What better time in the driver’s seat of the 2019 Chevy Traverse than November 2018 while receiving the announcement that General Motors plans to close up to five assembly plants in North America and end production of three Chevrolet car models – the Impala, Cruze and Volt plug-in hybrid.

The popular midsize Traverse SUV is a major strength of Chevrolet today, in combination with other SUVs Tahoe and Equinox and pickups Silverado and Colorado.

As more and more consumers turn toward the truck side of the market, most all midsize and compact sedans this year have suffered double-digit declines in U.S. sales.

GM, in shutting down factories for the three Chevy models, along with the Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac CT6 and XTS, is following the lead two years ago of Chrysler, which killed the 200 and Dodge Dart, and Ford earlier this year planning to do away with all its sedans, except the Mustang, by the end of 2019.

On a wheelbase of almost 121 inches, the Traverse is considered by some to be a full-size SUV, rather than midsize. It performs with a 310-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine and smooth 9-speed automatic transmission, with all-wheel drive. Performance is strong, other than, when in manual mode, shifts are attained by pushing a button atop the shifter knob, awkwardly placed. The twist of a dial on the center console moves it into all-wheel drive from two-wheel. The engine turns somewhat noisy under acceleration demand.

The Traverse was introduced in the fall of 2008 as an ’09 model. I was driving one in early December ’08, heading north out of Denver following a Denver Nuggets’ win at the Pepsi Center, when I stopped for a red light and the Traverse got popped hard from the rear by a kid heading home from work in a Pontiac. I got out, made sure he was okay, then asked, “Didn’t you see the red light?” “I did,” he said, “but I didn’t think you would stop for it.” While the front end and engine block of his older Grand Am were pushed back toward the firewall, the Traverse showed only slight damage to its rear exterior and had some minor suspension issues.

The Traverse’s size in 2019 has been expanded a couple inches from the original to 204 inches in overall length. It competes with the Ford Flex, Subaru Ascent, Dodge Durango and other models.

Standard this year for the Traverse interior is MyLink infotainment with 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, six USB ports, Bose premium audio and navigation. The three-row SUV has cargo space aplenty; 23 cubic feet behind the third row and with that folded expands to 57.8 feet.

The big Traverse carried us to an early Thanksgiving breakfast at Cracker Barrel in Loveland with Dale and Sandy Wells, Tyler Wells and Seth Blanke. Returning late on Thanksgiving afternoon from Brent and Tina Wells’ home in Windsor, I pulled into the garage, shut the Traverse off and chimes sounded and warning in display message center read, “Rear Seat Reminder: Look in Back Seat.” Sure enough, there rested the leftover pumpkin pie for dessert at another meal.

The Traverse rides smoothly and comfortably on Continental 255/55R20 tires, with front struts and rear multilink suspension and coils all around. Overall  fuel mileage was 21.8; its EPA estimate is 17/25.

The AWD Traverse with 3LT Leather trim level carries a sticker price of $45,090, with surround vision camera, lane-change alert, rear park assist, power rear liftgate, remote vehicle start, leather seats and leather-wrapped steering wheel, and tri-zone climate control.

Regarding its announcement and responding to concerns for expected layoffs of thousands of factory workers, GM officials issued this statement:

“Many of the U.S. workers impacted by these actions will have the opportunity to shift to other GM plants where we will need more employes to support growth in trucks, crossovers and SUVs. GM’s transformation also includes adding technical and engineering jobs to support the future of mobility, such as new jobs in electrification and autonomous vehicles.”

Here, on the first day of September 2018, is my last mention of the dog days of August.

In connection with my recent test drive of a 2018 Land Rover Discovery, a public relations firm for the British SUV builders sent me a note promoting dog-carrying items that can be purchased and placed in the cargo areas of new Land Rovers and Range Rovers. Last Sunday, you know, was International Dog Day.

After including the accompanying Beagle photo with my Land Rover column today, like an eager pup I sent a note back to the PR firm, suggesting that Land Rover give away a Beagle in a carrier in the back of a new Land Rover or Range Rover for a sales boost. The company already is enjoying increased sales, my plan would be added gravy.

Well, I’ve not heard a word back; perhaps my contact is on vacation.

 Built in Solihull, England, the Discovery is a solid entry into the lineup of Land Rover and Range Rover sport utility vehicles.

Its electronic air suspension, with push of a button on the center console, will lift the Discovery from its normal 9.9 inches of ground clearance to 11 inches. With wading depth of 33.5 inches, it could be driven down the middle of the South Platte River from Denver to Julesburg.

Turbodiesels, falling out of favor with some manufacturers, remain a solid attraction for Land Rover. A 3.0-liter, turbocharged 6-cylinder engine of 254 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque deliver excellent acceleration and power to the Discovery. It averaged 23.1 miles per gallon overall. 

This is the same diesel used in the Range Rover Sport; lines are also blurred between the two when it comes to size, as they share wheelbase length and 66.5-inch track, the Discovery is 3 inches longer and the Range Rover Sport is heavier by 50 pounds or so. Pricewise, the Discovery’s sticker is $81,395; the last RR Sport I drove was $84,260.

Roomy and comfortable inside, the Discovery is dressed up with nice, butterscotch-colored Windsor leather on the face of the dash, the seats and windowsills. A Meridian sound system is pleasant. Front seats are heated and ventilated with powered headrest height control, second-row seats are also heated and cooled and third row, which can be power-folded flat, is heated.

Boosting price from $67k to $84k were massaging front seats, four-wheel-drive terrain response, adaptive cruise and lane-keep assist, auto high-beam assist, head-up display. The big Discovery rides on Goodyear Eagle 275/45R21 tires. Gasoline engine available is a supercharged, 3.0-liter V-6 of 340 horsepower and 332 torque.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Lexus LC models are built in Aichi, Japan.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wheelbase
Volvo 112.8 inches,
Audi 110.9;

Length
Volvo 187,
Audi 187;

Width
Volvo 73,
Audi 72.5;

Height
Volvo 56,
Audi 58.8;

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