Concluded recently was the smoothest, most advanced testing in years by me of a gas/electric hybrid automobile – the 2019 Lexus LC 500h Coupe.

The sleek product is an excellent blend of appearance and performance. Lexus labels it a “world-class luxury coupe, with enhanced steering, suspension and braking.”

Combined with a 295-horsepower, Atkinson-cycle 3.5-liter V-6engine are two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack, with total output of 354-hp. The power system is tied to a revolutionary transmission setup which incorporates a continuously variable tranny and an Aisin 4-speed automatic to the engine and motors.

With the new transmission system, I felt actual shift points when the LC was being powered by the gas engine, eliminating most of the droning associated with many CVT-equipped vehicles.

It is a strong runner, and will clip off the 0-to-60 in under 5 seconds; don’t confuse it, though, with the gas-only LC500 luxury coupe, which is much more powerful with its 471-horsepower V-8 engine. The 500h looks the same, with its long, tapered hood and well-defined rear haunches.

As I settled into the well-bolstered driver’s sport seat for a 200-mile drive, I was impressed with the finish of the tight-quartered cabin, with alcantra headliner and toasted caramel leather with satin metallic trim. Entertainment all the way to Sterling for Jan and me was from the Mark Levinson surround-sound system.

The interior’s not perfect. Those “ears” protruding from each side of a cover atop the gauge panel, which are dials for snow/traction and for shifting between comfort and sport modes, seem out of place. These are key decision choices for a driver while maneuvering; of absolutely no concern to other passengers, and ought to be more unobtrusively placed.

The drive via U.S. 34 and I-76 to Sterling, where we visited with Norma and Dave Wagner, resulted in a fuel-mileage reading of 30.3 miles per gallon, not bad for the 4,500-pound coupe. The hybrid is rated at 27 in the city and 35 on the highway. The dual-transmission setup seemed to provide more opportunity on occasion for use of the electric power at medium-speed highway travel.

The rear-drive two-door, which rides on Bridgestone Potenza 245/40RF21 tires, is equipped with big brakes for added stopping power – 15.7-inch ventilated discs in front and 14.1 at the rear. Included in the secure braking is a regenerative function for the hybrid side. Also, the latest in precollision system with pedestrian detection and lane-keeping and steering assist.

The $96,710-base-priced Lexus soared past $100 grand (all the way to $108,895) with addition of a performance package of carbon-fiber roof, active rear spoiler and rear-wheel steering.

The LC 500h is on a wheelbase of 113 inches, 187.4 inches in overall length and stands only 53 inches  high. Its trunk space is 4.7cubic feet, other adjacent space is devoted to the battery pack behind the rear seats.

The Lexus LC models are built in Aichi, Japan.

Driving a 2020 Mercedes-Benz prototype of the GLE450 4Matic SUV to snowy Avon on a December weekend was an early Christmas pleasure for Jan and me.

The snow was light as we entered I-70’s Eisenhower Tunnel on the east on Friday afternoon, then much heavier as we emerged on the west. It snowed all Friday evening and continued some on Saturday for our return to Denver and Greeley; conditions conducive for testing this luxury midsize sport ute.

The Avon village was picturesque in the snow and bright holiday lights, and the handsomely structured Mercedes fit the setting.

The new GLE, which will go on sale next spring, has 48-volt electrical system, 362-horsepower engine with added electric boost, 9-speed automatic transmission, increased length and width, pleasant design, and on and on.

Here, though, is what Mercedes’ people are hyping, what they expect will make it a standout among the other competitive European car builders:

“The world’s most intelligent SUV suspension” called E-Active Body Control is independent hydraulic systems at each wheel, and as scanners read the road ahead for imperfections, a wheel’s suspension can be raised or lowered to keep this near-5,000-pounder fairly flat. Suspension movement ranges from 4.7 inches higher to 3.1 lower.

The GLE showed good control, excellent grip through the snow-covered roads; a couple days later closer to my home, I guided it off the edges of a narrow, paved, lightly traveled roadway onto rough, irregular shoulders, and,  yes, the scanners did a job, there was no dip or lean by the body of the Mercedes. As a  multipurpose camera atop the windshield does the scanning, the impact of potholes and railroad tracks are minimized.

Curve Control, another added feature, will lift suspension on the side of the car opposite the direction of the curve it’s taking (turn left, it raises the right side of the car), reducing some of the lateral g force on the passengers.

Performance comes from a turbocharged, 3.0-liter , inline-6-cylinder, supplemented with an added 21-hp from the EQ Boost’s integrated electric motor system. Fuel mileage average for the two-day drive to Avon and back was 23.8 miles per gallon.

Noticeable in the luxurious interior on the cold mornings, when heated front seats are engaged, also heating up are the leather padded lids for the center console bin, which serve as armrest for the driver’s right-side arm.

When Mercedes introduced its midsize sport ute as a 1998 model, it was then known as the ML320 or ML450, depending on engine size. We flew to New Orleans that fall, same weekend as Hurricane Georges was threatening the city, and drove to Memphis and back to Colorado in a new ML. Several years later, we bought an ML320 for Jan, who drove it five years before replacing it.

As a prototype, the GLE isn’t yet priced. Base price for the production GLE450 4Matic, announced by Mercedes, is $62,145. The prototype we drove probably would fall in the $70,000s. A lesser-powered GLE 350 with 2-liter turbo 4 and 4Matic will be base-priced at $57,195.

Oh, so refined, is the Honda Pilot, which has been refreshed for the 2019 model year.

While others in the crowded SUV/crossover field continue to tweak offroad capabilities, get a charge through turbo power and borrow hybrid gas/electric technology from their sedan fleets, Honda sticks with its smooth-operating I-VTM4 all-wheel-drive system, enhanced with the addition of a 9-speed automatic transmission. Minor changes have been made to the Pilot’s front and rear fascias and taillights.

There is nothing extraordinary about its appearance, other than the exterior color on the review model. It looked black, maybe dark blue, then in a bright sun it turns sparkling green (steel sapphire, Honda calls it). A short hood adds to roominess in the three-row crossover.

I concluded my time with the new Pilot in a drive through the foothills west of town; it corners well, with little body roll from its tall and wide body.

Mated to the new 9-speed is a 3.5-liter VTEC V-6 engine with variable cylinder management, 280 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque. Performance is decent, especially in Sport mode, which shifts at higher rpm and tightens steering feel. Momentary delay in shifts occurs occasionally at low speeds with the 9-speed tranny. A 6-speed automatic is standard in lesser-equipped trim levels, which include the LX EX and EX-L, while the Touring and Elite get the 9-speed. The review model is an Elite.

The Pilot is on a wheelbase of 111 inches, with overall length of 196.5 inches and curb weight of 4,319 pounds. Those are 2 inches longer in wheelbase and 5 longer overall than the Pilot of five years ago, yet the ’19 version has shed almost 250 pounds.

With the 3.5 engine and 9-speed, the midsize Pilot earns an EPA fuel estimate of 19/26 miles per gallon; my overall average was 21.2. With the Pilot AWD models, tow capacity is 5,000 pounds.

Now standard on all Pilot models are Honda Sensing safety systems, including forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist.

The Pilot, built in Lincoln, Ala., competes with the Toyota Highlander and 4Runner, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9, Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, Chevy Traverse, Subaru Ascent, Volkswagen Atlas, Nissan Pathfinder and others.

As the sale of Honda sedans Accord and Civic have been in a steady decline, the Pilot this year has seen its sales soar. The Pilot’s nine-month totals for this year have surpassed those of the Toyota 4Runner, which the Pilot trailed a year ago.

A high step-in height is required to reach the Pilot’s very-firm front seats. Between the seats in the center console is a large storage bin with sliding cover; at the front of the console is a smartphone charging pad. Between the second-row bucket seats is another center console; with the touch of a button, the second row seats will slide forward for entry into the third row, which is one of the roomiest on the market.

Cargo space behind the third row is 16.5 cubic feet. The hands-free power liftgate can be opened with the swing of a foot beneath the rear bumper.

Adding all the goodies, sticker price on the Pilot Elite is $49,015.

The beautifully styled 2019 Volvo V60 all-wheel-drive wagon, in its second-generation debut, showed up at my place with, of all things – plaid seats.

Pay no attention to what they’re called, Blond City Weave Textile Upholstery; they’re interwoven gray and white cloth stripes over the main cushion and backing, with beige leather sides. I like them.

The redesigned Volvo, built at Gothenburg, Sweden, will go on sale in the U.S. early next year.

With a turbocharged and supercharged, 316-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder under the hood, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, the V60 T6 AWD carried Jan and me one evening to Denver and the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) for the annual Christmas party of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press.

As we walked in, Tim Jackson, head of the CADA, was leaving for another meeting; he hesitated long enough to place in my hands and those of Bob Sweeney, publisher of the Villager, a Colorado Auto Outlook publication revealing that sales of trucks and SUVs make up 75 percent of total new vehicles sales in Colorado this year.

Also of interest in the same publication was a look at individual-model sales in Colorado of alternatively fueled vehicles, led by the Toyota RAV4 hybrid.

Of the 157,734 new cars and trucks registered in Colorado through the end of September, 118,580 are trucks and SUVs, representing 75 percent of the market. Registration of passenger cars has declined by almost 15 percent during that period, while light trucks (including SUVs) have increased by 5 percent.

Regarding the Volvo V60, it’s a sweet-performing, five-passenger midsize wagon with a supercharger added to the turbo to develop the 316 hp and 300 lb.-ft. of torque from the 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine. Low-end torque comes from the supercharger, which does away with normal turbo lag at lower speeds; the turbo power comes into play in higher-rpm demand.

Selecting Dynamic drive mode from the normal Comfort, through use of a small roller wheel on the center console, immediately sharpens throttle response and quickens shift points. An Eco mode will slow things down for improved economy. The mode defaults to Comfort on startup. The Volvo rides on Pirelli 235/40R19 tires.

The Volvo V60 T6 Momentum model I drove carries a base price of $44,395. For $6,000 more, the higher-end Inscription trim is available, but that one can’t be bought with plaid seats. Don’t get into a lather over leather, for the plaid is comfortable and, again, I remind that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Among standard equipment on the Momentum review model are City Safety automatic emergency braking, panoramic moonroof, LED headlamps with Thor’s Hammer design and the larger Sensus Connect touchscreen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In its new platform, the Volvo is longer by 3.8 inches in wheelbase and 5 inches in overall length. Yet, it still matches up fairly closely with a prime European all-wheel-drive wagon contender, the Audi A4 allroad. Here are the specs –

Wheelbase
Volvo 112.8 inches,
Audi 110.9;

Length
Volvo 187,
Audi 187;

Width
Volvo 73,
Audi 72.5;

Height
Volvo 56,
Audi 58.8;

Curb Weight
Volvo 3,980 pounds,
Audi 3,850.

The Beetle is going away – again.

Volkswagen said it will discontinue the Beetle following the 2019 model year. Only 13,000 have been sold through the end of October this year.

Special models planned for the finale were featured at the LA Auto Show.

Production was halted on the original Beetle 40 years ago, in 1978, also due to slackened demand for the iconic product.

The Beetle’s absence lasted almost 20 years; and in the spring of 1997 when the ’98 VW concept was unveiled, it was the biggest attraction at the Denver Auto Show.

A New Beetle was sent my way in March of ’98, and after driving it for a week all around the city, I wrote:

“In many years of automotive reviewing, I don’t remember anything that has drawn the attention of the New Beetle. Not the bright red SL500 convertible, nor the NSX; not even the Marathon Electric. When driven, the bright blue Beetle brought smiles and waves from fellow motorists and turned heads of people along the streets. When parked, it was the center of numerous “walk-arounds.” The attention  came from all ages – kids, housewives, retirees. It seems to be an emotional thing, and is creating a healthy dose of fun in the automotive world.”

So, is this truly the end of the lovable Bug, or might it resurface down the road?

“The loss of the Beetle will evoke a host of emotions from its many devoted fans,” said Hinrich J. Woeboken, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America. “There are no immediate plans to replace it, but I would also say ‘Never say never’.” Production will end in Puebla, Mexico, in July 2019.

With its nice, soft lines and a bud vase up front, it’s not surprising that by 2002, in four years of New Beetle production, 60 percent of buyers had been women.

To emphasize a more manly side of the ‘02 Beetle, VW offered a Turbo S package of 180-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and the company’s first 6-speed manual transmission under the hood, and it spurred sales for several years.  More recently, sales have been on a downward spiral for the past five years.

Among special models to join Volkswagen for the Beetle’s final year will be the Final Edition SE and Final Edition SEL, both available in coupe and convertible body styles. Pricing for the coupes will start at $23,940 for the SE and $26,890 for the SEL; the convertibles will start at $28,290 for the SE and $30,890 for the SEL.

The post-World War II boom was underway in 1949 when Ben Pon Sr., a Dutch businessman, shipped a Volkswagen Beetle to New York City. From that first Beetle,  priced at $800, sales climbed rapidly. By the mid-1950s, more than 35,000 had been sold. Sales soared in the 1960s, and by the end of the decade, the Beetle was selling 400,000 models a year.

I was a young employe at the Sterling Journal-Advocate in the late 1950s when Sherm Sigler, longtime press foreman and photographer at the paper, bought a new Beetle. For several years, he drove it all over the Logan County countryside while pursuing photos, and became recognized nearly as much for his little car as for the Graflex 4X5 Speed Graphic camera he carried with him.

More than 5.5 million Beetles have been sold in the U.S.

Upgrades were in evidence as I looked over the 2019 Subaru Forester in my driveway one evening. Most obvious was a new color, jasper green metallic, and the Sube looked roomier with a low beltline and tall glass for good vision. The all-new model is built on the Subaru Global Platform, sharing with Impreza and Crosstrek.

The ‘19 Forester is the nicely equipped Touring trim level, on wheelbase of 105.1 inches and overall length of 182.1. Those measurements are 6 and 7 inches longer, respectively, than the original Forester, a ’98, yet the new one is 550 pounds lighter in curb weight than the 1998.

New to the Forester is a DriverFocus system which is designed to identify signs of driver fatigue  and distraction. In fact, as I drove it that night, it twice alerted me, first with “Stay Alert,” then later with “Keep Eyes on Road.” Aw, come on, I glanced down only briefly to determine what one of those buttons was to my lower left.

In its fifth generation, the 2019 model is superior to the earlier Foresters.

It was 21 years ago, in the summer of 1997, that I drove the first ’98 Subaru Forester, a week before the new car was to be unveiled in Subaru showrooms all over Colorado. It was a boxy, little cross between an SUV and station wagon, intended to compete with other small sport utes such as the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Suzuki Sidekick. Excellent braking was a strength of that early Forester and I could turn it around on narrow mountain roads. It got us to Georgetown  and back home okay, though a bit noisy from beneath the hood.

Ten years ago (almost 11), I was in Cobo Hall for the 2008 North American International Auto Show, where one of the biggest introductory successes of the big event was the unveiling of the 2009 Forester. It thrilled the car crowd – it had size and style; the old one had neither.

Suspension upgrades with the Subaru Global Platform deliver a great ride for the 2019 Forester, which performs with a horizontally opposed, 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine of 182 horsepower/176 lb.-ft. of torque and a continuously variable transmission. Its symmetrical all-wheel-drive setup makes it a strong seller in winter-heavy Colorado. It averaged 28.5 miles per gallon overall (EPA estimate 26/33).

Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, which includes precollision braking and throttle management, lane departure and lane-keep assist, is standard on all trim levels of the Forester.

The Forester Touring review model, built in Japan, carries a sticker price of $35,270.

Saddle-brown-color, stitched leather with comfortably bolstered seats highlight the interior. The liftgate opening at the back has been widened to 51 inches; yes, a 4-by-8 drywall sheet will fit through, but the cargo width between the wheel wells remains at 44 inches, so it won’t lay flat.