The 2021 BMW 430i portimao blue convertible, carrying me south from Greeley on U.S. 85, is beautifully restyled, at least to the point up front of its large, new grille, which has been called a detraction by some onlookers.

I turned the Bimmer to the east onto Colo. 52 at Fort Lupton and drove on to the Pepper Pod at Hudson, where I enjoyed morning coffee with Bob Smith, Hall of Fame wrestling coach from Wray. Smith, now retired out northeast of Denver, established one of the nation’s best coaching records in the years 1958-1991 at Wray High School.

In 33 years with the Wray Eagles, Smith won 30 league titles, 10 state championships and was second at state seven times. After leaving Wray, Smith coached Fort Hays State University at Hays, Kan., into national rankings in wrestling before retiring.

Sports aside, there’s another line of interest that merits Smith space in my column – automobiles. He’s always been fascinated with cars. He has a North Denver High School graduation photo of him in his suit and tie and standing beside a 1936 Ford Cabriolet, his first car in 1954. A few years later, he acquired a 1930 Ford Model A Rumble Seat Coupe, which he helped overhaul in the Palmrose Ford shop at Wray in 1960.

Parked outside the Pepper Pod while we were coffeeing inside was a great-looking 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Smith’s current “car of choice.” He likes its turbocharged 4-cylinder, and is especially proud of “door wraps” on both sides featuring three photos of the ’36 Ford and three more of the Model A.

As for the 2021 BMW, the top will drop in 16 or 17 seconds. The 4 series convertible, formerly a hardtop, is equipped this year with a fabric softtop with multiple layers of insulation, which provide quicker heating of the cabin in cold weather. It is a bit noisier than the hardtop, though the softtop is lighter in weight and takes up less space in the trunk.

As for the grille, Peter Henrich, senior VP of Product Management for BMW, said most response to the bigger grille has been “very positive,” but most feedback I received was of the “dislike” opinion. It is 18 inches in depth, about double the size of traditional BMW “twin-kidney grilles.” Adding to disaffection is that license plates are bolted right onto the middle of the grille.

The rear-drive performance comes from a 2.0-liter, twin-power turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, not so smooth on acceleration as the former 6-cylinders. It was impressive in the fuel-mileage compilation, averaging 32.1 miles per gallon. Built in Dingolfing, Germany, the 430i rides on low-profile Michelin Pilot Sport 225/40R19 tires.

The 430i softtop base price of $53,100 jumps to $67,220 with addition of blue-stitched black leather interior, M-sport brakes with blue calipers, variable-sport steering, heated front seats and steering wheel and neck warmer.

Step into the rear seating; I’ll be driving and Jan will be up front with me.

It’s the 2021 Mercedes Maybach GLS600 4Matic SUV, one of the finest luxury models available today.

Yes, only two rear seats, the center console dividing them is electronic; oh, behind them? It’s a chill box refrigerator with two champagne flute glasses. Yes, the champagne is cooled.

Those are reclining, massaging seats with footrests, and rest your head upon the soft pillow lying back there. The fragrance; that’s from up front, a mix of gentle leather and spicy tea. Should you need to work along the way, pull up those small folding tables.

We’re heading out, northward bound, testing a 4.0-liter, biturbo V-8 engine of 550 horsepower, 538 lb.-ft. torque, 9-speed automatic transmission with paddles, permanent all-wheel drive, 23-inch wheels.

During an unusually pleasurable drive up north, with smoothness and quietness as good as I remember in any luxury vehicle, we stopped for a photo of the Maybach at the Wyoming State Capitol grounds at Cheyenne.

Delivery of this super-sensitive road control comes from Airmatic air suspension, which with sensors providing independent control for each wheel smooths the path ahead. In December 2019, I tested an early version of this E-Active Body Control while driving a Mercedes GLE450 4Matic SUV for three days to snowy Avon at Christmastime.

Electronically extending running boards, with surfaces of anodized aluminum marked with black rubber strips and wider at the rear doors than the front, are eye-catchers and offer safety for accessing and exiting the seating positions. The boards are designed to automatically swing into position as the SUV lowers slightly with the opening of any door; the running board system for the Maybach I drove was effective only about half the time, as someone apparently had messed with the menu.

Its 123.4-inch wheelbase is topped only by the 129.7 inches of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Other competitors are a bit shorter in wheelbase – the Cadillac Escalade at 120.9 inches, Aston Martin DBX at 120.5 and the Bentley Bentayga at 117.9.

It is finished in iridium silver metallic and selenite gray metallic special two-tone paint at an optional cost of $18,200, a Maybach-specific feature.

The optional two-tone paint helped push the Maybach’s sticker price to $190,100; other costly add-ons were the 23-inch multispoke forged wheels at $5,500, the refrigerated compartment at $1,800 and the folding tables at $1,050.

Only four luxury models I’ve driven have been higher-priced: the 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV at $394,275, the 2021 McLaren 720S Spider at $362,960, the 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports $286,845 and the 2020 McLaren 570S Spider $233,780.

While the Maybach is equipped with German-built Mercedes engine and transmission, the luxurious unit is assembled in the U.S. at Vance, Ala.

The original Maybach company was founded in Germany by Wilhelm Maybach, an early automotive designer. The company was acquired in 1960 by Daimler-Benz.

Restyling of the 2021 Toyota Sienna minivan, which is now being sold only as a hybrid, gives it a bold and modern exterior form, new interior and new powertrain. Though the minivan market has been shrinking for a number of years, Toyota expects its Sienna Hybrid to remain viable through any sales scenario.

It will compete with the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey and the recently introduced Kia Carnival.

After using V-6 power for years, Toyota has equipped the hybrid-only model with a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder gas engine and two electric motors for a front-wheel-drive model and a third electric motor on the rear axle for all-wheel-drive Siennas. Transmission is electronic continuously variable. Combined net horsepower for the gas/electric setup is 245.

The instantaneous surge of electric power lends the Toyota minivan strong low-end torque; however, at upper highway speeds, such as in passing situations, the combination of 4-cylinder gas and CVT transmission can be somewhat a “hurry up and wait” in performance.

Most pleasant was the overall fuel-mileage average of 32.9 miles per gallon. In a review of a 2020 Toyota Sienna a year and a half ago with V-6 gas engine, I averaged 20.1 mpg.

The new Sienna’s overall length is 3 inches longer than last year’s model, though cargo space behind the third row of seats has been sliced from 39 cubic feet to 33 feet. The Sienna Hybrid AWD Platinum model weighs a hefty 4,625 pounds.

At a Sunday evening birthday gathering on the patio of our home, the Sienna Platinum minivan parked in the center stall of our garage drew immediate “oohs and aahs” from three granddaughters, Cambrie, Missy and Nicole. Parked beside the Toyota, though not drawing such reaction, was a 2003 50^th anniversary Chevy Corvette, which I’m helping to sell.

A favorite of the interior of the new Sienna by Nicole was “the extra cubby area under the center console,” and Missy loved “the leather seats and that it had a charging station for phone, and that the rear air control was in the middle where both captain seats could reach it, in my older Sienna only the left chair can reach it.”

I liked the cypress green color of the Sienna, a new hue to the Toyota minivan.

Base price of the high-end Platinum model is $50,640, and price climbed to $54,212 with addition of a rear-seat entertainment system with 11.6-inch display and digital rearview mirror.

The Sienna review model was built at Princeton, Ind.

Following a year of successful performance results in the GMC Sierra 1500 pickup, the Duramax 3.0-liter inline-6 turbodiesel engine has been added to the 2021 Yukon and Yukon XL SUVs.

Paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, the turbodiesel develops 277 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque at 1500 rpm.

Sent my way was the ’21 Yukon 4WD Denali turbodiesel. Redesigned for this year, the Yukon competes against the Ford Expedition, Nissan Armada, Toyota Sequoia and the sibling Chevrolet Tahoe.

Fortified by the light-duty diesel, the Yukon defies its size (17 ½ feet) and weight (5,400 pounds) with smoothness, agility and steering response. We climbed mountains to the west; on occasion we switched to four-wheel control, as simple as pushing a button to the left of the driver.

It is quiet and roadworthy with magnetic ride control, independent rear suspension and four-corner Air Ride Adaptive Suspension, all part of the $11,205 Denali Ultimate Package.

The diesel gives the big sport ute an EPA fuel estimate of 20/26 mpg, and the Yukon delivered with an average of 24.8 mpg.

Added cost of the inline-6-cylinder turbodiesel is $1,500, the 4WD system is a $3,000 expense and the upgrade from Denali also includes a rear-seat entertainment system, sunroof, 22-inch bright-machined aluminum wheels, enhanced automatic emergency braking and trailer brake controller.

As large as is the Yukon, the Yukon XL is 15 inches longer and has 41.5 cubic feet of cargo space, compared to 25.5.

The Yukon review model was built in Arlington, Texas.

From south of the border, down Mexico way, came two small, front-wheel-drive offerings carrying “can’t -miss attributes” – fuel -mileage estimates in the 30s and relatively low sticker prices.

They are the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, a German-based compact four-door sedan built in Puebla, Mexico, and the ’21 Nissan Kicks SR, a Japanese-based subcompact crossover, assembled in Aquascalientes, Mexico.

Sticker prices were $31,740 for the 3,200-pound Jetta and $26,730 for the 2,650-pound Kicks.

While in possession of each of these models for a week, the Jetta delivered a high-mpg reading of 33.8, while the Kicks averaged 32.3.

The Jetta, with manual transmission, was car of choice for carrying Jan and me on our annual Memorial Day weekend run to Wray, Sterling and back home. The 340-mile drive was virtually all highway travel, resulting in the 33-plus mpg for the VW, which is EPA-rated at 24-33.

At the Grandview Cemetery at Wray, while standing at the gravesites of my father, mother and grandparents, we met and visited with Bea Brueggeman, a postmaster at the little town of Vernon. Bea’s mother, Caryl Jones Sturch, was a classmate of mine at Wray Junior High School many years ago, and Bea’s husband Greg Brueggeman is a son of the late Clarice Ann Muller Brueggeman, who was a cousin of mine.

A 228-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and the 6-speed tranny added good performance to the Jetta; plenty of passing power was used several times on the two-lane U.S. 34 from Brush to Wray. The Jetta, with GLI Autobahn trim level, rides on Hankook 225/45R18 tires.

Finished in tornado red hue, the Volkswagen has matching red brake calipers. The sport sedan has lots of rear-seat roominess and a large trunk, which easily carried our luggage and the plants and flowers for the cemeteries. The front seats, though well-contoured, are somewhat smallish for proper amount of support.

The Jetta’s $31,740 price included heated and ventilated front seats, BeatsAudio premium sound with subwoofer, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping system.

The little Nissan Kicks, introduced in 2019, is gaining popularity. Among Nissan SUVs, crossovers and trucks, only the popular Rogue is outselling the Kicks.

The Kicks’ front-drive crossover, with 125-hp, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission, is much slower in performance response than the Jetta. Normally, the Nissan would exceed the Jetta’s fuel mileage average, but the difference between much in-town driving for Kicks and all-highway travel for VW took a toll.

The Kicks is finished in blue with black roof; inside NissanConnect provides Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, 8-inch color touchscreen, Bluetooth and Bose Personal Plus Audio with eight speakers.

Advanced Nissan Safety Shield 360 technology includes class-exclusive rear automatic braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic high-beam headlights.

Among other options in the $26,730 price are rear roof spoiler, interior ambient lighting, heated front seats and heated steering wheel.

Delightful, spirited driving in the rain came my way in the form of the 2021 Mazda3 hatchback; after an eight-year absence, the little compact regains optional turbocharging.

Precise, light steering complements performance by the new turboed Skyactiv-G, 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine developing 227 horsepower and tied to a 6-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel drive. It offers normal and sport modes.

On a muddy, slippery road out east of Galeton, which is east of Eaton, the merits of its relatively new AWD system kept us pretty much in forward direction. The optional AWD was added two years ago, lending the little compact more suitability to driving in Colorado. It is called i-Activ AWD and uses “four-wheel vertical load detection” to control torque as needed between the front and rear wheels.

The turbo enhances the acceleration and twisting capabilities of the hatchback, which uses front strut suspension with coil springs and a rear torsion-beam setup.

The stylish “3” sports a distinctive rear end featuring a large spoiler over a raked rear window. Inside, it is finished in a more luxurious fashion than most competitors. Rear seating is somewhat cramped, though cargo space is 20 cubic feet and expands to 47 feet with the back seats folded.

The Mazda3 was chosen earlier this year as “car of the year” by Rocky Mountain Automotive Press and will be honored for the award at the Denver Auto Show in September.

Much as I like the little Mazda, it didn’t get my vote for “top car.” I cast my ballot for the Chevy Corvette Stingray. If ever the Vette earned recognition, this is the year, with its evolvement to Formula One racing style, midengine layout after all these years of front-engine placement, 495-horsepower and an 8-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission, another first for the rear-drive Corvette.

Other honors from RMAP are the GMC Yukon Denali as No. 1 in SUV-of-the-Year competition and the Ram 1500 TRX Crew Cab as Truck of the Year.

Testing the turbo took a toll on the Mazda3’s fuel mileage; overall it  was 25.6, the lower half of its EPA estimate of 23-31. The hatchback is shod with Bridgestone Turanza low-profile 215/45R18 tires.

The hatchback’s length of 175.6 inches is almost 8 inches shorter than a Mazda3 sedan. Wheelbase length is the same for both at 107.3 inches.

Besides the turboed engine, two others are available for the Mazda 3 – a base 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder of 155 horsepower and a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter of 186 horsepower.

Sticker price on the Mazda3 Turbo hatchback, built in Hofu, Japan, is $34,945, including Android Auto/Apple CarPlay capability, 18-inch black alloy wheels, heated seats and steering wheel, Mazda radar cruise control/lane-departure warning/traffic-sign recognition, 360-degree view monitor, Bose audio, navigation and moonroof.

Mazda entered the U.S. market 50 years ago with a rotary-powered R100 coupe. Today, with all its sleekness, high-tech and performance, the Mazda3 is far behind in sales of other Japanese-based and Korean compacts in the U.S. Over the first four months of 2021, Toyota Corolla has sold 103,742; Honda Civic 84,317; Hyundai Elantra 40,451; Kia Forte 37,354; Mazda3 13,786.

The idealized Hemi engine, on Memorial Day weekend, in return of V-8 power in the Wrangler Unlimited has swelled interest even beyond the multitude of Jeep enthusiasts.

The new 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 has arrived with the 6.4-liter Hemi of 470 horsepower and torque, 8-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive.

The Jeep’s timing and obvious offroad chops have drawn attention from the Ford followers awaiting arrival of the new Bronco. Those two will meet head-on into the fall and winter 4X4 seasons.

Both will ably handle whatever the outdoors has to offer, yet may often serve as cushy, well-mannered family haulers.

It has been 40 years since a V-8 block was mounted beneath the hood of a Wrangler/CJ – that was a 304-cubic-incher (150 horsepower) in the American Motors’ days of 1981.

Fire up the 392 and, instantly, the rumble of the new, dual-mode exhaust with quad pipes will entertain. Early morning, it may wake a neighbor or two. A performance exhaust button will turn it off or on again.

Bronze tow hooks front and back adorn the bumpers and a functional hood with hydro-guide induction system cools the engine and boosts performance. It has locking axles front and rear.

Wrangler’s new 392 has an inch lift over a standard Rubicon and 2-inch over the standard Wrangler, creating a very high step-in level. Once inside, large, firm, comfortable front seats of stitched leather are heated and roominess of the four-door 4X4 is appreciated.

Jeep’s Sky One-Touch power soft top roof, with touch of a button, opens from the windshield header to the cargo area, a $2,000 option. The slide system appears better-built and of probable longer-lasting service than the one used 10 years ago on the Liberty.

Handy are tie-down slides in the cargo area, even on the inner side of the tailgate. Spare is mounted outside on the tailgate.

Impressive-looking on the Jeep’s 17-inch wheels are beadlock-capable rings that help lock the tires’ outer bead to the wheel. Brake rotor diameters are 12.9 inches at all four corners and Fox aluminum-bodied, 2-inch-diameter shocks are upgrades. Tires are B.F. Goodrich All-Terrain LT 285/70R17s.

The big Hemi in the big four-door Wrangler carries one of the lower EPA estimates of 13 in the city and 17 on the highway. My overall driving showed a 17.2 average.

The Rubicon 392, built at Toledo, Ohio, shows a sticker price of $78,740, including the two-grand for the sky top and $595 for an integrated offroad camera. Among standard items are Uconnect navigation, Alpine audio, Google Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and automatic headlamps.

Chrysler launched its first Hemi V-8 70 years ago in its 1951 full-sized sedan, and soon added them in DeSoto and Dodge. Chrysler’s second-generation Hemi in 1964 was driven to Richard Petty’s first big Nascar win, as Plymouths finished first, second and third.

Fortified with a new offroad package called Tremor, the Ford Ranger ventures into the wilds of the west against roughest of terrain and toughest of weather.

With Tremor, the Ranger is a competitor of the Chevy Colorado ZR2, Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, Nissan Frontier Pro-4X, Jeep Gladiator and GMC Canyon.

The 2021 Ford Ranger SuperCrew 4X4 Tremor, a compact/midsize pickup delivered to me, in 422 miles averaged 21.8 in overall fuel mileage; its EPA estimate is 19 mpg. Fuel tank is 18 gallons.

It performs with a turbocharged, 2.3-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine generating 270 horsepower, 310 lb.-ft. of torque and tied to a 10-speed automatic transmission with the stop/start feature.

When properly equipped, the Ranger’s tow rating is 7,500 pounds. Maximum payload is 1,860 pounds, highest among the compact pickups.

Preparing the Ranger on the road for off-the-road adventure is as simple as twisting a dial for four-wheel-high range or four-wheel-low, then pushing a TM button (terrain management) in the middle of the dial and moving from Normal into Grass/Gravel/Snow or Mud/Ruts or Sand.

It was tested among sagebrush, sand and mud, into dips and draws and ascents, as well as two drives to Denver and back home.

But, basically, purpose of the review is to detail the new Tremor package, which emphasizes a lifted suspension, achieved through offroad Fox 2.0 monotube dampers, tuned front coilover and redesigned rear multileaf springs.

A wider stance, benefitting from Continental General Grabber all-terrain LT 265/70R/17 tires, has improved the Ranger’s handling. The Ranger Tremor’s 9.7 inches of ground clearance is almost an inch more than the standard SuperCrew 4X4.

The turbo boost provides excellent acceleration and highway passing capability. Some occasional jerkiness is felt during upshifting or downshifting in lower gears

A convenient hoop-style step rail is positioned at each of the four doors. The 5-foot-long box with spray-in bedliner has a remote lock for the tailgate.

Inside, fairly firm front bucket seats are finished in a suede/leather combo. The rear seating is all leather; it is a little short on legroom. The navigation/audio infotainment screen is easy to use.

With a near-$5,000 tab added for the Tremor additions, this Ranger’s sticker price soared to $48,100. Base price for the Lariat SuperCrew 4X4 is $38,785.

Besides the Tremor buildup, other options included Bang & Olufsen audio, rain-sensing wipers, rapid red exterior finish, the bedliner. Among safety items are adaptive cruise, forward-sensing system, cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping, precollision assist and reverse sensing.

The Ranger nameplate on the Ford compact pickup dates back to early 1982, when it was introduced as an ’83 model to replace the imported Ford Courier. From 1987 to 2004, the Ranger was the best-selling compact pickup in the U.S. It was discontinued after 2012, then introduced as 4^th-generation Ranger for the 2019 model year. The fourth-gen Ranger is built in Wayne, Mich.

The recently arrived 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, somewhat surprisingly, felt comfortably refined in its week in my possession. On sale for three or four months, it does battle with the Jeep Cherokee and Compass and others, leaving the bigger Bronco, due out this summer, to contend with the larger and tougher Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.

Speaking of Jeep; heading my way was a new Wrangler Rubicon 392 with a 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 engine. The spread of a crack in the glass after a rock hit the windshield turned the driver around back toward Denver. “Oh, no,” was my response to the call informing me the Jeep wouldn’t be delivered; “Oh, wow,” I responded to the next bit of info which was that in its place, the driver would bring me the new Ford Bronco Sport.

The return of the Ford Bronco is one of the most anticipated new-car arrivals in many months. The Bronco Sport will compete with, in addition to the Jeeps, the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester. It shares underpinnings with the Ford Escape; the Sport’s wheelbase is 105.7 inches and overall length 172.7 inches.

The big Bronco, expected to show up this summer as a 2022 model, will be almost a foot-and-a-half longer than the Bronco Sport.

I drove the Bronco Sport to Longmont, then followed Colo. 66 and U.S. 36 with numerous curves and a long climb to Estes Park. It was rainy with heavy fog most of the way. The all-wheel-drive Bronco maintained good grip from its all-terrain tires; adding interest was dialing in Sport mode, which increased throttle response, quickened shifts and steering, while the 11-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system programmed V-8 engine exhaust sound.

The descent back to Greeley came via Big Thompson Canyon and its twists, most of which were nonbraking maneuvers after dropping into 4^th and even 3^rd gears while using the Sport’s paddleshifters.

The Sport performs with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine of 250 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque. It is tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission, shifted from a rotary dial on the center console. Near it is a second dial, smaller, labeled G.O.A.T., which stands for “Goes Over Any Type of Terrain.” It will move between Normal, Comfort, Eco and Sport modes, with terrain settings for slippery, sand, mud/ruts and snow.

Base engine for the Sport is a 1.5-liter, turbocharged 3-cylinder of 181 horsepower and 190 lb.-ft. of torque. The Bronco’s doors and top are removable.

Base price for the Ford Bronco Sport 1^st Edition 4X4 is $32,500. A list of optional items pushed the sticker price to $37,545. The Bronco Sport is built at Hermosillo, Mexico.

The 120-mile run through Estes averaged 26.4 miles per gallon; overall for the week was 22.8. The Sport’s EPA estimate is 21/26.

The small, smooth ID.4, the one that temporarily put the “t” in Volkswagen, is no joke.

It is a well-designed, fully electric SUV crossover that VW expects will emphasize the brand’s focus on electrification.

The ID.4, along with another recently introduced EV, the Ford Mustang Mach-e, are worthy challengers for established electrics Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf, Kia Niro and Hyundai Kona, all of which produce range expectations of 220 to 260 miles.

VW officials expect the ID attraction to spill over even against sales stalwarts of the internal-combustion crowds, the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. That’s a best-case scenario.

Volkswagen estimates a range of 250 miles for the ID.4. That range will vary, depending on weather and terrain, and certainly on highway speeds.

Jan and I drove from our home in Greeley to Panera Bread at I-25 and 144^th Avenue for coffee with Kurt and Tammy Wells. Speeds, first on U.S. 34, then south on I-25, varied from around 65 to 78 miles per hour for a distance of 44 miles, yet the range reduction was 55 miles. On the return drive, we drove east on 144^th to Colo. Blvd. road, then north to Greeley on 55-mph roads, a distance of 41 miles, which reduced the range by only 31 miles.

Monday morning, with 90 miles of range remaining in the ID.4 and needing a quick-charge for a drive into Denver, I pulled into Greeley Volkswagen. Not much was stirring inside the dealership, except for the friendly face of Carlos Jimenez, sales manager.

“Sure, we can give it a charge,” said Jimenez, who was surprised to see it pulled in and parked. There are few yet on the road. Jimenez asked for the ID’s key, got in and drove it 50 feet to the next-door building, Greeley Nissan, and with the help of a representative of that business, began the recharge. In 40 minutes, the VW’s range was boosted from 90 to 190 miles, plenty for my need that morning. Range capacity for the ID.4 is 250 miles.

I discussed with Jimenez the effect of highway speeds upon the little electric model. Jimenez explained how regenerative braking can expand the range in town driving. The Greeley Volkswagen sales team, with the dealership’s first ID.4, for several days in town shifted from the D (drive) gear to B (battery) which meant using the regenerative braking gear on deceleration; they attained 311 miles of range, a big gain over the estimated 250.

Jimenez, who worked in Boulder prior to coming here, said that city was much quicker to embrace the hybrid/plug-in/electric movement, but that there is growing interest now in the Greeley area and that he expects the VW entry to be very competitive.

We drove, rather quickly, for 74 miles to our destination in Denver, using 83 miles of range. After lunch at the New York Deli, we chose a much slower return route on U.S. 85. In 63 miles, the ID.4 gave up only 54 from its battery pack range. The car’s regenerative braking pressure is increased by moving the shifter from D to B.

That 82-kWh battery pack, beneath the floor of the passenger area, weighs a bit more than 1,000 pounds. That swells the curb weight of the ID.4 to a hefty 4,659 pounds. In size, it is almost 5 inches shorter than Volkswagen’s compact crossover, the Tiguan. It is built in Mosel, Germany.

The ID.4 is rear-wheel drive; its 201-horsepower electric motor sits over the rear axle. An all-wheel-drive version of the model will be introduced later in the year. The VW is a good handler, very quiet and offers a comfortable ride. Its infotainment center is somewhat difficult to command, even with its voice connection.

The ID.4 can be recharged fully in 7 ½ hours with 240-volt power. An overnight charge with 120-volt will add 40-50 miles or so of range.

The ID.4 1^st Edition is the upper trim level for the model, and carries sticker price of $45,190. Lesser-priced versions are Pro and Pro S.

Early last week, about the time I received the ID.4 for reviewing, a Volkswagen press release said the company planned to change its brand name in the North American market to “Voltswagen” (thus, the reference to the ‘t’ in Volkswagen at the start of this column). “It was an April Fool’s joke,” VW said later.