun his second year as president of RMAP and shared the podium with Tim Jackson, head of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association. Jackson referred to a 26 percent jump in new-car sales in Colorado in October, then appeared to be looking forward to a “possible wild ride ahead” with many new products, continued pent-up demand among consumers and change in political climate.

The high-end Acura NSX hybrid sports car and powerful Ram Rebel 4-by-4 pickup earned recognition from Muramoto for being voted “best onroad vehicle” and “best offroad vehicle”, respectively, selected by RMAP members in a driving extravaganza at Devil’s Thumb Ranch near Tabernash in September.

The Buick, built in Detroit, did well in the snow, with little slipping or sliding in its AWD setup. It averaged 23.6 miles per gallon during a cold, snowy week. It has no fuel-filler cap beneath the fender flap, thus it has joined Ford and Chrysler in that offering. A small button for engaging the heated steering wheel is positioned in the mix of controls for the active cruise and is, while driving in the dark, easy to be pushed unknowingly until the wheel begins to heat. The LaCrosse rode on Continental ProContact 235/50R18 tires.

With such additions as front automatic braking, pedestrian-detection, 4G LTE in-car wi-fi, navigation and Bose audio, the LaCrosse’s sticker price reached $48,970.

KIA CADENZA

The Kia Cadenza, a full-size, front-wheel-drive sedan built in Seoul, South Korea, was introduced to the U.S. market for the 2014 model year.

The Cadenza is 2 inches shorter than the Buick, both in wheelbase and overall length.

Like the Buick, the Cadenza has acquired a new 8-speed automatic transmission, replacing its former 6-speed. With its 290-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6 engine, the Kia is not particularly strong on takeoff, then moves very responsively in midrange torque.

Nicely quilted and perforated nappa leather seats, finished in white, are comfortable and bright. A 14-speaker harmon/kardon audio system is a highlight.

Though the concave grille has stirred remarks, both favorable and unfavorable, the exterior finish is sleek and smooth from that point rearward. The “intaglio” grille is of faceted blades vertically across the front and curved toward the engine compartment.

The Cadenza weighs approximately 3,700 pounds on a wheelbase of 112.4 inches.  It averaged 23.4 miles per gallon (EPA estimate 20/28).  It rides on Michelin 245/40R19 tires.

Pricing for the Cadenza begins at $32,890 for the base model and $39,890 for the Technology edition.

Sticker price on the review model, the SX-L, was $46,240, including intelligent cruise control, surround-view camera, blind-spot monitoring, head-up display, power trunk lid and heated outboard rear seats.

One of the many outstanding models unveiled at the LA Auto Show is the Chevy Colorado ZR2 offroad compact pickup, expected to go on sale in early 2017.

Already down the road in these parts, though, waiting for arrival of competition such as the ZR2, is Toyota’s new entry into that rugged category, the 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro 4X4 Double Cab.

The TRD Pro showed up this fall, an enhanced package upgraded from the Tacoma TRD Off-Road unit.

An internal bypass coil-over-shock setup, with dampers featuring 2.5-inch aluminum housings, lends a 1-inch suspension lift. Adding to the increased ride height are beefed-up rear leaf springs.

Its exterior finish in a color called “cement” drew comments split evenly between favorable/unfavorable. Accenting the light color is a prominent Toyota heritage-inspired front grille, blacked-out hood scoop, black fender flares, TRD black alloy wheels with Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure 265/70R16 tires.

Toyota’s old 4.0-liter V-6 has been replaced with the new Atkinson-cycle 3.5 V-6 which adds direct-injection when more revs are needed to deliver more power. Horsepower has increased to 278 from 236, and torque is rated at 265 lb.-ft. A 6-speed automatic transmission offers quicker and smoother shifts than the former 5-speed. The TRD Pro is also available with a 6-speed manual transmission.

The review model delivered to me was equipped with the automatic, which teamed well with the V-6 in two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and four-wheel low range. The transfer case and automatic limited-slip differential are electronically controlled. The push of a “crawl” button in 4Lo allowed me to guide the Tacoma downslope in tough terrain at about 3 miles per hour without braking. A Multi-Terrain Select system offers a five-mode regulation of wheelspin.

Interesting is an integrated inclinometer or tilt gauge showing angles of slopes in side roll and front and  rear pitch while offroading in uneven terrain.

My offroading venture lowered the Tacoma’s overall fuel mileage average to 17.6; its EPA estimate is 18/23.

Built at the Toyota truck plant in San Antonio, the Tacoma TRD Pro is a heavyweight at 4,450 pounds on a wheelbase of 127.4 inches.

Driver and passenger enjoy fairly roomy front-seat area, though rear-seat legroom is tight. Leather-trimmed front seats are heated. TRD Pro logos decorate the headrests. Highlighting interior accommodations are Entune Pemium Audio with integrated navigation and Bluetooth. The pickup’s 5-foot bed is accessed readily with an easy-drop tailgate.

The tougher build of the TRD Pro comes with a price jump. Optional items such as glass-breaking sensor, paint-protection film, mudguards and bed mat added to the base price of $42,760 lifted the sticker total to $45,087.

Eleven months ago, in December, with outdoor temp at 20 degrees and snow on the ground, I drove a 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4X4 Sport Double Cab to the Terry Bison Ranch just across the state line into Wyoming.

That Tacoma, fairly well-equipped, was $10,000 cheaper at $35,280, than this week’s TRD Pro. With the same 3.5 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, it performed more briskly than the beefed-up TRD Pro. The ’16 model averaged 20.2 miles per gallon.

The approach of December found me at the wheel of the new 2017 Cadillac XT5, the high-end Platinum edition finished in stellar black metallic – seemingly sparkling for the occasion.

It is the 2,000^th new car, truck or SUV I’ve driven and reviewed, dating back into the 1970s.

Thirty-nine years ago this month, it was Christmas Eve 1977, I drove away from Jim McDonough and the long-since-gone Griffith Chrysler Plymouth in Northglenn in a new Chrysler Cordoba. That started it.

When Todd Maul, managing partner of John Elway Dealerships, in a recent discussion offered the loan of a new Cadillac for pick up on Monday at John Elway Cadillac of Park Meadows, the vehicle was No. 2,000 for me, falling right after a BMW i3 electric and just before a Nissan Pathfinder.

The XT5, which was my choice of several possibilities in the Cadillac line, is a new midsize crossover, succeeding the SRX of the past 12 years. It is of 112.5-inch wheelbase, 2 inches longer than that of the SRX. The XT5’s overall length is a bit shorter than the old model, yet it is roomier in both rear-seat and cargo space. The ’17 model is 100 pounds lighter than the SRX.

Gavin Pierce, general manager/partner of Elway Cadillac, selected the loaded Platinum edition for me, and Stefan Hachey, sales consultant, got a kick out of showing me some of the new features; push a button and the rearview mirror becomes an absolute live video of what’s behind, of far greater distinction than the rearview camera on the navigation display screen.

While at Elway’s, I renewed friendship with Ron Goodman, the dealership’s new-car sales manager who for 25 years operated a Buick GMC store on South Broadway.

The Cadillac’s 3.6-liter, direct-injected V-6 engine is rated at 310 horsepower and 271 lb.-ft. of torque and tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission with a small electronic by-wire shifter. The engine is equipped with cylinder-deactivation, which on smooth cruising or deceleration will operate on V4 cylinders rather than the full V6. This is a fuel-saver; the XT5 averaged 23 miles per gallon in overall driving, about par for the midsize segment. On a return drive from Greeley to Denver, though, the model reached 29 mpg. Its EPA estimate is 18/26. I would say, even with the 310 hp, the engine defaults to smoothness over power.

he all-wheel-drive system can be set to modes for Touring, with 60 percent of torque relayed to the front wheels; to AWD with 50/50 split of torque and capability of routing up to 100 percent to front or rear axles and to either side; and to Sport, with 80 percent of torque devoted to the rear wheels.

The Cadillac’s overall length of 189.5 inches is a half-inch shorter than that of the Lincoln MKX. Accenting the black-finished XT5 are a large, bright grille and 20-inch, fully polished multispoke aluminum wheels.

The XT5’s interior is plush and stylish and comfortable, as fine as any in the luxury midsize class, which includes Lexus RX350, Lincoln MKX, Audi Q5, Mercedes GLE and Infiniti QX60, among others. For the driver, the head-up display is unusually bright and colorful.

In addition to heated and ventilated leather seats and heated steering wheel, the cabin features leather-wrapped instrument panel and door panels, with micro-suede headliner. Rear seats slide fore and aft and recline, and the cargo area offers 30 cubic feet of space, about average for midsizers. The hands-free power liftgate can be opened with a wave of the foot. A highlight of the CUE audio/navigation infotainment setup is a 14-speaker Bose surround-sound; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are compatible.

The XT5 Platinum’s sticker price totaled $65,835 with the many options, including adaptive cruise and automatic front and rear collision braking. Pricing for a more basically equipped XT5 with all-wheel drive begins in the low to mid- $40,000s.

The new XT5 is the 49^th Cadillac I’ve driven over the years. The first was a 1978 Seville sedan in which I drove Jan and her parents, Lyle and Ruth Davis, downtown to the Auditorium Theatre for a performance of “Hello, Dolly!” with Carol Channing. I parked in a lot across from the theatre, closed the driver door and set off one of the earliest theft-deterrent alarm systems in an automobile. With all those “bells and whistles,” the Seville’s price was $17,174.

A total of 132 Fords is the most of any one make I’ve driven among the 2,000. Second most is the Chevrolet, of course, with 120.

In my early years of reviewing the new cars, most were borrowed from Denver metro dealers; some came directly from the manufacturers. In the past 30 years, manufacturers have assumed responsibility of supplying most of the products to the automotive press. Today, they’re provided and distributed through three agencies in this area – Automotive Media Solutions, Drive Shop and Rocky Mountain Redline.