The 2019 Kia Sorento, having undergone several major changes and an improved appearance, carried me on Wednesday, Aug. 22, to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park for a luncheon of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP).

All Sorentos for ’19 have been designed with three rows of seats for seven passengers, as Kia has done away with the two-row/five-passenger setup.

The model that came my way is the loaded-up SXL all-wheel-drive SUV, powered by a 3.3-liter, V-6 engine tied to a new 8-speed automatic transmission. The optional 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder of the past several years has been scrapped. Base power for Sorentos of lesser price is a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder with 6-speed automatic.

Also added for the new model year is an enhanced safety system – lane-keep assist, automatic braking with pedestrian detection.

With its standard three rows, the Sorento will compete with the Chevy Traverse, Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota Highlander and Volkswagen Atlas.

With a bold grille, full LED headlights and Nappa leather inside, the Sorento looked good as I parked it high above the Stanley lot reserved for other new cars and trucks arriving at the hands of RMAP members. The variety of the others ranged from a Ford Mustang Bullitt to a Nissan Leaf to a Mercedes Sprinter van.

The Stanley stop was part of a two-day RMAP event, based at Woolley’s Classic Suites in Aurora. Among RMAP members participating was their new president, Craig Conover of Springville, Utah, who succeeded David Muramoto at the helm in early June.

I drove to Estes from Greeley for the lunch meeting. Distance from my home to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park is 47 miles; for the 94-mile roundtrip, the Sorento averaged 24.1 miles per gallon. Its EPA estimate is 19/24.

Tablemates with me at the lunch, hosted by Fiat Chrysler, were Jerohn Anderson, product communications specialist for Volkswagen of America; Russell Datz, national media relations manager for Volvo Cars USA, and John Rush and Richard Rush, RMAP members from Drive Radio.

Discussions among us included VW’s improved Jetta for 2019 and the company’s aggressiveness in the SUV/crossover categories; Volvo’s push toward electrification while continuing to prosper with some of the best-performing internal-combustion powers; and whether a move to autonomous vehicles could occur as quickly as a five-year cycle.

Ryan Nagode, a chief designer for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, headed a presentation of the 2019 Ram 1500 Longhorn Crew Cab pickup on the walkway outside the lunchroom before the group headed back toward Aurora.

He talked of lighter, stronger, high-strength steel frame, 395-horsepower 5.7 Hemi engine, 12-inch UConnect screen, reclining rear seats, deployable side steps, sticker price of $66,000.

I was out front when the truck was parked and a Stanley official insisted, since it was on the walkway, that a shallow pan be positioned beneath the truck’s engine compartment. Yes, during Nagode’s presentation, I thought of asking him if the drip pan came standard with the truck, but I’m too far along in years to add “smartass” to my resume, so I did not.

Regarding my drive with the Sorento’s V-6 and 8-speed automatic, strong and steady power was displayed on the drive to Estes, and it climbed through the two switchbacks on the Devil’s Gulch Road in lower gears of the manual-mode shifter. On the return drive, mostly on a descent, 3^rd and 4^th gear sets in the manual mode were engaged.

Though pricing for the cheapest Sorento LX all-wheel-drive model begins around $30,000, the impressive SXL I drove carried a sticker of $48,020. That included full-length side-curtain airbags, hill-start assist control, dual-zone automatic climate control, Harman Kardon premium audio with navigation, Android Auto, Apple Carplay, Bluetooth, heated and ventilated front seats, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, surround-view monitor, smart cruise and panoramic roof.

The Kia is backed with a 5-year, 60,000-mile basic warranty and 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

The Sorento’s overall length of 187.4 inches is a foot shorter than most of the competitive three-row makes, and it is costly in the fact the Kia’s cargo space behind the third row of seats is only 11.3 cubic feet. Fold the third row and that expands to 38 feet. The Sorento has a hands-free power liftgate which opens when it senses a smart key approaching.

The Sorento AWD weighs 4,343 pounds on a wheelbase of 109.4 inches, with 7.3 inches of ground clearance. Tow capacity is 5,000 pounds.

Drawing interest parked along the street outside my home during a summer week was a big, red Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 Crew Van.

This is the high-roof model, competing with other commercial vans, such as Ram ProMaster, Ford Transit Connect, Chevy Express, GMC Savana, Nissan NV.

Oversize it is; yet, to drive the Mercedes Sprinter is to like it, with its 3.0-liter, turbodiesel V-6 engine, 5-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel-drive capability. Horsepower is 188 and torque rating is 325 lb.-ft.

Behind the two front bucket seats are three crew seats, and a rear area wide open and tall enough in which to stand and walk around. Rear barn doors (split swingouts) open up for ease of access and large-load entry into the cargo area. Driving with an empty cargo area can be noisy and a bit rough in ride. It rolls on Continental LT 245/75R16 tires.

Open the sliding passenger-side cargo door of the van and a wide step board swings out from beneath for easy entry.

The Sprinter averaged 17.5 miles per gallon of diesel fuel in 90 miles.

From a base price of $41,495, the 2017 Mercedes Sprinter van with the turbodiesel and four-wheel drive carried a sticker price of $60,450 with these added options:

• 4X4 high range with low-range transfer case $7,495;
• safety package of blind-spot assist/collision-prevent assist/lane-keeping assist/heated and electrically adjustable mirrors/first-aid kit $2,680;
• navigation system/rearview camera/cruise control $1,530;
• headlamp cleaning system/bixenon headlamps/light alloy wheels $1,430;
• electric sliding step $979;
• flame red exterior finish $620;
• electrically heated windshield $440,
• and others.

A spirited performer it is, the 2019 Buick Envision, right out of a GM factory in China.

It’s mildly impressive, not only for its performance, but also its exterior style and interior comfort and quietness.

The Envision was designed originally for the Chinese market and went into production in the fall of 2014 at a plant in Yantail, southeast of Beijing. Buick is among auto sales leaders in China and the Envision was no exception. So, after its successful launch there, GM two years ago began importing the Envision over here, even against some grumbling from U.S. auto workers.

With its 108.3-inch wheelbase, the Envision fits right in between the small Encore (100-inch wheelbase) and large Enclave (121-inch), lending strong SUV presence in Buick showrooms.

The Envision Premium II all-wheel-drive model I tested carries a sticker price just a few bucks short of $50,000 and competes against other luxury compact/midsize SUVs – the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Acura RDX, Volvo XC60, Mercedes GLC, Jaguar F-Pace and others.

For 2019, the Envision shows a flying-wing front grille, winged headlights and winged taillights. The review model was finished in chili red. Two three-porthole insets across from each other seem misplaced atop the hood, rather than along the sides.

Biggest news, though, in the Premium II AWD is the 9-speed automatic transmission which replaces a 6-speed, and a torque increase of 35 lb.-ft. in the 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Horsepower rating is 252, with torque of 295 lb.-ft. Base engine is a 197-hp, 2.5-liter 4-cylinder.

The new 9-speed adds smoothness and more immediate power; a switch on its shifter knob adds a bit of manual mode.

The Envision is a nimble handler, which accommodates very well the quickness of the turboed power. It rides on Hankook 235/50R19 tires. The better response is somewhat costly in the fuel department, as the Envision AWD averaged only 20.5 miles per gallon and is rated at 20/25 mpg. The naturally aspirated base engine with AWD carries a 21/27 rating.

The interior is brightened by a panoramic roof; leather-covered front-seat cushions, fairly flat with lightly bolstered seatbacks, are comfortable. In the roomy back seat, occupants are in control of their own air/heat settings.

Cargo space, accessed by use of a power liftgate, is 26.9 cubic feet; fold the second-row of seats and the storage space expands to 57 feet. The rear seatbacks can be flattened by pulling handles placed along sides of the far-back cargo area.

Other highlights are an 8-inch color infotainment screen with navigation and Bose premium audio, a head-up display for the driver, heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats.

The Premium II AWD model is Envision’s best-equipped and most expensive; cheaper versions are the Premium, Essence, Preferred and Envision base. The base model is front-wheel-drive only.

Base price of the Premium II is $44,595. The addition of forward automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, surround vision, 19-inch aluminum wheels and the moonroof raised sticker total to $49,925.

Of concern to Buick officials regarding the Envision is the 25 percent tariff enstated on Chinese imports by the Trump administration. GM has asked for an exemption for the Envision from the tariff. If the full tariff was applied to the cost of the vehicle, it could raise the price $8,000 to $10,000, and it could result in GM pulling the Envision from the U.S. market.

A floating roof design, with which another Japanese maker found success two or three years ago, and wraparound rear window are most visible of the extensive makeover for the 2019 Acura RDX.

A new 10-speed automatic transmission and torque-vectoring all-wheel drive are well-suited to the RDX’s 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (272-horsepower).

Highlighting the interior is a touchpad interface of high-tech connections, complemented rather comfortably with an A-Spec option of cooled/heated perforated red leather seats with perforated black suede inserts.

Based on a new platform all its own (different from stablemate Honda CR-V), the RDX is ready to challenge the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLC for top rank in the impressive luxury compact SUV field. Among others are the BMW X3, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Porsche Macan, Volvo XC60 and Jaguar f-Pace.

Built in a Honda/Acura assembly plant in East Liberty, Ohio, the new RDX’s wheelbase has been stretched almost 3 inches, and its overall length is 186.9 inches. It is equipped once again with the SH-AWD system, which can send up to 70 percent of its torque to the rear wheels, applying majority of the force to either wheel. The torque-vectoring system has been dropped in the previous generation RDX.

Tied to the 10-speed automatic is an electronic push-button shifter. Engaging Sport mode and using the paddle-shifters enhances performance. I failed to attain much in the way of fuel mileage, averaging 21.4 overall. The RDX’s EPA estimate is 21/26 mpg. It rides on Goodyear Eagle 235/45R20 tires.

Speedometer numbers, small and finished in red, are difficult to see precisely in the daylight; lighted at night they’re fine.

Cargo space behind the second row of seats in the Acura is 29.5 cubic feet, almost 3 feet roomier than that of the Audi Q5.

In addition to the new Acura’s floating-roof, a look which was launched by Nissan with its 2016 Maxima, the A-Spec package added black chrome to its diamond pentagon grille, contrasting the jewel-eye headlights.

Raising sticker price of the RDX SH-AWD A-Spec model to $45,900 are AcuraWatch safety features, including collision mitigation braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure and road-departure warning and adaptive cruise control.

The RDX is also equipped with navigation and voice recognition, premium audio with 16 speakers, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay integration, panoramic moonroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, power tailgate, front and rear parking sensors.

Acura is the luxury division for Honda of Japan. It began selling cars in the U.S. in the spring of 1986; first Acura models were the Integra and Legend.

Ford, for 10 million reasons, spared the iconic Mustang when the company’s decision-makers said recently they’ll soon end production of all their other sedans, in favor of trucks and SUVs.

Ten million Mustangs have rolled off the Ford assembly lines since 1964, first at the Dearborn, Mich., assembly plant and most recently at the Flat Rock plant.

It’s been a long string of successes for the Mustang, which today outsells its pony cars competitors, the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger.

The first Mustang was introduced April 17, 1964 (as a ’65 model), at the World’s Fair in New York City. It was named after the P51 Mustang fighter plane from World War II. A year later, the Mustang had become the most successful Ford Motor Co. launch since the model A in 1927. The Shelby Mustang and Mustang GT were added to the coupe/convertible/fastback lineup. Sales of Mustang passed the 1-million mark in March of 1966, and among other highlights through the years:

The Mustang 390GT was featured in the 1968 movie, “Bullitt,” starring Steve McQueen; the ram air “Shaker” hood scoop became available for any Mustang with a 351-cid or larger V-8 in 1970; the Mustang II was introduced in 1974, 500 pounds lighter and 19 inches shorter than previous models; the Mustang convertible returned in 1983 after being absent for 10 years; a driver’s-side airbag became standard for all Mustangs in 1990; a commemorative Bullitt GT joined the lineup in 2001, inspired by the 1968 model featured in the movie; 2004 was the last year Mustangs were built at Dearborn, where all models had been produced; production on ’05 models was moved to Flat Rock; the Shelby GT500 was launched in 2013, with supercharged 5.8-liter V-8 and 662 horsepower, the most powerful V-8 in the world at that time.

What’s your all-time favorite Mustang?

The one I gave up after seven days – the 2018 Mustang GT Coupe Premium with 460-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8 engine, 6-speed manual transmission and ruby red color – is one of my favorites.

Performance is as good as you’d expect from all those horses, and the beat from the quad-tipped dual exhausts will uphold the smile of your face.

Settle into the Recaro sport seats with the bolstered side grips (it has no power seat), depress the clutch and brake, hit the starter button, take hold of the traditional shifter knob, shift to 1^st and move out. Ford says the Mustang, with the optional 10-speed automatic transmission and placed in “drag mode,” will run 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds. The one I drove, with the manual shift, “slows down” to 4.1 or 4.2 seconds.

Most of my driving was in Normal or Sport modes, occasionally Track. Steering modes were also offered in Normal, Comfort and Sport; the steering feel tightened considerably in Sport, much more crisp. Grip and handling were excellent, with Michelin Pilot Sport performance tires, 19-inchers.

The Mustang averaged 18.4 miles per gallon (EPA estimate 15-25), including a drive on U.S. 34 to Masonville, then a mountainous tour of twists and climbs in Rist Canyon to Fort Collins. Sharing the roadway were lots of bicyclists and even a herd of cattle out of its fences. The rear-drive Mustang, with its handling and power wealth, was right at home in the hilly area.

Sticker price on the Mustang GT has soared to $53,160, including $3,995 for a performance package of bigger Brembo brakes and heavier-duty suspension system.

Among interesting features of the Ford were a digital readout of rpm in the middle of the tachometer gauge and the image of a horse as puddle lamps on both sides of the car. The subwoofer for a Shaker audio system steals space in the trunk, which measures 13.5 cubic feet.

Ford SUVs sold in record numbers in June, emphasizing its recent decision to soon get out of the business of building automobile sedans.

I’ve driven its newest, and smallest, SUV – the subcompact Ford EcoSport. Rounding out Ford’s strong SUV/crossover lineup are the Escape, Edge, Explorer, Flex and Expedition.

Ford sold more than 77,000 of these models in June, an increase of 8 percent over the same month a year ago, and for the first half of the year have surpassed 400,000 in sales. Even higher sales of the F-series pickups brightens the coming production schedules.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and General Motors find themselves in the same sales game, moving all the SUVs and trucks they can build, while sales of their midsize and compact sedans are falling sharply.

The EcoSport, a subcompact, is smaller than I’d expected. Its overall length of 161.3 inches is 7 inches shorter than the Buick Encore or the Mazda CX-3. It is considered a five-passenger vehicle, but three adults in the rear seat will be somewhat of a squeeze. The front buckets, particularly the seatbacks, are well-bolstered and very comfortable, and the driver is provided good vision all-around.

Beneath the hood of the EcoSport Titanium with four-wheel drive is a 166-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed automatic transmission. Base engine for the cheaper front-wheel-drive models is a 1.0-liter, turbocharged 3-cylinder engine of 123 horsepower. Neither engine is quick, though the 4-cylinder’s performance improves in Sport mode.

The first drive Jan and I took in the new EcoSport was south along U.S. 85 through Brighton, then west along 104^th Avenue to Grant Street, where we met friends Ted and Shirley King for evening dinner at Cheddars.

An hour or so later, as we walked out to the car, I swung a foot beneath the rear bumper to see if that would open the rear liftgate. It did not and after looking it over for a release, Ted stepped to the passenger side taillight, pushed a button inside an open slot and the rear end opened and swung to one side as a swing gate.

Cargo space behind the rear seat is 20.9 cubic feet, which expands to 50 feet with the rear seat folded.

In an even split of city/highway driving miles, I’ve averaged 25.2 miles per gallon with the EcoSport 4-cylinder. Its EPA estimate is 23/29 mpg. The FWD model with the 3-cylinder power carries an EPA rating of 27/29.

Wheelbases for Ford’s six SUVs/crossovers are 99.2 inches for the EcoSport, 105.9 for the Escape, 112.2 for the Edge, 112.8 for the Explorer, 117.9 for the Flex and 122.5 for the Expedition. An extended-length Expedition stretches out to 131.5 in wheelbase.

Besides the previously mentioned Encore and CX-3, the EcoSport competes against the Toyota C-HR, Hyundai Kona, Subaru Crosstrek, Jeep Renegade and Chevy Trax, along with several others.

BANTER FROM BUD

U.S. Volvo plant: Remember, I told you four months ago it just wasn’t so. So much of the press at that time jumped on the announcement by Volvo that every new launch it makes beginning next year will be equipped with some form of electric power. Some reporters said Volvo was getting out of the internal-combustion-engine business. Not so, I said at the time. Volvo last week announced that it has opened its first U.S. assembly plant at Ridgeville, S.C., to produce S60 sedans and, in a couple years, to add the popular XC90 SUV output to the factory. Both vehicles are powered by internal-combustion engines.

I’ve driven back-to-back in early summer two Lexus luxuries – the 2018 GX460 midsize sport utility vehicle and the LS500 full-size sedan.

To spend time in the GX460 is to be reminded of Toyota’s 4Runner, which I’ve considered one of the toughest of sport utes. They’re both of body-on-frame construction, based off the same platform at the Toyota assembly plant at Aichi, Japan.

There is nothing quick about the GX’s 301-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8; teamed with the 6-speed automatic transmission, though it is very smooth. It carries a somewhat old-fashioned approach to the rear of the vehicle, where you’ll find a swinggate rather than liftgate.

On a rainy morning of Father’s Day, Jan and I drove the Lexus GX460 into Big Thompson Canyon west of Loveland, turned at Drake onto the smooth Devil’s Gulch Road to Glen Haven. After stopping briefly at the general store for a couple of Steve and Becky Childs’ cinnamon rolls, we continued on to Estes Park, when back down the canyon via U.S. 34.

Though the GX had no paddle shifters, I opted for manual  mode in 3^rd and 4^th gears all the way down the canyon for safe slowdowns in the sometimes heavy traffic.

Inside, the front seats in the Lexus are relatively short, not as comfortable as competitors’. The touchscreen is very easily used for settings with the Mark Levinson audio.

Offroading is the GX’s forte. Power is split 40/60 front-to-rear in the Lexus all-wheel-drive system, with which a Torsen differential can send additional torque rearward when necessary. It is also equipped with four-wheel low range.

From a base price of $63,230, the GX sticker price reached $72,485.

As for the luxurious 2018 Lexus LS, its redesigned F Sport four-door has burst through the $100-grand marker. It’s the first Lexus I’ve driven to reach six figures in price, and is an indication the LS continues to chase after the Mercedes S class and BMW 7 series in the premium luxury sedan category.

The Lexus’ sticker topped out at $101,675, $10,000 of which was for the F Sport package including fresh, distinctive styling, perforated-leather-trimmed interior/steering wheel/shifter knob, ultrasuede headliner and aluminum pedals. A large black-mesh spindle grille out front is an easy identifier.

The LS’s V-8 power of the past is gone; in its place is a 3.5-liter, twin-turbo, 415-horsepower V-6 mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Jan and I on a Thursday morning drove the Lexus west of Greeley on U.S. 34 to Loveland, then south on U.S. 287 to Longmont, where we visited the new home of Keith and Sandy Boggs. Don and Audrey Carey of Sterling were also guests for lunch. In looking over the exterior and sitting in the big, long (206 inches, same as Mercedes) LS, the four Boggs and Careys agreed the interior is one of the finest they’d ever seen on an automobile.

On a Friday evening, we drove with Bud Hargis and Ila DuBois to Eaton for dinner at the Eaton Country Club, where golf pro Rick Cole has been for many years. The LS carried us in style. The 10-speed transmission lends smoothness to the drive; shifts are almost imperceptible.

High-grade materials are used throughout the rich-looking cabin; seats are comfortable and a 23-speaker, Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system is especially pleasant. Leather-covered, floating armrests/grab handles are of easy use and good comfort at each door. Trunk space is a roomy 16.9 cubic feet.

The LS carries an EPA estimate of 19/30 miles per gallon; I averaged 19.7 overall.

An oddity is that protruding from each side of a cover atop the instrument panel, readily noticeable to anyone entering the sedan, are dials for snow/traction and for shifting between comfort and sport modes. 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 LS model, built in Tahara, Aichi, Japan, was introduced into the U.S. almost 30 years ago in 1989.

The big, comfortable-riding Nissan Armada showed up on U.S. shores in 2003 to compete with the Toyota Sequoia, which had been introduced over here three years earlier.

The two have been sharp rivals in the full-size sport utility vehicle market since, competing also with the Ford Expedition, Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon. All boast strong engines and four-wheel-drive.

It is interesting how closely aligned the Armada is with the Sequoia in specifications, capabilities and performance.

Wheelbase measurement is 121.1 inches for the Armada and 122 inches for the Sequoia; other comparisons, with the Armada listed first: overall length 208.9 and 205.1; width 79.9 and 79.9; height 75.8 and 77; ground clearance 9.1 and 9.9; track 67.5 and 67.9; cargo space behind the third row of seats 16.5 and 18.9; curb weight 5,960 pounds and 5,985.

The Armada’s 5.6-liter V-8 delivers 390 horsepower and 394 lb.-ft. of torque, with strong tow capacity of 8,500 pounds, compared to the Sequoia’s 5.7-liter V-8 with 381-hp and 401 torque, tow capacity of 7,400 pounds.

The Armada is equipped with a twist dial to go from 2-wheel-drive to  4WD to 4Llo. Its 4WD system adjusts torque between front and rear wheels for secure grip in snow and rain. It has a snow mode for easier startups without spinning. The Nissan shifter can be moved into manual mode and tapped up or down for gear changes. Its EPA estimate is 13-18, just a slight edge over Toyota’s 13-17. The Armada averaged 16.9 miles per gallon overall.

The Armada enjoys a roomy and comfortable interior: its center stack is adorned with wood and stitched leather trim. Front seats (heated and cooled) are on the smallish side and the infotainment center is somewhat dated. Rear-seat passengers are treated to dual 8-inch color monitors in the rear of front headrests.

The Armada rides high on its 20-inch wheels and Bridgestone Dueler P275/60R20 tires. The third-row seats can be lowered flat or raised with a power button from the opened cargo liftgate.

After being assembled in Canton, Miss., from 2003 to 2015, the Armada was moved to a factory in Kyushu, Japan, where it shares a platform with the Nissan Patrol, sold in all parts of the world, other than the U.S.

Sticker price on the Armada review model was $63,095. An innovative safety package includes automatic braking, forward-collision warning, intelligent backup intervention, blind-spot warning, intelligent cruise control.

Looking good in my driveway was the all-new 2019 Volkswagen Jetta, redesigned with a small turbocharged engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, and sporting an exterior of “tornado red.”

With a sticker of $25,625, the moderate pricing and new appearance should revive interest in the compact four-door, which, along with other VWs, suffered a sales slump following a diesel-emissions-test scandal three years ago.

This Jetta is 2 inches longer than the ’18 model and 200 pounds lighter and boasts of 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

The Jetta, a part of the U.S. market for almost 40 years, competes against a strong lineup of compact sedans, including the Chevy Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza and Toyota Corolla.

Sales through the first seven months of 2018 are Civic 202,563, Corolla 188,216, Sentra 135,038, Elantra 113,481, Cruze 88,133, Focus 84,094, Forte 61,946, Impreza 45,200, Mazda3 41,062. The Jetta trailed the others with sales of 39,361.

Jan and I one morning drove it to Fort Collins and on up the Poudre Canyon as far as the old Mishawaka Inn, where during lunch we were entertained by the hummingbirds at the feeders outside the windows and the dozens of kayakers and rafters in the river below.

A short way down the canyon on our return drive we took a right onto the Stove Prairie Road and followed the narrow, twisting highway to Masonville, onto U.S. 34 through Loveland and back home to Greeley.

The Jetta rode quietly and handled well. The 1.4 turboed engine is fairly mild with 147 horsepower, though its torque is enough to provide power in passing and climbing. The 8-speed transmission shifter can be moved into Sport mode, from Eco or Normal, for improved response; I used 3^rd and 4^th gears much of the way up and down.

It is an attractive sedan, though its large three-bar grille looks like something borrowed from a Ford Fusion back about ’07. The leatherette seats are heated in the front row. They’re lightly bolstered and firmly cushioned. Trunk space is 14 cubic feet. Suspension includes front struts and a torsion-beam setup at the rear. The Jetta rides on Bridgestone Ecopia 205/60R16 tires.

The Jetta SEL, without navigation, is the lowest-priced model to come my way since February, when a below-$20,000 Honda Fit was provided.

Highlighting the Jetta’s equipment list are safety innovations – forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, active cruise and active blind-spot monitor. It also has a BeatsAudio premium sound system with subwoofer, Bluetooth connectivity and voice control, dual-zone automatic climate control, power moonroof and automatic LED headlights.

Lots of highway driving kept the fuel-mileage average at a respectable 35.3 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 30/40. The Jetta is built in Puebla, Mexico. Its specifications include wheelbase of 105.7 inches, overall length of 185.1, width of 70.8, height of 57.4, weight of 2,890 pounds, turning ciricle of 35 feet. It runs on regular unleaded fuel.

As I approached the two sets of steep, tightly linked hairpin curves in the new Lincoln Navigator on the Devils Gulch Road to Estes Park, I twisted a knob to “slow climb” mode; the big SUV slowed, grunted a bit and maneuvered the switchbacks within its own lane on the narrow highway, never intruding into the lane of opposite direction.

The 2018 Navigator has been redesigned, for the first time in years; it’s 3 inches longer and has shed some weight, though at 5,700 pounds who can tell.

The Lincoln’s six drive modes are a feature, with names of Normal, Conserve for efficiency, Excite for responsive, Slippery for icy, Deep for heavy snow and the Slow Climb. Accompanying graphics clue in the driver at a glance for what mode has been engaged, with no need to look down at the knob.

A year after introduction of the impressive Continental sport sedan, the new Navigator is equipped to compete with other full-size luxury SUVs, such as Range Rover, Mercedes GLS, Cadillac Escalade, Toyota Land Cruiser.

Like, the Ford Expedition which I reviewed earlier, the Navigator 4X4 has scrapped its V-8 engine in favor of the 450-horsepower (510 torque), twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

The shifter is push-button type. Performance is strong; no deficiency from the fewer cylinders under the hood. My overall fuel mileage was 19.5 (EPA estimate 16/21).

A first-timer in the driver seat will probably push the “pro trailer backup assist” button in place of the starter button. The trailer touch is right in front of the driver, the starter button is on a ledge, almost out of sight. The Pro Trailer allows the driver, with proper Navigator settings, to release grip on the steering wheel and allow the system to back the trailer or boat to its intended location.

The interior was dressed up in dark leather. Like the Continental, Lincoln has paid special attention to front seating comfort for the Navigator. The split seats are plush, with massaging seatbacks and effective cooling. Cargo space behind the third row of seats is 20.9 cubic feet; fold the third row flat and that expands to 57.5 feet. The power liftgate can be foot-activated.

The Navigator was the high-end Black Label edition, so brace yourself for a look at the sticker – $98,145. Among features in addition to the aforementioned are power illuminated running boards, forward and reverse safety sensors, tip-and-slide second-row seats, panoramic roof.

It’s on a wheelbase of 122.5 inches and is 210 inches in overall length.