Jeep? Electrified?

I’ve seen it and driven it, a plug-in hybrid. For the Wrangler offroad star to be primed for the alternative power source probably means the entire automotive industry is making preparation.

In fact, Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis which is new name of the FiatChrysler/PSA merger, said recently, “we’re committed to an electric future and will not make any major future investments in internal combustion engines.” Jeep was FiatChrysler sales leader.

Delivered to me was a 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4XE, a plug-in hybrid with a turbocharged, 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and two electric motor-generator units and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Electricity is stored in a 400-volt, 17-kw lithium-ion battery pack beneath the rear seat for combined 375 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque.

Three choices of power source with buttons marked Hybrid/Electric/E-save. Hybrid, the default mode, combines torque from the turbocharged gas engine and electric motors as needed. It seems to favor electric use and, with limited range, this is expended fairly quickly. With moderate acceleration, speeds will reach into the low to mid-60s before the gas engine replaces the electric power. The Electric mode uses full electric power, as long as it is available, while the E-Save mode will preserve battery power.

Drove to Loveland, south on U.S. 287 to Longmont, west on Colo. 66 to Lyons and on to Estes Park. The red Wrangler drew interest, while most seemed impressed that Jeep has moved into the busy plug-in hybrid testing.

By the time we returned home, over two days we had driven 166 miles with two overnight charges providing 52 miles of electric range, resulting in an overall fuel mileage of 27.6 miles per gallon. The mpg peaked at 30.9 after Monday’s 26 electric miles had been expended. Then, under full gasoline power, it gradually dropped to 27.6.

It takes 12 hours to fully charge the 4xe with a Level 1 (120V) system plugged into a typical household outlet. A Level II (240V) charger can do it in approximately 2 hours.

Options worth $8,500 pushed the Jeep’s price past $60 grand at $61,265. Among those options are leather-trimmed and heated buckets, full-speed forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, advanced brake assist.

The two most recent Wranglers I’ve driven were higher-priced than the plug-in hybrid. They were the EcoDiesel at $64,380 and the 392 Hemi at $78,740.

The Rubicon trim level maintained the Wrangler’s offroad features, including Rock-Trac fulltime 4-wheel-drive, a 4:1 low-range gear ratio and electronic-locking front and rear differentials.

The SunRider One-Touch sliding roof opened most of the way back; it can be completely unbolted and removed, as can the four doors, and the windshield can be folded down.

Of the unveiling of the 4XE, Christian Meunier, Jeep brand chief executive officer, said, “We are committed to make Jeep the greenest and most exciting SUV brand. The electrification of the Jeep lineup will allow commuters to travel solely on electric power, delivering an efficient and fun on-road experience and offering an ability to enjoy even more off-road capability in nearly complete silence.”

A new Wilderness edition for the long-popular Outback wagon is being heavily promoted these fall days (2021) by Subaru.

A 260-horsepower, turbocharged 4-cylinder boxer engine with electronic high-torque continuously variable transmission, front skid plate and Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels are highlights of the 2022 model.

Ground clearance has been elevated to 9.5 inches; 25 years ago, the 1996 Outback promoted the fact its clearance had been increased to 7.3 inches. It has been a steady increase since.

Subaru’s X-mode, which maintains lower gearing for stronger power when needed, becomes of more wheel-slip control in deep snow, sand and mud. Front and rear bumpers have been redesigned for improved approach and departure angles.

Wilderness anodized copper accents and logos inside and out identify the special edition.

The new Subaru Wilderness, by a mere $35, remained below 40-grand in sticker price. The addition of a package of navigation system with 11.6-inch touchscreen, power moonroof and reverse automatic braking brought the total to $39,965.

I suspect the turbo, so well-received as a performance boost, took a toll on fuel mileage. The Wilderness’ EPA estimate is 22 city/26 highway/24 combined; my overall average was 21.5 miles per gallon.

The Outback is built on Subaru’s Global Platform in Lafayette, Ind.

It wasn’t enough that I drove the Carnival 130 miles to Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs; the Pikes Peak road to its new Visitor Center was closed on a Saturday in August, and I would have to come back another day.

That was okay, for we had other reasons to be there – to see an early preview of the 2023 Nissan Z Car at the Broadmoor World Center and to enjoy lunch nearby with a friend, Nissan manager of corporate communications Steve Parrett.

Shape of the new Z, expected to arrive next spring, is a throwback to the Datsun 240Z of the 1970s, and a twin-turbocharged V-6 will generate 400 horsepower, replacing a naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V-6 of 332-hp. The Z will challenge the Toyota GR Supra.

The Carnival referenced in the opening sentence is a new Kia minivan replacing the Sedona; it shares a platform with the Kia Sorento crossover. Kia refers to the Carnival as a multipurpose vehicle, citing exterior styling changes which give it a bigger look.

The more distinctive upgrades, though, appear to be inside, with room for up to eight occupants and cargo space behind the third row of seats is 40.2 cubic feet. It offers comfortable, supportive seats, with small-item cubbies throughout and 11 cupholders. The middle seat of three in the second row can be folded down into a table between the two outboards.

Navigation is tied to a 12.3-inch touchscreen, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration and wireless phone charger. Its dual rear-seat entertainment system can play separate movies on the two screens mounted on the backs of the front-seat headrests.

It is of front-wheel-drive configuration, has no all-wheel-drive capability, nor does it offer a hybrid.

Its 290-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, somewhat slow in low-end acceleration, perform very well in midrange torque and shift smoothly.

The fairly heavy van (4,600 pounds), in the I-25 drive to Colorado Springs and back and some stop-and-go travel in Manitou and Colorado City, averaged 24.4 miles per gallon overall. Its EPA estimate is 19 in city and 26 highway. The Carnival can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

Among driver-assist technology are forward-collision and blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist and smart cruise with stop-and-go.

The Carnival SX review model carries a base price of $42,275, with $495 added for the ceramic silver paint for a sticker price of $42,770. Three lesser-priced trim levels are the EX, beginning at $38,775, the LX and LXS. A higher-priced trim is the SX Prestige.

The Carnival carries a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty.

The Carnival, built at Sohari, Korea, will compete with the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. Minivan sales, like those of midsize sedans, have been on the decline in recent years.

Ford vs. Ferrari, it’s now on the shelf.

Ford may be stirring for another race – Ford vs. Jeep, subtitled Bronco against Wrangler Unlimited, 4-doors, of course.

Ford’s been without a Bronco since 1996 and for the past 15 years has watched Jeep sell thousands of Wrangler Unlimiteds.  So the Dearborn boys went back to the drawing board, got busy and created, first, the small Bronco Sport which we drove in May, and, now, the big, four-door Bronco.

Take a look at the Wrangler Unlimited; then another glance at the Bronco First Edition Sasquache. Yep, it’s a sales race in the making.

The big Bronco gets up and down the hills with power to spare from Ford’s optional 2.7-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6 mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission; it delivers 310 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. Standard engine is a 275-hp turbocharged EcoBoost 4-cylinder. Considering the Ford’s near-5,000-pound weigh-in, the EcoBoost V-6 is definitely a more satisfactory choice.

We climbed and twisted our way in the Bronco to Glen Haven on the Devil’s Gulch road between Drake and Estes Park. We stopped at the Glen Haven General Store, visited with Steve and Becky Childs, and shared one of her cinnamon rolls.

A switch on the shifter is used to engage manual-mode control of the 10-speed. Driver-selectable G.O.A.T. (goes over all types terrain) modes include Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Sand, with Baja, Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl for off-roading.

On our return drive back to the east, I stopped for 10 or 15 minutes, tossed a line into the North Fork of the Big Thompson River, and took home a brown trout.

Production of Ford’s previous generations of Bronco ended in 1996; it was a big, two-door model. One Denver Ford dealer purchased dozens of the final model, staged a big sale. Doug Freed and Karrie Mowen, working associates of mine, rushed out and bought one each; both were well-satisfied. Manual mode shifting is engaged with a switch on the shifter.

The all-new Bronco family includes a Bronco two-door, first-ever Bronco four-door model and all-new rugged, small SUV, Bronco Sport

The First Edition Sasquatch I drove is equipped with an advanced 4X4 system with automatic on-demand engagement between 2Hi and 4Hi. With the auto engagement, the 4WD setup will send torque to the front wheels for improved performance under all types of road conditions. The doors and roof panels are removable on the Bronco.

The review model averaged 18.2 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 17 in city, 17 on highway.

Sticker price on the 2021 Ford Bronco First Edition Sasquatch is $63,210. It is built in Wayne, Mich. It rides on Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT LT315/70R17 tires.

The precaution built into the Cadillac Escalade’s Super Cruise “hands-off” system was reassuring to me as I tested the large, luxurious SUV.

A highlight of the Super Cruise at this stage of its development is the opportunity for hands-free lane changes on Interstate highways.

Driving on I-25 north of Denver, the push of a button engaged the system, I pulled a lever down for a left turn and self-driving took over. My intention was to move from center lane to left lane and pass a slower-moving sedan. With its cameras and radar in effect, Super Cruise gradually started to move us to the left but detected at the same moment I caught sight in the side mirror a fast-moving vehicle approaching from behind in the left lane. The Cadillac returned to the center lane; after the speedster passed us and the gap returned, the system guided us into the left lane, I speeded up, then signaled right turn and, gaining clearance, the system guided us back into the center lane ahead of the slower-moving motorist. A task well-done, very safely.

A federal safety agency has told automakers it will begin investigating safety issues that could emerge in automated systems, such as Tesla’s Autopilot, General Motors’ Super Cruise and others.

The Cadillac seemed smooth and precise in its Super Cruise lane-changing. Though I prefer the traditional “hands-on” style of driving, as an auto reviewer I take seriously my role in testing the technological advancements so plentiful these days.

The lane-change feature, at this time, is usable in Colorado only on I-25, I-70 and I-76.

The Escalade, with Super Cruise, air-ride adaptive suspension, 6.2 V-8 power and 22-inch wheels, has softly though powerfully moved capably into the full-size luxury circle of SUVs, alongside the Mercedes GLS, BMW X7, Audi and Lincoln. It has followed the others also into six-figure pricing at $113,065.

The quilted-leather seats in the Cadillac are well-bolstered and well-cushioned, somewhat softer than a full-size GSL from Mercedes, which normally opts for a more-firm ride.

To that softness add strong performance from the Cadillac’s 420-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 with 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. It handled the climbs and twists of County Road 64E from Livermore to Red Feather Lakes with ease.

At Red Feather Lakes, Jan and I got out in a nice, light summer rainfall, and walked into the Hill Top General Store and Antiques, where we enjoyed visiting with Linda Duque, who began work there this summer.

The redesigned Escalade offers three rows of comfortable seating and pleasant ride, an elegant interior and large cargo area. Approach the rear of the SUV at night with key in pocket, and the Cadillac emblem shines beneath the bumper; swing a foot at it and the liftgate will open.

Most of the miles of driving the Escalade were via highway, which resulted in an average of 19.1 miles per gallon overall. Its EPA estimate is 14/19.

When I reviewed the spirited Cadillac CTS-V at $68,445 in 2010, I wondered whether the prices could continue their  rapid rise; five years later the 2015 Escalade showed a sticker of $90,985. In the recent drive, the Cadillac and its Super Cruise burst through the $100,000 barrier.

The 1984 Nissan pickup, owned by Rick Kussman of Fort Lupton, rests beside the new Frontier.

Fans of the Nissan Frontier, you’ve waited patiently, some of you for years for a new-look truck.

It’s almost here – the all-new 2022 Frontier will arrive at Nissan dealerships in September.

It will be the first major overall redesign of the compact pickup since 2005. Its length has increased by 4 inches and height by 3 inches; it will greet you from a more rugged looking grille and front end.

There will be no lack of acceleration from the 310-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 engine and 9-speed automatic transmission with “shift-on-the-fly” 4-wheel-drive capability.

It’s been a treat for me to drive one of the first 2022 Frontier Pro-4X models.

As I enjoyed a drive west on Colo. 52 in the 2022 Nissan Frontier from coffee at the Pepper Pod in Hudson with Bob Smith, I was nearing Fort Lupton when this older-looking little pickup pulled onto the road out front of me. I recognized it as an old Nissan (or Datsun), got closer and, sure enough, it read NISSAN across the tailgate. I followed it into a shopping center on the east side of Fort Lupton, parked beside it and asked of the two men exiting the vehicle, “What year is the Nissan?” It is a 1984, said Rick Kussman, who was riding with his son, J.D. Lest I assume it was junk, Kussman added, “The 4-wheel-drive is still in working order.”

I’m not going to compare the new one with the ’84, when all the compact pickups were much smaller and noisier, underpowered and rough riding.

For the first time in several years, the new-generation Frontier will be a legitimate competitor of the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Jeep Gladiator and Honda Ridgeline among compact pickups in the U.S.

Nissan’s 310-hp, 3.8 V-6 is noticeably smoother and stronger than the old 4.0-liter V-6 of 261-hp, and the 9-speed tranny with its oft, quick shifts blows away the outdated 5-speed. Crawling about at the low speeds, though, the steering felt very heavy, seemingly lacking much power assist. The truck is equipped with Bilstein shocks.

A twist of a dial transfers the Frontier operation between 2-wheel-drive, 4-high and 4-low, and buttons for selecting hill-descent control and electronic locking rear differential. Low range exhibited sure, deliberate footing in a hill climb in offroad setting. Tow capacity for the Pro-4X is 6,290 pounds.

Back on the main road, the Frontier is very comfortable and especially quiet for a pickup with all-terrain tires. An interior highlight is its 9-inch color touchscreen with Intelligent Around-View Monitor. Its 5-foot bed is deeper by 1.4 inches for a bit more cargo area.

The ’22 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X review model’s base price of $38,390 climbed to $44,315 with addition of Fender Premium Audio, leather seats (heated in front), lane-departure warning, wireless charger, spray-in bedliner and other amenities.

The 2022 Honda Civic Touring sedan, in its new, 11^th-generation form, was delivered this month (August 2021).

The Civic continues high in popularity, along with its rival Toyota Corolla, while compact, midsize and full-size four-doors are dropping from the sales charts all over the place. The latest is the Toyota Avalon, which will be discontinued after the 2022 model year, and its competitor, the Chrysler 300 is rumored to be near the end of its 17-year run.

It was many years ago when Reuben Jensen, a Nebraska boy who rose to position of executive vice president of General Motors, more than once said to me, “The public will perceive the value every time.”

Of course, in his days General Motors was selling half the new cars in this country, so it was apropos to repeat the statement.

Value placement in the Civic for the first seven months of this year is to the tune of 181,274 sales. And the Corolla? 181,309 sales. Of the combined 362,000 sales, Corolla has outsold Civic by 35.

Honda sees no end to the long-popular Civic, a nameplate dating back almost 50 years.

The Civic Touring review model, with leather-trimmed seats/Bose sound/wireless phone charger, comes in below $30,000 at $29,690. Lesser-priced trims start at $22,695 for the LX, $24,095 for the Sport and $25,695 for the EX.

Performance is satisfactory and fairly smooth with the 180-horsepower, turbocharged 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission with paddle-shifters. Use of sport mode lends a more normal step-shift feel to the CVT. Base engine for the lower trim levels is a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder of 158 hp and CVT transmission.

The ’22 model is .4-inch longer in wheelbase, almost an inch longer in overall length at 183.3, and has a wider rear track of 61.6 inches (the front track remains at 60.5).

Highlighting a redesigned interior is a honeycomb-mesh design that, while somewhat hiding the HVAC vents, spreads across the full width of the dashboard and into the door panels.

The Civic’s all-around vision is among the best available today, thanks to low-positioned hood and cowl, a flat dash, expanded glass area and “out-of-sight” windshield wipers. The open-greenhouse continues along side windows and pillars and at the rear window, save for a bump at the center bottom for a third brake light. A glance into the rearview mirror can mistake the small blockage as a close-following auto.

Trunk space in the new Civic is 14.4 cubic feet, much roomier than the 13.1 cubic feet in the Toyota Corolla.

Overall fuel-mileage average was 34.2; the Civic’s EPA estimate is 31/38 mpg. The model was built in Alliston, Ontario, Canada.

Honda Sensing safety items included in the $28,695 price are adaptive cruise, collision-mitigation braking, lane-keeping assist, road-departure mitigation and traffic-jam assist.

One of the more outstanding compact SUV crossovers in the luxury field is the Audi Q5; a step above that one is the SQ5 by the same builder, which for 2021 has added an all-new variant called the Sportback.

Once known for its supercharged power, the SQ5 the past two years uses a turbocharged, 3.0-liter V-6 of 349 horsepower, mated to an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission with all-wheel drive. It is one of the smoothest accelerations of anything I’ve driven this year.

It showed up in my driveway with a new color – district green, a beautiful hue for green, which is making a comeback this year in color popularity (another new color is ultra blue). It also sports a new grille. On the inside, it is dressed up with fine Nappa quilted leather seats and entertains with Bang & Olufsen sound.

The turbocharged Audi carried me and passengers Jan, Kim Parker and Kathy and Bill Allen in a rainstorm on a Saturday evening to McGregor Square, the Monfort Rockies’ recently opened city-block hotel/restaurant/outdoor plaza development across from Coors Field. We enjoyed Carmine’s Italian dining; outside the windows the Rockies were defeating the Padres in San Diego on the big screen. We appreciated, too, an informative visit with a manager, Jessica Imhoff.

I was at the Detroit Auto Show in 2003, when Audi unveiled its 1st SUV concept and called it the “Pikes Peak Quattro.” Coloradans were thrilled with name choice of the famed hill-climb peak, though when it reached production stage two years later as an ’06 model, it carried the designation Q7. Nevertheless, the Q7 and the Q5 three years later have established a strong presence in our state.

With its coupe-like sloping roofline, the ’21 SQ5 Sportback competes with the BMW X4 M40i, Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe, Porsche Macan S and Infiniti QX55.

The Sportback is a superb handler, adjusts to road imperfections on the fly with standard adaptive suspension and offers air-suspension adjustment of the vehicle’s ride height. It rides on 20-inch wheels with red brake calipers. Though the engine and transmission are European-built, the Audi is assembled in San Jose Chiapa, Mexico.

On a wheelbase of 111 inches, the SQ5 is 184.8 inches in overall length, 74.5 inches in width, stands 65.5 inches high and is 4,288 pounds in curb weight. Ground clearance is 8.2 inches.

Its 349 horses run 0 to 60 in 4.7 seconds, with top speed of 155 miles per hour. Its EPA estimate is 18-24 mpg; my overall average was 20.2.

A long list of high-tech options raised the Sportback’s price from a base of $56,100 to sticker of $66,640.

Active lane assist kept the SUV most often in center lane, even on fairly sharp curves. Among other options were active cruise with traffic-jam assist, power-folding exterior mirrors, phone box, heated steering wheel and top-view camera system. Add to the list an optional sport rear differential to guard against understeer in cornering; a panoramic sunroof and three-zone automatic climate control.

“If you liked that one, wait till you drive the 720S – it is so much more,” said Mike Ward last summer after I’d driven and praised the experience in the McLaren 570S Spider.

The 720S, in convertible form, came my way in late June 2021 and it took about a quarter-mile for me to understand the declaration by Ward, owner of McLaren dealerships out south in Denver and at Scottsdale in Arizona.

The 720, styled along the lines of Ferrari and Lamborghini, is awesome in power, well-balanced for superb handling and precise steering.

Its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 explodes with 710 horsepower and 568 lb.-ft. of torque with paddle-shifting 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It’ll run 0-to-60 in 2.7 seconds, 0-to-100 in 5.3 seconds and attain top speed of 212 miles per hour. Backing up all that acceleration and power are carbon-ceramic 15.3-inch front brake rotors/15-inch rear. There is no pussyfooting around with the brake pedal; it is firm and insists on serious application.

It is a 720S Spider and its top will drop in 11 seconds. The open-air maneuvering of such a powerful rear-drive, two-seater supercar is exhilarating, even with its rough ride at times.

To the fact it sits only 47 inches high, with ground clearance barely over 4 inches, add its dihedral doors in which they open out and at the same time swing upward, requiring the driver and passenger to clamber out. It is an awkward exit. The midengine configuration allows a small luggage compartment under the up-front hood.

Almost anyone seems to recognize a McLaren; this one was finished in a beautiful belize blue. A few blocks before a pit stop in Johnstown, a mother followed me in the 720S several blocks in her car so her 10-year-old son could get close to the McLaren. Another mom and her 6-year-old walked up after he recognized it as “a McLaren.”

The McLaren company was launched by Bruce McLaren as a racing enterprise in 1963. McLaren died in a car accident in 1970, though the company continued on and today hand-builds the supercars at its factory in Surrey, Woking, England.

The McLaren 720S Spider, sticker-priced at $362,960, is the second-priciest car I’ve driven; the costliest was last summer, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV at $394,275.

Curb weight of the 2021 McLaren 720S Spider is 3,236 pounds, about 150 heavier than the 570S I drove a year ago. Both the 720 and 570 are about 179 inches in overall length on a wheelbase of 105 inches.

The 720S, with an EPA estimate of 18/22 miles per gallon, averaged 19.9 overall, including lots of strong acceleration.

The belize blue paint was a $5,270 option for the McLaren; another highlight was the 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkins surround sound,

A limited general and powertrain warranty cover three years and unlimited miles.