Fortunate we were to be in possession of a 2021 Land Rover Discovery during one of our earlier January 2022 snowstorms. The Discovery R Dynamic S midsize model got around with no slipping in fairly deep snow and across icy intersections.

Released by the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association are sales in this state in 2021 by the various car makes, compared with totals from the previous year. Sales totals are of lesser significance, as far as comparison purposes are concerned, due to the Covid pandemic and chip shortages of both 2020 and ’21.

Land Rover’s sales in Colorado increased by 232 units in 2021; that ranked 20^th of 35 various makes. The British company makes no pretense about sales races – it builds a limited number of special offroad vehicles designed for when the going gets tough. Enough said.

Registration of new cars and trucks in Colorado for 2021 totaled 242,936, a 10 percent increase over the 220,921 in the year 2020.

Honda increased sales by 3,383 to edge Toyota’s gain of 3,335 and Tesla’s 3,009 for biggest jump by individual make. Others of the top 10 in numbers gains are Kia 2,693, BMW 1,745, Hyundai 1,407, GMC 1,257, Mazda 1,216, Lexus 713 and Volvo 669.

Among sales losses, Dodge took the biggest fall, 947 units; that result is no surprise after company decision was made to stop production of the Grand Caravan, the greatest-selling minivan of all time. Next in sales drops were Nissan with 469, Subaru with 435 and Infiniti with 317.

Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Defender are sales leaders for the Land Rover marque. Two sizes of the Discovery model are built, dividing sales between the midsizer we drove and a smaller compact, the Land Rover Discovery Sport.

The larger Discovery R Dynamic is distinguished by a black contrast roof, electric third-row seats and a 355-horsepower, 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine in place of the standard 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder of 296-hp.

The powerful 6 is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel drive and Terrain Response for selectable driving and offroad modes.

The Dynamic package also adds 21-inch split-spoke wheels, ebony-grained leather seats and Meridian surround sound.

The Discovery standard is 14 inches longer in overall length than the Discovery Sport and shows curb weight of 5,140 pounds, considerably heavier than the Sport’s 4,035 pounds.

The price of the Land Rover Discovery R Dynamic S climbed from a base of $63,250 to sticker of $73,255 with the addition of heated steering wheel, heated electric memory front seats, head-up display, tow-hitch receiver and premium headlights. The Discovery is built in Nitra, Slovakia.

The Land Rover name was created in 1948 by the Rover Co. The Range Rover was introduced in 1970 and the company became a British Leyland subsidiary in 1978.

Two new, small pickups – the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick – are drawing attention in the automotive world.

The Maverick edged out the Santa Cruz for selection as North American Truck of the Year for 2022.

I spent much of a week aboard the Hyundai, impressed with its very firm and comfortably bolstered, leather-covered front seats, and I’ll soon be driving the Ford Maverick.

The Santa Cruz and Maverick are small, about a foot shorter than current compact pickups Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon and Honda Ridgeline.

Hyundai for a number of years has talked of a compact-sized pickup. Seeing it to fruition is supportive evidence the months and months of planning were well spent.

The 2022 Santa Cruz Limited four-door is 195.7 inches in overall length on a wheelbase of 118.9 inches, with curb weight of 4,123 pounds. It’s a proportional beauty from the side – similar-sized hood at front and cargo bed at rear balancing the overhead of the cabin – all finished in phantom black. It is based on the Hyundai Tucson crossover platform.

Inside is generally roomy; somewhat limited rear-seat legroom. Flip-up rear seats reveal storage space beneath. A 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster features Bose premium audio, navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The review model is the Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited all-wheel-drive pickup with 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine of 281 horsepower, mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission with paddle shifters. Torque is 311 lb.-ft. and the turbo engine with AWD develops tow rating as high as 5,000 pounds. Tow capacity falls to 3,500 pounds with a base-engine 2.5 non-turbo of 191 horsepower.

In a Saturday morning drive for coffee at Panera off I-25 and 144^th Avenue, the Santa Cruz handled the snow fairly securely, though it slipped and slid a bit in town driving through the deep, slushy streets. Its lane-keep assist system was effective on a long stretch of fairly narrow roadway.

Among features are side-by-side circle speedometer and tachometer in the instrument panel which with left-turn signal engaged offer view in speedometer of what was to the left and rear of the vehicle, and the view is to the right in the tach circle when that turn is engaged. The camera eye is in the outer edge of the sideview mirrors.

The box at back is of very limited size, with an integrated tonneau cover. It measures about 4-foot by 4-foot. Built-in steps in bumper corners assist access. Drop the tailgate to access a small, lockable storage space beneath the bed floor.

The Santa Cruz Limited, with an estimated 19/27 fuel mileage, averaged 21.2 miles per gallon.

The Santa Cruz Limited test model carried a sticker price of $41,550; a more basic version, still with AWD, begins around $30,000. It is built in Montgomery, Ala.

The big Ford Raptor, an F150 SuperCrew finished in orange metallic hue, carried us into Nebraska all the way to Kearney, where we toured an impressive display of 200 classic automobiles.

The Kearney Classic Car Collection, a gift to the city 10 years ago, had fallen on hard times and faced closure until Sterling entrepreneur Alan E. Gentz and his VeriQuest Ltd. investment firm paid $1.2 million for the business and 150 cars and guided it back to business-as-usual standing. It was at Gentz’s invitation we made the drive to Kearney.

We joined Kurt, Tammy and Erik Wells for the weekend at their lakehouse at Jeffrey Reservoir, near Brady, Neb. Brady and Kearney are 78 miles apart on I-80.

Heavy winds hampered the truck’s efficiency; its 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine, 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel-drive system delivered an average of only 14.2 miles per gallon in the 700 miles.

It stands tall, with running boards 18 inches off ground level, and shows 4,705 pounds of curb weight from its four doors and 5 ½-foot box at back.

Kearney city officials accepted the gift of the automobiles in 2011 from Bernie and Janice Taulborg. Little more than a year ago, Gentz’s daughter Mariah, who is pursuing her master’s degree at University of Nebraska Kearney, read of the city’s financial plight, called her father and said, “Dad, you should come here and take a look.” Which he did.

Shortly after acquiring the collection in a 501(c)3 purchase, Gentz and his wife, Julie, attended a car show at Rapid City, S.D., and won the show’s People’s Choice Award with a maroon-and-silver 1940 Packard convertible from Kearney.

The Packard is indicative of the quality of the large collection of cars. Three among many that caught my eye were a 1940 Ford Coupe, 1940 Cadillac Fleetwood Convertible Sedan, 1930 Lincoln LeBaron Convertible Roadster.

Aiding the museum’s operation are a team of 50 volunteers; one is Jim Cudaback, former Nebraska state senator, who has ordered a 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in electric for himself. He asked my opinion of the car, and was pleased when I told him the Prime was my pick for SUV of the Year for 2020.

Gentz is seeking partner support for his VeriQuest investor group and the car museum, and may be texted at 303-619-8698 or emailed at [email protected].

The Raptor 37 Performance Package refers to its 37-inch BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires, tuned next-generation shocks with live technology. The Raptor carries a sharply elevated sticker price of $82,060.

My word, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class was better, is now even better.

Carrying me out of year 2021 this week was the S580 4Matic Sedan, a bit bigger at 208 inches in overall length and curb weight of 5,290 pounds.

It’s the smoothest and most comfortable drive for me in several years. Still, a couple BMW models probably outshine it in twisting tight corners and sprinting up and down mountainous terrain.

I don’t include the higher-priced luxuries in selection of favorite car, truck and SUV, so let’s tag it with “dream car” honors.

My choices for favorite car, truck and SUV of 2021 are the Mazda3 hatchback with added turbocharging  and all-wheel drive among cars, the 2022 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X compact pickup for trucks and the ’22 Genesis GV70 AWD in the SUV class. For the Frontier, it is the first major redesign in 17 years.

Walk up to the new Mercedes S580 with key in pocket, the door handles pop outward for easy grip, the seat is specially cushioned with quilted leather, swing the sedan around a corner to the right and the left bolster in the seatback presses against the driver’s ribs to deny any seat slide.

The 496-horsepower, 516 lb.-ft. torque, 4.0-liter biturbo V-8 engine is mated to 9-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive with an EQ 48-volt boost of 21 horses. It attains highway fuel economy in the 25-mpg range.

Running the base price from $116,300 to $140,130 are Burmester sound ($6,700), warmth and comfort package with heated nappa leather steering wheel, technology package and others.

Among other highlights for 2021: 

Hello – Two well-designed, all-electric models, the Ford Mustang Mach-e and the Volkswagen ID.4, which I drove early in 2021.

Goodbye – The near-indestructible Toyota Land Cruiser, which is being discontinued after 60 years of tough, offroad service. In recent years, it had become very pricey; the last one I drove was a bit over $90 grand.

Cheapest – The little Nissan Kicks SR, a Japanese-based subcompact crossover assembled in Aquascalientes, Mexico, at $26,730. The Kicks averaged 32.3 mpg.

Priciest – The McLaren 720S Spider, with 710 horsepower and top speed of 212, at $362,960. The only higher-priced one I’ve driven was a year earlier, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan just under $400,000.

Most fun – That same McLaren, with its dihedral synchro-helix doors that rotate 90-degrees by sweeping outwards and upwards at the hinge. I laughed at myself more than once in exiting the vehicle. The low-slung convertible sits only 47 inches in height, and with the big door raised overhead, the task requires a rollout or slideout.

Even Jeep – The electrification circuit has reached Jeep, which unveiled its Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4XE plug-in electric. The Grand Cherokee is expected to also add a plug-in to its lineup early in 2022.

How many cylinders? – A 1.3-liter engine with only three cylinders powered us in a Chevy Trailblazer to Jeffrey Lake near Brady, Neb., for a weekend of fun, averaging 27.3 mpg for the drive there and back. It is built in South Korea.

Jan’s favorite – Honda Accord Hybrid.

Best greeting – Happy New Year!

“Is that a Bentley?,” Robert McKeigan hollered out the window of his pickup as I parked in a fueling lane at Stub’s Gas & Oil in Wiggins early afternoon on my way to Wray.

“No, it’s a Genesis,” I responded, “you know, from Hyundai’s new luxury division.”

More specifically, I was driving a 2022 Genesis GV70 all-wheel-drive SUV crossover, one that drew attention wherever I took it. It is a new luxury compact competing with the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes GLB and GLC and others.

McKeigan and his wife, Adriana, were impressed with the GV70’s sleek structural beauty, and the guess that it might be a Bentley was based on its winged emblem at the front of the hood. The Genesis wings have similarities to several other car logos, including Aston Martin and Chrysler.

The Genesis name was a Hyundai model for 10 years before launching a slow start toward its own division in 2017. Today it is a full-fledged division with five models, based in Ulsan, Korea. In addition to the GV70, the nameplate also rides on three sedans – G70, G80 and G90 – and a larger SUV crossover, the GV80. Famed golfer Tiger Woods was driving a GV80 when he was seriously injured in an auto accident in California in February.

The good-handling GV70 has the feel of a relatively heavy compact, and sizes up that direction when compared with the popular Audi Q5. The Genesis has longer wheelbase, is an inch longer overall and 200 pounds heavier than the Audi.

The top-trim-level GV Sport Prestige’s twin-turboed 3.5-liter, 6-cylinder engine is powerful and smooth, tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission (with paddleshifters) and standard all-wheel drive. The V-6 develops 375 horsepower and 391 lb.-ft. of torque. It averaged 23.4 miles per gallon on drive to Wray and back. Available also is a turbocharged 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder of 300 horsepower.

It is a delight to drive; a complaint, though, is the closeness on the center console of two rotary dials, making it not unusual to grab and twist one for the other until the driver is more familiar with the setup.

The forward-placed dial controls infotainment on a large, 14.5-inch touchscreen. Directly behind it is the gearshift rotary.

In my first drive of the review vehicle, I wondered why a small “eye” kept looking up at me from its insertion into the dash; it is an eye for scanning the driver’s fingerprint, which allows activating the GV without a key.

The GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige model’s base price of $52,600 climbed to $64,045 with addition of a Sport Advantage package of nappa leather, heated steering wheel, remote smart parking assist (practice this before using it in downtown Denver) and Lexicon premium audio. Also a Sport Prestige package of 21-inch wheels, carbon fiber trim, heated rear seats, manual rear-side sunshades and head-up display.

Genesis models are currently sold at Hyundai stores; beginning in 2022 the company will open exclusive Genesis stores.

A bright position in a slumping automotive market category of minivans appears to be that of the Toyota Sienna and its maker’s decision a year ago to produce and sell only gas/electric hybrid models.

Contrasting that is FCA’s axing a bit earlier of the Dodge Grand Caravan, the greatest-selling minivan of all time.

Results through nine months of 2021 show the Toyota Sienna rising from fourth to first place in sales on the strength of an astounding 190% increase; the FCA minivan two-pack of Grand Caravan and Chrysler Pacifica which traditionally owned more than 50% of the market, has skidded to 24% by the Pacifica, alone without the Dodge’s presence.

In the face of worldwide chip shortages and pandemic slowdowns, it isn’t clear as to whether the Sienna sales surge will be of prolonged duration, and with the long-popular Grand Caravan gone, will loyal Dodge minivan buyers turn to stablemate Pacifica for replacement.

“The Toyota Sienna and its all-hybrid powertrain have surpassed customers’ expectations with a combined 36 miles per gallon, Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 as standard equipment at no extra cost and built-in quality, said Christine Henley, Western communications manager for Toyota North America. 

A strong selling point for the Toyota hybrid is the claim of much higher economy; on that basis of information, I requested and received one.

For testing the 2022 Toyota Sienna Hybrid XSE All-Wheel-Drive minivan, we drove from Greeley to Boulder to visit with James Colwell in a retirement community, on in to Denver to autograph a copy of “The 100-Year Deal” at the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, then on out southwest for dinner at the home of Kurt and Tammy Wells.

The Sienna performed smoothly, if not powerfully. Its hybrid engine is made up of a 190-horsepower, 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, which is driven by two electric motors; total output is 245-hp. This is tied to an electronic continuous variable transmission.

For the 170-mile drive, the Sienna Hybrid averaged 34.9 miles per gallon, right at its EPA estimate of 35 in the city and 36 on the highway. Performance was a bit more satisfactory a year ago when I drove a gas-only Sienna Limited Premium AWD minivan equipped with 3.5-liter V-6 and 8-speed automatic transmission; its mpg, though, was 20.1.

The large ’22 Sienna is 17 feet long and weighs 4,610 pounds with sport-tuned suspension. The red-stitched SofTex (more durable than leather) front seats are very well-bolstered, the second-row captain’s chairs are of long-slide capability and third row seat is split and can be stowed in one motion.

Sticker price on the ’22 Sienna, including a full range of Toyota Safety Sense features, is $47,215.

Colwell, 95, English instructor for my freshman year at Sterling High School 70 years ago, enjoyed a distinguished career as an educator.

Jan and I were assisted at the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association by Kim Jackson and Savannah Hatcher. The book-signing was for John McCallan, whose family was associated in a Colorado dealership before moving to California, where John is involved in several large-scale automotive operations.
Minivans at the turn-of-the-century sold more than 1 million annually; the tally this year will be down around 310,000.