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.
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.
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
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.
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.
The Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid rests near the Highland Hills Golf Course in Greeley. (Bud Wells photo)
With 15 miles of electric charge in the battery pack, Jan and I on a recent cold evening guided the 2018 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid 55 miles “round the block.” The big block was from Greeley west to Loveland, north to Fort Collins, east to Ault and south back to Greeley.
Judicious use of the limited electric charge, mostly on the slower pace on Colo. 14 from Fort
Collins to Ault, helped the Niro post an average of 49.2 miles per gallon for the drive. I opted for gasoline power along the 75-miles-per-hour stretch of I-25 from Loveland to Fort Collins. On the last leg south from Ault, I engaged the Sport mode, which improved on the slow acceleration in the default Eco mode.
Numbers of models of gas/electric hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electric automobiles are approaching 90, boosted by increased promotion and attention; still their total sales in 2017 accounted for only 3.2 percent of the light-duty vehicle sales in the U.S.
Arrival over the past month of the Niro Plug-in Hybrid follows introduction last year of the Niro’s regular gas/electric hybrid, which was fourth-best-selling hybrid for the entire year of 2017, yet was on the full market for only slightly more than six months.
With a battery pack tucked beneath the cargo area, the new plug-in version has a range of 26 miles on electricity before the gas engine kicks in, according to Kia estimates. Its battery pack can be recharged overnight from a 120-volt electrical outlet.
Its powertrain consists of a 60-horsepower electric motor rated at 45 kilowatts, a 103-hp, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder gas engine and 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which outperforms most continuously variable transmissions used in some other competitors
Sticker price on the Niro Plug-in Premium was $35,575, about $5,000 higher than the Niro gas/electric hybrid I tested last May.
The all-time sales leader among gas/electric hybrids, the Toyota Prius Liftback, suffered a 17 percent decline in sales during the past year; causes seem to be continued low fuel prices and greater choice of competitive hybrid models.
The Prius Liftback has led sales of gas/electric hybrids since it was introduced in 2000. Its stablemate, the Toyota Prius Prime led sales of plug-in hybrids and the Tesla Model S was top-selling battery electric model.
Enjoying the hottest sales paces at yearend are the Kia Niro and Ford Fusion among hybrids, the new Honda Clarity among plug-ins and the Chevy Bolt among battery electrics.
Sales of hybrids, plug-ins and electrics for the year were 558,653, compared with 504,207 in 2016.
The top 10 sellers in 2017 for the three categories are:
HYBRIDS
Toyota Prius Liftback 65,631; Ford Fusion 57,474; Toyota RAV4 50,559; Kia Niro 27,237; Honda Accord 22,008; Toyota Camry 20,985; Toyota Highlander 16,864; Toyota Prius C 12,415; Hyundai Ioniq 10,765; Ford C-Max 10,250.
PLUG-IN HYBRIDS
Toyota Prius Prime 20,936; Chevrolet Volt 20,349; Ford Fusion Energi 9,632; Ford C-Max Energi 8,140; BMW X5 5,349; BMW 3-series 4,141; BMW 5-series 3,772; Chrysler Pacifica 2,981; Audi A3 2,877; Volvo XC90 2,228.
BATTERY ELECTRICS
Tesla Model S 26,500; Chevrolet Bolt EV 23,297; Tesla Model X 21,700; Nissan Leaf 11,230; BMW i3 6,276; VW e-Golf 3,534; Fiat 500e 3,336; Kia Soul EV 2,157; Ford Focus EV 1,817; Tesla Model 3 1,770.
The new Honda Civic Type R five-door hatchback. (Bud Wells photos)
Of the many persons attracted by the flash of the 2017 Honda Civic Type R Touring, some weren’t sure even of its make, let alone its model identity. That’s understandable, for this is the first year it’s been imported to the U.S. The powerful sport compact was first produced in Japan in 1997 and has since been sold there and in Europe.
The Type R, with a stiffened body, is the most powerful car produced by Honda and competes with the Subaru WRX STI, Volkswagen Golf R and Ford Focus RS. Though produced by the Japanese company Honda, it is assembled in Swindon, Wiltshire, England.
This is the turbo power behind the Type R hot hatchback.
Its outstanding performance comes from a 306-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed manual transmission with rev match control and three drive modes – Sport, Comfort and R-plus. The system defaults to the quick Sport mode, which can be reduced to Comfort or increased to R-plus which tightens steering considerably. The rev match feature allows smooth downshifts at relatively high rates of speed.
Identifying it as something special, particularly to youthful drivers, is a large wing spoiler, which sits 9 inches above the height of the rear deck.
Suspension includes MacPherson strut front and multilink rear, with adaptive dampers and variable-ratio electric power steering. Large Brembo brake calipers are red, showing through the wheel spokes. The car’s turning circle is a wide 39.5 feet. It rides on low-profile Continental 245/30R20 tires.
Red suede sport seats, deeply bolstered, and even brighter red seatbelts are an interior highlight. A 7-inch display illustrates the navigation system and premium audio with 12 speakers and subwoofer.
Jan and I headed west on U.S. 34, testing the Type R on the twists and bends as far as the Dam Store at the entrance to the Big Thompson Canyon, where U.S. 34 is blocked for the winter, to reopen near Memorial Day in May 2018. The store and its parking lot serve as a turnaround during the highway closure.
Cargo space in the Type R five-door hatchback is 25.7 cubic feet with the rear seats in place. Riding on a wheelbase of 106.3 inches, the Honda is 179.4 inches long, stands 56.5 inches in height and has curb weight of 3,117 pounds.
With all the power, interior sportiness and other features such as rearview camera, electric parking brake and a triple-outlet sport exhaust, sticker price for the Type R is $34,775.
The Type R’s 306 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. torque overshadows the popular Civic Si tuner model’s 205 horsepower and 192 torque. The Si, however, carries an impressive EPA estimate of 38 miles per gallon on the highway, compared with 28 for the Type R. The drive to the Dam Store and back averaged 26.3 mpg.
The VW Golf GTI is one of most popular of small hatchbacks. (Bud Wells photo)
Volkswagen over the past year has launched three new products, widening its stable of all-wheel-drive crossovers and wagons.
The new Atlas is a three-row competitor, the largest crossover ever introduced by VW; the ruggedly trimmed Alltrack wagon is aimed at stealing some sales from the Subaru Outback, and the enlarged Tiguan is finding favor with shoppers of compact crossovers.
Still, when Volkswagen is mentioned, many car enthusiasts young and old fondly turn their minds to the little Golf, and, in particular, to the Golf GTI.
The low-slung, hot-hatch GTI came my way recently, timed perfectly for the dry roads in between snowstorms. Horsepower has been boosted to 220 for its turbocharged, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission. It’s a quick-shifting tranny, and in Sport mode with use of paddleshifters, a driver won’t miss the 6-speed manual.
Find a winding road with some short twists, replace normal braking with manual-mode shifting, and the five-door hatchback will steal the show from highly regarded competitors Civic, Mazda3 or Elantra. Midrange torque response is impressive for the short-wheelbase Golf (103.6 inches), which exhibits minimal body roll.
Whatever drive mode is selected (Normal, Eco or Sport), when the car is restarted after a shutdown, it retains the mode set. The 3,000-pound VW rides on Cinturato 225/40R18 tires.
It averaged a respectable 30.2 miles per gallon of premium fuel; its EPA estimate is 24/32.
Inside, the backup camera provides one of the most clear views of any I’ve tested. The black leather interior is nicely stitched in red, a color theme that is emphasized on the exterior, with a red bar across the front of the hood and red brake calipers.
The SE model I drove was priced at $31,165, with the leather as the only option. Among standard equipment are the DSG transmission, side-seat-mounted and side-curtain airbags, cruise control, automatic emergency braking, premium audio, moonroof and dual-zone automatic climate control.
The Mini Countryman’s All4 (all-wheel drive) got tested in last week’s snow and cold. (Bud Wells photo)
Brrr, it was cold during the last week of the year, yet we headed into 2018 with bright sunshine and daytime temperatures above the freezing mark.
As a native of this great state, I’ve always enjoyed our winters, even the cold and snowy conditions which are conducive to fair testing grounds for vehicles suited to these areas.
I’ll admit, though, the week was not fit for plug-in electrics, particularly one of very minimal electric range. All week, we experienced single-digit temperatures during the nights and most days did not get out of the teens.
The 2018 Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4, a fun car in maneuvering and one that boasts of all-wheel-drive capability, was less-efficient in the extreme cold than it might have been in 50-degree temp readings. Extreme cold weather drains more than normal energy from battery packs and reduces performance of electric motors.
This Countryman is a plug-in electric, with its front wheels powered by a 3-cylinder engine under the hood and its rear wheels by an electric motor housed under the cargo floor at the rear. A lithium-ion battery pack to supply the electric motor, is stored under the rear seat just ahead of the motor.
The plug-in port is on the front fender just ahead of the driver’s door; it is a circular scuttle with a large E on the lid, which opens to the charging connection. The other side of the car is balanced with a large E on the outside of a dummy (non-opening) scuttle.
Even after an overnight charge, the 7.6 kWh battery pack provides just an estimated 12 miles of electric-only range.
Overall fuel mileage for the week was barely over 26 miles per gallon. The Countryman’s EPA estimate is 27/28 mpg, and, with a charge of the battery pack, the average can soar far higher for relatively low miles. Through the past week, in the frigid temps, the only spurt of electric-boosted mileage occurred on an easy, Sunday morning crosstown drive to church and back, following a full recharge on Saturday night.
Low-end acceleration is impressive, coming from twin-power turbo installation with the 134-horsepower, 3-cylinder (162 lb.-ft. of torque) and 87 horsepower and 122 lb.-ft. torque from the electric drive. All this mated to a 6-speed Steptronic transmission. The Mini will kick out from 0 to 60 in around 6 seconds.
Drive modes of Sport, Midperformance and Green may be selected from a rotary dial tied to the shifter, which tightens steering and adds throttle response in Sport, while easing any hint of aggressiveness in Green. The gas/electric range can be altered by a choice of Auto eDrive, Max eDrive and Save Battery.
The Countryman, built on the same platform of the BMW X1, is 169.8 inches in overall length on a wheelbase of 105.1, and has only 17 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seat, which is somewhat tight in legroom. Comfort and support is decent in the front seats, though ride quality can be a bit rough at times. It rides on Goodyear Eagle Sport 225/50R18 tires.
The Mini Cooper car company, purchased by BMW of Germany in 2000, is based in England, as it has been since its inception in the late 1950s. The Countryman, the largest and roomiest Mini ever built, is assembled in Born, Netherlands.
The review model carried a sticker price of $39,700, reflecting the electric setup, as well as the all-wheel-drive system. Among its many features are navigation, real-time traffic information, enhanced Bluetooth connectivity and voice-activation capability, rearview camera, heated front seats, head-up display and sport leather steering wheel.
A look back. . . .2002 Mini Cooper
This small Mini Cooper showed up in Denver in the summer of 2002. (Bud Wells photo/2002)A bit more than 15 years ago, in June 2002, I drove and reviewed my first Mini Cooper. Following are excerpts from the column in The Denver Post:
Look at the new Mini Cooper, and you’re apt to smile. It’s so small, yet so bright and perky-looking.
Walk around to the front of it, and the little car smiles right back at you. It has two oversized oval eyes for headlights and a wide grin for a grille.
It’s less than 12 feet long. That’s a foot and a half shorter than the Volkswagen New Beetle and 2 feet shorter than the Chrysler PT Cruiser. It’s even a foot shorter than the Mazda Miata.
It’s wheels, though, have been set out to the extreme corners of the structure, with little overhang left in front or rear. That aids the car’s handling and, particularly, its cornering, which is impressive.
The English product is being imported into the U.S. by German luxury-car builder BMW, which acquired the Rover Group in 1994.
Operating with a 5-speed manual transmission and a small 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder engine of 115 horsepower, the Mini got a severe test on a hot afternoon recently when four of us, Scott English, Tim Coy, Marywyn Germaine and I, drove it about the city with the air conditioning running. It moved very slowly away from the stoplights. Performance is regained under those circumstances by cutting power to the air. Its ride is on the rough side.
The Mini averaged 32.1 miles per gallon. Sticker price on the 2002 model was $18,460.
The sleek, 2018 Buick Enclave Premium is finished in white frost exterior. (Bud Wells photos)
With sunnier days and warmer temperatures into the new year, the appearance of the redesigned 2018 Enclave has brightened, too, showrooms of Buick dealerships. The new Enclave is one of the most refined of a strong field of midsize SUVs and crossovers.
With the 2018 model in the showrooms for the final two months of the just-concluded year, the Enclave increased sales from 7,308 units to 11,910, an increase of 63 percent. It is the second-best-selling Buick model, trailing only the Encore, a compact-sized SUV.
The Enclave underwent an attractive exterior remake, is 2 inches longer overall, has a bit more power and added safety. From the waterfall grille and extended wings on the Buick logo up front, to the light on the ground giving “the kicking spot” for the power liftgate at the rear, the Enclave is sleeker and filled with new appeal.
A new 9-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters is mated to the 3.6-liter V-6 engine, for which horsepower has been boosted from 288 to 310, with torque of 266 lb.-ft. The Intelligent All Wheel Drive system monitors and adjusts for improved traction. A somewhat awkward setup for shift sequence on a new electronic shifter requires plenty of practice for shift smoothness.
The Enclave’s wheelbase has also been lengthened by 2 inches to 120.9 inches. Among big three-row SUVs, the Enclave’s overall length of 204.3 inches is a bit shorter than the Nissan Armada (208.6) and Toyota Sequoia (205.1), though longer than the Dodge Durango at 202 inches, the Mazda CX-9 at 199.4, the Volkswagen Atlas 198.3, Volvo XC90 194.9 and the Honda Pilot 194.4.
The Enclave carried Jan and me to Denver on a December night to the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association Building, where member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) gathered in the Bud Wells Board Room for their annual Christmas party.
David Muramoto heads the RMAP as president, with David Beardsley serving as vice president, Angelia McGowan as secretary, Mike Cotsworth as treasurer and Craig Conover and Andrew Ganz as board members at large.
Tim Jackson, head of CADA, welcomed more than 40 RMAP members and guests and discussed sales of new cars and trucks thus far this year in Colorado; “They’re up 7 percent here, while sales nationally are down slightly. Light trucks, crossovers, SUVs and minivans continue to fuel the market for new-vehicle registrations in Colorado.”
My test was aboard the Enclave Premium, one of four trim levels. An 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration is prominent in the roomier interior.
The roomy three-row seating layout for the new Buick Enclave. (Buick)
The Enclave doesn’t offer a second-row bench seat; they’re captain’s chairs with walking space between them for assisting access to the third-row seating. Fewer and fewer buyers have requested second-row benches in recent years, Buick said. The second-row seats slide forward and backward and will recline.
The passenger-side seat will also fold forward to create another opening to the third row. The third-row seats are roomy enough and cushioned enough to accommodate adults.
Cargo space behind the third row is 23.6 cubic feet; fold down the third row and the storage grows to 58 feet. A hands-free power liftgate, opened by a swing of the foot, is standard. A remote-opening sensor shines a Buick shield logo light on the ground as a spotlight for where the “kicker” should aim.
The Buick averaged 21.1 miles per gallon in an even split of highway and city road time. The Enclave rides on Continental 255/55R20 tires.
The base Buick, with front-wheel drive, begins around $42,000; it won’t be a factor in all-wheel-drive-obsessed Colorado dealerships. The three which will, each with all-wheel drive, are the Essence, the Premium and the new upscale Avenir.
The Enclave Premium AWD from a base price of $50,315 climbed to sticker total of $57,055 with an otional dual moonroof, 20-inch aluminum wheels, surround vision, navigation and trailering equipment.
The Enclave is built in Lansing, Mich.; its engine and transmission are put together in Mexico.
’78 Buick LeSabre
priced at $7,092.55
1978 Buick LeSabe. (Bud Wells/1978)
(Forty years ago this winter, I reviewed in The Denver Post the 1978 Buick LeSabre four-door sedan, provided by Deane Buick Co., 1080 S. Colorado Blvd. Excerpts follow:)
You can still buy a big car with a big trunk and air conditioning for about $7,000. The car is Buick and the model is the 1978 LeSabre.
Since downsizing a year ago, the LeSabre’s dimensions aren’t what they used to be. Those older LeSabres gave an excellent highway ride. The ’78 models give a good ride and are easy to park, too. The four-door will carry comfortably six adults, and it is easy getting in and out of the rear seat. The roomy trunk has 21 cubic feet of space.
The engine, a 350-cubic-inch V-8 with four-barrel carburetor, seemed sluggish. However, the car showed only 69 miles when John Ramstetter turned it over to me. Gas-mileage checks were on the low side – 11 miles per gallon in town, though some of the miles were under adverse conditions during a snowstorm. The highway test was 15.4 mpg.
Base price of the four-door is $5,458.55, with a destination charge of $435 for $5,893.55. The 350 engine added $313, air conditioning was $581, steel-belted radial tires $46, AM radio $96. Sticker price was $7,092.55.
The LeSabre is 218 inches long on a wheelbase of 115.9 inches. It is Buick’s second largest automobile, smaller only than the Electra.
With a little improvement in gas mileage, the four-door I drove should appeal to many families.
