The Chrysler Pacifica Touring model is priced at $33,000. (Bud Wells photo)
A 9-speed automatic transmission headed a long list of standard equipment on a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring minivan driven recently. Tied to a 287-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine, the Pacifica carried an EPA estimate of 18/28 miles per gallon.
The Pacifica showed up reasonably priced at $33,475. Its only options included eight-passenger seating, power liftgate and blind spot/cross path detection.
The Pacifica, introduced three months ago to replace the long-popular Town & Country minivan, is gaining sales enough to keep Chrysler/Dodge vans atop the sales category.
As crossovers continue to grow in market strength, some feared minivans might be phased out. “Not so,” said Rick Deneau of FiatChryslerAutomobiles. . “We are seeking a fresh approach with a new name with the Pacifica to maintain our market share domination.”
Of 313,556 minivans sold thus far this year by Honda, Toyota and Chrysler/Dodge, 50.2 percent have carried the Chrysler/Dodge emblems. Dodge Grand Caravan has sold 84,140, Toyota Sienna 79,959, Honda Odyssey 75,889, Chrysler Town & Country 54,826 and Chrysler Pacifica (introduced three months ago) 18,742.
The Pacifica is longer and taller than the Town & Country and its track is 68.3 inches, compared with 65.6 for the T&C. A rotarydial shifter has replaced the dash-placed shifter of the past. As for step-in height into the middle-seating area, the Pacifica is of lower step-in than the Toyota Sienna by an inch or a bit more.
Kids, with the push of a button, can trigger the sliding side doors of the Pacifica, and the van offers a vacuum in a rear corner which, with its hose, can reach all areas of the interior.
This is my second drive the new minivan. We drove 1,300 miles five months ago toNewport Beach, Calif., at the luxurious Pelican Hill Resort for unveiling of the Pacifica. While there, we were given opportunity to drive the van from San Diego to Newport Beach.
The Mazda CX-9 crossover at Terry Bison Ranch on Colorado/Wyoming line. (Bud Wells photo)
Heading north on I-25 in the 2017 Mazda CX-9 last Saturday afternoon, with Kim Parker of Greeley and Keith Brumley of Eaton in the rear passenger seats and Jan, of course, riding shotgun, I slowed and parked to the side of the highway with other motorists and waited out a light-hailstorm.
It would be a shame to dimple this newly restyled CX-9. From its rounded back end with sharply sloped rear window to its big hood up front, it is a showpiece among full-size crossovers; well, showpiece, that is, except for, ahem, its big nose. The trapezoidal grillepiece juts out some 4 inches from the Mazda’s front; some describe it as “shark-like,” others as “hawk-like.”
The roomy CX-9, regardless of its schnoz, offers comfort aplenty with its three rows of seating; it has been a favorite of mine. My first drive of one was in its launch year, 2007, on a cold, icy New Year’s Eve and I was impressed with the grip of its all-wheel-drive system.
Saturday’s drive in the ’16 model was as far as the Colorado/Wyoming line, where we turned in to the Terry Bison Ranch, joining Brent and Tina Wells of Windsor, Bill and Kathy Allen of Greeley, Dale and Sandy Wells of Johnstown and Kurt and Tammy Wells of Littleton for an evening dinner.
Rattlesnake Jake Martin, the honky-tonk piano player inside the Senator’s Steakhouse liked that we were from the Greeley area, talking of years ago when he was a pen rider for the Farr Feedlots here.
Departing the Terry Bison Ranch Saturday night, we headed the CX-9 east to U.S. 85, and the nighttime drive on a two-lane road provided a busy on-off test for the Mazda’s automatic high-beam control, in which the lighting remained on bright until dimmed by oncoming traffic.
The headlight feature was one of many upgrades which the Signature all-wheel-drive model provided the CX-9, such as auburn-colored Nappa leather seats with aluminum and rosewood interior trim, second-row seats that would slide fore and aft and recline, 8-inch color display for navigation and Bose audio with Bluetooth, rearview camera, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist. Sticker price was $44,915.
V-6 power is no longer offered for the CX-9; the 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with 6-speed automatic transmission in sport mode pushed the 4,300-pound crossover along with satisfactory low-end and midrange torque. The 4-cylinder is unusually quiet and smooth at idle. The little engine develops 227 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque with use of regular octane gas, while horsepower increases to 250 with a tankful of premium fuel. The Mazda rides on Falken P255/50R20 tires.
Overall fuel mileage of 23.9 was right in the middle of the CX-9’s EPA estimate of 21/27.
The CX-9’s third row of seats is comfortable and usable. Cargo space behind, though, is only 17 cubic feet. Flatten the third row and that expands to 48.3 cubic feet.
The Mazda CX-9 competes with the Chevy Traverse, Ford Flex, Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot.
The 2017 Camaro 50th anniversary models will include the ZL1. (Chevrolet)
Fifty years to the month after the Camaro was revealed to the public, Chevrolet will commemorate the muscle car’s 50th anniversary celebration during the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit.
Celebration and tours of the Lansing Grand River plant in Lansing, Mich., where the Camaro is built, are planned for Thursday, Aug. 18, and Chevrolet’s Woodward Dream Cruise on Saturday, Aug. 20, will include rare and milestone examples from the Camaro’s six generations, including the all-new 2017 Camaro ZL1 and 1LE models.
It was in mid-August 1966 that the first-produced Camaro was shown to the public, and the much-anticipated Chevy went on sale a month later. To fully appreciate the car’s 50th, forget the fact that the Camaro wasn’t even built from the end of the 2002 model year to the start of ’10 model. It has come back so strong since that it is truly an iconic part of Chevrolet’s more than 100-year history.
The 2016 Chevy Camaro SS Coupe. (Bud Wells photo)
In planned recognition of the Camaro’s 50 years, I drove recently the 2016 Camaro 2SS Coupe with its 6.2-liter V-8 of 445 horsepower and 445 torque. Mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, it performs very satisfactorily, with low-throated sound adding emphasis to its acceleration.
Like Chevy’s more spirited Corvette sports car, the SS version of the Camaro offers Active Rev Matching technology, which, engaged by paddles on either side of the steering wheel, blips the throttle to match engine rpm to the wheel speed for a seamless downshift.
The transmission has also General Motors’ long-used “skip-shift” feature, which under normal acceleration will guide the manual shifter from 1st to 4th to save fuel. Yet, a good share of drivers kick up the rpm, which permits a much more rewarding sequence from 1st to 2nd, and saves no fuel.
The Camaro’s exterior, styled in a chopped look, is finished in hyper blue metallic paint, with a white stripe down the middle. Settle into the heavily bolstered sport seat and enjoy not only the performance with its magnetic ride control, but the high-tech audio and navigation systems. Twice while driving I heard the ringing of a phone, pushed the phone-icon button, and once the message center indicated the call was intended for Brian, on a second ringing another day, voice control told me, “You have a call,” then messaged me to “Call Dave at work.”
The Camaro’s driver mode selector offers choice of four custom-tailored styles of performance; I used Sport mode most often, gaining throttle response and steering tightness to my satisfaction. Other modes include Tour, Track and Snow/Ice. If you’re dealing with snow and ice, I’d suggest parking the SS and driving the family crossover.
The Camaro carries an EPA fuel-mileage rating of 16/25 miles per gallon; my overall average was 18.7.
From a base price of $41,300, the SS Coupe’s sticker totaled $45,910 with the addition of magnetic ride control, dual-mode performance exhaust, MyLink audio system, cargo net and white pearl center stripe.
The most powerful beast I ever drove under the Camaro name was the 2012 ZL1 with 580 horsepower from a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 and 6-speed manual transmission.
Shifts and throttle response from a revised short-throw shifter were smoother than most performance models, though the 445-hp SS I drove recently was noticeably easier to handle than the 580. One of the easiest-driving Camaro was a 1979 Berlinetta with a 350 V-8 and automatic transmission.
The original ’67 Camaro convertible. (Chevrolet)
Among 50-year Camaro highlights:
1966 – The Camaro, a direct response to the success of Ford’s pony car, Mustang, was announced by Chevrolet Division’s General Manager Pete Estes. Beginning price for the Sport Coupe was $2,466.
1969 – Sales numbers jumped in ’69, with the Camaro selling 243,085 units off the lots. Part of the success was due to refreshed styling, and it is considered one of the most beautiful cars of all time.
1980 – Chevrolet said goodbye to the old 250 inline-6 and replaced it with a 3.8-liter V-6.
1989 – Chevrolet dropped the Sport Coupe name, brought out the RS, and fitted it with either a V-6 or a throttle-body-injected 5.0-liter V-8.
1993 – The first year of the fourth-generation showed off a new design direction, as the car was sleek, smooth, and extremely streamlined as opposed to the boxier, more cut third generation.
1997 – The year marked 30 years of the Chevrolet Camaro, and the celebration came in the form of a special edition car modeled after the Brickyard 400 pace car with white and orange package on the Z28 and SS.
2002 – In the final model year before Chevy killed the Camaro, the company created the 35th Anniversary Editions, which were convertibles that had bright red paint with white checkered flag decals. 2010 – After watching Ford continue to excel with the Mustang in the Camaro’s absence, the fifth-generation car finally hit showrooms in ’09 as a ’10 model.
2012 – Chevy brought out the ZL1 trim, powered by a tuned, supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 that was used in both the Cadillac CTS-V and the Corvette ZR1. At 580 horsepower, it was the most powerful Camaro ever made.
2016- Chevy plans 50th anniversary party for Camaro.
The stylish 2016 Lexus NX300h hybrid crossover. (Bud Wells photos)
It’s a reflection of continued low fuel prices, spurring sales of pickups and SUVs, say proponents of gas/electric hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully battery electric vehicles, which dropped 8 percent in sales during the first six months of 2016.
Overall sales of cars, SUV/crossovers and light-duty pickups through the end of June totaled 8.6 million, an increase of 1.3 percent.
Total sales of gas/electric hybrids have taken a sharp drop during the first six months of this year, falling to 161,334 sales from 190,970 at the same time a year ago, a decline of 15.5 percent.
Plug-in hybrid sales, led by Chevrolet Volt and Ford Fusion Energi, jumped to 29,920 sales through the end of June, an increase of 61.7 percent over the same period a year ago. The introduction of four new plug-ins – BMW X5, Audi A3, Hyundai Sonata and Volvo XC90 – helped the jump in percentage.
Sales of battery electric vehicles slipped slightly for the six months, from 35,435 a year ago to 34,245 this year, affected by a severe decline in sales of the Nissan Leaf. The Tesla S declined this year to 11,700 sales from 11,900 a year ago, though dominated the category when adding the 6,900 sales of its new Model X. All Tesla figures are only estimates provided by the company.
Of the approximately 40 gas/electric hybrids on the market, only three showed gains through June – the Lexus 450h from 3,185 to 4,730, Toyota Highlander hybrid from 1,758 to 2,706, the Lexus NX hybrid from 1,215 to 1,366. The Toyota Prius Liftback, which has led hybrid sales for 15 years, showed a drop of 10.5 percent, and a newly arrived hybrid entry, the Toyota RAV4, has moved into second place in sales.
The 2016 Lexus NX300h, in its second year of production, was in my hands earlier this month. The sharp-looking NX is styled similarly to the bigger RX, with a somewhat smaller grille jutting out front of a sloping hood. The NX is 5 inches shorter than RX in wheelbase, 10 inches shy in overall length and 600 pounds lighter.
The NX300h is powered by a 2.5-liter V-6 engine, electric motor and nickel-metal hydride battery pack; a $1,590 addition for all-wheel drive ties a second electric motor to the rear axle. The engine/electric motors work with a continuously variable transmission. Acceleration is relatively slow off the line.
The NX, with an EPA estimate of 33/30 miles per gallon, averaged 32.4. It rides on Yokohama Geolandar 225/60R18 tires.
The elegantly finished Lexus interior is comfortable, with heated and cooled front seats, a heated leather-covered steering wheel, dual-zone climate control with rear vents and a power moonroof.
Pushing the crossover’s sticker price to $47,818 were premium sound system and navigation, blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert, power liftgate and push-button start. Base price for the NX300h is $41,310.
Perennial hybrid sales leader is the Toyota Prius Liftback; this is the ’16 Prius Two.
The top 25 hybrid sellers thus far this year are Toyota Prius Liftback with 48,475; Toyota RAV4 with 19,251; Toyota Prius C 11,573; Ford Fusion 11,487; Toyota Camry 10,280; Hyundai Sonata 9,979; Toyota Prius V 7,315; Ford C-Max 7,043; Lexus RX450h 4,730; Lexus CT200h 4,515; Lexus ES 4,230; Toyota Avalon 3,943; Lincoln MKZ 3,868; Kia Optima 2,827; Toyota Highlander 2,706; Subaru XV Crosstrek 1,688; Lexus NX 1,366; Honda CR-Z 1,205; Infiniti Q50 1,048; Honda Civic 707; Infiniti QX60 690; Chevrolet Malibu 620; Buick LaCrosse 505; Nissan Pathfinder 397 and Volkswagen Jetta 269.
Eleven of the top 17 on the preceding list are Toyota/Lexus products.
The top 10 sellers of plug-in hybrids for the past six months are Chevrolet Volt with 9,808; Ford Fusion Energi 7,235; Ford C-Max Energi 3,225; BMW X5 plug-in 2,577; Audi A3 plug-in 1,942; Hyundai Sonata plug-in 1,350; Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid 1,166; Volvo XC90 plug-in 1,006; BMW i8 620 and Cadillac ELR 496.
Sales of the Volt for the six months increased by 74.5 percent, from 5,622 to 9,808, while the Fusion Energi gained 68.6 percent, from 4,290 to 7,235.
The top 10 sellers of battery electric vehicles through June are Tesla Model S 11,700; Tesla Model X 6,900; Nissan Leaf 5,793; BMW i3 2,880; Fiat 500e 1,983; Chevrolet Spark 1,779; Volkswagen e-Golf 1,455; Kia Soul EV 613; Ford Focus EV 446 and Smart for Two EV 366.
“Tesla sales are behind the automaker’s goals and they will have to increase significantly in the second half to meet stated expectations,” according to Jeff Cobb of hybridCARS.
Dominating sales of light-duty diesel vehicles through the first six months of the year are the Ford Transit Van with 27,468 and the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pickup with 25,298 sales. Chevrolet Colorado has sold 3,202; Jeep Grand Cherokee 2,014; Range Rover Sport 1,668; GMC Canyon 1,419; Range Rover 1,346 and BMW X5 1,255.
Light-duty diesel sales were once dominated by Volkswagen products; that ended almost a year ago with the emissions cheating scandal involving VW. Though a partial settlement in the case has been announced, there is no indication when VW will be able to sell new diesel-powered vehicles.
The 2016 Infiniti QX60 AWD in Poudre Canyon. (Bud Wells photo)
Beautiful and quiet it was one morning recently along Colo. 14 in Poudre Canyon; the rafters on the river appeared in greater numbers than the motorists.
The lack of highway traffic added to the appeal of testing the slick-looking 2016 Infiniti QX60 all-wheel-drive luxury midsize crossover.
The QX60 is Infiniti’s best-selling model and for 2016 has undergone improvements in its suspension and steering. It seems a worthy competitor to the Acura MDX, Audi Q7 and even the Lexus RX350.
Jan, observing a wedding anniversary with me that day, commented on the nice ride after only a few miles into the canyon; the QX60’s stability was also effectively tightened with the new, updated shocks and springs.
The Infiniti is a good handler. A new electronic power steering system is tuned for more instant response to driver input at the wheel.
Performance is just average from the SUV’s 3.5-liter V-6 with 265 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft. of torque, and its continuously variable transmission. A rotary-dial drive-mode selector gives the operator a choice of four modes – Standard, Sport, Eco and Snow.
A chance to sit on the river’s-edge patio and watch the rafters float by lured us to the Mishawaka restaurant for lunch.
On the road again, we drove up the canyon as far as the old Sportsman’s Lodge, then turned back.
When I turned onto the Stove Prairie Road, heading for Masonville, the day became one of excellence for an automotive reviewer. With the narrow road and its twists and dips and ups and downs at hand, I moved the Infiniti’s shifter into manual mode, bypassing the CVT.
I drove the next 15 miles in 2nd and 3rd gears, only occasionally easing into 4th. This lends tight control of the QX on the cornering and climbing, with little need for braking.
Our entire drive that day covered 160 miles and the Infiniti averaged 22.1 miles per gallon. Its overall average for the week was 20.5. That is low, for its EPA estimate is 19/26.
The Infiniti offers three rows of seating. Of the little cargo space behind the third row of seats, a portion of it is grabbed by a subwoofer for the easy-listening sound of the Bose Acoustic Wave system with 14 speakers.
Adding to the smooth-looking exterior of the QX60 are a bold mesh grille and wraparound headlights. Stylish wheels adorn the Bridgestone Dueler 235/55R20 tires.
The QX60 AWD’s base price is a competitive $44,400, but an inordinately long list of optional equipment pushes the sticker total to a pricey $59,345.
Among the add-ons are pearl paint for $500, a technology package including second and third-row moonroof with power sunshade and heated second-row seats, the theater entertainment package, premium-plus package with navigation 8-inch touchscreen display and around-view monitor, and premium option with heated steering wheel and remote engine start.
All the products for Infiniti, Japanese luxury car builder for Nissan, became identified by new nomenclature a couple of years ago.
The Q50 four-door models are formerly those with G37 identification. Q60s are coupes and convertibles, Q70s are the former M37s. SUVs and crossovers carry QX designations. The former EX37 is now QX50, the JX35 is the QX60, the FX37 and FX50 are QX70s and the full-size SUV, the QX56, is the QX80. Infiniti said its lineup, with the Q and QX designations, is more easily identified by the public.
Car dealer/rancher Bob Bledsoe took a look at the new Nissan Altima at Wray. (Bud Wells photo)
Nissan engineers eked out another mile-per-gallon efficiency from the midsize Altima and its mild-mannered 4-cylinder engine for 2016.
Sleeker styling, including redesigned front and rear fascias for improved drag coefficiency, grille shutters, reduction in internal engine friction and continued taming of the transmission were points of focus in the midcycle product makeover.
The improvements raised the EPA highway estimate to 39 miles per gallon for the Altima 2.5.
Add a very quiet and comfortable interior to this, and it may explain the fact that the Altima has become the second-best-selling midsize sedan in the country for the first six months of 2016. The Altima is outselling the Ford Fusion and Chevy Malibu, the Hyundai Sonata, and even the Honda Accord. It trails only perennial sales leader Toyota Camry.
Of concern for many shoppers and eventual buyers of the Altima is its continuously variable transmission, which several years ago replaced its automatic shifters. The gearless, smooth-operating CVT is of much slower and weaker response than the traditional automatics. I would opt for the 270-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine to move the Altima up to par in power.
With the review model’s CVT and 182-hp, 4-cylinder engine, I was rolling along in busy I-25 left-lane travel at 75 miles per hour, when a driver 10 or 12 lengths ahead very briefly broke his car’s speed, then quickly recovered. The chain-braking reached my Altima, but its response after the slowdown was such that I couldn’t catch up with the guy ahead, couldn’t get out of the way of the guy behind and couldn’t move into the just-as-busy right lane. There are times, such as that, when the engine speed is far below that of the throttle position.
On a much brighter note, for overall travels the Altima responded with an unusually high 35.9 miles per gallon, peaking through an easy highway drive to Wray. In visiting with sister Norma Wagner and her husband, Dave, recently, she expressed an interest in taking a ride with Jan and me to Wray, our old hometown. We’ve traveled with the Wagners (of Sterling) to Seattle in an Oldsmobile, Santa Fe in a Lincoln, Phoenix in a Ford, Branson in an Acura, Idaho in a BMW, Kansas in an Audi, and, now, Wray in a Nissan.
The Altima offers a roomy interior; this one dressed up with a new light finish of wood trim. Adding of sound-deadening insulation and an acoustic laminated glass windshield have quieted the cabin; its Bose premium stereo sound with nine speakers is pleasant. The leather seats are heated in front, along with a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel. A redesigned center stack offers easy access.
Pushing the Altima’s sticker price to $32,510 was a $1,700 technology package of 7-inch touchscreen color display, NissanConnect with navigation and audio, intelligent cruise control, forward-collision warning and remote start with Smartphone.
The Nissan rides on Michelin P215/55R17 tires with machined aluminum-alloy wheels, and is equipped with independent front struts and laterally stiffened rear multilink suspension.
The Altima is very closely lined up with the Toyota Camry. Even their trunks are identically sized at 15.4 cubic feet.
The Altima has been part of the Japanese-based Nissan line since 1992, when the first one rolled out of the assembly plant at Smyrna, Tenn.
The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider has arrived for sale in the U.S. (Bud Wells photos)
Remember the old Fiat 124 Spider Convertible?
After an absence of almost 40 years, it has returned.
It showed up at my home early last week, and it’s a 2017 model.
What an Italian beauty it is.
“Che bellezza!”
The two-seater, though, has done some wandering, and has found other parts of the automotive world to its liking.
The assembly line for the revived ’17 model is not in Italy, it is in Japan.
In an ironic twist for the iconic sports car, the new 124 becomes chief rival for the famed Mazda Miata, yet the Fiat is being built by Mazda on the same assembly line as the Miata – in Hiroshima, Japan.
For Mazda, you might say, the faster it builds the cars, the more competition it has.
The Spider’s interior, trimmed in leather, is attractive and relatively comfortable.
The Fiat/Mazda production agreement gives the Italian company a shot at owning a strong-selling sports car again, without undergoing the costly necessity of new factory construction. It re-emphasizes the intention of FiatChrysler Automobiles’ (FCA) boss Sergio Marchionne to seek global sharing of car production lines to pare costs.
The Fiat and the Mazda share a common wheelbase, yet the Fiat comes off the line somewhat distinctive, with a low-riding grille, hood bulges and a chrome finish around the windshield, all drawn from the old 124.
The Fiat, let’s just one time call it the Fiata, is 5 inches longer than the Miata in overall length and 100 pounds heavier. Interiors of the Spider and Miata are near identical.
To clearly cite differences in the two, Fiat supplies a small turbocharged engine for the Spider, while Mazda uses a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder naturally aspirated block. Fiat’s 1.4-liter turboed 4-cylinder generates 160 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Spider, with turbo kicking in, is slightly quicker in low-end acceleration, though the two run very close through the mid- to upper range. The review model was mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission (a 6-speed manual is available). The Spider’s overall average was 31.9 miles per gallon (EPA rating is 25/36/29). I tested the ’16 Mazda Miata in November and averaged 31.5 with it.
The 124 Spider is offered in three levels, the base Classica, the sporty Abarth and the better-equipped Lusso, which is the model I drove. The Lusso, with leather seats and 17-inch aluminum wheels, was sticker priced at $31,335.
The Spider, with very tight steering, maneuvers quickly and delivers a good ride. Put the shifter over into manual-mode, then remember the trick is pull the shifter down to upshift and move it up to downshift, like Mazda and BMW and unlike most other systems. The Spider’s soft top is released up front with one latch, dropped into recessed area and latched down at the back with ease.
I remember the fun of driving those old 124s back in the ‘70s. I mentioned this to Richard Husted, who delivered the new Fiat to me from Rocky Mountain Redline last week. “I remember,” Husted said. “I bought a 1975 124 Sport Coupe in the early ‘80s and soon replaced the timing belt myself at approximately 90k miles on that 1.8-liter DOHC engine, because of the danger of destroying the engine if it broke. After my sons drove it, I also replaced the clutch, but when the right front ball joint gave way, while my middle son had it at Kansas State, I replaced it with another $500 car.”
The new Volkswagen Golf SportWagen sits outside a near-100-year-old homestead shack in northwestern Logan County. (Jan Wells photo)
A 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen carried Kim Parker, Jan and me 105 miles last Saturday morning, June 18, to the wide-open plains of northwestern Logan County for a 100th anniversary celebration of the Carey Homestead.
The event, hosted by Don and Audrey Carey, honored Ruth Carey Davis, the last living of seven siblings who grew up in that part of the county. Don’s father, Harve, was a brother of Ruth. Ruth, 95, resides in Greeley.
Ruth Carey Davis, 95. (Jan Wells photo)
After lunch at Don and Audrey’s home northwest of Sterling, we drove northwest 10 more miles, close to the Weld County line, near where the original homestead existed for Will and Blanche Carey.
Outside a dilapidated, weather-beaten three-room wood structure which once was a home for Willis Carey, a relative, Ruth and Don headed an interesting discussion of those days of long ago. Attendees of the celebration gathered beneath a large canopy in the 93-degree heat.
The Golf wagon was reasonably priced at $22,445, including rearview camera, heated and foldable power-adjustable side mirrors, cruise control, an eight-speaker sound system with Bluetooth connectivity. The cloth front seats were controlled manually, except for a power switch to recline the seatbacks.
The SportWagen’s overall fuel mileage was 31.3 miles per gallon from its little 1.8-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder direct-injection engine and 5-speed manual transmission. Horsepower production is 170 and the 5-speed manual is adequate, though doesn’t measure up to the automatic or more modern 6-speed manual used in performance models and larger cars for VW.
Beneath canopy in 93-degree heat, group enjoys discussion of the Carey homesteading days beginning 100 years ago, above and below. (Bud Wells photos)
The 2016 Toyota Prius Two Eco is 3 inches longer in overall length than last year.
The newest iteration of the famed (or infamous in kidding) Toyota Prius hybrid put on quite a show around here last week. The 2016 version is the fourth generation for the Prius Liftback.
I’d been introduced three or four weeks ago to the model’s mainstream leader, the Prius Liftback Four Touring, so delivered to me was the Liftback Two Eco, same size as the Liftback Four, though lighter in weight and with improved efficiencies that amazed me.
It accepted every bit of heavy low-end acceleration, relatively high speeds, hard braking and cornering from some of my tests, and delivered near-record fuel-sipping statistics.
Even after redesign for ’16, which included moving the peak of the car’s roof forward a few inches, it is far from the best-looking hybrid and it is not the best-riding or handling; when it comes to fuel mileage, though, the Prius has been the leader since it showed up 16 years ago.
In 330 miles during the week, the Prius Two Eco gas/electric hybrid recorded an overall average of 57.5 miles per gallon.
The only time I’ve topped this, other than with a few electrics and plug-ins, was way back in 1994 with a gasoline-only Honda Civic VX hatchback that averaged a surprising 61.2 mpg.
Daily fuel averages during the week I was in possession of the Prius were 51.5, 60.5, 69.3, 61, 58.6, 59.5 and 48.8. The first day’s mark and the last day’s were mostly highway driving; the other five were in-town, where the lower speeds are powered much more often by the batteries rather than the gasoline engine, thus the higher marks.
The Prius Eco is equipped with a 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine mated to two electric motors and a new lithium-ion battery pack, which weighs less than the car’s former nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Engineers, in addition, tossed out the spare tire at the rear for more weight-saving (beneath the floor of the cargo area is a sealant kit and inflator), and the Eco rides on 15-inch Toyo NanoEnergy tires, which are very low-rolling-resistant. The Eco weighs 3,010 pounds.
There is no rush, however, to buy these fuel misers. Prius Liftback sales have declined by 7 percent this year, yet it accounts for 31 percent of all gas/electric hybrid sales. Hybrid sales overall are down by 13 percent for the year.
“The fact traffic for the Prius has slowed somewhat is a direct correlation to our current lower gas prices,” said Scott Ehrlich, owner of Ehrlich Toyota in Greeley. “When those pump prices climb again, so will the interest in the Prius.” Biggest showroom draw at the Ehrlich store right now is the improved Tacoma compact pickup (I’d guess that is what Ehrlich drives personally).
With a gas-saving continuously variable transmission, the Prius Two Eco carries an EPA estimate of 58 miles per gallon in city driving and 53 on the highway. Rating for the Prius Four is 54/50.
Noticeable in nighttime driving are zigzag LED taillights on the Prius.
Switch the drive-mode system in the Two to Power, instead of Normal or Eco, and the driver feels shift points in the CVT. A nicety about this drive mode system is that it doesn’t default to normal or eco when the engine is shut down, and it remains where it was set when the car is restarted.
The sticker price of $25,535 on the ’16 Prius Two Eco is without satellite radio or a rear wiper, and with a small backup camera screen. The rear suspension is improved with a double-wishbone and trailing arms setup. Zigzag LED taillights are something to see after dark.
The 2016 GMC Canyon turbodiesel sits along a gravel road west of Hereford. (Bud Wells)
I fired up the 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine in the 2016 GMC Canyon 4-by-4 pickup Sunday afternoon, May 1, about the time the rain stopped after five days. That power source, new to the Canyon this year, is a 2.8-liter Duramax, built in Thailand.
Jan suggested a quiet drive, somewhere we could get away from heavy traffic; that took us in a northeasterly direction. We ended up in the Grover and Hereford area of northeastern Weld County.
All sorts of driving delights, from well-worn pavement to gravel to short offroad crawls, await motorists up that way. I became acquainted with the area some years back in overseeing the publication of the book, “Northeast Weld County: Homesteading the Dryland,” and more recently in researching the “Wild Horse Jerry” book.
To drive that area is to appreciate a good GMC suspension, which soaks up most bumps. The Canyon uses a coil-over-shock front suspension and a solid rear axle with multileaf springs and twin-tube shocks. Complementing its good handling qualities is a light steering feel associated with a new electric power steering system.
Last fall, I drove a V-6 gasoline-powered Canyon 4-by-4 near Tabernash in the mountains and, similar to the impression with the current one, remarked that it “excelled in grip on the gravel and handled the many curves like a smaller, lighter vehicle.”
The Canyon and near-twin Chevy Colorado are competing head-on with two long-standing, tough compacts, the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier. Ford abandoned the field with its Ranger several years ago, as did Dodge with its Dakota. Like the full-sizers, sales of the smaller pickups are booming thus far this year. Sales of the Canyon are up 10.6 percent, Colorado has increased 26.2 percent, Frontier 15.9 and Tacoma 13.3.
“The allocation of diesels into the overall Canyon market is expected to be only 10 percent,” said Warren Yoder, owner of Weld County Garage, a GMC dealer. “Though the production numbers are small, the addition of the diesel has stirred lots of inquiries and discussion at our store.”
The Duramax generates only 181 horsepower, though delivers 369 lb.-ft. of torque and is rated to tow up to 7,600 pounds. It is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, and a selector dial will engage the transfer case from 2-wheel high to automatic 2/4WD to 4-wheel high to 4-wheel low.
An exhaust brake feature uses engine compression to slow down the pickup, reducing wear and tear on the disc brake system. The Canyon rides on Goodyear Wrangler M&S 265/60R18 tires.
For 300 miles of test driving, the Canyon averaged 25.8 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 20/29.
Opting for the Duramax turbodiesel beneath the hood of a new Canyon will boost the price of the pickup by $3,730. The GMC review model, finished in a somewhat odd-color emerald green metallic, was the SLT Crew cab with a base price of $37,450. Adding the diesel tab, an audio upgrade and a couple safety items (forward-collision alert and lane-departure warning) raised sticker price to $44,365.
The short, 5-foot box, with spray-on bedliner, has an easy-drop tailgate and cornersteps in the rear bumper which are so handy for ease of access.
With stitched leather on the seats and dash and color-keyed carpet, the Canyon interior is attractive. Sound-deadening material in the dashboard area has helped quiet the cab. The rear-seating area is comfortable, though short on legroom.
