Jeep? Electrified?

I’ve seen it and driven it, a plug-in hybrid. For the Wrangler offroad star to be primed for the alternative power source probably means the entire automotive industry is making preparation.

In fact, Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis which is new name of the FiatChrysler/PSA merger, said recently, “we’re committed to an electric future and will not make any major future investments in internal combustion engines.” Jeep was FiatChrysler sales leader.

Delivered to me was a 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4XE, a plug-in hybrid with a turbocharged, 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and two electric motor-generator units and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Electricity is stored in a 400-volt, 17-kw lithium-ion battery pack beneath the rear seat for combined 375 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque.

Three choices of power source with buttons marked Hybrid/Electric/E-save. Hybrid, the default mode, combines torque from the turbocharged gas engine and electric motors as needed. It seems to favor electric use and, with limited range, this is expended fairly quickly. With moderate acceleration, speeds will reach into the low to mid-60s before the gas engine replaces the electric power. The Electric mode uses full electric power, as long as it is available, while the E-Save mode will preserve battery power.

Drove to Loveland, south on U.S. 287 to Longmont, west on Colo. 66 to Lyons and on to Estes Park. The red Wrangler drew interest, while most seemed impressed that Jeep has moved into the busy plug-in hybrid testing.

By the time we returned home, over two days we had driven 166 miles with two overnight charges providing 52 miles of electric range, resulting in an overall fuel mileage of 27.6 miles per gallon. The mpg peaked at 30.9 after Monday’s 26 electric miles had been expended. Then, under full gasoline power, it gradually dropped to 27.6.

It takes 12 hours to fully charge the 4xe with a Level 1 (120V) system plugged into a typical household outlet. A Level II (240V) charger can do it in approximately 2 hours.

Options worth $8,500 pushed the Jeep’s price past $60 grand at $61,265. Among those options are leather-trimmed and heated buckets, full-speed forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, advanced brake assist.

The two most recent Wranglers I’ve driven were higher-priced than the plug-in hybrid. They were the EcoDiesel at $64,380 and the 392 Hemi at $78,740.

The Rubicon trim level maintained the Wrangler’s offroad features, including Rock-Trac fulltime 4-wheel-drive, a 4:1 low-range gear ratio and electronic-locking front and rear differentials.

The SunRider One-Touch sliding roof opened most of the way back; it can be completely unbolted and removed, as can the four doors, and the windshield can be folded down.

Of the unveiling of the 4XE, Christian Meunier, Jeep brand chief executive officer, said, “We are committed to make Jeep the greenest and most exciting SUV brand. The electrification of the Jeep lineup will allow commuters to travel solely on electric power, delivering an efficient and fun on-road experience and offering an ability to enjoy even more off-road capability in nearly complete silence.”

A new Wilderness edition for the long-popular Outback wagon is being heavily promoted these fall days (2021) by Subaru.

A 260-horsepower, turbocharged 4-cylinder boxer engine with electronic high-torque continuously variable transmission, front skid plate and Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels are highlights of the 2022 model.

Ground clearance has been elevated to 9.5 inches; 25 years ago, the 1996 Outback promoted the fact its clearance had been increased to 7.3 inches. It has been a steady increase since.

Subaru’s X-mode, which maintains lower gearing for stronger power when needed, becomes of more wheel-slip control in deep snow, sand and mud. Front and rear bumpers have been redesigned for improved approach and departure angles.

Wilderness anodized copper accents and logos inside and out identify the special edition.

The new Subaru Wilderness, by a mere $35, remained below 40-grand in sticker price. The addition of a package of navigation system with 11.6-inch touchscreen, power moonroof and reverse automatic braking brought the total to $39,965.

I suspect the turbo, so well-received as a performance boost, took a toll on fuel mileage. The Wilderness’ EPA estimate is 22 city/26 highway/24 combined; my overall average was 21.5 miles per gallon.

The Outback is built on Subaru’s Global Platform in Lafayette, Ind.

It wasn’t enough that I drove the Carnival 130 miles to Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs; the Pikes Peak road to its new Visitor Center was closed on a Saturday in August, and I would have to come back another day.

That was okay, for we had other reasons to be there – to see an early preview of the 2023 Nissan Z Car at the Broadmoor World Center and to enjoy lunch nearby with a friend, Nissan manager of corporate communications Steve Parrett.

Shape of the new Z, expected to arrive next spring, is a throwback to the Datsun 240Z of the 1970s, and a twin-turbocharged V-6 will generate 400 horsepower, replacing a naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V-6 of 332-hp. The Z will challenge the Toyota GR Supra.

The Carnival referenced in the opening sentence is a new Kia minivan replacing the Sedona; it shares a platform with the Kia Sorento crossover. Kia refers to the Carnival as a multipurpose vehicle, citing exterior styling changes which give it a bigger look.

The more distinctive upgrades, though, appear to be inside, with room for up to eight occupants and cargo space behind the third row of seats is 40.2 cubic feet. It offers comfortable, supportive seats, with small-item cubbies throughout and 11 cupholders. The middle seat of three in the second row can be folded down into a table between the two outboards.

Navigation is tied to a 12.3-inch touchscreen, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration and wireless phone charger. Its dual rear-seat entertainment system can play separate movies on the two screens mounted on the backs of the front-seat headrests.

It is of front-wheel-drive configuration, has no all-wheel-drive capability, nor does it offer a hybrid.

Its 290-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, somewhat slow in low-end acceleration, perform very well in midrange torque and shift smoothly.

The fairly heavy van (4,600 pounds), in the I-25 drive to Colorado Springs and back and some stop-and-go travel in Manitou and Colorado City, averaged 24.4 miles per gallon overall. Its EPA estimate is 19 in city and 26 highway. The Carnival can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

Among driver-assist technology are forward-collision and blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist and smart cruise with stop-and-go.

The Carnival SX review model carries a base price of $42,275, with $495 added for the ceramic silver paint for a sticker price of $42,770. Three lesser-priced trim levels are the EX, beginning at $38,775, the LX and LXS. A higher-priced trim is the SX Prestige.

The Carnival carries a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty.

The Carnival, built at Sohari, Korea, will compete with the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. Minivan sales, like those of midsize sedans, have been on the decline in recent years.

Ford vs. Ferrari, it’s now on the shelf.

Ford may be stirring for another race – Ford vs. Jeep, subtitled Bronco against Wrangler Unlimited, 4-doors, of course.

Ford’s been without a Bronco since 1996 and for the past 15 years has watched Jeep sell thousands of Wrangler Unlimiteds.  So the Dearborn boys went back to the drawing board, got busy and created, first, the small Bronco Sport which we drove in May, and, now, the big, four-door Bronco.

Take a look at the Wrangler Unlimited; then another glance at the Bronco First Edition Sasquache. Yep, it’s a sales race in the making.

The big Bronco gets up and down the hills with power to spare from Ford’s optional 2.7-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6 mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission; it delivers 310 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. Standard engine is a 275-hp turbocharged EcoBoost 4-cylinder. Considering the Ford’s near-5,000-pound weigh-in, the EcoBoost V-6 is definitely a more satisfactory choice.

We climbed and twisted our way in the Bronco to Glen Haven on the Devil’s Gulch road between Drake and Estes Park. We stopped at the Glen Haven General Store, visited with Steve and Becky Childs, and shared one of her cinnamon rolls.

A switch on the shifter is used to engage manual-mode control of the 10-speed. Driver-selectable G.O.A.T. (goes over all types terrain) modes include Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Sand, with Baja, Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl for off-roading.

On our return drive back to the east, I stopped for 10 or 15 minutes, tossed a line into the North Fork of the Big Thompson River, and took home a brown trout.

Production of Ford’s previous generations of Bronco ended in 1996; it was a big, two-door model. One Denver Ford dealer purchased dozens of the final model, staged a big sale. Doug Freed and Karrie Mowen, working associates of mine, rushed out and bought one each; both were well-satisfied. Manual mode shifting is engaged with a switch on the shifter.

The all-new Bronco family includes a Bronco two-door, first-ever Bronco four-door model and all-new rugged, small SUV, Bronco Sport

The First Edition Sasquatch I drove is equipped with an advanced 4X4 system with automatic on-demand engagement between 2Hi and 4Hi. With the auto engagement, the 4WD setup will send torque to the front wheels for improved performance under all types of road conditions. The doors and roof panels are removable on the Bronco.

The review model averaged 18.2 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 17 in city, 17 on highway.

Sticker price on the 2021 Ford Bronco First Edition Sasquatch is $63,210. It is built in Wayne, Mich. It rides on Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT LT315/70R17 tires.