Yearly Archives: 2018

Redesign sparks sales push for ‘19 VW Jetta

The new Volkswagen Jetta in Poudre Canyon. (Bud Wells photos)

Looking good in my driveway was the all-new 2019 Volkswagen Jetta, redesigned with a small turbocharged engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, and sporting an exterior of “tornado red.”

With a sticker of $25,625, the moderate pricing and new appearance should revive interest in the compact four-door, which, along with other VWs, suffered a sales slump following a diesel-emissions-test scandal three years ago.

This Jetta is 2 inches longer than the ’18 model and 200 pounds lighter and boasts of 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

The Jetta, a part of the U.S. market for almost 40 years, competes against a strong lineup of compact sedans, including the Chevy Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza and Toyota Corolla.

Sales through the first seven months of 2018 are Civic 202,563, Corolla 188,216, Sentra 135,038, Elantra 113,481, Cruze 88,133, Focus 84,094, Forte 61,946, Impreza 45,200, Mazda3 41,062. The Jetta trailed the others with sales of 39,361.

Jan and I one morning drove it to Fort Collins and on up the Poudre Canyon as far as the old Mishawaka Inn, where during lunch we were entertained by the hummingbirds at the feeders outside the windows and the dozens of kayakers and rafters in the river below.

A short way down the canyon on our return drive we took a right onto the Stove Prairie Road and followed the narrow, twisting highway to Masonville, onto U.S. 34 through Loveland and back home to Greeley.

The Jetta rode quietly and handled well. The 1.4 turboed engine is fairly mild with 147 horsepower, though its torque is enough to provide power in passing and climbing. The 8-speed transmission shifter can be moved into Sport mode, from Eco or Normal, for improved response; I used 3rd and 4th gears much of the way up and down.

The grille in the ’19 Jetta is more prominent than previous models.

It is an attractive sedan, though its large three-bar grille looks like something borrowed from a Ford Fusion back about ’07. The leatherette seats are heated in the front row. They’re lightly bolstered and firmly cushioned. Trunk space is 14 cubic feet. Suspension includes front struts and a torsion-beam setup at the rear. The Jetta rides on Bridgestone Ecopia 205/60R16 tires.

The Jetta SEL, without navigation, is the lowest-priced model to come my way since February, when a below-$20,000 Honda Fit was provided.

Highlighting the Jetta’s equipment list are safety innovations – forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, active cruise and active blind-spot monitor. It also has a BeatsAudio premium sound system with subwoofer, Bluetooth connectivity and voice control, dual-zone automatic climate control, power moonroof and automatic LED headlights.

Lots of highway driving kept the fuel-mileage average at a respectable 35.3 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 30/40. The Jetta is built in Puebla, Mexico. Its specifications include wheelbase of 105.7 inches, overall length of 185.1, width of 70.8, height of 57.4, weight of 2,890 pounds, turning ciricle of 35 feet. It runs on regular unleaded fuel.

 

Style, twin-turbo V-6 empower Navigator

The redesigned 2018 Lincoln Navigator Black Label SUV near Glen Haven. (Bud Wells photo)

As I approached the two sets of steep, tightly linked hairpin curves in the new Lincoln Navigator on the Devils Gulch Road to Estes Park, I twisted a knob to “slow climb” mode; the big SUV slowed, grunted a bit and maneuvered the switchbacks within its own lane on the narrow highway, never intruding into the lane of opposite direction.

The 2018 Navigator has been redesigned, for the first time in years; it’s 3 inches longer and has shed some weight, though at 5,700 pounds who can tell.

The Lincoln’s six drive modes are a feature, with names of Normal, Conserve for efficiency, Excite for responsive, Slippery for icy, Deep for heavy snow and the Slow Climb. Accompanying graphics clue in the driver at a glance for what mode has been engaged, with no need to look down at the knob.

A year after introduction of the impressive Continental sport sedan, the new Navigator is equipped to compete with other full-size luxury SUVs, such as Range Rover, Mercedes GLS, Cadillac Escalade, Toyota Land Cruiser.

Like, the Ford Expedition which I reviewed earlier, the Navigator 4X4 has scrapped its V-8 engine in favor of the 450-horsepower (510 torque), twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

The shifter is push-button type. Performance is strong; no deficiency from the fewer cylinders under the hood. My overall fuel mileage was 19.5 (EPA estimate 16/21).

A first-timer in the driver seat will probably push the “pro trailer backup assist” button in place of the starter button. The trailer touch is right in front of the driver, the starter button is on a ledge, almost out of sight. The Pro Trailer allows the driver, with proper Navigator settings, to release grip on the steering wheel and allow the system to back the trailer or boat to its intended location.

The interior was dressed up in dark leather. Like the Continental, Lincoln has paid special attention to front seating comfort for the Navigator. The split seats are plush, with massaging seatbacks and effective cooling. Cargo space behind the third row of seats is 20.9 cubic feet; fold the third row flat and that expands to 57.5 feet. The power liftgate can be foot-activated.

The Navigator was the high-end Black Label edition, so brace yourself for a look at the sticker – $98,145. Among features in addition to the aforementioned are power illuminated running boards, forward and reverse safety sensors, tip-and-slide second-row seats, panoramic roof.

It’s on a wheelbase of 122.5 inches and is 210 inches in overall length.

Jeeps climbed high with Marchionne

Sergio Marchionne

Reviewing the 2018 Jeep Compass this week is opportunity to mention the death of Sergio Marchionne, the chief executive of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles who died unexpectedly July 25. Marchionne took charge of Fiat and Chrysler nine years ago when the latter was struggling to survive.

Focusing on Jeeps, Dodge Ram pickups and SRT performance models, he soon rebuilt the stature for No. 3 of the U.S.’s Big Three and made them a formidable competitor for the other automakers.

The greatest achievement for the bold Italian-born leader was with the Jeep Division.

Jeep leads all makes in sales of SUVs in the U.S. Through June, Jeep has sold 133,492 Wranglers, 113,719 Cherokees, 109,313 Grand Cherokees, 87,510 Compasses and 50,439 Renegades. Jeep’s 6-month totals of 495,022 is a 22 percent increase over the 406,291 at the same point a year ago.

Still, with sales of almost a half-million in the first half of the year, Jeep doesn’t have all areas of the market covered. It lacks a three-row SUV, since halting production of the Commander in 2010.

Rumors are that Jeep will unveil a three-row SUV within the next couple of years. Whether to create it or not will now be a decision for Mike Manley, who has succeeded Marchionne as CEO of Fiat Chrysler, and who has headed the Jeep Division of FCA for the past seven years.

Gloss black roof is distinctive for new Jeep Compass. (Bud Wells photo)

As for the Compass, Jeep planners two years ago combined it and another fairly lackluster model, the like-sized Patriot, into a restyled, high-tech-equipped compact 4X4 under the Compass moniker. The new one is enjoying one of the sharpest sales gains in the industry right now.

By slapping the Compass’ shifter into manual mode, pushing the accelerator lower and keeping the revs higher, its 2.4-liter engine and 9-speed automatic transmission offer improved performance, and do it smoothly, quietly and mostly satisfactorily.

I’ve been driving the Compass Limited 4X4; its 2.4 4-cylinder develops 180 horsepower and 175 lb.-ft. of torque, is offroad-capable with locking differential and a dial on the center console to contend with snow, sand and mud, in addition to the normal all-wheel drive.

A gloss black two-tone roof added a distinctive touch to the silver metallic exterior finish on the Compass, which resembles the Cherokee with its grille and the Grand Cherokee with its four-door structure. To mention roof with Jeep always reminds me of the ill-fated SkySlider roof offered on the Jeep Liberty some years back. That feature was beset with operational failures.

The current roof, so good-looking, also contains dual-pane panorama sunroof. Among other features of the Limited model are LaneSense and forward-collision warning, leather-covered seats (heated in front), heated steering wheel, automatic high-beam control, rain-sensitive wipers and power liftgate.

A large UConnect infotainment screen accommodates GPS navigation and audio with SiriusXM/Bluetooth and capability for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

My overall fuel-mileage average with the Compass was 24.4; it carries a 30 miles-per-gallon highway estimate. It rides on Continental ProContact 225/55R18 tires.

Cargo space behind the rear seats in the two-row, five-passenger SUV is 27.2 cubic feet, which expands to almost 60 feet with the rear seats folded.

The well-equipped Limited model carried sticker price of $34,860. The Sport, least-expensive Compass 4X4, begins at around $23,000. Other models are Latitude, Altitude and Trackhawk. They’re assembled in Toluca, Mexico.

Subaru grows up with ‘19 Ascent

The Subaru Ascent offers three rows of seating, 5,000 pounds of tow. (Bud Wells photo)

Unveiling of a new midsize SUV, the 2019 Ascent, may be the key for continuing a hot sales pace of several years for Subaru in Colorado.

The new one has three rows of seats, will tow up to 5,000 pounds and is the largest vehicle ever built by the Japanese maker.

“The Ascent has drawn more interest than anything I remember with us,” said David Slone, general manager of Greeley Subaru. “Lots of Subaru Outback and Forester owners with growing families are eyeing it for its added roominess, and we’re getting showroom traffic from many who are driving competitive makes.”

The Ascent is 7 inches longer and 900 pounds heavier than the two-row Outback wagon, which has been Subaru’s “cash cow” for 20 years.

Performance for the new all-wheel-drive Ascent comes from a 2.4-liter, direct-injection and twin-scroll turbocharged, horizontally-opposed engine, which burns regular-grade fuel. The 260-horsepower boxer engine (277 lb.-ft. of torque) is mated to a continuously variable transmission, a fuel-saver not normally associated with heavy tow capacity. The Outback, with a slightly less-powerful boxer engine, has tow rating of only 2,700 pounds.

By switching the CVT into manual mode and using paddle shifters, which mimic a traditional 8-speed transmission, I got by just fine, though I did not attempt to tow with it. The transmission fairly quickly locked into a lower gear range, such as 4th or 5th, for more immediate response and steady power.

The Ascent puts Subaru into the midsize SUV/crossover mix with the new Volkswagen Atlas, Toyota Highlander, Kia Sorento, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer and several others.

Riding on a 113.8-inch wheelbase, the Ascent is trimmed with a bit of cladding, though not so dominant as with the Outback in its early years. Big wraparound taillights and a panoramic moonroof complete the exterior.

Inside, a white leather-padded bar stretches across the width of the dash. Second-row seats slide fully forward to ease entry into the roomy third row. Behind the third row is 17.6 cubic feet of cargo space; fold the third row of seats and that expands to 47.6 feet. Amount of legroom in the third row is determined by how far back the middle row is moved.

Fuel mileage ranged between 19 and 24 for the Ascent. Its EPA estimate is 20/26 mpg.

The Ascent is built in Subaru’s assembly plant in Lafayette, Ind., and offered in four trim levels, including Base, Premium, Limited and Touring. All models are equipped with Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive.

Very sensibly designed it is, until a count is made of the cupholders – 19 of them. I don’t remember the ratio; is it one pit stop per four cupholders?

The review model, a Limited trim with $2,950 of options, carried a sticker price of $42,920. Among its add-ons are navigation with 8-inch high-resolution touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/Bluetooth, Harman Kardon premium audio, the power moonroof and 20-inch wheels.

A standard feature for the Ascent is Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assistance technology including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and automatic precollision braking.

Also standard are trailer stability assist with yaw sensors, three-zone automatic climate control and four USB ports.

Jaguar Sportbrake competes with Volvo

The XF Sportbrake is Jaguar’s first wagon since the X-Type was discontinued nine years ago.

One look at the elongated roofline of the Jaguar XF Sportbrake wagon tells you this is a midsizer which competes with the Mercedes E-Class wagon and the Volvo V90.

The XF Sportbrake is considerably larger than the E-Pace SUV. The new wagon measures 116.5 inches in wheelbase, 195 in overall length, 78.2 wide and 58.9 high, with curb weight of 4,145 pounds, a bit lighter than E-Pace.

It has a sloping hood, the long roof and raked rear glass. Staying with its sleek image, the Sportbrake runs on low-profile 35s – Pirelli Cinturato 255/35R20 tires.

Wagons have long been popular in Europe; not so here, though the new Sportbrake and V90 with AWD might lure a few SUV devotees. Jaguar’s last wagon before the Sportbrake was the X-Type, which ended production in 2009.

Performance is a highlight from the Sportbrake’s 380-horsepower, supercharged, 3.0-liter V-6 engine, 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Drive-mode selection allows the driver to adapt from normal response to dynamic or economical or adapt to what is being faced in the way of surface conditions. The shifter is a twist dial on the center console.

This car does have a spare, though the wheel is bright orange hidden beneath the cargo floor and it will not match up with the fancy wheels and red brake calipers  of original equipment, i.e. get the flat fixed quickly.

Inside the big Jag are white leather seats with black inserts, panoramic roof and motorized covers for closing the dashboard air vents. Cargo space behind the rear seat is a roomy 31.7 cubic feet.

This classy-looking wagon with its power and amenities doesn’t come in the cheaper category of the E-Pace. Sticker on the Sportbrake jumped to $84,245 from a base of $70,450.

Adding $3,495 was a driver-assistance package of adaptive cruise control and speed limiter, 360-degree parking aid, surround camera, blind-spot and park assist. Adding another $3,285 were navigation, Meridian surround sound and interactive driver display. For $2,890 came the four-zone climate control, suedecloth premium  headliner, ambient lighting and rear sunblind. That left $1,805 for the heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats and soft door-close.

I averaged 22 miles per gallon of premium fuel with the XF Sportbrake, close to the middle of its EPA estimate of 18/25.

A wagon emerges, this one from Buick

The Buick Regal TourX wagon along a field of golden wheat, east of Eaton. (Bud Wells photos)

Every now and then, not often, a new wagon shows up in the U.S. auto industry.

Don’t get fooled into thinking they’re all crossovers. The 2018 Buick Regal TourX is an all-wheel-drive wagon.

My gosh, the last Buick wagon I drove was 22 years ago – the 1996 Roadmaster, the bulkiest-looking wagon ever built. It was 218 inches in length (more than 18 feet), 80 inches wide and boasted curb weight of 4,600 pounds.

The 1996 Buick Roadmaster, a huge station wagon

As for the new one today, in contrast from its large Buick emblem in the center of the grille out front, all the way back to rear liftgate, its style embodies sleekness, with sloping hood and roofline.

Though it’s a Buick, its assembly line is far from Michigan.

Es ist in Deutschland gebaut. Yes, it is built in a General Motors factory in Russelsheim, Germany.

The TourX is a midsize wagon and will compete against the Subaru Outback, the Audi A4 allroad and the Volvo XC70 CrossCountry.

The Regal wagon has two rows of seats and fits five fairly comfortably. It offers very usable cargo space, 32.7 cubic feet behind the second row. That’s more than the Audi allroad. The wagon sits relatively low, with an easy step-in height.

Performance, particularly brisk in midrange, is from a 250-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (295 torque) mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with manual-mode shift; no paddle shifters, though. Twin clutches on the rear differential are able to send torque from side-to-side when needed, getting the power to the wheel that needs it.

Two highway drives, one to Boulder on Tuesday and the other out east of Eaton on Thursday, raised the TourX’s average fuel mileage to 27.5 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 21/29. It handled fairly well, even on several gravel-surfaced roadways; a bit of wallow was felt on a couple occasions. Suspension includes front struts and five-link at the rear. It rides on Continental ProContact 235/50R18 tires.

The TourX I’ve been driving this week is the Essence, the higher trim level. Others are the Base and the Preferred. Standard on the Essence model is a hands-free operation of the rear liftgate. Walk around to the back with key fob in pocket, and a lighted Buick design appears on the parking surface beneath the bumper, indicating where to swing a foot to open the gate.

On parking the Buick and turning off its power, if anything has been placed in the rear seat, a chime alert sounds accompanied by a message on the driver info screen reading, “Rear seat reminder, look in rear seat.”

Beginning prices for the TourX all-wheel-drive wagon models are $30,000 for the Base, $33,000 for the Preferred and $35,000 for the Essence.

The Essence review model’s sticker price climbed to $41,550 with optional items forward automatic braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-change alert, rear park assist, outside heated mirrors, premium audio, navigation, cornering lamps, panoramic sunroof.

 

Reviewer’s one week in Lotus’ 70 years

The Lotus Esprit S2 reviewed in July 1980. (Bud Wells photo)

Lotus this month (July 2018) celebrated its 70th anniversary at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England.

Most of us recognize the Lotus marque, one of the most iconic in the world of sports cars and racing.

Few, though, have driven one.

It was a week in July 1980 that I got a turn, one Lotus among the more than 2,000 cars I’ve driven and written about over the years.

It was an ’80 Lotus Esprit S2, built in England, and provided to me by Bill Stewart’s Royal Carriage at My Garage, 455 Broadway, in Denver.

It was late afternoon when I walked into the garage and Stewart handed me the keys. How do you sit in a car that’s only 43 inches high? You don’t. You almost lie down in the leaned-back racing-type seat with built-in headrest. As two-seaters go, this one was tight but somewhat comfortable. The only discomfort came in getting in and rolling out of it.

I drove to Greeley, where my oldest son, Kurt, would soon begin his senior year at the University of Northern Colorado, then headed out U.S. 34 to the east. I detoured onto some country roads, on through Fort Morgan and to Sterling, where a month earlier we had returned to devote time to automobiles and book-publishing, in addition to my newspaper work.

The Lotus was a brilliant performer on the country curves. It was very fast. Its manufacturer said it would hit 35 miles per hour in 1st gear, 55 in 2nd, almost 80 in 3rd, 105 in 4th and 130 in 5th. It was the fastest I’d driven a car until some years later, when the big guys such as Bentley Arnage, Jaguar XJ Super V-8 and Cadillac CTS-V began coming my way.

I well remember, with the help of brother-in-law Dave Wagner Jr., the return trip to Denver a week later. After passing Hudson, the clutch began to fail (did I mention the car was built in England?) and we limped it in to Stewart’s Royal Carriage, where his shop would put the speedster back in running order.

Price tag on the Lotus was $30,000. The only models I drove with higher tags back then were an ’81 Maserati Merak SS at $42,637, an ’80 Porsche 928 at $39,024 and an ’81 Mercedes 300SD turbodiesel at $35,345.

The Lotus’ inline-4-cylinder engine, slanted 38 degrees, was of 120-cubic-inch-displacement with twin overhead camshafts and Zenith twin carburetors. The engine compartment was reached by lifting the rear hatch and unbuttoning a tonneau cover.

An interesting feature of the Esprit was its two fuel tanks, with filler tubes on either side of the car. A balance pipe leveled the fuel between the two tanks, and it was necessary to service both sides for an absolutely full supply. The Lotus averaged 20 to 25 miles per gallon, with capacity of 17.7 gallons.

The 2,300-pound Lotus was on a wheelbase of 96 inches; it was 168 inches in overall length, 73 inches wide and had ground clearance of 6 inches.

The interior was of custom leather, brown suede, electric windows and a Blaupunkt AM/FM radio.

The Lotus company was begun in 1948, when Colin Chapman built his first competition car in a small London garage.

In addition to 2018 marking the 70th anniversary of Lotus’ birth, it also denotes 50 years since Graham Hill took the Formula 1 championship in the Lotus Type 49 and 40 years since Mario Andretti won his world championship in the Lotus Type 79.

Tossing weight, V-8 boosts Expedition

The 2018 Ford Expediton turns to new look, V-6 power. (Bud Wells photo)

“Toss it,” is the keyword among Ford decision-makers these days, and its significance is apparent in the attractive, redesigned 2018 Expedition 4X4, full-sized SUV.

The new one has shed 300 pounds of curb weight with an aluminum-alloy body, yet offers a roomier interior; also tossed out is Ford’s long-used V-8 power in favor of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, and with a 10-speed transmission, oh, my, what a performer.

The Expedition has been around for more than 20 years. When it showed up in the fall of ’96 as a ’97 model, I drove it to Durango and back. That one was 3 inches shorter than today in wheelbase, 6 inches shorter in overall length, was equipped with a 4.6-liter V-8 with tow capacity of 6,100 pounds compared to today’s 9,200 tow capacity with the EcoBoost V-6. EPA fuel estimate back then was 14-18; today’s is 17-23.

Though it sits high on 22-inch wheels, access is eased with power-deployable running boards, the interior is filled with latest tech and soft leather, and the third row of seats is adult-sized. It probably moves to the head of its class, yes, ahead of Tahoe and Sequoia.

The Expedition’s high-end Platinum model carried me, Jan, Kim Parker and Barb Lesser into Denver and Coors Field, where son Kurt Wells threw out the first pitch for the Rockies’ game against the New York Mets. Lots of in-town maneuvers prior to the highway drive resulted in overall fuel average of 17.8 miles per gallon of regular unleaded.

Second-row seating is comfortable and the captain’s chairs allow room between them for third-row access or can be tipped forward. Cargo space behind the third row is 21 cubic feet and expands to 57.5 feet with the third row folded. The liftgate can be foot-activated for hands-free operation.

Response of the 5,700-pound Ford with EcoBoost V-6 is impressive, delivering 400 horsepower and 480 lb.-ft. of torque. With the 10-speed transmission, a terrain management system offers drive modes of normal, sport, snow, sand, mud and tow/haul.

The Expedition, a body-on-frame SUV built off the chassis of the F-150 pickup, is ruggedly readied for offroad duty, with 9.8-inch ground clearance and push-button activation of four-wheel high and low.

While pricing for the Expedition XLT 4X4 begins around $55,000, the sticker on the Platinum model provided to me soared to $81,265. Added features included heavy-duty trailer tow package with backup assist, dual-headrest rear-seat entertainment, full-speed automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.

Kia adds pizzazz with Stinger GT

The new Kia Stinger GT is a midsize sport four-door. (Bud Wells photo)

With a last bite of key lime pie put away on an April night at the Oceanaire Restaurant in downtown Denver, I crawled into the driver’s seat of the 2018 Kia Stinger GT and drove away from two days and nights of events at the Colorado Convention Center.

The second night was opening of the 2018 Denver Auto Show, following the previous night’s Preview Gala. My evening ended with a dinner offered by General Motors at the Oceanaire.

The Stinger is a rear-wheel-drive sport four-door hatchback, with optional all-wheel drive. Normally, I’d prefer AWD for driving in our state, but in rear-drive setup, it performs much better. Its 3,829-pound curb weight is 200 pounds lighter than with AWD; it is quicker and handles impressively.

Some refer to the Stinger as a luxury fastback; I disagree. Audi, BMW, Mercedes are luxury; Kia and its ilk are not.

This Kia, though, is a standout, even with the fact that its exterior finish is colored like that of an old Fordson tractor. That would be gray; Kia calls it ceramic silver.

Built in Sohari, Korea, the Stinger is 190 inches in length on a wheelbase of 114.4 inches, width of 73.6 and height of 55 inches. Its track is 62.8 inches, both front and rear.

GT performance comes from a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V-6 generating 365 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque, and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddleshifters. It can break 5 seconds in a 0 to 60 run. It’s the highest-performance production vehicle in Kia’s history.

Throttle response, shift quickness and steering input adapt to drive modes, including comfort, eco, custom, smart and sport. Launch control can be activated in sport mode. The Stinger averaged 25.6 miles per gallon.

Other Stingers, lesser-priced, are equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder of 255 horsepower and 260 torque.

Adding stopping power to the strong-running GT are large Brembo brake discs, 13.8 inches in front and 13.4 at the rear. It rides on low-profile Michelins, 225/40R19.

The GT interior is roomy, with deeply contoured, leather-covered seats and a D-shaped steering wheel. The cargo space beneath the rear hatch measures 23.3 cubic feet.

The Stinger GT with rear-wheel drive is sticker-priced at $39,250, including forward collision avoidance, smart cruise with stop-and-go, lane-keep assist, dual-zone automatic climate control, 7-inch touchscreen display with navigation, Android Auto and Apple Carplay, Bluetooth, rearview camera, rear-seat temperature-adjustable vents, push-button start and LED mood lights.

In the plans for several years, the production of the Stinger is a laudable attempt to bring some bigtime sport life into “the little company with the long-term warranty.” Kia, like its stablemate Hyundai, is known for the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Top model sellers for Kia are the Forte, Soul and Optima in the car line and Sorento and Sportage crossovers.  Rounding out the lineup are Rio and Cadenza cars, Sedona minivan and Niro crossover.

 

Honda Accord tests Big Thompson, plains

The 2018 Honda Accord Touring at Drake in the Big Thompson Canyon. (Bud Wells photos)

A comfortable, roomy interior, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and smooth, 10-speed automatic transmission highlighted the 2018 Honda Accord through a 350-miles circle drive to Wray, Sterling and back to Greeley on Memorial Day weekend 2018.

In its 10th-generation restyling, the Accord sits in a low, wide, sporty stance, 2 inches longer in wheelbase and 160 pounds lighter in curb weight.

Honda has shelved the long-popular V-6 power for the Accord; available are the 252-horsepower, 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder or a 1.5-liter turbo 4.

Green fields south of Holyoke add to impression of the Honda Accord’s white pearl finish.

Earlier in the week, I tested the Accord’s new power setup in a descent of Big Thompson Canyon from Estes Park to Loveland. Overall fuel-mileage average for the circle drive and the canyon descent was 29.5.

Switching into sport mode and using paddle shifters for the drive down the Thompson, I locked the Honda into 4th gear and seldom touched the bakes all the way to the Dam Store. Only surprise in both drives was an occasional bit of surge at low-speed acceleration.

The smoothness of the 10-speed was good, an improvement in performance over the previous continuously variable transmission. My first exposure to Honda’s 10-speed came last fall, when Jan and I flew from Phoenix into DIA, where awaiting us was a Honda Odyssey minivan with the first 10-speed automatic in a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

A delight in the weekend drive was an overnight stay at Sterling’s new Holiday Inn Express, four-stories tall with our room overlooking the South Platte River and its lush, green trees and foliage.

This is perhaps the finest looking and best-performing Accord, yet like other midsize sedans, the Accord has suffered a sales decline thus far this year, as consumers look more and more toward the popular SUVs and crossovers.

The cabin is of soft-touch finish, contrasted with leather seats and door inserts and wood trim on the dash. Legroom has been increased in the rear seating area and trunk space is a roomy 16.7 cubic feet. A disappointment was that the extended width of the center stack intruded on the driver’s knee space.

The ’18 Accord Touring I drove is priced at $36,690 and includes safety packages of collision mitigation braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and side-curtain airbags with rollover sensor. Other items include push-button shifter, navigation, premium audio, Bluetooth, CarPlay/Android Auto integration, dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, head-up display, power moonroof and front and rear parking sensors.

Cheapest trim level for the Accord is the LX, and most luxurious is the Touring, which I drove. Others are the Sport, EX, EX-L and Hybrid.