Economic, light-duty turbodiesel engines powering Ford, Ram and Chevy/GMC half-ton pickups to their all-time-high fuel mileages are spreading also to the SUV stables.

Delivered to me in December 2019 was the 2020 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4X4 EcoDiesel.

Among our drives with the Jeep was one of 85 miles on a rainy/snowy afternoon in the rain and snow.  Equipped with the EcoDiesel V-6, 8-speed automatic transmission and the Rock-Trac heavy-duty, part-time four-wheel-drive system, the Jeep was prepared for the driving tasks.

The Wrangler carried Jan and me west on U.S. 34 through Loveland and on to the Dam Store at the entrance to the Big Thompson Canyon. We turned around there and backtracked to the Big Thompson Elementary School, where we headed north to Masonville, then drove the twisty road northeast to Fort Collins. We headed east through Severance and on to Eaton Grove corner, then south for home.

It was a smooth ride for the Wrangler, which exhibited good grip, most of which occurred in rear-wheel-drive, though conditions required occasional use of four-wheel drive. The Wrangler still uses a lever for engaging four-wheel drive; most car builders today use electronic switches.

Jeep officials expect the Wrangler Ecodiesel to be EPA-rated at least 29 miles per gallon for highway; multiply this by an 18.3-gallon fuel tank and it estimates a range of 530 miles. I averaged 21 to 25 mpg during a variety of driving maneuvers during the week.

The Wrangler V-6 diesel is nearly identical to the diesel engine we tested recently in the Ram pickup. The Jeep version of the turbodiesel develops 442 lb.-ft. of torque, compared with 480 in the Ram. Much of the Jeep duties are at lower speeds, such as churning through mud, climbing over rocks, fording small streams, etc., thus its maximum torque output is at 1,400 rpm, Ram’s is at 1,600. Horsepower is 260, the same in both the Jeep and Ram.

Jeep engineers turned to higher capacity coil springs and retuned dampers in the Wrangler’s suspension to accommodate the extra pounds of weight with the ecodiesel over the other engines used in the vehicle.

Big wheels and B.F. Goodrich All-Terrain 285/70R17 tires were no deterrent to higher fuel mileage. The Jeep cabin was an extremely high step-in.

A feature of the Wrangler is a Sky one-touch retractable top which slides open and can be removed and stored. I remember a Liberty of eight or nine years ago that I bought and sold with a troublesome Skyrider top; I still have nightmares about that one.

A load of options raised the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon from a base price of $41,795 to a sticker of $64,380. The turbodiesel engine, automatic transmission and Sky top added $10,000; also added were leather-trimmed bucket seats, heated steering wheel, remote start, premium audio and navigation, blind-spot and cross-path detection, adaptive cruise control with stop, steel bumpers with red tow hooks and other items.

The Wrangler is built in Toledo; the diesel engine comes from a Fiat/Chrysler plant in Italy and the transmission is manufactured in Germany.

The first-gen Acura MDX (2001-2006) quickly became recognized as one of the most comfortable of midsize three-row luxury crossovers.

For the 2020 MDX, luxurious comfort remains the byword. Over the past 15 or so years, while the overall length of the MDX has been increased by 8 inches, the overall structure of the Acura has shed 250 pounds and estimated fuel mileage has risen to 19 city and 25 highway from the first gen’s  estimate of 15 and 21.

Horsepower for its 3.5-liter V-6 engine has reached 290, 50 more than the original.

Acura continues into the ‘20s with sleek design and high-tech features for the MDX (multi-dimensional luxury). Among its competitors, most of which are priced higher than the Acura, are Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi Q7, BMW X5, Lexus RX350, Lincoln Nautilus, Infiniti QX60, Volvo XC90 and Cadillac XT5.

We enjoyed a pleasant ride with good handling while guiding the MDX to Denver and back in falling snow. The next day, with 2 to 3 inches of snow on the ground and some slick spots, the big Acura performed with excellent grip. Acura’s SH-AWD (super-handling) system sends up to 90 percent of torque to the front wheels in normal cruising; as much as 50 to 70 percent can be directed to the rear wheels as needed for improved traction, and added split can be divided between the rear wheels.

Good, steady performance is supplied by the MDX’s 3.5-liter V-6 engine and 9-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Tow capacity is 5,000 pounds. Acura for several years has used an odd-looking, electronic push-button shifter, in which the driver pushes down a lever for Park, pulls back on another for Reverse, pushes for neutral and makes contact with a circle button for Drive.

Overall fuel-mileage average for the MDX was 21.8 miles per gallon, reduced some by cold-weather warmups and driving in the snow. The crossover rides on Continental 265/45R20 tires.

The Acura MDX AWD A-Spec carried a sticker price of $56,295, including remote engine start, power moonroof, navigation, Bluetooth/CarPlay/ Android Auto and safety features – adaptive cruise, lane-keeping assist and collision mitigation braking.

Sport seats of red leather and black alcantra inserts are attractive; the second-row seats may be folded with push of a button. Cargo space behind the third row of seats is only 15 cubic feet; fold the seats and that expands to 38.

The MDX review model lacked a heated steering wheel. To gain that comfort, the optional Advance package could be added at several thousand bucks extra. Besides a warm steering wheel, the package also adds heated rear seats, middle-row captain’s chairs, leather-wrapped steering wheel and a surround-view camera system.

The MDX is assembled at a Honda factory at East Liberty, Ohio.

When the big snowfalls hit, it’s been my good fortune over the past 40 years that most often I’m in possession of an SUV or pickup with 4X4 capability.

Not so this time. In my garage in late November when we woke to 10 inches of snow was a 2020 BMW 7 series sedan. The xDrive designation alongside the 750i indicated it was an all-wheel-drive model, hooray for that.

The BMW xDrive AWD setup has long been an impressive one, a favorite of mine, and the 4,700-pound four-door maneuvered through the deep snow with only a slip or two. The Bimmer is very agile for a large sedan, with quick, responsive steering.

The BMW 750i is one of six dream cars making up the super-luxury-sedan class. Others are the Bimmer’s chief rival, the Mercedes-Benz S Class, the Porsche Panamera, Audi A8, Lexus LS and the Jaguar XJ. These don’t come around often. I reviewed an S Class and LS in 2018, an XJ in ’15, an A8 in ’14 and a Panamera in ’13.

The ’20 BMW, assembled in Dingolfing, Germany, is a standout with its quilted nappa leather seats, sure-grip traction and awesome acceleration from its 523-horsepower, 4.4-liter twin-power turbo V-8 engine and quick-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission.

Price tag on the BMW is $126,145; at those premium levels, these luxury liners sell in no great numbers. Through the end of October 2019, Mercedes  S Class had registered 9,989 sales this year, followed by the BMW 7 series at 7,433, the Porsche Panamera 5,376,  Lexus LS 4,416, Audi A8 1,962 and Jaguar  XJ 995.

The 750i’s quiet, smooth ride comes from an extra-long wheelbase of 126.4-inches in length, with overall length of 207.4 and the curb weight of 4,722.

Its sumptuous cabin displays beautiful leather, finished in brown/butterscotch, all over the interior accented by fineline black wood trim. A highlight are front seats which massage, heat and cool. A spacious rear seat features pillow-soft headrests and massagers, along with center-console controls for entertainment, air and heat.

The price soared with high-end optional amenities – $6,000 for Bowers & Wilkins sound system and the rear-seat entertainment system, $4,000 for active steering and active comfort drive with road preview, $3,900 for  heated steering wheel and the rear comfort, another $3,900 for panoramic roof and the front comfort, $1,300 for 20-inch multispoke wheels.

A big, new grille adorns the front of its long hood; at the rear a hands-free lid opens to a trunk boasting 18 cubic feet of space.

Among safety assurances are frontal collision warning and braking, lane-departure warning and correction, active blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert.

The big sedan carries an EPA fuel estimate of 17/25 miles per gallon. My overall average, even after crawling about in the deep snow, was 21.6.

It’s an absolute pleasure to drive, and includes soft-close automatic doors, head-up display, Apple CarPlay, wireless charging and automatic high beams.

Colors, and the alluring casts being reflected today, are a major consideration in choosing an auto.

Heading north on Wadsworth Boulevard in the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross from final respects for Irv Moss at Horan McConaty out south, I sensed the driver of the vehicle beside me was following my pace.

A quick glance to the left confirmed it; a woman in a Subaru rolled down its front passenger window, then hollered, “What color is your car?”

It’s an obvious red, she must wonder what shade of red; it’s a pleasantly soft red and is labeled “red diamond.” “I love it,” she said, then moved over a lane and made a left turn. I’ll take it as a plus for Mitsubishi, a Japanese company which struggles these days to get much attention, let alone compliments.

The Eclipse Cross, introduced in 2018, is a compact crossover highlighting sharp, sculpted body lines and a large rear window split in half by a spoiler. Only three other models are produced by Mitsubishi – the Outlander and Outlander Sport crossovers and the small Mirage sedan. The Eclipse Cross is built in Okazaki, Japan.

The Eclipse gets by, with a whine here and there, from its 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine developing 152 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque, a continuously variable transmission and all-wheel drive. There is no surplus of power, though the small block operates smoothly and earned a relatively high 25-miles-per-gallon in-city fuel mileage estimate. The highway rating is only a bit higher at 26 mpg.

A Sunday afternoon drive to Fort Lupton and back to Greeley for Kim Parker, Jan and me, followed by the Monday morning trip into Denver for Irv Moss’ funeral resulted in a very decent 27.6 overall mpg. The Mitsubishi’s tow rating is only 1,500 pounds. Handling is okay, ride quality can turn harsh on our weather-beaten roadways.

Highlighting a pleasant interior are a panorama sunroof, 7-inch smartphone -link display audio with touchpad controller, heated leather seating, head-up display, and Ms. Parker gave the rear-seat headrests a thumb’s-up rating for comfort and ease of raising and lowering. Cargo area behind the rear seats is only 22.1 cubic feet.

A $2,100 optional Touring package, available only with the SEL trim level, adds the sunroof, Rockford Fosgate premium audio, forward emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and heated steering wheel. This brought the review model’s sticker price to $28,595. Cheaper trims are the ES, LE and SE; starting price for the ES with all-wheel drive is $24,595.

Mitsubishi labels its all-wheel-drive system S-AWC for Super All Wheel Control; push-of-a-button will move its grip control from auto to snow to gravel.

Some observers have likened the Eclipse Cross’ split rear window style to the Pontiac Aztek of the early 2000s; the Aztec is considered one of the worst-looking crossovers produced. The Mitsu’s style, even at the rear, doesn’t approach that sight; the Mitsubishi is okay.

The Horan McConaty Chapel was filled with friends and associates of Irv Moss, the 60-year member of The Denver Post sports department who passed away Jan. 8, 2019. When I began work at The Post in the fall of 1968, Irv had already been there 12 years.