All posts by budwells

About budwells

Born at Wray, Colo., graduate of Sterling High School, attended Northeastern Junior College, began work at Sterling Journal-Advocate in 1956, began work at The Denver Post in 1968, resides at Greeley, Colo. Bud and wife Janice are parents of three sons and two daughters.

Trackhawk puts Jeep in fast lane

The 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with a supercharged Hemi V-8. (Bud Wells photo)

Out east of Greeley one evening, I brought the Jeep to a stop, pushed the “launch” button, held the brake momentarily as I mashed the accelerator and we flew down the paved road for a few seconds before I shut it down. Wow.

It’s the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, equipped with the awesome 707-horsepower Hellcat engine; and built into its launch mode is an automatic timer for 0-to-60 clockings. I don’t do the rush-to-60 much anymore, but since the timer was part of the package, why not. The readout indicated my time was 4.5 seconds.

“That’s really fast,” said Jan, who probably hundreds of times in the past held a stopwatch for timing of similar runs I made (never this fast, though).

Regarding the 4.5 reading for the Trackhawk, though, I knew I hadn’t fully depressed the pedal at launch, and, such a quiet evening with absolutely no traffic around, I said, “Let’s try it one more time.”

This time, the Trackhawk was ready, I was ready, and the result was very satisfactory – 3.9 seconds.

Not often, in recent years, have I checked cars and trucks for 0-to-60 times. Years back, Jan was my official timer with the stop watch; we would test them 0-to-50. I’d yell “Go” as I kicked down the accelerator and Jan started the watch, then as the needle moved past 50, “Okay” was the signal for Jan to shut the watch off.

Not as precise as the automatic timer in the Trackhawk, but the method served as a rough indicator of one vehicle’s quickness compared with another. The ’98 Dodge Viper, ’99 Porsche 911 Carrera and ’09 Nissan GT-R were close to 4 seconds (remember, that was to 50, not 60). Others with quickness were an ’81 Maserati Merak SS, ’93 Toyota Supra, ’02 BMW M3 Coupe, ’02 Vette ZO6, ‘03 Audi RS6, ’03 Ford Mustang Mach 1, ’09 Bentley Continental GT, and others I’ve forgotten.

The slowest ever was a ’91 Geo Metro convertible with a 1-liter, 3-cylinder engine, automatic transmission, 19.06 seconds.

The Jeep Trackhawk has beneath its hood the same 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 best-known for performances in
Dodge Challengers and Chargers. It is the first Chrysler factory-produced Hemi engine powered by a supercharger, rather than a turbocharger. I had no occasion to test it for a top speed; Jeep officials say it will reach 180 miles per hour. Its speedometer registers to 200.

Jan and I in the Trackhawk on a Sunday morning headed south in to Denver and, in heavy traffic, drove slowly past Coors Field, where hundreds of baseball fans were already lined up, ostensibly in pursuit of Colorado Rockies star Charlie Blackmon bobbleheads. That was the giveaway for the Colorado Rockies game against the Atlanta Braves.

On down 22nd Street, we pulled into the parking lot beside Soneff’s automotive building. A few years back, I occasionally saw the late John Soneff out there collecting 5-dollar-bills for parking. Now, it’s a digital machine, which requests first, a license plate number, then partially swallows a credit card which is $20 lighter when it spits it back out. After a short walk, we, too, had a Blackmon bobble in our hands.

Adding impressive performance parameters to the Trackhawk is German-built ZF 8-speed automatic transmission tied to the powerful 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 with 645 lb.-ft. of torque, beefed-up QuadraTrac four-wheel-drive system, Bilstein competition suspension and huge 15.75-inch brake rotors with Brembo 6-piston calipers. Those calipers, by the way, are bright yellow. “My preference is still the comfortable Grand Cherokee Limited at much less cost,” said Jan.

V-8 drives Nissan Titan westward

The 2018 Nissan Titan Pro-4X at Sylvan Dale Ranch. (Bud Wells photo)

Jan and I took a couple hours out of a wet and cold afternoon and, in a 2018 Nissan Titan 4X4, headed west on U.S. 34.

Just this side of the Dam Store at the opening of the Big Thompson Canyon, which is closed for road and stream work, I guided the Titan on a short right, down the hill into the Sylvan Dale Ranch.

We did some twists and turns on narrow dirt roads before pulling up into a parking area outside the ranch’s main office building, where we took time to photograph the cayenne red pickup.

The Titan is equipped with the offroad-oriented Pro-4X endurance and enhancement packages, including shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system, Bilstein performance shocks, skid plates, utilitrack bed with four tiedown cleats, electronic tailgate lock and extendable tow mirrors with puddle lamps.

I remember riding up there as a kid from Wray many years ago with my mother, who was delivering my sister, Norma Jane, and two or three of her friends there for a week of First Christian Church summer camp. Sylvan Dale today is a guest ranch.

The half-ton Titan stands tall and its step-in height is just short of 2 feet. A handy grab handle at each of the four doors assists in access and egress. Best, of course, would be a step rail, but this review model had none.

The Titan, built in Canton, Ohio, for Japanese-based Nissan, was named Truck of the Year at the recent Denver Auto Show at the Colorado Convention Center. Selection was by the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press.

It’s labeled as the Titan Pro-4X 4X4 King Cab. King Cab seems to me a misnomer for this truck, which uses rear-hinged back doors that require opening of the front door to gain access to the latch release for opening the rear. An advantage to a rear-hinged door, though, is that it can be opened to a much wider degree than a traditional four-door.

The 5.6-liter V-8 is a workhorse engine, with 390 horsepower and 394 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s a pleasure to drive, though it averaged only 15.2 miles per gallon of fuel usage. It rides on General Grabber 275/70R18 tires.

Since its introduction into the U.S. in 2003, the Titan has been a distant last in sales among the six full-sized pickups. A restyle for 2017, along with expanded underhood offerings, sent sales climbing from 21,000 in ’16 to 50,000 last year. Still last, but a bit more respectable.

The gasoline-powered V-8 is tied to a 7-speed automatic transmission and an electronic switch on the dash moves the transfer case from two-wheel drive to 4-Hi or 4-Lo, if needed.

Interior highlights include leather seats with contrasting stitching, Rockford Fosgate premium audio and Nissan Connect with navigation and 7-inch display screen.

By adding heated and ventilated front seats, remote start, around-view monitor, power-slide rear window and other options, the Titan’s price climbed from a base of $43,490 to $50,720.

Chevy pins hope on Cruze hatch, diesel

The 2018 Chevy Cruze Hatchback Diesel at Glenmere Park in Greeley. (Bud Wells photo)

Slipped very quietly, and somewhat surprisingly, beneath the hood of the hot new Chevy Cruze hatchback I’ve been driving was a small turbodiesel engine and 9-speed automatic transmission.

Chevrolet, it seems, is bucking consensus that the Volkswagen diesel scandal of two years ago has driven away majority of would-be buyers of those alternatively fueled vehicles.

Speaking of the 2018 Cruze LT Diesel Hatchback delivered to me, Nick Jaynes Morgan, assistant manager of Chevrolet Communications, said the diesel package is of very limited production, about 5 percent of Cruze total output this year.

“We’re aware of the feelings of many over the VW cheating issue,” said Morgan; “yet, if we can get a responsible number of consumers into test drives of the Cruze turbodiesel, we believe our diesel sales numbers will begin to climb.”

He may be right, for the turbo response and high fuel-mileage readings were impressive in the review model, and the front-wheel-drive Cruze has been rated above average in handling since shortly after its inception 10 years ago.

Great handling and strong torque were on display for an earlier Cruze diesel in 2014, when I drove it over the rolling hills on Colo. 105 north of Palmer Lake, on to Sedalia and back to Denver. That turbo was short-lived, giving way to the uproar over VW’s diesel emissions case of 2015. That diesel was the first offered in a Chevy car since the little Chevette in 1986.

The new turbodiesel, produced in Hungary, is a 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder generating 137 horsepower and 240 lb.-ft. of torque. It was introduced in the Cruze sedan in 2017, and this year expanded into the hot new hatchback.

The compact Cruze’s new hatchback style was deemed favorable by most onlookers while in my possession. The stylish roof slopes to a rakish rear end with spoiler and wraparound taillamps. The review model’s red finish was an attraction.

The liftgate opens up to 22.7 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat; fold that and it expands to 47 cubic feet. The rear-seating area offers good amount of legroom. After placing anything in the rear seat and driving any distance, and with shutoff of the engine the Chevy’s message center reads: “Rear seat reminder; Look in rear seat!”

A run to DIA to greet Kim Parker on her return from Atlanta and return to her home in Greeley, a total of 100 miles, averaged 42.5 miles per gallon, and overall mpg for the Cruze was 37. Its EPA estimate for the diesel is 30/45. The Cruze rides on Goodyear Assurance 205/55R16 tires.

The Cruze has no paddleshifters, though can be dropped into manual mode and shifted up or down with push of plus and minus switches. More aggressive takeoffs can be attained in normal automatic mode when the driver’s foot goes deep into the accelerator.

The turbodiesel engine adds $2,800 to cost of the Cruze, which showed a sticker price of $30,125. Among features were leather seats, power sunroof, heated steering wheel, lane-change alert, Bose audio with Bluetooth streaming/Apple Carplay and Android Auto capability.

Miata ‘spring’ test

The Mazda Miata Club with top down on sunny Sunday. (Bud Wells photos)

Someone seeing me on a mid-February morning in a little Mazda Miata scooting through the 6-inch-deep snow asked, “Why would you be out in that, with four-wheel-drives sitting at your house?”

Well, the deep snow was out there, as was the Miata with a manual transmission and Bridgestone Blizzak tires, so why not?

Spring must be just around the corner, I thought, when the 2018 MX-5 Miata Club convertible was delivered to me. It seemed so, too, on a Sunday, driving the rear-wheel-drive roadster through the countryside in 65-degree warmth.

Two days later, the Mazda’s in the snow with top in place.

Two days later, though, I was near-stuck between the street rise and the curbing dropoff from my driveway, but rocking the Miata just a bit between 2nd and reverse gears got me out into the driving lane and I got around okay in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears.

The Club version of the Mazda offers a sport-stiffened suspension with Bilstein dampers, adding to its great handling capability on a 90.9-inch wheelbase and curb weight of barely more than 2,300 pounds. It performs decently with a 155-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine (148 lb.-ft. torque) and 6-speed manual transmission, and averaged 31.4 miles per gallon overall.

The interior is inviting with dark leather/suede Recaro seats and red piping. Snugged up in those seats, the ride can get rough and noisy. It is nearly impossible to access the cupholders, which sit between the seatbacks far behind the driver.

Brembo brakes, the Recaro package, 7-inch infotainment screen and red convertible top pushed the Club’s price past 30 grand, all the way to $35,240. The Miata has no rearview camera; of course, with the top down it isn’t needed. To drop the top, unhook a latch at the windshield header and push the cloth top down into the area behind the seatbacks, where one more good push latches it into the recessed area behind the small cabin space. Trunk space is only 4.6 cubic feet, whether the top is up or not.

In “fun-to-drive” assessment, the Miata ranks high among sports cars. Among its chief rivals is the Fiat 124 Spider, which, ironically, is built by Mazda on the same assembly line as the Miata, in Hiroshima, Japan.

 

Outback carries Subaru into 50th celebration

The 2018 Subaru Outback Touring model visited NCAR above Boulder. (Jim Colwell photo)

Jim Colwell and I, in the 2018 Subaru Outback Touring wagon, made the climb up to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) above Boulder for lunch on a Wednesday morning.

Subaru this year is observing its 50th anniversary in the U.S. In the spirit of the celebration, I chose to drive the durable Outback, for more than any other model, it saved Subaru at a low point 20 years ago and led it to where it is today – seller of more than 600,000 new cars and SUVs a year in the country and second-highest brand in sales in Colorado.

Jim Colwell studies boxer-6 engine under hood of Outback. (Bud Wells photo)

I knew Jim as “Mr. Colwell” when he was my freshman English instructor at Sterling High School many years ago. Though we’ve exchanged e-mails regarding some of my auto columns in recent years, we’d not seen each other since the last day of school at SHS in late May 1952.

In addition to the drive to Boulder and NCAR, the Subaru and I made business stops in Loveland and Erie. The descent down NCAR Road in the early afternoon gave opportunity for short tests of the Outback’s 6-speed manual mode and paddle-shifting, somewhat of a departure of its continuously variable transmission, as it simulates shift points like a traditional tranny.

The CVT, in standard mode, performs smoothly tied to the Outback’s 3.6-liter, horizontally opposed (flat) 6-cylinder engine, which develops 256 horsepower. The highway driving from Greeley to Loveland to Boulder to Erie and back home resulted in fuel mileage of 25.1; the Outback’s EPA estimate is 20/27.

C-shaped headlights offer a new exterior touch for the 2018 Outback. Inside, heated front and rear seats in perforated brown leather are among highlights. The front passenger seat will power-slide fore and aft, but not up and down.

Heading the wagon’s strong safety technology is Subaru’s patented EyeSight, including cameras mounted near the top of the windshield to monitor approaching obstacles. Automatic precollision braking, adaptive cruise and lane-keeping assistance are among added safety controls of the system.

I remember the first Outback, introduced in 1995 as a variant of the Legacy wagon. With its boxer engines and sturdy all-wheel-drive structure and heavy side cladding, it endured among a rush of SUVs and more modern crossovers, and found favor with lots of outdoors persons. It caught on “big time” in Colorado, as its all-wheel drive challenged our rugged terrain and inclement weather.

Subaru’s first model was the little 360 in 1968. (Subaru)

Subaru of America was founded on Feb. 15, 1968 by American businessmen Malcolm Bricklin and Harvey Lamm. Its first car model was the little 360, priced at $1,290 with a 25-horsepower engine and top speed of 69 miles per hour.

For 2018, Subaru is offering each of its models with a special 50th anniversary edition, including heritage blue paint, anniversary edition badging, black interior upholstery with silver stitching and contrasting silver seatbelts.

Colwell and his wife, Claudia, are retired in Boulder following his distinguished career as an education director, ironic in the fact he dropped out of Brush High School as a 16-year-old. Born on a ranch east of Brush, he left school in 1943 and spent a year working at Hill Army Air Field in Utah before returning to Brush and finishing high school in ‘45.

He taught at Sterling after earning a journalism degree at the University of Denver in 1949 and his M.A. and lifetime teaching certificate from the University of Northern Colorado in 1951.

After two years in Sterling, he served in the U.S. Air Force in Japan and was assistant command education director in Tokyo in 1955-56. He also achieved Ph.D. and A.M. in American Studies at Yale, and studied at Heidelberg University in Germany, where he met Claudia. His career included education directorships at the University of Colorado, University of Texas of the Permian Basin, University of Maryland/European Division.  He also advanced from a private rank in the U.S. Army Air Forces in the 1940s to brigadier general, USAF Reserve, in 1987.

 

Audi allroad wagon grips snow reputation

The Audi allroad wagon is secure in the snow. (Bud Wells photo)

Not everyone concerned with winter-weather driving in Colorado purchases SUVs or crossovers. It seems that way, yet there are other choices.

A gem of a product falling between the multitude of SUVs and the front-drive or rear-drive sedans is the 2018 Audi A4 allroad turbocharged quattro wagon.

It sits low; in fact, the allroad’s ground clearance of 6.5 inches is much less than the 9-inch clearance of Audi’s popular Q5 SUV. That seems of little deterrence in traversing streets in 4 or 5 inches of snow, as the allroad churns through with little slippage, even across icy intersections.

Two snowfalls gave the German-built allroad opportunity to display its grip and maneuverability.

It handles impressively and performs fairly strong with its 252-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 7-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox. Suspension feel is altered through selection of five drive modes – dynamic, comfort, auto, individual and offroad; steering and throttle, too, are quickened or softened.

An easily gripped short shifter sits in the center console, and small paddles at the steering wheel lend more control to the driver. Advanced safety technology will vibrate the steering wheel if the allroad ventures over to a lane marker and will activate steering guidance back into the driving lane.

The 25.8 miles per gallon I posted with the allroad would have seemed satisfactory if the week previously I hadn’t averaged 29.5 in similar driving with the BMW 430i xDrive Gran Coupe, which is of same weight and horsepower as the Audi, both are with 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinders.

The Audi interior is trimmed in brown leather, front seatbacks are fairly deeply bolstered. The roomy rear seats are heated and the rear side windows have manual-pull sunshades. Cargo space behind the rear seats is 24.2 cubic feet; that’s more than the Q5 offers.

The German-built allroad , based on the Audi A4, is compact-sized, with wheelbase of 110.9 inches and overall length of 187; curb weight is 3,825 pounds. Some years ago, the allroad was larger, then as a derivative of the A6. Today’s allroad rides on Continental 245/45R18 tires.

Pushing the allroad’s price from a base of $44,500 to sticker of $56,650 are a long listing of options including:

Bang & Olufsen sound, Audi MMI navigation, heated power-folding mirrors, LED headlights, high-beam assistant, top-view camera parking aid, head-up display, adaptive cruise, traffic sign recognition, ventilated front sport seats and heated steering wheel.

I tested Audi A4 allroad quattro wagons in 2013 and 2015 at prices, respectively, of $47,395 and $48,325

Colorado sales hit record in ‘17

Jaguar doubled sales in Colorado in 2017. (Bud Wells photo)

Toyota, Subaru, Volkswagen, Ford, Nissan, Jeep and Honda were biggest gainers in new car and light truck registrations in Colorado in 2017, compared with the previous year.

Figures compiled by Experian Automotive for the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA)) showed that 211,132 new cars and trucks were registered in Colorado in 2017, exceeding the previous record of 207,836 in 2000, 17 years ago.

“Trucks, including SUVs, did it,” said Tim Jackson, CADA president.  “Colorado leads the nation as a whole in light-truck registrations versus passenger cars with a record 71.8 percent, or almost three-fourths of all vehicles sold in the state.

Toyota led Colorado car/truck registrations with 31,991, followed by:

  • Subaru with 25,508;
  • Ford 24,566;
  • Honda 15,921;
  • Chevrolet 15,465;
  • Jeep 14,897;
  • Nissan 12,372;
  • Ram 8,120;
  • Hyundai 6,889;
  • Volkswagen 6,593;
  • GMC 6,163;
  • Kia 5,218;
  • Mazda 4,702;
  • Lexus 4,183;
  • Audi 3,910;
  • Mercedes-Benz 3,585;
  • BMW 3,371;
  • Dodge 3,352;
  • Acura 1,707;
  • Buick 1,638;
  • Infiniti 1,415;
  • Volvo 1,077;
  • Cadillac 1,061;
  • Chrysler 1,001;
  • Lincoln 955;
  • Mitsubishi 947;
  • Land Rover 944;
  • Tesla 853;
  • Mini 821;
  • Porsche 806;
  • Jaguar 473;
  • Fiat 238;
  • Maserati 132;
  • smart 48.

Toyota increased registrations by 3,245 during the past year, followed by Subaru with a gain of 1,864; Volkswagen 1,455; Ford 1,227; Nissan 1,091; Jeep 880 and Honda 860. Jaguar led all brands in percentage of increase, having registered 223 new cars/trucks in 2016 and jumping to 473 in 2017, an increase of 112 percent.

 

 

Challenger, Camaro, Mustang still at it

2018 Challenger GT – 2016 Mustang – 2012 Camaro ZL1 (Bud Wells Photos)

Warmed up after an ice-driving event near Winter Park a few days earlier, two spirited sport-model autos were sent my way – the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti all-wheel-drive sedan and the 2018 Dodge Challenger GT all-wheel-drive coupe.

The flashy 2018 Dodge Challenger GT, with all-wheel drive. (Bud Wells photo)

 

Shod with Bridgestone Blizzaks, the Challenger probably owns a second or two of grip advantage over the Giulia, with its Pirelli winter set; regarding handling qualities, though, the Alfa perhaps will exceed the Dodge’s capabilities.

The Challenger competes aggressively with the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro, just as the three did way back in 1970, when they were among the best of the pony cars.

The GT designation means the Challenger is equipped with all-wheel drive, V-6 engine, an active transfer case and front-axle disconnect. It’s a 305-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 with 268 lb.-ft. of torque and an 8-speed automatic transmission. AWD is not available with the more powerful Challengers.

What the GT does for the Dodge is lend it an edge in consideration of winter driving. All three – the Camaro, Mustang and Challenger – are rear-wheel-drive-based two-doors. So, for Challenger to add the AWD option, even in V-6 form, is a boost in winter-laden states such as Colorado. Neither Mustang or Camaro offer it.

The Ford Mustang, orange, too, this one in 2016. (Bud Wells photo)

The Ford Mustang outsold the other two in 2017, with 81,866, and the Camaro edged the Challenger, 67,940 to64,537.

All three perform powerfully with V-8 blocks beneath the hoods.

Last summer, I spent a week with the 2017 Challenger SRT Hellcat, which performs with 707 horsepower from a supercharged, 6.2-liter Hemi. It is a blast to drive, with performance-tuned suspension noticeable at high speeds. The most powerful Camaro I’ve driven was the 2012 ZL1 with 580 horsepower from a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 and 6-speed manual transmission. A year earlier, I had enjoyed the 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, for which supercharging its 5.4-litier aluminum V-8 produced 550 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque.

The ’18 Challenger GT is finished in go mango tangerine orange, with body side stripes, rear spoiler, granite crystal painted wheels, nappa leather and alcantra suede seats, Harman Kardon premium sound and 18 speakers. Sticker price is $37,670.

The Chevy Camaro ZL1 visited fire scene at Last Chance in 2012. (Bud Wells photo)

The Alfa Romeo Giulia luxury sport sedan carries a sticker or $49,340. Performance is from a 280-hp, 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed automatic transmission. I reviewed a similar model seven months ago in a drive to Walden and Laramie, Wyo.

The Alfa, which competes with Audi, BMW, Volvo and others, is built in Italy and well-suited to driving in Colorado’s imperfect terrain. Alfa Romeo Automobiles is a subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

Fisher adds Acura in Boulder

Craig Fisher, president of Fisher Auto in Boulder.

In its 50th year of operation in Boulder, Fisher Auto has acquired the Acura luxury line of automobiles to go with its longtime Honda franchise.

To make room for the pairing of Acura and Honda, Fisher has returned its Kia dealership of the past eight years to the Kia manufacturer.

“It seems a good time to add Acura,” said Craig Fisher, president of Fisher Auto, “with re-imaging of the popular MDX sport utility, improvements in the RLX full-size sedan and upcoming redesign of the smaller RDX crossover for 2019.”

The dealerships will be housed at opposite ends of Fisher’s large structure on 9 acres at 6025 Arapahoe Rd. in Boulder. The Acura franchise, formerly Flatirons Acura, was opened in Boulder in the late 1980s by the late Bill Crouch.

Bob Fisher and his wife, Madelyne, established Fisher Auto in Boulder in 1968; he had begun work in the automotive field with Burt Chevrolet in 1947.

Son Craig and daughter Lynn, along with Craig’s sons-in-law, Mark  Brady and Scott Shimer, operate the Fisher business today. Craig heads the dealership, Lynn is vice president and secretary, and Brady and Shimer are executive directors.

New turbos, shifter for GMC Terrain

2018 GMC Terrain Denali aims at compact crossovers. (Bud Wells photos)

I’m a push-button shifter from way back; crawling into the 2018 GMC Terrain Denali cabin for the first time, though, I had to take a second look to determine there were shift controls.

The Terrain’s new electronic precision shifter consists of a row of push and pull buttons across the center stack of the instrument panel.

Push-pull logic for 9-speed automatic transmission.

The driver pushes the Park button, pulls another for Reverse, pushes the middle one for Neutral, pulls one for Drive and pushes the far right for Low. By replacing the normal transmission shifter with the push/pull setup, room for pass-through storage and side-by-side cupholders is left in the center console. The row of shift buttons is beneath the HVAC and entertainment systems.

The buttons are electronically connected to a new 9-speed automatic transmission, which is mated to a turbocharged 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine which produces 252 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque, with all-wheel drive.

Standard engine in a lesser-priced Terrain (below the Denali level) is a 1.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder of 170 horsepower and 203 lb.-ft. of torque.

A third option is a turbocharged 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder diesel-powered 4-cylinder of 136 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque, and tied to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The resized Terrain is smaller and lighter than a year ago and meets head-on with such compact SUV standouts as the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Ford Escape, Jeep Cherokee, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan Rogue.

GMC engineers reduced wheelbase by 5 inches, overall length by 3 inches and curb weight by 250 pounds. Its specs are 107.3-inch wheelbase, 182.3 overall length, 72.4 width and 65.4 height. The decreased length cut the Terrain’s cargo space behind the rear seats to 29.6 cubic feet, considerably smaller than much of the competition.

The five-passenger Terrain carries an EPA fuel estimate of 21 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway. Overall average under my piloting was 23.8 mpg. The crossover rides on Hankook 235/50R19 tires.

GM designers had fun with this new one, settling on a “floating roof” look with blacked-out rear pillars. The interior is upscale and roomy, particularly with the Denali trim.

Optional low-speed forward automatic braking, lane-keep assist, surround vision and heated rear seats pushed sticker price to $44,370. Base price is $40,245.