I climbed back into the newest offering of the Chevy Colorado ZR2 offroad pickup, this time assessing it with the 3.6-liter V-6 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission.

The ZR2 package, with its wider track, shortened overhangs for improved approach and departure angles and added offroad enhancements, earns the Colorado the reputation of a smaller version of the Ford Raptor.

A year ago, I drove the ZR2 Bison powered by the turbocharged 2.8-liter, 4-cylinder, Duramax diesel. Comparing the two, the 3.6 V-6 is of 308 horsepower/275 torque; the 2.8 turbodiesel is 186 hp and stout in torque with 369 lb.-ft.

It is a four-door crew cab; other configurations are an extended cab and choice of short or long box. It has nice, leather seats, with Bluetooth audio streaming, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capable. The rear seating is slightly cramped for legroom.

Accessing the comfortable interior requires a 2-foot-high step-in, somewhat inconvenient, but running boards or step rails would deny the truck some offroad capabilities.

The responsiveness in ZR2’s advanced suspension, with Multimatic DSSV dampers, is impressive, whether jouncing around offroad or rounding a curve at 70 miles per hour on the highway. It rides on Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac 265/65R17 tires. Gauge availability includes an inclinometer for awareness of pitch/roll degrees of the 4X4, as well as slope of the terrain.

When not offroading, the ZR2 is very carlike in steering and ride quality. And while the turbodiesel with its torque superiority is an offroad champ, the 3.6 V-6 is more ideal for everyday highway travel.

Late one afternoon, we drove the Chevy to the levee of Strasburg, then joined Mike and Hannah McKenner and Bill and Kathy Allen for a performance of “Cinderella” by the Strasburg Elementary Singers, including two great-granddaughters Ava and Bailey McKenner. These were 4^th and 5^th graders, and residents from Strasburg filled the school auditorium at nearby Bennett, where the musical was staged.

With the curb weight of 4,900 pounds and all the normal 4X4 equipment, plus the ZR2 packages, the EPA estimate is a low 16/18 miles per gallon; my overall average was 16.8.

The Chevy was finished in a pleasant bright blue metallic finish; when my replacement, the 2022 Ford Maverick pickup, was delivered, its velocity blue metallic was near identical.

Sticker price of $45,865 includes transfer case shield, remote vehicle start, the ZR2 appearance package, spray-on bedliner, EZ lift and lower tailgate, Stabilitrak stability control system with traction control.

The Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart, the GMC Canyon, are midsize pickup trucks; they were introduced in 2004 to replace the Chevy S-10 and GMC S-15/Sonoma. They’re built in Wentzville, Mo.

Stirring a measure of excitement into my routine some time back was the appearance of the 2022 Toyota 4Runner.

The interest came not from an upgrade to the Toyota’s old 5-speed automatic transmission or the aging jagged gate for its shifter. It has nothing to do with fuel mileage – still about 17 miles per gallon for the 4Runner.

It is “lime rush,” one of the brightest, most bold and distinctive exterior colors ever for a traditionally tough, body-on-frame sport utility vehicle.

It is exclusive to the ’22 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro and lends new presence to the old standard, a longtime competitor of Jeep products. Offroad settings may become more luminous.

I’m remembering an outstanding photo of a blue 4Runner out front of the big red barn at the Wyoming Hereford Ranch near Cheyenne in 2017; what a contrast the lime green rush color would be with that background.

Responses from viewers of the 4Runner and its new color were generally positive, definitely so by younger individuals.

The ’22 4Runner is being offered in only three other hues – super white, midnight black metallic and magnetic gray metallic.

The Toyota is a great offroader with its part-time four-wheel drive, the low-range transfer case shifter on the console, locking rear differential and multi-terrain shift selector placed awkwardly on the overhead console. The two-row cabin is roomy, with 47.2 cubic feet of cargo space.

The heavy, 4,760-pounder is not particularly smooth in ride quality, somewhat bumpy, with its TRD-tuned Fox shocks and springs. Suited well to its size and weight are Nitto Terra Grappler 265/70R17 tires.

Moderate acceleration is provided by the 270-horsepower, 278 lb-ft. torque, 4.0-liter V-6 engine and the 5-speed automatic. This same powertrain has been used for more than 10 years. Most competitors have moved to 6-, 7-, 8- and 9-speed transmissions. The 4Runner’s EPA estimate is 16 city, 19 highway; my overall average was 17.4.

The 4Runner, built at Toyota plant Tahara, Aichi, Japan, is 190.2 inches in overall length on a wheelbase of 109.8 inches.

While its parts are often mentioned as old and aging, the pricepoint is where it remains modern. The ’22 TRD Pro carries sticker price of $53,435, with basic safety items precollision with pedestrian detection, cruise control, lane-departure alert and blind-spot monitor. Also standard are power sliding rear window, 8-inch touchscreen with navigation and JBL audio, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay compatibility and front skid plate. Beginning prices on 4Runner 4WD models are around $42,000.

The midsize 4Runner, in spite of its aging makeup, is fun to drive; the soundness of its body and its structural integrity are appreciated.

The 4Runner was introduced into the U.S. in 1984; it has been recognized as one of the most long-lasting of vehicles. It remains a strong seller for Toyota.

Its acceleration, perhaps, is the smoothest of anything I’ve driven, ever. And the quietness ranks right up there, too.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS450 all-electric luxury sedan, with air-spring suspension, uses rear-steering at low speeds in which the rear wheels turn up to 10 degrees in opposition of the fronts, cutting the turning radius from 42 feet to just under 36.

It is the most aerodynamic production car in the world with drag coefficient of 0.20.

The EQS is noticeably lengthy, 207.3 inches overall on a wheelbase of 126.4 inches, same as the new S Class four-door with internal-combustion engine.

The EQS450 rides atop a 107.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack; driving its rear wheels is a single electric motor of 245 kW producing 419 lb.-ft. of torque and 329 horsepower. Transmission is direct-drive single-speed. Its estimated driving range is 350 miles.

For a comparative measure with the Ford Mustang Mach-e GT I drove last month, the Mercedes is 21 inches longer in overall length, with a 9-inch-longer wheelbase and curb weight of 5,700 pounds (700 more).

Sticker price on the rear-drive EQS450 is $122,100; for about $20,000 more the EQS580 will offer all-wheel-drive capability and an electric motor at each axle for an amazing performance from 516 horsepower and 631 torque.

The smooth operation of the EQS450 suited me just fine, and its soft leather and wood trim interior, with soft-pillow headrests and three large info screens across the 56-inch-wide glass-covered dashboard were superb.

With the help of Dylan Blanton and Brenden Broyles at Greeley Nissan and its ChargePoint connector, the Mercedes battery was charged with 291 miles by the time we left for a drive northeast to Sterling.

We enjoyed a birthday lunch with my sister, Norma Wagner and Dave, and a birthday dinner that evening with Jan’s cousin, Don Carey and Audrey, at Hot Spot Smokehouse. Sterling is 100 miles northeast of Greeley, double that with the return drive and add some miles driven about town; on our completion we had 70 miles remaining on the Mercedes battery, so used 221 miles, which is approximately the amount of miles driven. Regenerative braking and descent of altitude brought savings of miles on the trip down, but that gain was erased by some climb and use of headlights on the return.

Mercedes information says with DC Fast Charging, the battery can be recharged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 31 minutes, and that charging with a 240-volt connection takes a little more than 11 hours. I added 90 miles to the EQS in a 24-hour charge from a regular 120-volt outlet at home.

A fixed hood covers a cabin air filter and other items. Since there is no opening, a small cup swings out from the driver-side fender as a receptacle for pouring fluid into the windshield-washer reservoir.

The hyperscreen package, head-up display, black microfiber headliner, air control with fragrance, ambient lighting and other options raised the price from a base of $103,560 to the $122,000 mark. The EQS is built at Sindelfingen, Germany.

Ford, for more than 40 years the greatest seller of full-size pickup trucks, may be building success with its newly introduced light-size entry.

I’m referring to the 2022 Ford Maverick small pickup, for which Ford said retail orders throughFebruary are already equal to its full-year’s production expectations, and that it has stopped accepting more orders. Order-taking for the little pickup will resume in August, when production begins on the 2023 Maverick at the Ford Hermosillo plant in Mexico.

The Maverick is built on a front-wheel-drive-based unibody platform shared between the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport. It is almost a foot shorter and 500 pounds lighter than the Ford Ranger compact and reminds some of the mini-pickups of the 1980s and ‘90s, though is much more technically advanced. Those minis included Chevy Luv, Datsun, Dodge D-50, Ford Courier, Isuzu P’up, Mitsubishi Mighty Max, Plymouth Arrow, Subaru Brat, Toyota, Volkswagen Rabbit.

I’ve been driving the ’22 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid, a front-wheel-drive four-door, with a 191-horsepower gas/electric system including 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, an electric motor and continuously variable automatic transmission.

Jan and I took the Maverick for a pleasant afternoon drive of 56 miles, including 6.9 miles of electric charge. The overall fuel average was 40.1 miles per gallon. For an entire week of more than 250 miles driven, the average was 37.2. Its EPA estimate is 42 miles per gallon in city driving and 33 on the highway.

Here is a bit more of what you get for the $26,950 sticker price on the Maverick XLT FWD: cruise control, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, alloy wheels, full-size spare, body-color door handles and Ford Co-Pilot360 of blind-spot info with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping system, driver alert, manual-sliding rear window and manual-folding sideview mirrors.

Its pickup bed is 52-inch by 58-inch and can handle 4-by-8 sheets of plywood when they’re slid in on top of the wheel wells. The lightweight tailgate can be adjusted to multi-positions. Without the XLT Luxury Package, the Maverick Hybrid XL beginning price is $21,490.

The hybrid performance is very smooth and plenty gutsy in town, though of milder response on the highway, with some engine drone occurring under heavy acceleration while climbing.

In addition to the hybrid powertrain, the Maverick can be purchased with an optional 250-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, in either front-wheel or all-wheel-drive configuration. EPA ratings for the gas-only version are 23/30 for the FWD and 22/29 for the AWD.

The name selected for the new pickup is somewhat of a head-scratcher. Maverick was used by Ford to identify a 1970-77 compact sedan, which was of no great significance in sales or reputation of that era.

A flaw for me when stepping into the driver’s-side floor area with the seat fully back, the end of track for the power-seat slide is rough on an ankle.

On a wheelbase of 121.1 inches, the Maverick is 199.2 inches in overall length, with curb weight of 3,674 pounds. With a fuel tank of 13.8 gallons, the range for the Maverick Hybrid is more than 500 miles.

The GT version of the Ford Mustang Mach-e all-electric SUV hatchback, more advanced than the basic model I drove 14 months ago, came my way in February.

“Acceleration is absolutely amazing,” I’ve said over and over since ending my weeklong drive in the new all-wheel-drive model.

So quick, so quiet. In kickdown mode, I miss the sound of the engine revving, as it would in an auto powered by an internal-combustion engine. Ford, anticipating some fallout from the quietness, allows the Mach-e operator to engage augmented engine noise by pumping artificial exhaust notes into the Mustang’s cabin.

It performs with two electric motors, one for each axle, an 88kWh lithium ion battery pack and a one-speed automatic transmission. Combined horsepower is 458, with torque of 612 lb.-ft.

The Mach-e GT handled well and tracked perfectly after a 4-inch snowfall Thursday morning of last week on a drive to Eaton, where we attended funeral services for a friend, Les Brumley, 88, at the Evangelical Free Church. Jan and daughter Kim Parker rode with me. By the time we returned home, we’d driven 38 miles and used 52 miles off the range of the battery pack. Temperature of 25 degrees on the drive out there probably stole some of the lost miles.

In that first Mustang electric in late December 2020, we also drove to the Evangelical Free Church in Eaton, that time for the funeral of Keith Brumley, a son of Les. Keith, who helped plan a couple flooring projects in our home, died unexpectedly. Naomi, Keith’s mother and Les’ wife, survives.

Saturday morning, needing a recharge of the GT’s battery pack, we failed to connect on three tries at an EVgo station in Greeley, then drove to Greeley Nissan, where sales consultant Brenden Broyles connected the Ford to the dealership’s charger. During an hour’s wait to bring the range of the battery to almost 80 percent (170) miles, I enjoyed a visit with Chad Shoeman, general manager for the store. He is looking forward to arrival of a new Nissan electric, the Ariya.

I then drove the Mach-e to Loveland, on into the Big Thompson Canyon to Drake, over the Devil’s Gulch Road to Estes Park. The return drive down Big Thompson Canyon, aided by the rather steep descent and regenerative braking, added 18 miles to the range.

Near the end of my drive time, a gauge of “where did my energy go,” showed this percentage breakdown for the battery pack: Climate/heater 8%, driving 83%, accessories/audio 4%, external temperature 5%.

BlueCruise, part of an updated Co-Pilot 360 safety system featured on the GT, handles steering, braking and acceleration for the driver. It also makes possible hands-free driving, which I used on a number of curves of varied sharpness

With the added power, range and features, the Mach-e GT carried sticker price of $63,885, while the earlier one was $51,200. Purchasers are eligible for a federal tax credit up to $7,500. My effective range with the Mach-e GT was mostly in the 210 to 215 miles, lowered some by the extreme cold

Production began in January for the third-generation, 2022 Toyota Tundra, fully redesigned with interior appeal, and company officials anticipate the first real sales climb in 15 years for the full-sized pickup.

The Tundra’s platform has been expanded into a fully-boxed frame, its rear leaf springs have been traded in for better-riding coils, and its 5.7-liter V-8 engine has been dropped in favor of a turbocharged V-6 or a second choice – a more powerful hybrid V-6.

With opportunity last week for testing the 389-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 and 10-speed automatic transmission (replacing a 6-speed) in deep snow and cold, I was impressed with good 4X4 performance, improved ride and enjoyed the front-view camera as a big help in offroading through brush and over uneven terrain, and particularly helpful in a weedy, narrow turnaround space.

It was the Tundra Limited Crewmax, the four-door crew cab, with the TRD Off-Road package. A shorter extended cab is known as Double Cab. Toyota does not offer a two-door regular cab. The bed in the review-model pickup is 5-foot-6; other bed lengths are 6-foot-6 and 8-feet.

With its 3.5-liter i-Force Max twin-turbo V-6 hybrid of 437 hp/583 lb.-ft. torque, the Tundra is rated at 12,000 pounds of tow capacity and max payload of 1,940 pounds.

Maximum tow ratings for other light-duty competition are 14,000 pounds for Ford F-150 PowerBoost V-6 hybrid of 430 hp; 13,300 pounds for Chevy Silverado 6.2-liter V-8 of 420 hp; 12,750 pounds for Ram 5.7 V-8 with 48-volt eTorque mild hybrid of 395 hp. Ford, Chevy, Ram also carry higher payloads than the Tundra.

The Tundra’s structural design has been well-accepted, though complaints have been sounded about the large, relatively flat front end and grille.

For all the success of the highly regarded Tacoma compact pickup, Toyota has never gained anywhere near the same wide sales reception with its full-size Tundra. It seems to just nudge past 100,000 sales per year; in fact, last year’s total fell to only 81,000 in the face of serious chip shortage and continued pandemic.

A sharp jump in sales occurred in 2007, when 196,555 Tundras were sold; it slumped, though, with the recession of ’08 and has never approached that level of sales again.

Pushing the Tundra to the $60,000 price level was the TRD Off-Road package ($3,085), which included beefed-up suspension with Bilstein shocks, 20-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tires, skid plates, mud guards, leather shift knob, aluminum sport pedals and electronically controlled locking rear differential.

Among other options are JBL 12-speaker premium audio for $565, rock rails for $625 and heated leather steering wheel for $150. The Tundra has upgraded its user-friendly infotainment system; voice commands will adjust a number of settings.

The Tundra is built in San Antonio.

The cold of winter takes a cut of range from the all-electric vehicles testing the market today.

In my experiences in driving fully electric vehicles in cold weather in recent years, the amount of miles lost to the weather are 10 to 15 percent. Other reviewers have estimated the loss of miles as high as 40 percent.

Most recently, the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric Limited driven in the cold and on snowy roads gave up noticeable range.

That is, until an evening drive, with temps still around 35 to 38 degrees, no wind and all the snow and ice gone from major roadways, the Kona showed 232 miles of range still at its battery. Jan and I headed out of Greeley north on U.S. 85 to Lucerne, then made a right turn onto Colo. 392 for 28 miles to Briggsdale, took a left turn onto Colo. 14 to Ault, then south on U.S. 85 through Eaton, Lucerne and back to Greeley.

It was a nice, steady drive, somewhat light in amount of traffic. I accelerated heavily only three or four times when passing another motorist, and let the regenerative braking play its role of restorer of energy into the battery pack. The drive mode was in Comfort for the most part, though I used Eco (mildest) and Sport (liveliest) for short stretches.

We drove 78 miles, yet the range of the battery pack had been reduced by only 64 miles, a turnaround in performance from the week’s earlier cold and snow. The 64kWh battery pack modules are beneath the floor of the Kona and under the rear seat.

The ride was a bit rough in the little Kona with curb weight of 2,899 pounds and wind noise was in evidence. The subcompact SUV crossover is on a wheelbase of 102.4 inches and overall length of 165.6.

The battery pack supports a 150kW electric motor of 201 horsepower, with single-speed automatic transmission and push-button drive.

The ’22 Hyundai Kona Electric Limited carries a sticker price of $44,240. A cheaper version of the Kona electric is the SEL model, beginning at $35,185.

Among the many features of the Limited are 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with Harman Kardon audio, navigation, smart cruise, heated and ventilated front seats, leather-wrapped heated steering wheel, forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist.

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.