Only a year deep into its presence among the subcompact crossover market, the 2017 Mazda CX-3 is carving out a more sizable chunk of business in the growing category.

Sales for subcompact crossovers are hot, increasing nearly 40 percent thus far this year over last.

Some call the CX-3 the brightest of the bunch in the glowing market; others insist Mazda must, in order to gain that rating, add a turbocharger beneath its hood.

The CX-3 isn’t as tough-looking as the Jeep Renegade and perhaps not as good-looking as the Honda HR-V.

It’s stylish, though, in its own right; from a blunt-nose front, the CX-3’s lines flow smoothly all the way back to sweeping taillights and dual exhausts. “Sinewy” is the word used by Mazda to describe its exterior design. It rivals, at least to a degree, the Honda as “best looking.”

If its style doesn’t grab you, its lustre may. The review model I drove was finished in bright dynamic blue mica.

Others in the subcompact field, besides Mazda, Jeep and Honda, are Buick Encore, Chevrolet Trax, Fiat 500X, Mini Cooper Countryman, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, Nissan Juke and Subaru Crosstrek.

Though of somewhat sluggish performance on occasion, the CX-3 Grand Touring edition I drove was impressive in handling, with excellent balance, and high in fuel mileage. Its EPA fuel estimate is 27/32 and it averaged 29.3 mpg for my travels. Fuel-tank capacity is only 11.9 gallons.

The CX-3’s SkyActiv 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine is of 146 horsepower and torque and is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. It is built in Hiroshima, Japan. Power is modest, though the use of Sport mode and paddle shifters provide a bit of a boost and quickness in performance. Low-end performance is more than adequate; midrange is only average.

Suspension consists of front struts and rear multilink. The Mazda rides on Yokohama P215/50R18 tires. Its turning circle is slightly over 34 feet.

Enhancing a busy, colorful interior is a padded white leather strip across the front of the dash, somewhat similar to that of the Toyota RAV4. The seats are well-cushioned; contrasting their perforated white leather are black suede inserts and red stitching. Doors and console finished in black are trimmed with red leather. Rear seats are limited in legroom, though headroom is plenty.

There are two misplaced cupholders, one behind the other beneath the front-seat armrest at the rear of the center console. To access the cupholders, the armrest must be raised to an unusable straight-up position. Door pockets can be used to hold some drinks.

The Mazda falls short of others in cargo space, only 10.1 cubic feet behind the second row of seats. That increases to 42.3 feet with the second row folded.

A sticker price of $28,510 seemed reasonable for the CX-3. Included was an ActivSense package of radar cruise control, smart brake support, variable rain-sensing wipers, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and high-beam control. Also included were navigation and Bose audio, rearview camera, moonroof, heated front seats and automatic climate control.

Sticker prices on other subcompact crossovers I’ve driven have ranged from: $25,230 for a Chevrolet Trax and $25,300 for a Fiat 500X, both front-wheel-drive models, and $26,140 for a Subaru Crosstrek AWD to $30,075 for a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk AWD and $32,230 for a Buick Encore AWD.

So the Mazda CX-3’s $28.5K price falls right in the middle. It is the smallest of all the competitors, weighing in at 2,960 pounds, with wheelbase of 101.2 inches, overall length 168.3, width 69.6 and it stands 60.9 inches tall.

The lengthy Poudre Canyon drive all the way to Gould, then north a bit, was the test track recently for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLS550 4Matic.

Aspen leaves along the way were turning yellow and gold and orange; too early, though, to throw snow at the refreshed all-wheel-drive beauty. GLS is new name for Mercedes, replacing GL from previous years.

Destination was Bill Allen’s elk-hunting camp, where we loaded up Kathy Allen and bags and boxes for the return trip to Greeley. Bill Allen remained on the hunt through the week.

The Mercedes may be the best of the big guys of sport utility vehicles. The short, though impressive, list of full-size luxury SUVs with three rows include, besides the GLS, the Audi Q7, Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti QX80, Lexus LX570, Lincoln Navigator and the combination of Range Rover/Land Rover LR4/Range Rover Sport.

The GLS550’s climbs are effortless with the twin-turboed V-8 and 9-speed automatic. The 4.7-liter biturbo kicks out 449 horsepower (an increase of 20 from last year) and 516 pound-feet of torque – plenty of performance and all-wheel-drive, too. The new 9G-Tronic transmission kept rpm relatively low in most driving situations.

The climb to the top of Cameron Pass was done mostly in the Comfort driving mode, which is the default mode. For the long descent return, I opted for the more spirited Sport mode, including use of paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

That was the most effective use, exemplary I’d say, of the GLS’s electronic stability control/curve control/lane-keeping assist of any I’ve driven through the mountain country. Heading into several sharp curves with the cruise set at 50 to 60 miles per hour, the control system instantaneously braked and slowed the SUV’s speed by 10 mph while assisting the steering effort (guarding against understeer) either right or left, as the curves dictated.

Up to 12.5 inches of ground clearance is possible with the GLS’s retuned Airmatic air suspension.

Diamond-quilted Nappa leather seats are heated and cooled in the front row and heated in the second row. Third-row seating is among the roomiest and most comfortable of any in the full-size category. With all three rows of seats in place, rear cargo space measures 16 cubic feet; power-fold the third row and that expands to 49 feet. Narrow running boards on either side of the long vehicle are positioned so tight to the body underside as to leave little usable foot-step room atop the board.

A $5,400 Bang & Olufsen audio system, including 14 speakers and use of acoustic lens technology at each of the A pillars, enhanced the cabin. While enjoying the surround sound, the driver may chill or warm the cupholder and its drink.

The Mercedes’ overall  length of 201.6 inches is 1 ½ inches longer than the Audi Q7; it stands 6-feet high and weighs in at 5,300 pounds.

Newest feature on the amenity-laden GLS is a Remote Parking Pilot, an app when downloaded onto the owner’s smartphone permits the driver to exit the vehicle, and with use of the smartphone guide it without driver into or out of a tight parking space.

All this dressing pushed sticker price of the Mercedes to $110,565, from a base price of $93,850.

The 2017 F-Pace showed up at my place recently; it’s Jaguar’s first-ever SUV.

To drive it was exciting, and the experience reinforced my belief that Jaguar’s planners from the United Kingdom in recent years have focused in on our relatively small state of Colorado.

For years, those imported, rear-drive Jag sedans were slush-sliders when it came to winter time in the Rockies, then three years ago, lo and behold, Jaguar surprised the automotive world by unveiling all-wheel-drive systems for the XJ and XF sedans.

In warmups to that 2013 unveiling in New York, David Pryor, Jag’s director of marketing, called us, seeking assurance that luxury car drivers from Colorado would be made aware of the new player in four-wheel circles. Of course he called, for Colorado leads the nation in demand for all-wheel-drive equipped luxury sedans; New York is second.

“A dealer you know, Jack TerHar, was among those who had pushed us for some time to develop all-wheel drive for our large luxury sedans,” Pryor told me. And since then, Colorado’s three Jaguar dealerships – Sill-TerHar Motors in Broomfield, Stevinson Imports in Littleton, and Red Noland Auto Group in Colorado Springs – have benefited from AWD sedans in their showrooms.

The British focused once again on Colorado this summer, choosing luxurious Aspen for a national unveiling of the new F-Pace and the XE compact sports sedan. The introduction of those two expands Jaguar’s lineup to five models for the first time in its 80-year history.

As I crawled into the driver’s side of the new F-Pace last week, the spaciousness claimed in promotional material from Jaguar didn’t seem to measure up. It was a bit tight. It reminded me that the F-Pace is a luxury compact, not a midsizer or full-sizer. For other qualities, the F-Pace will compete very adequately with such outstanding luxury compacts as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Porsche Macan.

Within only a few miles from my driveway, I realized what an excellent performer the UK engineers have put together. The F-Pace sounds like a sports car, it drives like a sports car.

The performance comes from a 340-horsepower, 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 engine tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission with dial shifter. In routine driving, engine torque is sent to the rear axle; for greater traction, particularly in inclement weather, torque is routed to all four wheels in its AWD system. “The F-Pace is an all-weather Jaguar sports car, life-proofed for five people and their belongings,” said Ian Callum, director of design for Jaguar. Dynamic, normal and eco modes lend throttle response and shifting characteristics to the likes of the driver.

The F-Pace rides on a relatively long 113-inch wheelbase. Its cargo space of 33.5 cubic feet is among the roomiest in the luxury compact class, and its tailgate can be automatically opened by swinging a foot beneath the rear of the vehicle.

Soft leather seating, heated and cooled in front and heated in the rear, and a large sunroof are interior highlights. The rear seats recline electrically. Confusing on first drive are memory driver seat controls positioned where power window switches normally are placed (the window switches are far forward on the window sill). Open a front door after dark and on the ground below is cast a circle of light with Jaguar emblem.

Overall fuel-mileage average was 22.2; the F-Pace EPA estimate is only 18/23.

The Jaguar F-Pace Prestige model carried a base price of $50,100 and increased to $56,195 with addition of automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitor, the heated and cooled seats and satellite radio.

Among standard equipment are rearview camera, heated steering wheel, stop/start system, navigation and Continental CrossContract Sport 255/55R19 tires.

The F-Pace is built in Soliihull, England.

A 9-speed automatic transmission headed a long list of standard equipment on a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring minivan driven recently. Tied to a 287-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine, the Pacifica carried an EPA estimate of 18/28 miles per gallon.

The Pacifica showed up reasonably priced at $33,475. Its only options included eight-passenger seating, power liftgate and blind spot/cross path detection.

The Pacifica, introduced three months ago to replace the long-popular Town & Country minivan, is gaining sales enough to keep Chrysler/Dodge vans atop the sales category.

As crossovers continue to grow in market strength, some feared minivans might be phased out. “Not so,” said Rick Deneau of FiatChryslerAutomobiles. . “We are seeking a fresh approach with a new name with the Pacifica to maintain our market share domination.”

Of 313,556 minivans sold thus far this year by Honda, Toyota and Chrysler/Dodge, 50.2 percent have carried the Chrysler/Dodge emblems. Dodge Grand Caravan has sold 84,140, Toyota Sienna 79,959, Honda Odyssey 75,889, Chrysler Town & Country 54,826 and Chrysler Pacifica (introduced three months ago) 18,742.

The Pacifica is longer and taller than the Town & Country and its track is 68.3 inches, compared with 65.6 for the T&C. A rotarydial shifter has replaced the dash-placed shifter of the past. As for step-in height into the middle-seating area, the Pacifica is of lower step-in than the Toyota Sienna by an inch or a bit more.

Kids, with the push of a button, can trigger the sliding side doors of the Pacifica, and the van offers a vacuum in a rear corner which, with its hose, can reach all areas of the interior.

This is my second drive the new minivan. We drove 1,300 miles five months ago toNewport Beach, Calif., at the luxurious Pelican Hill Resort for unveiling of the Pacifica. While there, we were given opportunity to drive the van from San Diego to Newport Beach.

Heading north on I-25 in the 2017 Mazda CX-9 last Saturday afternoon, with Kim Parker of Greeley and Keith Brumley of Eaton in the rear passenger seats and Jan, of course, riding shotgun, I slowed and parked to the side of the highway with other motorists and waited out a light-hailstorm.

It would be a shame to dimple this newly restyled CX-9. From its rounded back end with sharply sloped rear window to its big hood up front, it is a showpiece among full-size crossovers; well, showpiece, that is, except for, ahem, its big nose. The trapezoidal grillepiece juts out some 4 inches from the Mazda’s front; some describe it as “shark-like,” others as “hawk-like.”

The roomy CX-9, regardless of its schnoz, offers comfort aplenty with its three rows of seating; it has been a favorite of mine. My first drive of one was in its launch year, 2007, on a cold, icy New Year’s Eve and I was impressed with the grip of its all-wheel-drive system.

Saturday’s drive in the ’16 model was as far as the Colorado/Wyoming line, where we turned in to the Terry Bison Ranch, joining Brent and Tina Wells of Windsor, Bill and Kathy Allen of Greeley, Dale and Sandy Wells of Johnstown and Kurt and Tammy Wells of Littleton for an evening dinner.

Rattlesnake Jake Martin, the honky-tonk piano player inside the Senator’s Steakhouse liked that we were from the Greeley area, talking of years ago when he was a pen rider for the Farr Feedlots here.

Departing the Terry Bison Ranch Saturday night, we headed the CX-9 east to U.S. 85, and the nighttime drive on a two-lane road provided a busy on-off test for the Mazda’s automatic high-beam control, in which the lighting remained on bright until dimmed by oncoming traffic.

The headlight feature was one of many upgrades which the Signature all-wheel-drive model provided the CX-9, such as auburn-colored Nappa leather seats with aluminum and rosewood interior trim, second-row seats that would slide fore and aft and recline, 8-inch color display for navigation and Bose audio with Bluetooth, rearview camera, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist. Sticker price was $44,915.

V-6 power is no longer offered for the CX-9; the 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with 6-speed automatic transmission in sport mode pushed the 4,300-pound crossover along with satisfactory low-end and midrange torque. The 4-cylinder is unusually quiet and smooth at idle. The little engine develops 227 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque with use of regular octane gas, while horsepower increases to 250 with a tankful of premium fuel. The Mazda rides on Falken P255/50R20 tires.

Overall fuel mileage of 23.9 was right in the middle of the CX-9’s EPA estimate of 21/27.

The CX-9’s third row of seats is comfortable and usable. Cargo space behind, though, is only 17 cubic feet. Flatten the third row and that expands to 48.3 cubic feet.

The Mazda CX-9 competes with the Chevy Traverse, Ford Flex, Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot.

It’s a reflection of continued low fuel prices, spurring sales of pickups and SUVs, say proponents of gas/electric hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully battery electric vehicles, which dropped 8 percent in sales during the first six months of 2016.

Overall sales of cars, SUV/crossovers and light-duty pickups through the end of June totaled 8.6 million, an increase of 1.3 percent.

Total sales of gas/electric hybrids have taken a sharp drop during the first six months of this year, falling to 161,334 sales from 190,970 at the same time a year ago, a decline of 15.5 percent.

Plug-in hybrid sales, led by Chevrolet Volt and Ford Fusion Energi, jumped to 29,920 sales through the end of June, an increase of 61.7 percent over the same period a year ago. The introduction of four new plug-ins – BMW X5, Audi A3, Hyundai Sonata and Volvo XC90 – helped the jump in percentage.

Sales of battery electric vehicles slipped slightly for the six months, from 35,435 a year ago to 34,245 this year, affected by a severe decline in sales of the Nissan Leaf. The Tesla S declined this year to 11,700 sales from 11,900 a year ago, though dominated the category when adding the 6,900 sales of its new Model X. All Tesla figures are only estimates provided by the company.

Of the approximately 40 gas/electric hybrids on the market, only three showed gains through June – the Lexus 450h from 3,185 to 4,730, Toyota Highlander hybrid from  1,758 to 2,706, the Lexus NX hybrid from 1,215 to 1,366. The Toyota Prius Liftback, which has led hybrid sales for 15 years, showed a drop of 10.5 percent, and a newly arrived hybrid entry, the Toyota RAV4, has moved into second place in sales.

The 2016 Lexus NX300h, in its second year of production, was in my hands earlier this month. The sharp-looking NX is styled similarly to the bigger RX, with a somewhat smaller grille jutting out front of a sloping hood. The NX is 5 inches shorter than RX in wheelbase, 10 inches shy in overall length and 600 pounds lighter.

The NX300h is powered by a 2.5-liter V-6 engine, electric motor and nickel-metal hydride battery pack;  a $1,590 addition for all-wheel drive ties a second electric motor to the rear axle. The engine/electric motors work with a continuously variable transmission. Acceleration is relatively slow off the line.

The NX, with an EPA estimate of 33/30 miles per gallon, averaged 32.4. It rides on Yokohama Geolandar 225/60R18 tires.

The elegantly finished Lexus interior is comfortable, with heated and cooled front seats, a heated leather-covered steering wheel, dual-zone climate control with rear vents and a power moonroof.

Pushing the crossover’s sticker price to $47,818 were premium sound system and navigation, blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert, power liftgate and push-button start. Base price for the NX300h is $41,310.

The top 25 hybrid sellers thus far this year are Toyota Prius Liftback with 48,475; Toyota RAV4 with 19,251; Toyota Prius C 11,573; Ford Fusion 11,487; Toyota Camry 10,280; Hyundai Sonata 9,979; Toyota Prius V 7,315; Ford C-Max 7,043; Lexus RX450h 4,730; Lexus CT200h 4,515; Lexus ES 4,230; Toyota Avalon 3,943; Lincoln MKZ 3,868; Kia Optima 2,827; Toyota Highlander 2,706; Subaru XV Crosstrek 1,688; Lexus NX 1,366; Honda CR-Z 1,205; Infiniti Q50 1,048; Honda Civic 707; Infiniti QX60 690; Chevrolet Malibu 620; Buick LaCrosse 505; Nissan Pathfinder 397 and Volkswagen Jetta 269.

Eleven of the top 17 on the preceding list are Toyota/Lexus products.

The top 10 sellers of plug-in hybrids for the past six months are Chevrolet Volt with 9,808; Ford Fusion Energi 7,235; Ford C-Max Energi 3,225; BMW X5 plug-in 2,577; Audi A3 plug-in 1,942; Hyundai Sonata plug-in 1,350; Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid 1,166; Volvo XC90 plug-in 1,006; BMW i8 620 and Cadillac ELR 496.

Sales of the Volt for the six months increased by 74.5 percent, from 5,622 to 9,808, while the Fusion Energi gained 68.6 percent, from 4,290 to 7,235.

The top 10 sellers of battery electric vehicles through June are Tesla Model S 11,700; Tesla Model X 6,900; Nissan Leaf 5,793; BMW i3 2,880; Fiat 500e 1,983; Chevrolet Spark 1,779; Volkswagen e-Golf 1,455; Kia Soul EV 613; Ford Focus EV 446 and Smart for Two EV 366.

“Tesla sales are behind the automaker’s goals and they will have to increase significantly in the second half to meet stated expectations,” according to Jeff Cobb of hybridCARS.

Dominating sales of light-duty diesel vehicles through the first six months of the year are the Ford Transit Van with 27,468 and the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pickup with 25,298 sales. Chevrolet Colorado has sold 3,202; Jeep Grand Cherokee 2,014; Range Rover Sport 1,668; GMC Canyon 1,419; Range Rover 1,346 and BMW X5 1,255.

Light-duty diesel sales were once dominated by Volkswagen products; that ended almost a year ago with the emissions cheating scandal involving VW. Though a partial settlement in the case has been announced, there is no indication when VW will be able to sell new diesel-powered vehicles.

Beautiful and quiet it was one morning recently along Colo. 14 in Poudre Canyon; the rafters on the river appeared in greater numbers than the motorists.

The lack of highway traffic added to the appeal of testing the slick-looking 2016 Infiniti QX60 all-wheel-drive luxury midsize crossover.

The QX60 is Infiniti’s best-selling model and for 2016 has undergone improvements in its suspension and steering. It seems a worthy competitor to the Acura MDX, Audi Q7 and even the Lexus RX350.

Jan, observing a wedding anniversary with me that day, commented on the nice ride after only a few miles into the canyon; the QX60’s stability was also effectively tightened with the new, updated shocks and springs.

The Infiniti is a good handler. A new electronic power steering system is tuned for more instant response to driver input at the wheel.

Performance is just average from the SUV’s 3.5-liter V-6 with 265 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft. of torque, and its continuously variable transmission. A rotary-dial drive-mode selector gives the operator a choice of four modes – Standard, Sport, Eco and Snow.

A chance to sit on the river’s-edge patio and watch the rafters float by lured us to the Mishawaka restaurant for lunch.

On the road again, we drove up the canyon as far as the old Sportsman’s Lodge, then turned back.

When I turned onto the Stove Prairie Road, heading for Masonville, the day became one of excellence for an automotive reviewer. With the narrow road and its twists and dips and ups and downs at hand, I moved the Infiniti’s shifter into manual mode, bypassing the CVT.

I drove the next 15 miles in 2^nd and 3^rd gears, only occasionally easing into 4^th. This lends tight control of the QX on the cornering and climbing, with little need for braking.

Our entire drive that day covered 160 miles and the Infiniti averaged 22.1 miles per gallon. Its overall average for the week was 20.5. That is low, for its EPA estimate is 19/26.

The Infiniti offers three rows of seating. Of the little cargo space behind the third row of seats, a portion of it is grabbed by a subwoofer for the easy-listening sound of the Bose Acoustic Wave system with 14 speakers.

Adding to the smooth-looking exterior of the QX60 are a bold mesh grille and wraparound headlights. Stylish wheels adorn the Bridgestone Dueler 235/55R20 tires.

The QX60 AWD’s base price is a competitive $44,400, but an inordinately long list of optional equipment pushes the sticker total to a pricey $59,345.

Among the add-ons are pearl paint for $500, a technology package including second and third-row moonroof with power sunshade and heated second-row seats, the theater entertainment package, premium-plus package with navigation 8-inch touchscreen display and around-view monitor, and premium option with heated steering wheel and remote engine start.

All the products for Infiniti, Japanese luxury car builder for Nissan, became identified by new nomenclature a couple of years ago.

The Q50 four-door models are formerly those with G37 identification. Q60s are coupes and convertibles, Q70s are the former M37s. SUVs and crossovers carry QX designations. The former EX37 is now QX50, the JX35 is the QX60, the FX37 and FX50 are QX70s and the full-size SUV, the QX56, is the QX80. Infiniti said its lineup, with the Q and QX designations, is more easily identified by the public.