“Merry Christmas!,” I shouted the morning of Christmas Eve from the bolstered, low-slung seat of the 2017 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport convertible, finished in Corvette racing yellow.

I’ve made these annual holiday greetings to readers for many years, from inside sport utes, sedans (some with all-wheel drive) and coupes – never, though, from a Vette.

This one, the new Grand Sport edition, boasts unbelievable grip, on dry pavement.

On our snow, though? Well, I drove out of my neighborhood’s icy streets, somewhat carefully, in 2^nd gear.

While the Corvette, a rear-drive icon, isn’t a snow-buster, I’d accept opportunity to pilot one under absolutely any weather conditions.

The 2017 review model brought my way is only the fourth Grand Sport edition in more than 50 years. In 1963, five Grand Sport race cars were built under direction of Corvette’s first chief engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov. That program was canceled and not another showed up until 1996; the third Grand Sport arrived in 2010, an LS3-equipped Z06 with a steel frame instead of aluminum.

I drove one of the ’10 GS’s into Rist Canyon, west of Fort Collins, an area filled  with tight curves, ascents and descents in which I had tested a Porsche Carrera and Chrysler 300 SRT8 earlier. The Vette GS, in 3^rd and 4^th gears and responding to the terrain with constant downshifts and accelerations, beat both for flat cornering.

The 2017 Corvette Grand Sport showed up with a 7-speed manual transmission control for a 460-horsepower/465 lb.-ft. torque, 6.2-liter V-8 engine with direct injection and cylinder deactivation.

Sport-tuned suspension and magnetic ride control, in which the shock absorbers react to the road and adjust much faster than regular absorbers, are a highlight of the Grand Sport performance package. It also includes slotted brake rotors, electronic limited-slip differential, rear differential cooler.

Its GS black aluminum wheels are lined with Michelin Pilot Super Sport P285/30ZR19 front and P335/25ZR20 rear summer performance tires. Contrasting the yellow exterior finish is a satin black hood stinger stripe. The convertible top is also black.

Inside, the snug-fitting seats, dash and console are black. Push a button and the electronic drop-top lowers automatically; no latch to release. Weather is among five selectable drive modes, along with Tour, Sport, Eco and Track.

A $1,795 option, helping to push the Vette’s sticker price to $79,480, is a performance data recorder which logs video of your drives along with driving data on an SD memory card.

Among specs for the new Vette are wheelbase 106.7 inches; overall length 176.9; width 77.4; height 48.6; front track 62.5 inches and rear track 62.5; curb weight 3,487 pounds; cargo space 10 cubic feet. The Corvette is built at Bowling Green, Ky. Wide fenders are part of the GS style.

While 75 percent of Corvettes come equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission, the 7-speed manual adds to driving capabilities. With the manual, the Vette will run 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds.

“Most American males, at one time or another, have yearned for a Corvette,” onetime Denver megadealer Marshall Chesrown said to me as I sat in the office of his Chevrolet dealership almost 25 years ago. He was right on, and the yearning continues today.

The first Corvette came off the assembly line more than 60 years ago, in late June 1953, unveiled by famed GM designer Harley Earl. It was a white convertible with a Blue-Flame 235-cubic-inch 6-cylinder engine with three carburetors and a Powerglide 2-speed automatic transmission. Due to the late start for a ’53 model, only 300 were built.

The following year, after production was moved from Flint, Mich., to St. Louis, only 3,600 ‘54s were built, and many sat unsold on dealer lots by year’s end. For all its racy looks, the Vette had little under the hood; that changed when a V-8 was installed in 1955 and Chevrolet was on its way to creating an iconic sports car for America.

The year 2016 was one in which the auto industry continued its strong movement toward turbocharged, 4-cylinder engines with 8-speed and 9-speed automatic transmissions and innovative safety devices.

In emphasizing the smaller powerplants, none was more effective than the 2017 Volvo S90 luxury sedan, my choice for car of the year. The S90 replaces the S80 as flagship in Volvo’s lineup; it is 4 inches longer and noticeably wider. Its stylish exterior, luxurious interior and highway performance make it one of the finest four-door sedans I’ve driven this year.

Its new 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine is both supercharged and turbocharged with 316 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque and all-wheel drive. With products of this magnitude, there is no need, to this point, to fear the consequences of the Chinese ownership of Volvo.

Nissan earns “truck of the year” honors with its resized Titan, larger than a half-ton, not yet as big, though, as a three-quarter ton. It is for those seeking stronger tow capacity without stepping up into the heavy-duty 2500 field. The first one I tested was with a 310-horsepower, 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel mated to a 6-speed Aisin automatic transmission and developing 555 lb.-ft. of torque and four-wheel drive. The big bruiser requires a turn circle of almost 54 feet.

A gathering of members of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press at Devil’s Thumb Ranch near Tabernash in September gave me opportunity to drive the new Acura NSX Hybrid, which, at $189,000, was the year’s highest-priced model. Among other high-enders during the year were the BMW 750i xDrive sedan at $129,245 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS550 4Matic SUV at $110,565.

Cheapest – The 2016 Scion iA sedan at $16,470, shortly before production ended for all Scions which have been rebadged Toyotas under the parent company in Japan.

MPG – 57.5 miles per gallon with the 2016 Toyota Prius Two gas/electric hybrid for 330 miles; 37.5 by ’16 Scion  iA; 35.0 by ’17 Hyundai Elantra, and 40.1 by ’17 Jaguar XE diesel sport sedan.

Best drive – 1,300 miles to Newport Beach, Calif., with Jan in a Fiat 500X for unveiling of the new Chrysler Pacifica minivan at the luxurious Pelican Hill Resort. While enjoying dinner with automotive journalists from around the country the second night in Newport Beach, I met Don Buffamanti, a photographer who produces Autospies.com, based in San Diego. Mention of my Denver Post connection brought this enthusiastic response from him, “I was a placekicker for Coach Chuck Fairbanks on the Colorado Buffalo football team in 1979.” Buffamanti is fairly well regarded in the automotive photo world; those many long runbacks of his kickoffs in Boulder did no lasting harm.

BMW silences AM – Audio systems in two BMW hybrid/electric models, the X5 40e plug-in and i3 electric, lacked AM band access. “The electric drivetrain can create negative influences on AM performance,” said Rebecca Kiehne, BMW product spokesperson, “and we don’t intend to offer any product that does not meet our high standards.”

Press release – “We’re (Toyota) excited to mention AMCI automotive testing announced the new 2016 Prius has better overall driving performance than the BMW 528i sedan. The Prius also proved to have a better overall ride quality than the Mercedes-Benz CLA250,” according to AMCI.” Wow.

Popular return – It’s bigger, fancier and pricier; the Honda Ridgeline pickup, which returns to market after a two-year absence.

On Outback track – A new challenger for the long-popular Subaru Outback in Colorado is the Volkswagen Golf SportWagen Alltrack, dressed for the outdoors.

 ‘Bigness’ is relative – It’s the biggest Mini Cooper I’ve ever seen; still small, though. The Clubman has been stretched 10 inches, mesuires only 168.3 inches, same as the little  Fiat 500X. Old-fashioned split rear doors are referred to as barn doors.

Style prevails – The most conservatively styled SUV through the years might have been the Lexus RX350. The highly regarded RX350 F Sport has gone stylish for ’17 with a larger spindle grille and a floating rear-pillar glass band that flows from the side windows to the rear windows. Its blandness is gone.

Best blipper – 2016 BMW M2 Coupe; downshifting and enjoying the feel and sound of “blipping the throttle” as the M2 neatly slips into the lower gear.

2,000^th drive – My review earlier this month of the 2017 Cadillac XT5 AWD, borrowed from John Elway Cadillac, was the 2,000^th dating back to Christmastime 1977. I’ve driven 132 Fords, most of any brand.

Jan’s favorite – The 2017 Volvo S90 luxury sedan. It would have been the BMW X5 40e plug-in until she uncovered the missing AM radio band; she’s big on listening to Rockies baseball while driving, as well as KOA news.

Best greeting – Happy New Year!

Opportunity fell my way one day recently to drive all over the Denver metro area the first new luxury sedan introduced into this country in more than 10 years.

It’s the 2017 (Hyundai) Genesis G90, which is aimed at those German giants Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. Full-size luxury, no less.

Is it possible Hyundai, the Korean builder of small, economical cars, can compete in the exclusive, high-end world of automobiles?

“It’s all about value,” said Vince Armijo, general manager of McDonald Hyundai, as he handed me the keys to a caspian black G90 all-wheel-drive four-door, showing only a couple hundred miles on its odometer.

Up front on the long, sleek sedan is a large grille that resembles that of an Audi. The G90 stretches to 204.9 inches in overall length, only an inch and a half shorter than the BMW 740xi and Mercedes S550 4Matic.

“Our new one measures up in every way to those two $100,000-plus automobiles,” said Armijo. Look at our sticker. I did ‑ $71,550.

That indicates the G90 can compete not only with the top-level luxuries, also those a step down, such as the Lexus LS460, Mercedes E Class, BMW 5 series and the Jaguars.

Under the hood of the Genesis is a twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V-6 engine developing 365 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s strong in performance, not instantly, but at midrange, when the power comes on with a rush. An 8-speed automatic transmission is quick and smooth in shifts and can be more closely controlled with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Responses of the transmission, throttle, suspension, steering and stability control can be altered with Hyundai’s Intelligent Drive Mode between Eco, Smart, Sport and Individual settings.

Also available is a 5.0-liter, direct-injected V-8 producing 420 horsepower.

The V-6, though, handled the 4,800-pound four-door in impressive fashion, as I drove it all over the area, from Brighton at the north to the Denver Dumb Friends League at the south. It averaged 21 miles per gallon of premium fuel.

The interior is plush, with finely stitched nappa leather and a headliner of suede. Power sunscreens add comfort at the rear window and rear side windows. Put the car’s shifter in reverse with the back-window screen in place, and the screen automatically lowers to open up the reverse view. Move shifter back to drive and the back screen moves up into place again.

Among safety innovation for the G90 are automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, smart blind-spot detection, lane-departure warning and driver-attention alert.

Also included in the $71,550 sticker price are heated and cooled front seats, navigation and Lexicon 17-speaker surround-sound with 12.3-inch display screen, multiview camera front and rear, head-up display, power door closures, three-zone automatic climate control.

The creation of the Genesis G90 for the luxury division came after Hyundai a year ago halted production of two large standard autos, the original Genesis and Equus.

Added to the Genesis line also is a G80 midsize sedan, smaller than the G90.

The G90 will be sold only by Genesis dealers, of which McDonald’s is one of two in Denver awarded the honor.

McDonald Automotive Group dates back more than 50 years in Denver, when Doug McDonald came to town and opened a Volkswagen dealership. Added since are stores for Audi, Volvo, Mazda and Hyundai.

Doug McDonald was chosen Colorado Time Dealer of the Year in 1991.

In days long gone, majority of sales successes in the automotive market of the U.S. were spurred by new models of the Big Three – General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.

A few of those standouts remain, such as the Mustang/Camaro/Challenger competition.

And, of course, the intense domination of the full-size truck market by Ford/GM/Ram.

Another has emerged, this one close to home right here in Colorado.

The arrival of the third-generation 2017 Buick LaCrosse Premium all-wheel-drive sedan gave me pause to celebrate it.

To this point into 2017, it is a true Big Three battle aimed almost specifically at our state’s wintertime drives; it’s the full-size, all-wheel-drive-sedan comparison of the Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus and Chrysler 300 (and stablemate Dodge Charger).

For much of the rest of the country where there is less demand for AWD vehicles, the full-size market is a scramble with addition of Toyota Avalon, Chevy Impala, Kia Cadenza, Nissan Maxima, Volkswagen Passat, models which offer no AWD option.

While driving skill is primary, the addition of an all-wheel-drive option to large sedans is a secondary edge that increases security in this tough-driving part of the country. An example of the importance placed on the AWD security is that of Chrysler 300 sales nationally last year, 27 percent were equipped with the four-wheel mode; of Chrysler 300 sales in the Denver/Colorado region, 77 percent were with AWD.

Buick dealers in the Denver metro area have seen increased showroom attention drawn by the newest LaCrosse with AWD.

The new LaCrosse has grown by 3 inches in wheelbase and an inch overall, yet has shed pounds to a svelte curb weight of 3,840 in its AWD form, 300 lighter than a year ago. It sits lower and is a bit wider.

The Buick is equipped with a new five-link rear suspension, sharing a platform with the Cadillac XT5 I reviewed two weeks ago as my 2,000^th new vehicle driven in the past 40 years. Also like the XT5, the LaCrosse uses a 310-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission with a small electronic shifter and stop/start technology

A roomy, beautifully finished interior is very quiet and its head-up display is one of the most colorful I’ve viewed. The switch to the electronic by-wire shifter creates a floating console with good-sized storage space beneath.

The Buick, on a 10-degree night with snow and ice on the ground, carried Jan and me to Denver for the annual Christmas party of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) in the Bud Wells Board Room of the Colorado Automobile Dealers’ Bill Barrow Building at Speer and Grant.

David Muramoto has begun his second year as president of RMAP and shared the podium with Tim Jackson, head of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association. Jackson referred to a 26 percent jump in new-car sales in Colorado in October, then appeared to be looking forward to a “possible wild ride ahead” with many new products, continued pent-up demand among consumers and change in political climate.

The high-end Acura NSX hybrid sports car and powerful Ram Rebel 4-by-4 pickup earned recognition from Muramoto for being voted “best onroad vehicle” and “best offroad vehicle”, respectively, selected by RMAP members in a driving extravaganza at Devil’s Thumb Ranch near Tabernash in September.

The Buick, built in Detroit, did well in the snow, with little slipping or sliding in its AWD setup. It averaged 23.6 miles per gallon during a cold, snowy week. It has no fuel-filler cap beneath the fender flap, thus it has joined Ford and Chrysler in that offering. A small button for engaging the heated steering wheel is positioned in the mix of controls for the active cruise and is, while driving in the dark, easy to be pushed unknowingly until the wheel begins to heat. The LaCrosse rode on Continental ProContact 235/50R18 tires.

With such additions as front automatic braking, pedestrian-detection, 4G LTE in-car wi-fi, navigation and Bose audio, the LaCrosse’s sticker price reached $48,970.

KIA CADENZA

The Kia Cadenza, a full-size, front-wheel-drive sedan built in Seoul, South Korea, was introduced to the U.S. market for the 2014 model year.

The Cadenza is 2 inches shorter than the Buick, both in wheelbase and overall length.

Like the Buick, the Cadenza has acquired a new 8-speed automatic transmission, replacing its former 6-speed. With its 290-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6 engine, the Kia is not particularly strong on takeoff, then moves very responsively in midrange torque.

Nicely quilted and perforated nappa leather seats, finished in white, are comfortable and bright. A 14-speaker harmon/kardon audio system is a highlight.

Though the concave grille has stirred remarks, both favorable and unfavorable, the exterior finish is sleek and smooth from that point rearward. The “intaglio” grille is of faceted blades vertically across the front and curved toward the engine compartment.

The Cadenza weighs approximately 3,700 pounds on a wheelbase of 112.4 inches.  It averaged 23.4 miles per gallon (EPA estimate 20/28).  It rides on Michelin 245/40R19 tires.

Pricing for the Cadenza begins at $32,890 for the base model and $39,890 for the Technology edition.

Sticker price on the review model, the SX-L, was $46,240, including intelligent cruise control, surround-view camera, blind-spot monitoring, head-up display, power trunk lid and heated outboard rear seats.

One of the many outstanding models unveiled at the LA Auto Show is the Chevy Colorado ZR2 offroad compact pickup, expected to go on sale in early 2017.

Already down the road in these parts, though, waiting for arrival of competition such as the ZR2, is Toyota’s new entry into that rugged category, the 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro 4X4 Double Cab.

The TRD Pro showed up this fall, an enhanced package upgraded from the Tacoma TRD Off-Road unit.

An internal bypass coil-over-shock setup, with dampers featuring 2.5-inch aluminum housings, lends a 1-inch suspension lift. Adding to the increased ride height are beefed-up rear leaf springs.

Its exterior finish in a color called “cement” drew comments split evenly between favorable/unfavorable. Accenting the light color is a prominent Toyota heritage-inspired front grille, blacked-out hood scoop, black fender flares, TRD black alloy wheels with Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure 265/70R16 tires.

Toyota’s old 4.0-liter V-6 has been replaced with the new Atkinson-cycle 3.5 V-6 which adds direct-injection when more revs are needed to deliver more power. Horsepower has increased to 278 from 236, and torque is rated at 265 lb.-ft. A 6-speed automatic transmission offers quicker and smoother shifts than the former 5-speed. The TRD Pro is also available with a 6-speed manual transmission.

The review model delivered to me was equipped with the automatic, which teamed well with the V-6 in two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and four-wheel low range. The transfer case and automatic limited-slip differential are electronically controlled. The push of a “crawl” button in 4Lo allowed me to guide the Tacoma downslope in tough terrain at about 3 miles per hour without braking. A Multi-Terrain Select system offers a five-mode regulation of wheelspin.

Interesting is an integrated inclinometer or tilt gauge showing angles of slopes in side roll and front and  rear pitch while offroading in uneven terrain.

My offroading venture lowered the Tacoma’s overall fuel mileage average to 17.6; its EPA estimate is 18/23.

Built at the Toyota truck plant in San Antonio, the Tacoma TRD Pro is a heavyweight at 4,450 pounds on a wheelbase of 127.4 inches.

Driver and passenger enjoy fairly roomy front-seat area, though rear-seat legroom is tight. Leather-trimmed front seats are heated. TRD Pro logos decorate the headrests. Highlighting interior accommodations are Entune Pemium Audio with integrated navigation and Bluetooth. The pickup’s 5-foot bed is accessed readily with an easy-drop tailgate.

The tougher build of the TRD Pro comes with a price jump. Optional items such as glass-breaking sensor, paint-protection film, mudguards and bed mat added to the base price of $42,760 lifted the sticker total to $45,087.

Eleven months ago, in December, with outdoor temp at 20 degrees and snow on the ground, I drove a 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4X4 Sport Double Cab to the Terry Bison Ranch just across the state line into Wyoming.

That Tacoma, fairly well-equipped, was $10,000 cheaper at $35,280, than this week’s TRD Pro. With the same 3.5 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, it performed more briskly than the beefed-up TRD Pro. The ’16 model averaged 20.2 miles per gallon.

The approach of December found me at the wheel of the new 2017 Cadillac XT5, the high-end Platinum edition finished in stellar black metallic – seemingly sparkling for the occasion.

It is the 2,000^th new car, truck or SUV I’ve driven and reviewed, dating back into the 1970s.

Thirty-nine years ago this month, it was Christmas Eve 1977, I drove away from Jim McDonough and the long-since-gone Griffith Chrysler Plymouth in Northglenn in a new Chrysler Cordoba. That started it.

When Todd Maul, managing partner of John Elway Dealerships, in a recent discussion offered the loan of a new Cadillac for pick up on Monday at John Elway Cadillac of Park Meadows, the vehicle was No. 2,000 for me, falling right after a BMW i3 electric and just before a Nissan Pathfinder.

The XT5, which was my choice of several possibilities in the Cadillac line, is a new midsize crossover, succeeding the SRX of the past 12 years. It is of 112.5-inch wheelbase, 2 inches longer than that of the SRX. The XT5’s overall length is a bit shorter than the old model, yet it is roomier in both rear-seat and cargo space. The ’17 model is 100 pounds lighter than the SRX.

Gavin Pierce, general manager/partner of Elway Cadillac, selected the loaded Platinum edition for me, and Stefan Hachey, sales consultant, got a kick out of showing me some of the new features; push a button and the rearview mirror becomes an absolute live video of what’s behind, of far greater distinction than the rearview camera on the navigation display screen.

While at Elway’s, I renewed friendship with Ron Goodman, the dealership’s new-car sales manager who for 25 years operated a Buick GMC store on South Broadway.

The Cadillac’s 3.6-liter, direct-injected V-6 engine is rated at 310 horsepower and 271 lb.-ft. of torque and tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission with a small electronic by-wire shifter. The engine is equipped with cylinder-deactivation, which on smooth cruising or deceleration will operate on V4 cylinders rather than the full V6. This is a fuel-saver; the XT5 averaged 23 miles per gallon in overall driving, about par for the midsize segment. On a return drive from Greeley to Denver, though, the model reached 29 mpg. Its EPA estimate is 18/26. I would say, even with the 310 hp, the engine defaults to smoothness over power.

he all-wheel-drive system can be set to modes for Touring, with 60 percent of torque relayed to the front wheels; to AWD with 50/50 split of torque and capability of routing up to 100 percent to front or rear axles and to either side; and to Sport, with 80 percent of torque devoted to the rear wheels.

The Cadillac’s overall length of 189.5 inches is a half-inch shorter than that of the Lincoln MKX. Accenting the black-finished XT5 are a large, bright grille and 20-inch, fully polished multispoke aluminum wheels.

The XT5’s interior is plush and stylish and comfortable, as fine as any in the luxury midsize class, which includes Lexus RX350, Lincoln MKX, Audi Q5, Mercedes GLE and Infiniti QX60, among others. For the driver, the head-up display is unusually bright and colorful.

In addition to heated and ventilated leather seats and heated steering wheel, the cabin features leather-wrapped instrument panel and door panels, with micro-suede headliner. Rear seats slide fore and aft and recline, and the cargo area offers 30 cubic feet of space, about average for midsizers. The hands-free power liftgate can be opened with a wave of the foot. A highlight of the CUE audio/navigation infotainment setup is a 14-speaker Bose surround-sound; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are compatible.

The XT5 Platinum’s sticker price totaled $65,835 with the many options, including adaptive cruise and automatic front and rear collision braking. Pricing for a more basically equipped XT5 with all-wheel drive begins in the low to mid- $40,000s.

The new XT5 is the 49^th Cadillac I’ve driven over the years. The first was a 1978 Seville sedan in which I drove Jan and her parents, Lyle and Ruth Davis, downtown to the Auditorium Theatre for a performance of “Hello, Dolly!” with Carol Channing. I parked in a lot across from the theatre, closed the driver door and set off one of the earliest theft-deterrent alarm systems in an automobile. With all those “bells and whistles,” the Seville’s price was $17,174.

A total of 132 Fords is the most of any one make I’ve driven among the 2,000. Second most is the Chevrolet, of course, with 120.

In my early years of reviewing the new cars, most were borrowed from Denver metro dealers; some came directly from the manufacturers. In the past 30 years, manufacturers have assumed responsibility of supplying most of the products to the automotive press. Today, they’re provided and distributed through three agencies in this area – Automotive Media Solutions, Drive Shop and Rocky Mountain Redline.

No need, to this point, to fear the consequences of the Chinese ownership of Volvo.

Right out of Gothenberg, Sweden, comes Volvo’s newest product, the S90 sedan rolling smoothly into the luxury territory dominated by the German automakers. Watch out Mercedes, BMW and Audi.

The new one is filled with Volvo style and quality; no hint of diminishment from Zhejiang Geely holding company, the Chinese firm which has owned Volvo since 2010.

The S90 replaces the S80 as flagship in Volvo’s lineup; it is 4 inches longer and noticeably wider. Its stylish exterior, luxurious interior and highway performance make it, perhaps, the finest four-door sedan I’ve driven this year.

The 2017 S90 T6 Inscription with all-wheel drive was the review model, powered by a 4-cylinder engine both turbocharged and supercharged, with 316 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. torque.

We drove it to Parker for the second birthday celebration of Tessa, daughter of Daniel and Kara Hansen. Before departing the party, the new S90 drew the attention of sons Kurt and Dale Wells. Kurt drives a Lincoln MKS, an American competitor of the Volvo. The S90, though 3 inches longer in wheelbase than the Lincoln, is 10 inches shorter in overall length, 195.4 to 205.6. Trunk space is considerably smaller in the Volvo; its fuel-mileage rating is higher, 22/31 for the Volvo and 17/24 for the Lincoln. The Lincoln is 150 pounds heavier.

Highlighting the S90’s sleek exterior are T-shaped accent headlights, referred to by Volvo as Thor’s Hammer, bookends to a waterfall grille somewhat similar to that used on the 1972 Volvo P1800. The hood is long, the top is low and the rear deck is short, finished in mussel blue.

Dressing up the interior are perforated leather seating and woodgrain trim on the dash and doors. Added pleasure from the Inscription trim level are the 13-speaker sound system of Bowers & Wilkins, navigation, digital instrument cluster and chilled glove box.

The 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine delivers adequate power to the 4,000-pound sedan with both instant boost and midrange thrust from the supercharger/turbocharger combination. The AWD will split power 50/50 front to rear as necessary in adverse conditions. The smaller powerplant and 8-speed automatic transmission lift the Volvo’s highway fuel-mileage estimate to 31 miles per gallon. My overall average was 27.9. The S90 rides on very-low-profile tires from Pirelli (255/35R20).

A Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive system aids the S90’s operator with adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping for maintaining proper road position in highway travel.

The S90, with sticker price of $66,105, will compete with the Audi A6 and A7, the BMW 5 series and 6 series and Mercedes-Benz E Class.

In addition to the all-wheel-drive T6, Volvo offers an S90 T5 with front-wheel drive. A T8 plug-in hybrid is expected to be introduced in the near future.

The only “untouchable” during last month’s testing of 40 new cars and trucks at Devil’s Thumb Ranch near Tabernash was a red, sleek-looking though rather ruggedly trimmed Volkswagen called the Alltrack.

It was locked tight; all I could do was walk around it. It hadn’t yet gone on sale and there would be no drives in it, VW officials said.

So I suggested to Darryll Harrison Jr., a manager/spokesperson for VW of America, “You drive and I’ll ride.” But he said, “Sorry, not permitted.”

Well, the new wagon has arrived in Denver, and I’m driving it. This one is finished in platinum gray metallic.

A member of the Golf family, all the Alltracks are equipped with 4Motion all-wheel drive. They’re upgraded from the Golf SportWagen. The Alltrack boasts an inch more ground clearance, has wheel arch moldings and sturdier bumpers.

Volkswagen has aimed it at the Subaru Outback wagon, though the Alltrack measures up more closely with the smaller Subaru Crosstrek.

The Alltrack is 9 inches shorter and 350 pounds lighter than the Outback. Its turbocharged 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine (170 horsepower, 199 lb.-ft. of torque) and 6-speed automatic transmission outperforms the Subaru’s boxer-4 (175-hp, 174 torque) and continuously variable transmission. Both the VW and Subaru are excellent handlers; the Outback offers a smoother ride. The Outback’s EPA estimate is 25/32, the Alltrack’s 22/30.

Cargo space behind the second-row seat is 30.4 cubic feet in the Alltrack; the Outback is 35 and the Subaru Crosstrek 22.

Loaded up with drive-mode selection, navigation/audio touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, rearview camera, adaptive cruise and park-distance control, the Alltrack’s listed sticker price is $32,195.

A comparison of the Alltrack with the Subaru comes fairly fresh, for it was only a couple weeks ago I was driving the 2017 Outback. With four days to closing of U.S. 34 for winter repairs in Big Thompson Canyon, Jan and I on Thursday, Oct. 13, drove the Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring wagon up into the canyon.

Departing the highway at Drake, we appreciated the smooth new Devil’s Gulch Road to Glen Haven, one of my favorite destinations in northern Colorado.

At the Glen Haven General Store, we shared one of Steve and Becky Childs’ homemade cinnamon rolls.

The new Outback attracted keen interest from Steve Childs; he owns two Subarus – a 1986 Brat and 2009 Legacy, and says his sons are “Subaru fanatics.” He was quite taken with the wagon’s java brown leather-trimmed seats.

This is the 36^th year the Childs have owned and operated the general store. Closing of the highway Oct. 17 fit their timing, as they had scheduled closing of the store for the winter last Saturday, Oct. 22 (to reopen in mid-May).

The Outback was equipped with the 175-hp boxer-4 engine and Subaru’s CVT transmission. More power is available with a 3.6-liter, 6-cylinder, though its price premium of several thousand dollars lends support to my opting for the 4-cylinder, the Outback’s strongest seller.

The “4,” noted for its smoothness, is not overly powerful. It worked hard on a couple of sharp switchbacks on the climb from Glen Haven to Estes Park. In less strenuous maneuvering, though, shift it into manual mode, engage the paddle shifters and the rpm will rise and deliver more adequate performance locked in a low gear setting.

I remember the first Outback, introduced in 1995 as a variant of the Legacy wagon. Wagons were going nowhere at that time. The Outback, though, with its boxer engines and sturdy all-wheel-drive structure and heavy side cladding, endured among a rush of SUVs and more modern crossovers, and found favor with lots of outdoors persons.

It caught on “big time,” as its all-wheel drive conquered our state’s rugged terrain and inclement weather.

As hot as Subaru is in Colorado today, its products are more lukewarm in much of the U.S. Besides Colorado, its pockets of especially strong sales success are New York, Pennsylvania and the New England states; Washington, Oregon and northern California.

The ’17 Outback Touring model carried a sticker price of $36,870, including navigation, audio/Bluetooth, rearview camera, power rear gate with height memory, heated front and rear seats and moonroof.

Two weeks prior to driving the all-new Alltrack, Volkswagen delivered to me a 2016 Golf R four-door, finished in tornado red.

The R hatchback and the Alltrack bring to six the number of Golf models I’ve driven in the past two years. “Meine gute.”

I’m not complaining, though. In fact, the Golf R is a blast to drive with its 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine churning out 292 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission, with 4Motion all-wheel-drive, kept the revs high and, with ease of downshifting, the corners tight. Its performance sharpens considerably in race mode, which disengages traction control.

The R carries a decent 22/31 fuel-mileage estimate, and my maneuvers resulted in an average of 23.5

Built in Wolfsburg, Germany, the Golf R showed a sticker price of $36,470, including black leather interior, app-connect smartphone, rearview camera, 6.5-inch touchscreen navigation and audio with Bluetooth, push-button start, heated front sport seats, rain-sensing wipers with heated nozzles and head-impact airbags.

It rides on Bridgestone 225/40R18 tires and fancy spoked wheels.

I recorded an amazing 40.1 miles per gallon on a run to Fort Morgan and back from the newest car on the market – the 2017 Jaguar XE sport sedan.

This one is a smaller Jag, with rear-drive chassis and power from a 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine and 8-speed automatic transmission.

With its drive control in dynamic mode, the XE proves a good handler and shows quickness and smoothness in acceleration.

The XE also comes with a V-6 gasoline engine and all-wheel drive, which surely would have been better-suited to a Colorado test as we head into the winter and its weather perils.

The sales of light-duty diesels in the U.S. have fallen sharply among the car category.

Blame German car builder Volkswagen for that. It’s been just a year since VW admitted to the EPA regulators that it installed illegal defeat devices in nearly 500,000 2.0-liter diesel engines to fool U.S. emissions tests. VW/Audi dominated sales of light-duty diesels at that time, holding approximately 35 percent of the market.

The uproar over the cheating scandal forced VW to halt sales of its high-fuel-mileage turbodiesels. VW has not resumed sales of diesels in the U.S. and has announced no timetable for doing so.

Barely more than 90,000 light-duty diesels have been sold thus far this year, compared with 150,000 by this time a year ago just before VW’s engines took the hit. Of the 90,000 sold through the end of August this year, seventy-five percent are credited to two truck-market models, the Ford Transit vans and the Ram 1500 pickup.

The Ram led sales of diesel-powered light vehicles in August, and for the first eight months of this year is locked in a very tight race with the Ford Transit diesel.

Ford Transit has sold 35,633 diesel units thus far, barely ahead of the Ram with 35,192.

Others of the top 10 diesel sellers lag far behind – Chevrolet Colorado 4,713; Jeep Grand Cherokee 2,716; Range Rover Sport 2,173; GMC Canyon 2,106; Range Rover 1,789; BMW X5 1,578; BMW 3-series 1,140, and Mercedes-Benz GLE-class 878.

By falling into a price-leader role for Jaguar, the new XE has jumped ahead of the firm’s other cars, the XF, XJ and XK and the F-Type. Introduced with the XE several months ago is Jaguar’s first-ever SUV, the F-Pace, and it is outselling everything made by the British company.

Most of the XE’s sold are those equipped with the gas engines and, in Colorado, most also are AWD versions.

The XE is built on a 111.6-inch wheelbase, with overall length of 183.9 inches, only an inch longer than a Honda Civic. Jaguar hasn’t introduced a model this small since 2001, when the X-Type front-wheel-drive sedan showed up. It was discontinued in 2009.

Interior finish in the new one is not on a par with Jaguar standards, but its sticker price of $43,895 may be the forgiving factor. Heated and cooled perforated seats are comfortable, and headroom and legroom are okay in the rear seating area, though shoulder space is tight. Accompanying Jan and me on the drive into Morgan County were Ruth Davis and Kim Parker.

A long trunk opens up 15.9 cubic feet of space. Beneath the trunk floor rests a temporary spare tire, painted bright orange, i.e. it will be used only for the briefest necessities.

An oddity: When the backup camera is in use while the car is in reverse, the volume for the audio system can’t be turned down or up.

EPA estimate for the Jag’s diesel setup is 32/42 mpg.

It’s a fun, sporty car to drive, even in normal or eco style, away from the dynamic mode. It has the rotary dial shifter, which Jaguar and Land Rover have relied upon for more than 10 years. The 4-cylinder turbodiesel generates 180 horsepower/318 torque and shift paddles lend control over the 8-speed tranny. The XE has automatic-bright headlamps, which shine high or lower, depending on oncoming traffic. It rides on Continental Pro Contact 225/45R18 tires.

Its $43k price tag covers navigation with a 10.2-inch touchscreen, Meridian surround sound, head-up display, electric rear sunblind, blind-spot monitor, front and rear parking aids, headlight powerwash, moonroof, heated steering wheel, and stop-start technology.

Here are the specifications for the 2017 Jaguar XE luxury sport sedan:

• Capacity 5-passenger four-door
• Wheelbase 111.6 inches
• Length 183.9 inches
• Width 77.4 inches
• Height 55.7 inches
• Curb Weight 3,320 pounds
• Track 62.8 inches front, 62.4 rear
• Ground Clearance 7.2 inches
• Turn Circle 38.4 feet
• Drivetrain Rear-wheel-drive
• Engine 2.0-liter turbodiesel 4-cylinder
• Horsepower/Torque 180/318
• Transmission 8-speed automatic
• Top Speed 120 mph
• Suspension Coil springs, stabilizer bars
• Fuel mileage estimate 32/42
• Fuel mileage average 38.1
• Fuel Tank 14.8 gallons, diesel
• Wheels 18-inch
• Tires Continental Pro Contact 225/45R18
• Cargo Volume 15.9 cubic feet
• Warranty 5 years/60,000 miles basic, 5/6,000 powertrain

Competitors BMW 3 series, Volvo S60 Cross Country, Mercedes-Benz C Class, Lexus E350

Assembly Plant Solihull, England

Parts Content U.S./Canadian 0%, Germany 50%, United Kingdom 43%

Base Price of Lowest Model $36,200; Base Price of Review Model $42,900; Destination Charge $995; Sticker Price $43,895.