Yearly Archives: 2019

Road to Raymer was the right turn

Auto Reviews, Automotive Industry
Voted best custom car was ’36 Studebaker owned by Steve Doerschlag of Eaton. (Bud Wells photos)

In a 2020 Jeep Cherokee Limited, I drove north out of Greeley to Colo. 392, at which a left turn would take me to The Ranch and the Good Guys annual car exhibit; one of the biggest and best around.

I turned right, though, followed the road to Briggsdale, then another right took me 30 miles east on Colo. 14 to New Raymer and the Friends of Raymer Car Show.

An 82-degree morning contributed to an outstanding car display and fun times with the good people of New Raymer and vicinity.

The 10 a.m. start allowed enough time for me to fully cover the 50 cars and trucks, a few motorcycles and tractors, and get back to my tv at home for the start of the Colorado Buffs/Nebraska Cornhuskers football clash.

Car show entrants lined both sides of a street in New Raymer.

As I walked onto the street displaying all the cars, the first person I saw was Bill Brandt, a retired Foursquare pastor residing in Loveland. When I entered Sterling High School as a freshman many years ago, Brandt was in his senior year there; he played center on a very good Tiger basketball team. At New Raymer, he was showing a pair of good-looking ’29 Chevys – a coupe and pickup.

It was a 1929 Ford Model A Coupe, though, owned by Dean Slater of Iliff, which won the Classic Car category in voting by those in attendance.

A rare 2014 Chevy SS/Holden Commodore, shown by Victor Perez of Brush, was voted top late-model car, and a 1936 Studebaker Dictator St. Regis, owned by Steve Doerschlag of Eaton, was selected as best custom car.

Most outstanding truck was a 1964 Ford Econoline, shown by Travis Grippin of Fort Morgan. A 1993 Custom Harley won top motorcycle honors for Tony Engelhaupt of Sterling. There were tractors, too, and Marvin Stanley of Sterling and his 1952 Ford 8N, with flathead V-8 engine, was tops.

Don and Dorothy Albrandt, of Sterling, who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary earlier this summer, showed up at New Raymer with their 1946 Chevy Coupe, powered by a 350 V-8. Another block-fitting challenge was a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 in a ’40 Plymouth Coupe, owned by Jeff Heppner of New Raymer.

I’ve always been a fan of cars from the mid- to late-50s, and that era was well-represented by a ’57 Pontiac Star Chief, owned by Thomas Mertens of Mesa, Ariz.

Showing up about the time I was leaving was a Sterling High classmate, Jack Claver and wife Phyllis. I did get back home in time to view the CU/NU contest; we’ll long remember how that turned out.

It’s a granite look, even the wheels, for the 2020 Jeep Cherokee Limited.

As for the Jeep Cherokee, equipped with a 3.2-liter V-6 engine of 271 horsepower tied to a 9-speed automatic transmission, it displayed excellent passing power on Colo. 14 from Briggsdale to the auction site. A retuned suspension system has improved the ride. In addition to the V-6, a pair of 4-cylinder engines are available – a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated and a 2.0-liter turbocharged.

The V-6 performed very smoothly and averaged 26.8 miles per gallon of regular-grade fuel for the drive down and back. Among safety advancements in the ’20 model are lane-departure warning-plus, forward-collision warning-plus and rain-sensing wipers.

Sticker price on the Jeep was $41,620, including 8.4-inch Uconnect screen, navigation, full sunroof, heated and ventilated front leather seating, 19-inch wheels, adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, and hands-free rear liftgate.

Audi unveils Q8 with traffic light info

Auto Reviews
Parked at The Fort is the new 2019 Audi Q8. (Bud Wells photo)

While Audi followers await arrival of the small, second-generation Q3, filling the spotlight from Ingolstadt headquarters is the Q8 midsize luxury offering.

Though numerically atop the SUV crossover line with the Q3/5/7 models, the Q8 is offered only with two rows of seating. The Q7, with three rows, remains the prime people hauler.

While the Q8 is 2 or 3 inches shorter than the Q7, it is wider and sits lower. The fact there is no concern for third-row headroom gives the two-row Q8 a nicely styled rear end, slope and all. It’s better-looking than the Q7; pricier, too, and like all Audis, is filled with technological innovation.

Jan and I drove in to Denver on U.S. 85 from our home up north, crossed to the west via I76, then followed Wadsworth Boulevard south to Hampden Avenue enroute to dinner at The Fort at Morrison along U.S. 285.
Wadsworth, with numerous stoplights, was chosen to best test Audi’s Traffic Light Information system.

At the first red light, on a display in front of me the car counted down the seconds remaining before the green light. This allows time for thought or discussion, anything besides staring at the red light. As our drive continued, the system indicated I should follow a speed of 45 miles per hour in order to clear the next stop light on green, and sure enough that worked. The traffic light information system taps into a city’s traffic control setup and knows when the lights are going to change. Denver is one of 12 cities involved in a network with the Audi program.

The traffic light system is interesting, and fun to discuss with other motorists. When I told daughter Kathy and her husband Bill Allen of the experience, Kathy said, “My Q5 (2018) has the same feature.”

On a level of importance, avoiding a red light probably doesn’t measure up to lane-guidance, automatic emergency braking and reading and responding to traffic speed signs, which I first tested on a Q7 three years ago.

Built in Bratislava, Slovakia, the Q8 quattro performs from a 335-horsepower, 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 with 369 lb.-ft. torque rating and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Curb weight is a heavy 5,000 pounds on an overall length of 196.6 inches. The Q8 towing capacity is 7,700 pounds. It is somewhat sluggish in low-end torque; once the turbo kicks in the performance is impressive. Convenient and of quick, easy grip is the stubby-short shifter on the center console. Fuel mileage was a relatively low 19.6 miles per gallon (EPA estimate 17-22).

Its adaptive air suspension, slight all-wheel-steering, 22-inch wheels, seamless shifts, smooth acceleration and fairly soft lane control create great handling and ride. Valcona leather seats are well-contoured and are designed with very generous amount of movement, from lower to taller setting.

Virtual cockpit enhances driver ties to the new Audi Q8. (Audi)

The infotainment system includes two touch screens, one atop the other. With all its high tech, including Audi MMI navigation and Bang & Olufsen premium sound, nothing is particularly easy about the system’s selections and touch controls. Up-front air/heat vents are near-hidden across the dash’s width beneath the stitched-leather-covered dashtop. An oddity is that, with the car stopped and windows rolled down, when either front door is opened the window glass raises 2 to 3 inches out of its recessed position. “This is a normal feature/function of the Q8,” said an Audi representative. “Raising the window up a few inches automatically when opening and closing the door prevents the window from rattling.” Numerous high-end options pushed the Q8 price from a base of $67,400 to an $88,690 sticker. Among the add-ons are illuminated door sills, four-zone climate controls, heated and cooled front seats and heated steering wheel, power-fold exterior mirrors, head-up display, sunshades, alcantra headliner, towing package.                                

Addition of ‘All Fours’ boosts Mazda3

Auto Reviews
Mazda3, long a style leader, adds all-wheel drive. (Bud Wells photo)

Mazda has tied a “down-to-earth” approach to its high-flying “soul of motion” design in an effort to save its compact sedan and hatchback, mired  like all others of that ilk in an industrywide sales descent.

Aimed particularly at Colorado and other regions of less-than-favorable winter weather, the smooth, little Mazda3 has been equipped with an optional all-wheel-drive configuration.

The future of compact and midsize sedans is in question, as consumers are abandoning the traditional four-door cars in favor of SUVs and four-door pickups. Several once-popular model names are already gone or are scheduled for discontinuance.

The Mazda3, with its sleek styling, is consistently rated among the top three compacts in the country, yet its sales never match up against its Japanese competitors. By the end of July this year, sales of the Mazda3 totaled 32,174 far below Honda Civic’s 198,339, Toyota Corolla’s 183,503, Nissan Altima’s 120,013  and Subaru’s 35,913.

Colorado, with its mountainous terrain and winter snowfall, is prime country for four-wheel-drive and all-wheel vehicles.

Kaitlyn Dykstra, of Hill & Knowlton representing Mazda, presented a more positive position on the redesigned compact sedan: “While we aren’t able to provide a specific number around the projection of sales, Mazda is continuing to move up towards the path to premium, introducing more premium features that help connect us with our fans.”

I drove into Denver and back home on two occasions aboard the stylish Mazda3, finished in soul red crystal. On a wheelbase of 107.3 inches and curb weight of 3,255 pounds, it is a good handler offering fairly comfortable ride, responsive 186-horsepower 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed automatic transmission with sport mode and paddle shifters. It rides on Toyo 215/45R18 tires. Front struts and rear torsion beams are basics for its suspension system.

It’s as elegantly finished inside as outside, with leather seating, moonroof and Bose premium audio/Bluetooth/Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. Adults might feel somewhat cramped for space in the rear seat, which is short of legroom. Trunk space is only 13.2 cubic feet.

Mazda’s I-Activ all-wheel drive adds $3,000 to the base price of a front-drive model. Adding lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert and radar cruise control with stop-and-go pushed sticker price on the review model to $30,930.

The AWD adds a couple hundred pounds to the Mazda3, for which the 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder averaged 26.9 miles per gallon. Its EPA estimate is  25-33, and I’ve averaged more than 30 mpg previously with Mazda3 models. My overall average last week was lowered with lots of in-city (Denver) maneuvering.

The Mazda3 is built in Hofu, Japan. The company’s best-selling model by far is the CX-5 compact crossover.

Though the AWD opportunity will have little effect on Mazda3 sales in warm-climate areas, such as Phoenix and Los Angeles, the boost in Colorado might lift Mazda total sales past BMW and Kia into 12th place from 14th in this state.

It’s a Studebaker Lark, from the ‘60s

Automotive Industry
Krista and Bob Traynor show their 1961 Studebaker Lark convertible. (Jan Wells photos)

The little Lark, even in convertible form, wasn’t enough to save Studebaker 50 or more years ago, but the return of one has brought miles of smiles and new avenues of retirement for a northern Colorado couple.

“My gosh, look at that,” I said, and was referring to a pinkish-orange Studebaker Lark. I’d never seen a Lark at a car show. The show, at St. Michael’s Town Square in Greeley, was for benefit of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, hosted by the Local Branch National Association of Letter Carriers.

As a man nearby in the hot Sunday sun broke away from his conversation and looked our direction, I asked, “Is this your car?”  “It sure is,” he said.

“How did you happen to select a Stude Lark for a classic,” I asked. “It was my wife’s choice,” he responded, “and I like it.” He is Dr. Robert Traynor, who for almost 45 years served as CEO and audiologist for Audiology Associates of Greeley. Retired now, he and his wife, Krista, who is also an audiologist, reside in Fort Collins.

The Traynors, barely into retirement in June 2018, were in the spectator section at the Mecum Denver Classic Car Auction at the Colorado Convention Center as the old cars rolled past. They knew they ought to own one, and began looking over dozens of the several hundred cars yet to go through the auction block.

“That’s the one I want,” Krista finally exclaimed, pointing to a faded pink 1961 Studebaker Lark VIII Regal convertible. “It was to be as much her car as mine,” said Bob; “and she chose it, and I agreed.”

Bob hurriedly purchased a bidder’s badge, and soon found himself raising an arm when the auctioneer chanted “twenty, five,” “twenty, five,” “twenty thousand, five hundred.” Then the bidding stopped and Bob and Krista knew they had their first “classic.”

The clean, white leather interior in the Lark.

Over the past year, they’ve spent another $12,000 creating the lovely Lark, including a pinkish/orange flamingo exterior finish and the nice, white leather interior. It is powered by a 289-cubic-inch V-8 engine and automatic transmission. A technician, at Bob’s request, replaced the generator with an alternator.

“That’s a neat car; I hope that Bob and Krista are enjoying their ride,” said David B. Morton, manager of communications and event marketing for Mecum Auctions, who remembered their purchase at last year’s Denver sale.

In 1947, Studebaker completely redesigned its Champion and Commander models, making them the first new cars after World War II. Most other makes didn’t launch new sheet metal until the 1949 model year.

Studebakers were light-bodied, high-fuel-mileaged vehicles, and through the 1950s their sales trailed only the Big Three Detroit companies (General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Corp.), yet serious financial problems persisted and Studebaker merged with Packard in 1954.

The number of sales reported for each significant American automotive brand during the 1950s included

  1. Chevrolet 13,419,048;
  2. Ford 12,282,492;
  3. Plymouth 5,653,874;
  4. Buick 4,858,961;
  5. Oldsmobile 3,745,648;
  6. Pontiac 3,706,959;
  7. Mercury 2,588,472;
  8. Dodge 2,413,239;
  9. Studebaker 1,374,967;
  10. Packard 1,300,835;
  11. Chrysler 1,244,843;
  12. Cadillac 1,217,032;
  13. Nash 974,031;
  14. DeSoto 972, 704;
  15. Rambler 641,068;
  16. Hudson 525,683;
  17. Lincoln 317,371;
  18. Kaiser 224,293;
  19. Henry J 130,322;
  20. Edsel 108,001;
  21. Imperial 93,111;
  22. Willys 91,841;
  23. Continental 15,550;
  24. Frazer 13,914.

The Lark, a compact car, was produced from 1959 to 1966, in an effort to save Studebaker from the graveyard, but the last of the company’s cars rolled off the line in March 1966.

Back then . . . . . ’99 Mazda Miata

'BACK-THEN' Articles
The 1999 10th Anniversary Mazda Miata. (Mazda)

(Excerpts from a review of the 10th Anniversary Mazda Miata, April 17, 1999, by Bud Wells)

The Palace Arms’ rack of lamb was luscious and a dozen fellow automotive writers lent conviviality to the evening. The highlight for me, though, was driving away from the Brown Palace Hotel in the 10th Anniversary Edition Mazda Miata.

Mazda executives Jay Amestoy, Shari Gold and Brian Betz came to town, set up shop at the Brown and discussed the Miata and plans for rebuilding Mazda’s presence on the U.S. automotive scene.

The little Miata is outstanding in blue – sapphire blue exterior, blue suede center inserts on the two seats and even a blue convertible top and tonneau cover, the first time a production Miata has had anything other than a black or tan top.

Just as noticeable, once in the driver’s seat, is a 6-speed manual transmission; standard Miatas are 5-speeds.

Of course, there’s more shifting now. I upshifted and downshifted 95 times in the 8 miles from the Brown to my home. That’s okay, for the short stick is one of very short throws. It is so quick and convenient in its shifts that a driver tends to frequently rest his right hand on the leather-covered shift knob, awaiting the next move.

In downshifting from 6th gear, however, you must quickly feel the way to 5th, for the return spring is strong enough that it will occasionally pull the shifter toward center and put it into 3rd gear instead of 5th.

Pricing for the special Miata begins at $26,875, with 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine of 140 horsepower. Prices for standard Miatas begin at just over $20,000.

The 10th anniversary auto is powered by Mazda’s 1.8-liter, DOHC 4-cylinder engine, which develops 140 horsepower. It’s a high-revving 4-cylinder, even in 6th gear at 60 miles per hour the engine turns 3000 rpm. I averaged 25.6 miles per gallon in 60 percent city driving.

The rear-wheel-drive Miata with four-wheel double-wishbone independent suspension, is an agile handler. Its turning circle is barely over 30 feet.

Stretched VW Tiguan, 30th Mazda Miata

Automotive Industry
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan SE, parked west of Longmont. (Bud Wells photo)

Worthy of attention in budwells.com are the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV crossover and the ’19 Mazda MX-5 RF Miata roadster.

Why?

The Tiguan, since it was enlarged in second-generation form a year ago, has shot to the front of VW sales, edging past the long-popular though slumping Golf. Sticker price is below $30,000 on the Big Tig, with 4Motion all-wheel drive and finished in standout habanero orange color.

As for the Miata, it is celebrating its 30th year and Mazda says it’s the best-selling roadster of all time. For 2019, horsepower is boosted from 155 to 181 for the naturally aspirated 4-cylinder. The RF edition, which I drove, drops its retractable roof quickly and precisely – 13 seconds.

Noticeable for those who have compared the bigger VW Tiguan with the older, smaller one is the 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space; the earlier Tiguan was more cramped with only 23.8. Small cargo space in an SUV or crossover draws large numbers of complaints. Not just the cargo area has expanded; the rear-seating area has ample legroom and headroom. The leatherette-covered front seats are wide, lightly bolstered and comfortable.

The revised Tiguan is almost a foot longer and is 7 inches longer in wheelbase at 109.9 inches. The Tiguan, which shares a platform with the Audi Q3, offers optional third-row seating.

The only engine offered by Volkswagen for the Tiguan is a 184-horsepower, 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Normal driving tasks are fine, though the engine works hard to maintain pace at times under higher speeds and climbs. A bit of performance boost is gained by pushing the shifter into sport mode; there are no paddles at the steering wheel. The VW rides on Continental 215/65R17 tires. It is built in Puebla, Mexico.

Finished in the bright orange, the VW Tiguan is easily picked out in a crowded parking lot.

Most all the 350 miles driven by me in the Tiguan were smooth-highway variety, resulting in a relatively high-miles-per-gallon average of 28.7. The concluding drive, with former Post co-worker Peggy McKay, Jan and me, was to Johnstown, and on past Scheel’s at I-25 and U.S. 34, following lunch at Kenny’s Steakhouse in Greeley.

Reasonable, it seems, is the price posted on the Tiguan SE 4Motion of $29,285; though it has no navigation. Besides the AWD, it has cruise control, forward-collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitor, heated front seats, Bluetooth and trip computer.

Russian olive trees set background for Mazda Miata RF in 30th year. (Bud Wells photo)

Delivered to me as part of the 30th year observance for the Mazda Miata is the MX-5 Grand Touring RF edition with retractable roof.

Rear pillars highlight the RF’s style departure; they remain in place with the top up or down. Unlike the regular Miata in which the entire soft top folds out of sight, the RF’s rear pillars lift while the metal targa-type top is dropped, then they all lower into place. The upright C pillars lend a distinctive look. It is a fine line of precision as the rear lifts while the middle of the roof and rear window slip backward beneath the pillars, then the layers drop into place. The pillars block rear vision.

Adding distinctive style to Mazda Miata are rear roof pillars. (Bud Wells photo)

The 6-speed manual transmission is tied to the 4-cylinder engine; the shifter is smoothest of most all I’ve driven this year. The powertrain combination for the rear-wheel-drive roadster carries an impressive EPA estimate of 26/34 mpg, and the little model posted an average of 28.5.

With wheelbase of only 91 inches and overall length 154, a slight turning circle of only 30.8 feet allows the driver to turn this Miata around in most any unoccupied street anywhere. That’s 3 feet shorter than the turn radius of a Kia Rio or Chevy Spark. Only the Mitsubishi Mirage can match the tightness of turn of the Miata.

From the Miata’s small confines are tight footroom, tight shoulder room, tight headroom. Cupholders are positioned between the seatbacks far behind the driver, who must wrap the left arm around the body to the center between the seatbacks or lean forward and twist the right arm underhanded and fish for a grasp of the cup. A cupholder can be lifted and moved to the right edge of the center console, but the holder invades knee space of the passenger.

Sticker price on the special Miata Grand Touring RF is $35,405.

A regular Miata soft-top convertible can be purchased for several thousand dollars cheaper.

Iacocca; Land Rover Defender, Discovery

Auto Reviews, Automotive Industry
Automotive legend Lee Iacocca, 94, died July 2, 2019. (Ford)

Much is happening, as we move into July, almost an overflow of column material.

Lee Iacocca died; I’ll be grilling for a third of the family on the Fourth; the current review is the Land Rover Discovery, yet bigger news is Rover’s resurrection of the Defender; Mecum is coming to town for its annual classic car auction; I’ve got to add some miles to the new Audi Q8.

Ken Baldwin and Mary Conway were headed back to Denver after lunching with Jan and me at Kenny’s Steakhouse in Greeley, when Mary called to say she’d heard that Lee Iacocca had passed away.

Bud Wells displays the Lee Iacocca Award at the Gunnison Car Show in August 2012. (Jan Wells photo)

An honor for me on a hot afternoon in August 2012 was being presented the Lee Iacocca Award at the annual Gunnison Car Show.

The following May, on a Monday afternoon, Jan and I dropped by Iacocca’s office on North Canon Drive in Beverly Hills. We were in Los Angeles to celebrate grandson Tyler J. Wells’ graduation from Loyola Marymount University.

The legendary Iacocca, already suffering ailments from the effects of Parkinson’s, wasn’t in his office; his assistant, Nancy Saken, was there and after an hour of visiting presented me with a copy of the book, “Heart Soul Detroit,” autographed by Iacocca.

The book was of conversations with and photos of dozens of famous people who defined their careers in the city. Just a few are Tim Allen, Eminem, Bill Ford Jr., Al Kaline, Della Reese, Lily Tomlin. Iacocca, too, and he wrote a foreword, including this excerpt:

“Because I remember my roots – and I’m sure so do many of the people in this book who were born to immigrant families, had relatives who worked in the auto industry or were born in Detroit – I believe you can never stop dreaming. And not just dreaming, but being diligent and purposeful to make your dreams a reality, no matter how much hard work it takes. That’s what made America great. That’s what made Detroit great.”

Defender for 2020

Add one more big, tough, go-anywhere vehicle to the Land Rover lineup for 2020 – the Defender. The original Land Rover Defender was built from 1983 to 2016, but left the U.S. in 1997.

The new Defender reportedly will be available in three sizes – 90, 110 and 130. The three-door 90, which will grow to 170 inches from 158 previously, will have five- and six-seat versions. The five-door 110 will also be longer at 187 inches and offer five-, six- and seven-seat models. The five-door, eight-seat 130 will measure 201 inches in length.

The Defenders will be built at Jaguar Land Rover’s new plant in Nikra, Slovakia. When the first Defenders arrive in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2020, they will be powered by gasoline engines; a diesel will be added to the U.S. market for 2021.

Discovery turbodiesel

A turbocharged, 3.0-liter V-6 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission lend outstanding fuel mileage and offroad capability to the 5,000-pound Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury.

The 2019 Land Rover Discovery has turbodiesel power, offroad capability. (Bud Wells photo)

A drive to Wray, 10 miles this side of the Nebraska/Kansas border with Colorado, raised overall fuel mileage to 24.8. The engine, quiet as a gasoline version, displays definite turbodiesel lag; place the shifter in sport mode, tip your toe into the throttle and the hesitation can be diminished somewhat.

The Wray trip, east along U.S. 34, took us to a memorial service for Geneva Schafer Muller Newberg. Her son, Doug Muller and wife Pat of Lakewood, and daughter Kay and husband Dr. Robert Thiel of Fort Morgan, were hosts for the service at Grandview Cemetery at Wray.

The Discovery, with optional third-row seating, competes against strong luxury midsize SUVs, including Audi Q7, Mercedes GLE, BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne, Lexus RX350, Acura MDX and others.

The British-built Discovery was introduced in 1989. By its third generation in 2004 it became known in the U.S. as the LR3, then LR4 in 2009, before reclaiming the Discovery name in 2017.

Adding the turbodiesel engine at a cost of $2,000 and a number of other options pushed price of the Discovery from a base of $68,800 to $80,915.

Mecum Denver Auction

A 1967 Shelby GT500 Fastback with 24,000 miles is among featured entries for the fifth-annual Mecum Denver 2019 collector car auction at the Colorado Convention Center.

The Shelby is one of 118 nightmist blue GT500s produced with an automatic transmission for that year. It has been maintained by a single family since the 1990s and benefits from a recently completed concours rotisserie restoration.

Approximately 600 American muscle cars, classics, Corvettes, trucks, hot rods, resto mods and more were to cross the auction block during the two-day sale.

Blue hue admired on Ford F-150

Auto Reviews
Caption- Ford is runaway best-seller among half-ton pickups. (Bud Wells photos)

The 2019 Ford F-150 SuperCrew pickup sat in my driveway and Jan was working in one of her flower beds when neighbors Dennis and Marsha, out for a walk, stopped to chat with her.

Commenting on the pickup, one of them told Jan, “the color is delightful.” Ford calls the exterior finish “velocity blue,” and it is a standout on the big, four-door, half-ton truck.

When Dennis and his wife moved into the neighborhood seven or eight years ago, they were driving a little Smart car. It was blue, too, if I remember correctly. Smart cars will no longer be sold in the U.S. and Canada after the 2019 model year, it was announced last week by parent company Mercedes-Benz. The Smart was never a strong seller over here.

The neighbors now drive a new subcompact SUV crossover – it’s blue, also.

The blue hue, growing in popularity, is sixth most popular new-vehicle color, according to PPG, which lists the top color choices, in order, as white, black, gray, silver and red.

Pickups, regardless of color, sell very well throughout Colorado. The state of Texas claims it’s the hottest sales area for pickup trucks. Trucks are seen all over this state, too.

I’ve had my share this model year, having reviewed the Chev Silverado Trail Boss, the Ford Raptor and new Ranger along with the Lariat 4X4, the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali, the new Jeep Gladiator, the Ram 1500 Longhorn and Rebel along with the HD 2500 Tradesman, and Toyota Tacoma and Tundra.

The midsize Ranger and Gladiator will compete with representative compacts Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon and Nissan Frontier for market share.

The rugged Frontier, which has received little upgrading from Nissan since 2004, is expected to show a new face for 2020, and Ram, which hasn’t had a midsize model since killing the Dakota in 2010, is working on a new one for, perhaps, 2021. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, parent company of Jeep and Ram, has indicated any new midsize model from Ram will not closely copy the offroad-capable Gladiator.

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator during a drive at The Fort, near Morrison.

I drove early one morning to Morrison, near where the 2020 Gladiator was being shown at The Fort Restaurant. While I was  preparing to drive the Gladiator, Norm Fryer of Automotive Media Solutions showed up to exchange vehicles with me – delivering to me the 2019 Ford F-150 4X4 Lariat SuperCrew with V-8 power and taking away the new BMW X7 full-size SUV crossover, which I had driven up there from my home.

The 70-mile drive home in the F-150 was a pleasure; the smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission was tied to the 395-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8 with 400 lb.-ft. of torque. The noticeable difference in Ford’s V-8 from its line of powerful V-6s is in fuel mileage. With more than 50 percent of my drive time on the highway last week with the F-150, it averaged only 17.8 miles per gallon overall. I’ve normally averaged 20-mpg or higher with the 2.7, 3.3 and 3.5 six-cylinders for the half-ton.

The four-door crew cab, finished in velocity blue exterior, is stylish, as pickups go, and is all black inside, with comfortable leather. A roomy rear seating area is brightened from a full sunroof. Access is eased with deployable running boards.

Tailgate innovation is big news these days. As the Ford tailgate drops into open position, push a button in the top end and a 3-foot-wide step lowers into position along with a steadying rod beside it for safely climbing up into the pickup bed. Along with the Ford drop-down step, Ram is showing off a split tailgate, GMC has one which can be used in three positions from a two-step-up to a football tailgating capability, and Chevy has the convenient step-up at the ends of the rear bumper.

To have the V-8 power at hand, the added cost was $1,000. From the base price of $47,985 for the Lariat 4X4, options pushed sticker price to $64,555.

Its tow-capability is one of the best in the half-ton market, including Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist system and trailer view. The popular option automatically backs a truck and trailer into tight parking space, with the driver participation simply turning a knob, keeping an eye on the rearview camera screen and occasionally braking.

Midsizers: Kia Telluride vs. Chevy Blazer

Auto Reviews, Automotive Industry
New crossovers Chevy Blazer, left, and Kia Telluride are competitors. (Bud Wells photo)

Parked side-by-side in my garage were two all-new midsize SUV crossovers – the 2020 Kia Telluride SX and ’19 Chevrolet Blazer Premier.

They’ll compete for sales success with more than a dozen other midsizers, including the redesigned Honda Passport, the new Subaru Ascent and the long-popular Jeep Grand Cherokee.

A first glance makes separation of the two as simple as black and white, dark graphite metallic for the Chevrolet and snow-white pearl for the Kia.

The two are near identically shaped at the rear, with lip of a spoiler atop the rear window. The distinguishing differences from the rear are the taillights – the Blazer’s horizontal and the Telluride’s vertical, and a “floating-roof” look for the Chev. Up front, the Blazer has more of a rake to its windshield, the Telluride stands taller and step-in height is the same for both at about 19 inches. The Blazer rides on 21-inch wheels, the Telluride 20.

The Telluride, the largest model ever offered by Kia, was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2019. It has three rows of seats, and is considerably larger than the established Kia Sorento, which has been considered a “small midsize entry.”

The comfortable interior of the Kia Telluride. (Kia)

The Telluride, 5 inches longer than the Chevy Blazer, is 196.9 inches in overall length, 78.3 in width and 68.9 height. Chevy’s dimensions are 191.4 inches in overall length, 76.7 width and 67 height. Difference in curb weight is approximately 100 pounds, the Telluride at 4,317 pounds and the Blazer at 4,210.

The use of the Blazer model name on a Chevrolet is revival of an identification that was first used in 1969 on full-sized SUVs on a truck chassis known as the K5 Blazer. The compact S10 Blazer was added in 1982; both were discontinued in 2005. A TrailBlazer model was produced from 2001 to 2009.

A 292-horsepower, direct-injection 3.8-liter V-6 engine with 262 lb.-ft. of torque is tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission for the Kia. Performance gets a bit of boost in Sport mode, and passing power is more than adequate out on the highway. Properly equipped, the Telluride can tow up to 5,000 pounds.

The Chevrolet Blazer was an attraction at the Denver Auto Show. (Bud Wells)

The Chevy seems more responsive in low-end-rpm situations with its 308-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 (270 lb.-ft of torque) and paddle shifters to spur its 9-speed automatic transmission. Tow capacity for the Blazer is 4,500 pounds.

The Chevy carries a slight advantage in EPA highway fuel-mileage estimates, 25 to 24, but in my week while driving back-and-forth between the two, the Kia posted a bit higher averages than did the Chevy. Overall, it was 22.9 mpg for the Telluride and 21.9 for the Blazer.

The Kia sport ute has 21 cubic feet  of cargo space behind its third row of seats; fold down the back row and it expands to 46 cubic feet. The Blazer has 30.5 cubic feet behind its second row. Approach the rear of the Chevy with key in pocket at night and the Chevy bow-tie emblem is cast on the ground beneath the bumper; swing a foot over the emblem and the liftgate automatically opens.

The loaded-up, all-wheel-drive models are close in price; the Blazer at $49,290 and the Telluride at $47,255, including forward-collision avoidance alert and lane-keeping assist. The Blazer tag would have pushed past $50,000 with optional forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the Chevy.

The Kia is built in West Point, Ga.; the Chevy Blazer in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

‘19 Toyota Prius gets partial AWD

Auto Reviews

I’d heard that Toyota, in Japan, had added all-wheel-drive technology to its Prius being sold there, so, at a meeting in Denver three years ago I asked Toyota executive David Lee if the company might do the same in Colorado.

“Probably not,” he said, adding that “the Prius has aimed its volume sales at sunshine states and to expect it, with an all-wheel-drive addition, to move into cold and snowy country would be a contradiction to the basis of the hybrid electricity success.”

But thinking changes, sometimes along the lines of a sales decline, of which the Prius has encountered in recent months.

“Yes, the time has come,” said Lee at the 2019 Denver Auto Show. And delivered to me was the 2019 Toyota Prius XLE AWD-e Hybrid. It isn’t a fully capable all-wheel-drive hatchback, but it has the basis for some assist from all four wheels.

For the front-wheel-drive Prius, Toyota has added a lightweight, 7-horsepower, magnetless electric motor to the rear wheels. From 0 to 6 miles an hour, the e-motor is automatically engaged, helping with startup speed and lending grip in icy conditions. From 6 to 43 mph, the AWD system is engaged only as needed, and, beyond 43, there is no AWD available. Thus, the Prius remains lacking for serious cold, snowy weather areas.

The Prius was one of the first gas/electric hybrids to come on the scene in the U.S., in 2000, and thoroughly dominated sales until three or four years ago, when large numbers of new hybrids took away sales. I’ve always considered the Prius one of the best of the hybrids for fair-weather driving.

The e-AWD model, with the boost to 6 miles per hour, was strong in takeoffs. The system offers driving modes of eco, power and electric.  My overall fuel-mileage average was 51.8 mpg.

Sticker price for the Prius AWD-e reached $32,146, including Entune audio, color head-up display, heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, dynamic radar cruise, brake assist, lane-departure alert and blind-spot monitor.   

The Prius is built in Aichi, Japan.