By Bud Wells

Honda’s pickup, out of production the past two years, is back in renewed style.

The 2017 Ridgeline, unibody-constructed, is more carlike than competitive makes, though it falls short in tow capacity and offroad capabilities.

That suits lots of Honda buyers. They wouldn’t be “caught dead” in a traditional, tough truck, though they’re livening up the showroom in a beeline rush around the refined Ridgeline.

With Davis Adams, Honda PR regional manager, as my passenger, I drove the new Ridgeline at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in the mountains near Tabernash for half-an-hour on an afternoon in September. Then, earlier in October, I had opportunity to drive the same ’17 model for a week.

It was the high-end Ridgeline Black Edition with all-wheel drive, black leather interior and 18-inch black alloy wheels – a dark color scheme dominant both outside and in.

The returning Honda pickup has increased size, 30 more horsepower and shows improved exterior appeal. It is 4 inches longer overall than previously and 3.3 inches longer in wheelbase. Its cargo bed is 3.9 inches longer and 5.5 inches wider. It is front-wheel-drive based; most others in its class are of rear-wheel base.

The new smooth performance is provided by the Honda’s 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission (262 lb.-ft. of torque). Its intelligent Traction Management system permits switching of driving modes to better accommodate maneuvers in snow, mud or sand. It rides on Firestone Destination 245/60R18 tires.

In terms of tow capacity, the new Ridgeline trails the competition. Equipped with all-wheel drive, the Ridgeline will tow up to 5,000 pounds. The GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado, when properly equipped will tow up to 7,700 pounds, the Toyota Tacoma up to 6,800 and the aged Nissan Frontier up to 6,500.

The Ridgeline surely is a delight for athletic-event tailgaters. The pickup’s tailgate drops normal-style or swings open from the side, lending access to the huge storage tub (Honda calls it a trunk) with drain plug for beverages and ice beneath the floor of the pickup bed.

The Honda’s new audio system includes six “exciters” inside the bed walls, producing sound from the truck’s audio head unit. Exciters turn solid objects into speakers with extremely high-speed vibrations. Any audio heard in the cab also sounds in the bed. Added to the bed, too, is an available 400-watt power inverter for recharging power tools.

Overall fuel-mileage average was 19.7, though it is rated higher at 19/26 miles per gallon.

Loaded with equipment, including the premium audio setup/Pandora/Bluetooth/voice-recognition navigation and multiview rear camera, the Ridgeline carried a $43,770 sticker price. Other amenities are heated leather seats and heated steering wheel, power moonroof, trizone automatic climate control, automatic high beams, blind-spot alert and cross-traffic monitor, lane-keeping assist and remote engine start.

The Honda Ridgeline is built in Lincoln, Ala. Seventy-five percent of its parts are produced in the U.S. or Canada.

Honda is the fifth-best-selling brand in Colorado, just ahead of Jeep. Company officials are counting on the Ridgeline to help maintain that position.

Toyota, Ford and Subaru are top three brand sellers in Colorado through the first eight months of this year. Sales totals in Colorado by brand:

• Toyota 18,315
• Ford 15,320
• Subaru 14,993
• Chevrolet 10,036
• Honda 9,400
• Jeep 9,174
• Nissan 7,391
• Ram 5,165
• GMC 4,213
• Hyundai 4,085
• Volkswagen 3,220
• Kia 3,158
• Mazda 2,850
• BMW 2,668
• Lexus 2,548
• Audi 2,446
• Dodge 2,364
• Mercedes-Benz 2,037
• Buick 1,205
• Acura 1,179
• Volvo 841
• Infiniti 840
• Chrysler 799
• Cadillac 754
• Mitsubishi 674
• Land Rover 670
• Mini 601
• Lincoln 587
• Porsche 506
• Tesla 429
• Fiat 208
• Jaguar 101
• Maserati 48
• smart 39

Fifteen feet out of the parking spot aboard the Infiniti QX30 at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, the hollering, “Stop, Bud, stop,” stopped me.

“It’s leaking fuel,” I was told. That ended my plan for driving the premium compact crossover, one of 40 new cars and trucks delivered recently by auto manufacturers to the ranch near Tabernash to be driven by members of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP).

The QX30 was one of those I most wanted to drive. It is a collaboration of Infiniti design and Mercedes-Benz engineering, with lots of mechanical likeness to the Mercedes GLA250. It is built in an Infiniti plant in Sunderland, England.

Soon after the QX slipped from my grasp, a second surprise came my way. I was motioned to the open driver’s door of the high-end 2017 Acura NSX by Allie Coulter, senior public relations specialist for Acura. The NSX is returning after an absence of 12 years to the U.S. market as a hybrid.

“Why a hybrid for the sports car?,” I asked Coulter at the beginning of our drive. She explained that the powertrain has three electric motors, including one at each front wheel, and a mid-mounted twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 engine; all that mated to a 9-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

“It becomes one of the most technically advanced cars on the road,” she said, “and, of course with the electric motors, it performs with zero-delay acceleration.”

The gas engine/electric motors combination produces 573 horsepower and 476 lb.-ft. of torque.

The sports car is being built in the U.S. at Marysville, Ohio. The NSX was imported to the U.S. from Jap

an as a gas-engine sports car from 1991 to 2005.

Pricing of the new one begins at $156,000. Addition of a carbon-fiber engine cover, carbon-ceramic rotors with red brake calipers, semi-analine red leather and alcantara seats and ELS Studio audio and technology package pushed sticker price to $189,000.

It sleekness and casino white pearl finish made the Acura NSX one of the most attractive models among the 40 cars at Devil’s Thumb. Acura is luxury division for Honda.

Having heard of much interest in the revived Honda Ridgeline, I drove one with Davis Adams, Honda PR regional manager, as my passenger.

Restyled somewhat along the lines of a traditional pickup, the unibody-constructed ’17 Ridgeline continues a very smooth drive and is more carlike than competitive makes

Tacoma, Frontier and Canyon. For some compact truck loyalists, “carlike” is not necessarily a desired attribute.

The Honda truck retains a storage tub beneath the floor of the bed and offers a new feature – exciters mounted on the back of the bedside panel liners function like the cone on a traditional speaker; anything audio-played in the cabin sounds in the bed, too.

The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Convertible got a formal introduction following lunch at Devil’s Thumb. Angela Bianchi, product PR manager for FCA, showed off features of the little sports car, which though carrying the Fiat brand name is being built by Mazda on the same assembly line as the Miata – in Hiroshima, Japan.

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 is 5 inches longer than the Miata in overall length, 100 pounds heavier and is equipped with its own 1.4-liter turbocharged engine.

I drove the 124 Spider in early July. It has returned to the U.S. market after an absence of almost 40 years.

I received a personal walkaround at Devil’s Thumb of the new 2017 Volkswagen Golf AllTrack, which will go on sale late next month. No drives of the new model were permitted. Darryll Harrison Jr., regional communications spokesperson for Volkswagen of America, said the AllTrack will be available only with 4Motion all-wheel drive, making it appealing for the Colorado market. It will be a competitor of the Subaru Outback.

Nick Browe, Ram 1500 brand manager for FCA (Fiat/Chrysler) Group, in the early afternoon caught my attention long enough to guide me into the Ram Rebel 4X4 pickup, a competitor of the new Nissan Titan XD. Browe rode with me and discussed many features of the Rebel as I maneuvered it somewhat spiritedly around the twists and climbs of the mountainous setting.

The Rebel, introduced last year at the Detroit Auto Show, sits high on a 140-inch wheelbase with stiffened Bilstein shocks and 33-inch Toyo tires, creating 11.1 inches of ground clearance. It is aimed at those who still believe a truck can be built for offroading.

The 395-horsepower, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine, with 410 lb.-ft. of torque, is tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission controlled from a rotary dial on the dash.

I rode in the great-handling 2016 Lexus GS F, the most powerful sedan ever for that Japanese luxury builder. The $90,000 four-door gains performance from a 467-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8 with 8-speed sport transmission.

General Motors, a major player in last year’s gathering at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, had only the Chevy Camaro available for view and drives this year.

The olive drab shade of green on the outside drew most comments as I spent some time recently in the 2016 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 4X4.

As observers drew close and reacted to the badge on the side, “1941, 75 Years,” many, at least of the older generation, got it – the 75^th anniversary of Jeep, born in the early days of World War II.

Though today’s Wrangler is a more recognizable descendant of the first Jeeps, the Cherokee in that color scheme stirs the memories and respect for the iconic four-wheeler. Jeep calls the color recon green.

Jeeps, whether Wrangler or Cherokee or Grand Cherokee, are the hottest-selling vehicles on the U.S. market today. Jeep this month has passed the 500,000 mark in U.S. sales for the year thus far.

Besides the green finish and 1941 badging, adding distinction to the new Cherokee I drove were bronze-painted aluminum wheels, 75^th edition cloth/mesh bucket seats and orange interior accents.

The Cherokee, which returned to the Jeep lineup in 2014, is compact in size, measuring 182 inches in overall length, on a wheelbase of 106 inches.

The Cherokee  rides fairly comfortably and is a very capable offroader, with performance from a 271-horsepower, 3.2-liter V-6 engine and 9-speed automatic transmission.

Jan and I added 240 miles to the Jeep one afternoon when we delivered a Ford Flex to Jim and Cristi Powell in Yuma; Jim’s a professional photographer and the Flex and its spacious cargo area fill his needs.

The drive helped lift the Cherokee’s overall fuel mileage to 25 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 19/26. The Jeep isn’t particularly powerful on acceleration. If you want power, get a Grand Cherokee SRT.

The 9-speed tranny and V-6 power (base engine is a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder), along with the 75^th anniversary niceties, raised sticker price on the Cherokee to $36,765. Also included are panoramic sunroof, backup camera, stop/start system, remote start, power liftgate, heated front seats and heated steering wheel. It rides on Continental ProContact 255/60R18 tires.

Following is a brief timeline for Jeep’s 75 years:

1941 – Willys-Overland awarded first contract from Army for 16,000 units of little reconnaissance car.

1941 – U.S. enters World War II after Dec. 7 attack of Pearl Harbor.

1945 – World  War II ends; Willys produced 368,000 Jeeps and Ford 277,000.

1947 – Jeep pickups go on sale in ¾-ton and 1-ton size.

1953 – Kaiser Manufacturing buys Willys-Overland.

1954 – Willys introduces the CJ-5, one of the most popular Jeeps ever.

1960 – Jeep CJ models get a competitor, the Scout from International Harvester.

1965 – Ford shows off the Bronco SUV, another competitor to the Jeep.

1969 – American Motors buys Kaiser-Jeep.

1972 – Quadra-Trac full-time 4WD is unveiled by Jeep; each wheel can operate at its own speed.

1976 – The CJ-7 replaces the CJ-6 for Jeep in North America.

1977 – Four-door version of Jeep Cherokee introduced.

1978 – Jeep Wagoneer Limited becomes first domestic SUV with leather interior.

1987 – Chrysler Corp. purchases American Motors (AMC) from Renault; the prize was Jeep.

1992 – Grand Wagoneer production ends after 30 years.

2001 – Production begins on Jeep Liberty, which became successor to the original Cherokee.

2006 – Carlike Patriot and Compass are introduced.

2007 – Four-door Wrangler Unlimited goes on sale; in recent years has attained some of highest resale values in U.S. market.

2012 – Production ends for the Liberty; which was succeeded by the resurrected Cherokee name.

2014 – Jeep tops 1 million units annually in global sales for the first time.

2015 – Production rolls along in Italy of the new subcompact Renegade, of which I wrote, “It’s Italian-built with an all-American name and a nose like a Chinese pug.”

Fifty years to the month after the Camaro was revealed to the public, Chevrolet will commemorate the muscle car’s 50^th 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 50^th, 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.

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 1^st to 4^th to save fuel. Yet, a good share of drivers kick up the rpm, which permits a much more rewarding sequence from 1^st to 2^nd, 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.

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 50^th anniversary party for Camaro.

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 100^th 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.

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.

After 14 million sales in 30 years, why change the name of your minivan?

In order to ask that of Chrysler, Jan and I drove 1,300 miles, in a Fiat, to the luxurious Pelican Hill Resort at Newport Beach, Calif., recently.

There was more to it than that; I was invited there to attend the unveiling of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan, successor to the Town & Country.

Matt McAlear, senior manager of Chrysler Brand Product Marketing for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and Rick Deneau, head of Chrysler and Alfa Romeo Brands, and other Chrysler executives were on hand to oversee the first drives of the all-new Pacifica.

The minivan market isn’t going away, Deneau said, even though crossovers continue to grow in popularity. “We are seeking a fresh approach with a new name with the Pacifica to maintain our market share domination,” he said. “This one offers unparalleled levels of functionality, technology and styling.” Chrysler expects minivan sales to remain at about 500,000 yearly (minivan sales peaked at 1.37 million in 2000). Longtime rivals to the Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan have been the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. Chrysler and Dodge combined have led the market since launching it with 1984 models.

While the 2016 Grand Caravan will continue to be built through this year, it eventually will go away and

Pacifica will fill Chrysler’s minivan needs.

Designers have softened the front end of the Pacifica over the Town & Country, as well as extend the overall length and width by an inch and the height by 2 inches. Its track has been widened to 68.3 inches, compared with 65.6 on the Town & Country.

An improvement is the new rotary dial shifter on the console, replacing the shifter on the dash. The dial controls the 9-speed automatic transmission tied to the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine producing 287 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque for the front-wheel-drive van. It will be the most horsepower among all minivans and is rated at 28 miles per gallon on the highway.

The push of a button by kids will automatically 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.

And there will be a plug-in hybrid version with an all-electric range of 30 miles; the hybrid will use two electric motors with the 3.6-liter V-6 engine.

Jan and I drove the new Pacifica to San Diego for a tour of the city zoo’s Safari Park.

We drove through heavy rain on our return to Newport Beach; the Pacifica, with its wider track and longer wheelbase was well-planted and predictable in its handling on the rain-filled Pacific Coast Highway.

After complaining about delivery to me of two front-wheel-drive Fiat 500X models several months ago, I received the AWD version for the long drive to California.

After 21 hours of driving time, having covered 1,319 miles to Newport Beach, my summary is: Jan and I agreed the newly bolstered seats were supportive and comfortable, wider than those on other smaller vehicles; biggest complaint was the 500X’s failure to maintain steady highway speeds on the many, many hills through the Southwest with its 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine and 9-speed automatic transmission; average of 27 miles per gallon for the trip was decent. Boosting the performance capability was the opportunity to move from Eco drive mode to Sport, which raised the revs and delayed shifts in the 9-speed.

The Fiat’s sticker price of $27,005 included an option package of rear park assist, rearview camera, blind-spot and cross-path detection, heated front seats and steering wheel, dual-zone air control and windshield-wiper de-icer.

The subcompact 500X crossover SUV is a sister car to the Jeep Renegade. They both come off a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles assembly line in Melfi, Italy.

We flew back from Newport Beach; had a couple days rest before the opening of the Denver Auto Show.

The Pacifica was among featured new products at the 2016 Denver Auto Show, which ended a five-day run on Sunday at the Colorado Convention Center.

While covering the car show on Wednesday, I met with Rod Buscher, longtime auto dealer and executive, who was there to promote a new venture “to change and improve the used car marketplace for consumers.”

My first contact with Buscher was more than 20 years ago when he was partner in dealerships with John Elway in Denver. He and Elway teamed up in 1987 to purchase a Jeep business and 10 years later they sold their growing group of auto stores to AutoNation. Buscher in 2007 partnered with the George Gillett family to establish a national group of dealerships, Summit Automotive Partners.

The newest venture is Blinker, founded by Buscher (president) and Tony Wilbert (CEO) of San Francisco.  “It’s an automotive technology company that provides all the tools and products necessary to make buying or selling a car or truck privately easier, safer and faster,” said Buscher

The explanation makes not a lot of sense until Buscher holds up and aims a mobile app at the rear of a used Mini Cooper Clubman, pushes a button and the app delivers the year, make and model of that car, its mileage and its estimated value. Blinker partners with Black Book to display vehicle valuations.

Blinker has been launched in Colorado this spring with intent to give users the power to buy, sell and research used cars. Buscher and Wilbert plan to launch Blinker in other major markets around the country.

For more information, visit blinker.com or [email protected].