(Excerpts
from a review of the 10th Anniversary Mazda Miata, April 17, 1999,
by Bud Wells)
The Palace
Arms’ rack of lamb was luscious and a dozen fellow automotive writers lent
conviviality to the evening. The highlight for me, though, was driving away
from the Brown Palace Hotel in the 10th Anniversary Edition Mazda
Miata.
Mazda
executives Jay Amestoy, Shari Gold and Brian Betz came to town, set up shop at
the Brown and discussed the Miata and plans for rebuilding Mazda’s presence on
the U.S. automotive scene.
The little
Miata is outstanding in blue – sapphire blue exterior, blue suede center
inserts on the two seats and even a blue convertible top and tonneau cover, the
first time a production Miata has had anything other than a black or tan top.
Just as
noticeable, once in the driver’s seat, is a 6-speed manual transmission;
standard Miatas are 5-speeds.
Of course,
there’s more shifting now. I upshifted and downshifted 95 times in the 8 miles
from the Brown to my home. That’s okay, for the short stick is one of very
short throws. It is so quick and convenient in its shifts that a driver tends
to frequently rest his right hand on the leather-covered shift knob, awaiting
the next move.
In
downshifting from 6th gear, however, you must quickly feel the way
to 5th, for the return spring is strong enough that it will
occasionally pull the shifter toward center and put it into 3rd gear
instead of 5th.
Pricing for
the special Miata begins at $26,875, with 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine of 140
horsepower. Prices for standard Miatas begin at just over $20,000.
The 10th
anniversary auto is powered by Mazda’s 1.8-liter, DOHC 4-cylinder engine, which
develops 140 horsepower. It’s a high-revving 4-cylinder, even in 6th
gear at 60 miles per hour the engine turns 3000 rpm. I averaged 25.6 miles per
gallon in 60 percent city driving.
The
rear-wheel-drive Miata with four-wheel double-wishbone independent suspension,
is an agile handler. Its turning circle is barely over 30 feet.
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan SE, parked west of Longmont. (Bud Wells photo)
Worthy of
attention in budwells.com are the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV crossover and the
’19 Mazda MX-5 RF Miata roadster.
Why?
The Tiguan,
since it was enlarged in second-generation form a year ago, has shot to the front
of VW sales, edging past the long-popular though slumping Golf. Sticker price
is below $30,000 on the Big Tig, with 4Motion all-wheel drive and finished in
standout habanero orange color.
As for the
Miata, it is celebrating its 30th year and Mazda says it’s the
best-selling roadster of all time. For 2019, horsepower is boosted from 155 to
181 for the naturally aspirated 4-cylinder. The RF edition, which I drove, drops
its retractable roof quickly and precisely – 13 seconds.
Noticeable
for those who have compared the bigger VW Tiguan with the older, smaller one is
the 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space; the earlier Tiguan was more cramped with
only 23.8. Small cargo space in an SUV or crossover draws large numbers of
complaints. Not just the cargo area has expanded; the rear-seating area has
ample legroom and headroom. The leatherette-covered front seats are wide,
lightly bolstered and comfortable.
The revised
Tiguan is almost a foot longer and is 7 inches longer in wheelbase at 109.9
inches. The Tiguan, which shares a platform with the Audi Q3, offers optional
third-row seating.
The only
engine offered by Volkswagen for the Tiguan is a 184-horsepower, 2.0-liter,
4-cylinder with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Normal driving tasks are
fine, though the engine works hard to maintain pace at times under higher
speeds and climbs. A bit of performance boost is gained by pushing the shifter
into sport mode; there are no paddles at the steering wheel. The VW rides on
Continental 215/65R17 tires. It is built in Puebla, Mexico.
Finished in
the bright orange, the VW Tiguan is easily picked out in a crowded parking lot.
Most all the
350 miles driven by me in the Tiguan were smooth-highway variety, resulting in
a relatively high-miles-per-gallon average of 28.7. The concluding drive, with
former Post co-worker Peggy McKay, Jan and me, was to Johnstown, and on past
Scheel’s at I-25 and U.S. 34, following lunch at Kenny’s Steakhouse in Greeley.
Reasonable,
it seems, is the price posted on the Tiguan SE 4Motion of $29,285; though it
has no navigation. Besides the AWD, it has cruise control, forward-collision
warning, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitor, heated front seats,
Bluetooth and trip computer.
Russian olive trees set background for Mazda Miata RF in 30th year. (Bud Wells photo)
Delivered to
me as part of the 30th year observance for the Mazda Miata is the
MX-5 Grand Touring RF edition with retractable roof.
Rear pillars
highlight the RF’s style departure; they remain in place with the top up or
down. Unlike the regular Miata in which the entire soft top folds out of sight,
the RF’s rear pillars lift while the metal targa-type top is dropped, then they
all lower into place. The upright C pillars lend a distinctive look. It is a
fine line of precision as the rear lifts while the middle of the roof and rear
window slip backward beneath the pillars, then the layers drop into place. The
pillars block rear vision.
Adding distinctive style to Mazda Miata are rear roof pillars. (Bud Wells photo)
The 6-speed
manual transmission is tied to the 4-cylinder engine; the shifter is smoothest
of most all I’ve driven this year. The powertrain combination for the
rear-wheel-drive roadster carries an impressive EPA estimate of 26/34 mpg, and
the little model posted an average of 28.5.
With
wheelbase of only 91 inches and overall length 154, a slight turning circle of
only 30.8 feet allows the driver to turn this Miata around in most any
unoccupied street anywhere. That’s 3 feet shorter than the turn radius of a Kia
Rio or Chevy Spark. Only the Mitsubishi Mirage can match the tightness of turn
of the Miata.
From the
Miata’s small confines are tight footroom, tight shoulder room, tight headroom.
Cupholders are positioned between the seatbacks far behind the driver, who must
wrap the left arm around
the body to the center between the seatbacks or lean forward and twist the
right arm underhanded and fish for a grasp of the cup. A cupholder can be
lifted and moved to the right edge of the center console, but the holder
invades knee space of the passenger.
Sticker price
on the special Miata Grand Touring RF is $35,405.
A regular
Miata soft-top convertible can be purchased for several thousand dollars
cheaper.
Automotive legend Lee Iacocca, 94, died July 2, 2019. (Ford)
Much is
happening, as we move into July, almost an overflow of column material.
Lee Iacocca died; I’ll be grilling for a third of the family on the Fourth; the current review is the Land Rover Discovery, yet bigger news is Rover’s resurrection of the Defender; Mecum is coming to town for its annual classic car auction; I’ve got to add some miles to the new Audi Q8.
Ken Baldwin
and Mary Conway were headed back to Denver after lunching with Jan and me at
Kenny’s Steakhouse in Greeley, when Mary called to say she’d heard that Lee
Iacocca had passed away.
Bud Wells displays the Lee Iacocca Award at the Gunnison Car Show in August 2012. (Jan Wells photo)
An honor for
me on a hot afternoon in August 2012 was being presented the Lee Iacocca Award at
the annual Gunnison Car Show.
The following
May, on a Monday afternoon, Jan and I dropped by Iacocca’s office on North
Canon Drive in Beverly Hills. We were in Los Angeles to celebrate grandson
Tyler J. Wells’ graduation from Loyola Marymount University.
The legendary
Iacocca, already suffering ailments from the effects of Parkinson’s, wasn’t in
his office; his assistant, Nancy Saken, was there and after an hour of visiting
presented me with a copy of the book, “Heart Soul Detroit,” autographed by
Iacocca.
The book was
of conversations with and photos of dozens of famous people who defined their
careers in the city. Just a few are Tim Allen, Eminem, Bill Ford Jr., Al
Kaline, Della Reese, Lily Tomlin. Iacocca, too, and he wrote a foreword,
including this excerpt:
“Because I
remember my roots – and I’m sure so do many of the people in this book who were
born to immigrant families, had relatives who worked in the auto industry or
were born in Detroit – I believe you can never stop dreaming. And not just
dreaming, but being diligent and purposeful to make your dreams a reality, no
matter how much hard work it takes. That’s what made America great. That’s what
made Detroit great.”
Defender
for 2020
Add one more
big, tough, go-anywhere vehicle to the Land Rover lineup for 2020 – the
Defender. The original Land Rover Defender was built from 1983 to 2016, but
left the U.S. in 1997.
The new
Defender reportedly will be available in three sizes – 90, 110 and 130. The
three-door 90, which will grow to 170 inches from 158 previously, will have
five- and six-seat versions. The five-door 110 will also be longer at 187
inches and offer five-, six- and seven-seat models. The five-door, eight-seat
130 will measure 201 inches in length.
The Defenders
will be built at Jaguar Land Rover’s new plant in Nikra, Slovakia. When the first
Defenders arrive in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2020, they will be powered
by gasoline engines; a diesel will be added to the U.S. market for 2021.
Discovery
turbodiesel
A
turbocharged, 3.0-liter V-6 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission lend outstanding
fuel mileage and offroad capability to the 5,000-pound Land Rover Discovery HSE
Luxury.
The 2019 Land Rover Discovery has turbodiesel power, offroad capability. (Bud Wells photo)
A drive to
Wray, 10 miles this side of the Nebraska/Kansas border with Colorado, raised
overall fuel mileage to 24.8. The engine, quiet as a gasoline version, displays
definite turbodiesel lag; place the shifter in sport mode, tip your toe into
the throttle and the hesitation can be diminished somewhat.
The Wray
trip, east along U.S. 34, took us to a memorial service for Geneva Schafer
Muller Newberg. Her son, Doug Muller and wife Pat of Lakewood, and daughter Kay
and husband Dr. Robert Thiel of Fort Morgan, were hosts for the service at
Grandview Cemetery at Wray.
The
Discovery, with optional third-row seating, competes against strong luxury
midsize SUVs, including Audi Q7, Mercedes GLE, BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne, Lexus
RX350, Acura MDX and others.
The
British-built Discovery was introduced in 1989. By its third generation in 2004
it became known in the U.S. as the LR3, then LR4 in 2009, before reclaiming the
Discovery name in 2017.
Adding the
turbodiesel engine at a cost of $2,000 and a number of other options pushed
price of the Discovery from a base of $68,800 to $80,915.
Mecum
Denver Auction
A 1967 Shelby
GT500 Fastback with 24,000 miles is among featured entries for the fifth-annual
Mecum Denver 2019 collector car auction at the Colorado Convention Center.
The Shelby is
one of 118 nightmist blue GT500s produced with an automatic transmission for
that year. It has been maintained by a single family since the 1990s and
benefits from a recently completed concours rotisserie restoration.
Approximately
600 American muscle cars, classics, Corvettes, trucks, hot rods, resto mods and
more were to cross the auction block during the two-day sale.
Caption- Ford is runaway best-seller among half-ton pickups. (Bud Wells photos)
The 2019 Ford
F-150 SuperCrew pickup sat in my driveway and Jan was working in one of her
flower beds when neighbors Dennis and Marsha, out for a walk, stopped to chat
with her.
Commenting on
the pickup, one of them told Jan, “the color is delightful.” Ford calls the
exterior finish “velocity blue,” and it is a standout on the big, four-door,
half-ton truck.
When Dennis
and his wife moved into the neighborhood seven or eight years ago, they were
driving a little Smart car. It was blue, too, if I remember correctly. Smart
cars will no longer be sold in the U.S. and Canada after the 2019 model year,
it was announced last week by parent company Mercedes-Benz. The Smart was never
a strong seller over here.
The neighbors
now drive a new subcompact SUV crossover – it’s blue, also.
The blue hue,
growing in popularity, is sixth most popular new-vehicle color, according to
PPG, which lists the top color choices, in order, as white, black, gray, silver
and red.
Pickups,
regardless of color, sell very well throughout Colorado. The state of Texas claims
it’s the hottest sales area for pickup trucks. Trucks are seen all over this
state, too.
I’ve had my
share this model year, having reviewed the Chev Silverado Trail Boss, the Ford
Raptor and new Ranger along with the Lariat 4X4, the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali,
the new Jeep Gladiator, the Ram 1500 Longhorn and Rebel along with the HD 2500
Tradesman, and Toyota Tacoma and Tundra.
The midsize
Ranger and Gladiator will compete with representative compacts Toyota Tacoma,
Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon and Nissan Frontier for market share.
The rugged
Frontier, which has received little upgrading from Nissan since 2004, is
expected to show a new face for 2020, and Ram, which hasn’t had a midsize model
since killing the Dakota in 2010, is working on a new one for, perhaps, 2021.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, parent company of Jeep and Ram, has indicated any
new midsize model from Ram will not closely copy the offroad-capable Gladiator.
The 2020 Jeep Gladiator during a drive at The Fort, near Morrison.
I drove early
one morning to Morrison, near where the 2020 Gladiator was being shown at The Fort
Restaurant. While I was preparing to
drive the Gladiator, Norm Fryer of Automotive Media Solutions showed up to
exchange vehicles with me – delivering to me the 2019 Ford F-150 4X4 Lariat
SuperCrew with V-8 power and taking away the new BMW X7 full-size SUV
crossover, which I had driven up there from my home.
The 70-mile
drive home in the F-150 was a pleasure; the smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic
transmission was tied to the 395-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8 with 400 lb.-ft. of
torque. The noticeable difference in Ford’s V-8 from its line of powerful V-6s
is in fuel mileage. With more than 50 percent of my drive time on the highway
last week with the F-150, it averaged only 17.8 miles per gallon overall. I’ve
normally averaged 20-mpg or higher with the 2.7, 3.3 and 3.5 six-cylinders for
the half-ton.
The four-door
crew cab, finished in velocity blue exterior, is stylish, as pickups go, and is
all black inside, with comfortable leather. A roomy rear seating area is
brightened from a full sunroof. Access is eased with deployable running boards.
Tailgate
innovation is big news these days. As the Ford tailgate drops into open
position, push a button in the top end and a 3-foot-wide step lowers into
position along with a steadying rod beside it for safely climbing up into the
pickup bed. Along with the Ford drop-down step, Ram is showing off a split
tailgate, GMC has one which can be used in three positions from a two-step-up
to a football tailgating capability, and Chevy has the convenient step-up at
the ends of the rear bumper.
To have the
V-8 power at hand, the added cost was $1,000. From the base price of $47,985
for the Lariat 4X4, options pushed sticker price to $64,555.
Its
tow-capability is one of the best in the half-ton market, including Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup
Assist system and trailer view. The popular option automatically backs a truck and
trailer into tight parking space, with the driver participation simply turning
a knob, keeping an eye on the rearview camera screen and occasionally braking.
New crossovers Chevy Blazer, left, and Kia Telluride are competitors. (Bud Wells photo)
Parked
side-by-side in my garage were two all-new midsize SUV crossovers – the 2020
Kia Telluride SX and ’19 Chevrolet Blazer Premier.
They’ll
compete for sales success with more than a dozen other midsizers, including the
redesigned Honda Passport, the new Subaru Ascent and the long-popular Jeep
Grand Cherokee.
A first
glance makes separation of the two as simple as black and white, dark graphite
metallic for the Chevrolet and snow-white pearl for the Kia.
The two are
near identically shaped at the rear, with lip of a spoiler atop the rear
window. The distinguishing differences from the rear are the taillights – the
Blazer’s horizontal and the Telluride’s vertical, and a “floating-roof” look
for the Chev. Up front, the Blazer has more of a rake to its windshield, the
Telluride stands taller and step-in height is the same for both at about 19
inches. The Blazer rides on 21-inch wheels, the Telluride 20.
The
Telluride, the largest model ever offered by Kia, was unveiled at the Detroit
Auto Show in January 2019. It has three rows of seats, and is considerably
larger than the established Kia Sorento, which has been considered a “small
midsize entry.”
The comfortable interior of the Kia Telluride. (Kia)
The
Telluride, 5 inches longer than the Chevy Blazer, is 196.9 inches in overall
length, 78.3 in width and 68.9 height. Chevy’s dimensions are 191.4 inches in
overall length, 76.7 width and 67 height. Difference in curb weight is
approximately 100 pounds, the Telluride at 4,317 pounds and the Blazer at 4,210.
The use of
the Blazer model name on a Chevrolet is revival of an identification that was
first used in 1969 on full-sized SUVs on a truck chassis known as the K5
Blazer. The compact S10 Blazer was added in 1982; both were discontinued in
2005. A TrailBlazer model was produced from 2001 to 2009.
A
292-horsepower, direct-injection 3.8-liter V-6 engine with 262 lb.-ft. of
torque is tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission for the Kia. Performance
gets a bit of boost in Sport mode, and passing power is more than adequate out
on the highway. Properly equipped, the Telluride can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
The Chevrolet Blazer was an attraction at the Denver Auto Show. (Bud Wells)
The Chevy
seems more responsive in low-end-rpm situations with its 308-hp, 3.6-liter V-6
(270 lb.-ft of torque) and paddle shifters to spur its 9-speed automatic
transmission. Tow capacity for the Blazer is 4,500 pounds.
The Chevy
carries a slight advantage in EPA highway fuel-mileage estimates, 25 to 24, but
in my week while driving back-and-forth between the two, the Kia posted a bit
higher averages than did the Chevy. Overall, it was 22.9 mpg for the Telluride
and 21.9 for the Blazer.
The Kia sport
ute has 21 cubic feet of cargo space
behind its third row of seats; fold down the back row and it expands to 46
cubic feet. The Blazer has 30.5 cubic feet behind its second row. Approach the
rear of the Chevy with key in pocket at night and the Chevy bow-tie emblem is
cast on the ground beneath the bumper; swing a foot over the emblem and the
liftgate automatically opens.
The
loaded-up, all-wheel-drive models are close in price; the Blazer at $49,290 and
the Telluride at $47,255, including forward-collision avoidance alert and
lane-keeping assist. The Blazer tag would have pushed past $50,000 with
optional forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and lane-keep
assist. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the Chevy.
The Kia is
built in West Point, Ga.; the Chevy Blazer in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.
I’d heard that Toyota, in Japan, had added all-wheel-drive
technology to its Prius being sold there, so, at a meeting in Denver three
years ago I asked Toyota executive David Lee if the company might do the same
in Colorado.
“Probably not,” he said, adding that “the Prius has aimed
its volume sales at sunshine states and to expect it, with an all-wheel-drive
addition, to move into cold and snowy country would be a contradiction to the
basis of the hybrid electricity success.”
But thinking changes, sometimes along the lines of a sales
decline, of which the Prius has encountered in recent months.
“Yes, the time has come,” said Lee at the 2019 Denver Auto
Show. And delivered to me was the 2019 Toyota Prius XLE AWD-e Hybrid. It isn’t
a fully capable all-wheel-drive hatchback, but it has the basis for some assist
from all four wheels.
For the front-wheel-drive Prius, Toyota has added a
lightweight, 7-horsepower, magnetless electric motor to the rear wheels. From 0
to 6 miles an hour, the e-motor is automatically engaged, helping with startup
speed and lending grip in icy conditions. From 6 to 43 mph, the AWD system is
engaged only as needed, and, beyond 43, there is no AWD available. Thus, the
Prius remains lacking for serious cold, snowy weather areas.
The Prius was one of the first gas/electric hybrids to come
on the scene in the U.S., in 2000, and thoroughly dominated sales until three
or four years ago, when large numbers of new hybrids took away sales. I’ve always
considered the Prius one of the best of the hybrids for fair-weather driving.
The e-AWD model, with the boost to 6 miles per hour, was
strong in takeoffs. The system offers driving modes of eco, power and
electric. My overall fuel-mileage
average was 51.8 mpg.
Sticker price for the Prius AWD-e reached $32,146, including Entune audio, color head-up display, heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, dynamic radar cruise, brake assist, lane-departure alert and blind-spot monitor.
The new 2019 Cadillac XT4 is one of larger luxury subcompact SUVs. (Bud Wells photos)
The littler
luxuries (subcompacts) are latecomers to the years’-long takeover of the U.S.
car market by SUVs and crossovers.
The newest of
the newer premium luxury subcompacts are the Cadillac XT4 and Lexus UX, showing
up in November and December.
Smaller than the Cadillac is the new Lexus UX, this one a hybrid.
They do sales
battles with Audi Q3, BMW X1 and X2, Infiniti QX30, Jaguar E-Pace, Mercedes
GLA-Class, Range Rover Evoque and Volvo XC40. They’re not big sellers yet,
collectively capturing about 2 percent of the booming SUV/crossover market.
The XT4
retains the crisp, sharp, distinctive exterior lines of Cadillacs of recent
years, likened somewhat to current Acura styling.
The XT4’s structure
is one of the largest among luxury subcompacts; in fact, the new Cadillac is
occasionally referred to as a compact. It rides on a wheelbase of 109.4 inches,
is 181.1 inches in overall length, is 83.5 wide and 64.1 in height. Curb weight
is 3,876 pounds. The Lexus UX is 6 inches shorter and 250 pounds lighter.
The 2019 XT4
All-Wheel-Drive Premium Luxury review model came my way last week. It joins the
XT5 midsize crossover and the Escalade full-size SUV for Cadillac. Soon to
arrive will be the three-row XT6, which will fill a gap between the XT5 and
Escalade.
Of the
changing lineup for the brand’s SUVs/crossovers, Cadillac president Steve
Carlisle said, “The first-ever Cadillac XT6 delivers a compelling blend of
spaciousness, safety and convenience features. It joins the all-new XT4, which
has soared to the top spot in its segment, our global best-selling XT5 and the
iconic Escalade.”
A newly
designed 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine of 237 horsepower and 258
lb.-ft. of torque teams with a 9-speed automatic transmission and twin-clutch
AWD system with torque vectoring and a front disconnect to boost fuel mileage
while in two-wheel drive.
Pushing the
drive mode button in the XT4, I was given choice of Touring two-wheel-drive
control, all-wheel drive or Sport AWD. Sport stiffens suspension and steering
feel, and with use of paddle shifters I put the Cad through some dry offroad
drills. It performed impressively, with good maneuvering grip, though with
ground clearance of 6.7 inches probably not a contender for wintertime Jeep
trails.
Response is
quick and relatively smooth for the Cadillac 4-cylinder, and fuel mileage is
decent, estimated at 22-to-29 miles per gallon. My overall average was 24.2.
The review
model’s interior is gorgeous, with Sedona leather of shades between gold and
caramel, contrasting perfectly with the black elsewhere. A centerstack juts
outward for easy control by driver or front-seat passenger, and features Bose
surround sound, providing phone connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android
Auto.
Seating is
roomy and comfortable, with an average amount of cargo space, 22.5 cubic feet,
behind the rear seat.
Among options
pushing the XT4’s sticker price to $54,785 from a base of $41,795 are lane-keep
assist, automatic braking, adaptive cruise, front pedestrian braking, automatic
parking assist, hands-free liftgate, ventilated front seats, sunroof, head-up
display, navigation with real-time traffic, wireless charging and cabin air
ionizer.
The XT4 is
built in a Cadillac assembly plant in Kansas City, Kan.
A lively sport sedan is the 2019 Giulia Ti all-wheel-drive model. (Bud Wells photos)
Curiosity
abounds all around, with regards to Alfa Romeo.
Few of the
Italian marque are seen in these parts, yet several times as I parked and
exited the 2019 Giulia sport sedan, someone would ask, “Is that an Alfa Romeo?”
The Alfa
brand, absent from the U.S. for 20 years until the 4C Spider in 2015, seems to
exude a level of respect whenever mentioned.
And its odd,
colorful badge (you know, the cross and the snake swallowing a man) draws
immediate attention. The red is the cross of the municipality of Milan, Italy,
where Alfa Romeo was founded, and the green snake is open to various
interpretations – take your pick.
The key to
liking the four-door Giulia is to drive it. I said that about the 2017 model
two years ago after maneuvering it into the Poudre Canyon, over Cameron Pass, down
to Walden and on up to Laramie.
The new model
I drove, the Giulia Ti Sport all-wheel drive, is the same – a great-handling,
rear-drive-based sedan. Move the drive mode from normal to dynamic, and the
crisper steering ties right into the brilliant handling and super grip.
Performance
comes from a 280-horsepower, 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine turbocharged with
direct-injection and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. It’s quick,
with 306 lb.-ft. of torque, and is a delight in the Rockies with manual-mode
shifting. Here’s where the flaw shows up – the 6 ½-inch-long aluminum paddles
locked to the steering column, they’re so large they have the look of a
shift-training setup for high school sophomores. Paddle shifters ought to be
small, out of the way except to the touch of a finger for upshift or downshift.
The Giulia
retained secure manners with its all-wheel-drive system in a late-season winter
test in the rain and snow.
The Giulia is
EPA-rated at 31 miles per gallon for highway driving; my overall fuel average
was a decent 27.8. Alfa boldly compares the sport sedan to the BMW 3 series and
Mercedes C Class, along with Volvo S60, Cadillac ATS and Audi A4.
Highlighting
its exterior are the V-grille and low-level front sport fascia.
V-grille and colorful badge are identifiers for Alfa Romeo.
Most inviting
in the Giulia’s interior, somewhat tight in the rear, are the red-finished
sport leather seats (heated in both rows). Trunk space is only 12 cubic feet.
Two optional
packages – added safety with forward-collision warning plus, adaptive cruise
with stop and lane-departure warning, and Ti Sport AWD special of dark aluminum
wheels and all-season performance tires, low-riding front sport fascia, red
brake calipers and sport leather seats – played important role in pushing the
Giulia’s $41,995 base price to a final sticker of $51,885.
Among other
options were Harman Kardon audio, Bluetooth, navigation, leather dash and
vesuvio gray metallic exterior paint.
Alfa Romeo,
owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, produces the Giulia, 4C Spider and Stelvio
SUV for the U.S. market.
The Ford Courier was imported from Japan. (Bud Wells photo)
(My first review of a pickup was
40 years ago, the mini-built Ford Courier, which appeared in The Denver Post on
April 7, 1979. The Courier was provided by the Denver regional office of Ford
Motor Co. Following are excerpts:)
Nearly 10 percent of
new trucks sold in the U.S. last year were of the mini-pickup variety.
Driving about Denver
in a Ford Courier puts the growing popularity and acceptance of the little
units in an understandable light. Because of their small stature, the minis are
easy to handle, economical and they’ll carry a somewhat respectable load.
The optional 2300-cc,
4-cylinder engine is a good runner and strong enough to handle the duties
required of such a vehicle. Cold-blooded tendency is overcome with a manual
choke. Mechanically-minded purchasers will be delighted withal the room beneath
the hood.
Frequent downshifting
is required in city driving, but the 4-speed transmission is an easy shifter.
The Courier produced an average of 17.5 miles per gallon of fuel in
start-and-stop town driving. The EPA rates the Courier at 22 miles per gallon.
Built for Ford by Toyo
Kogyo of Japan, the Courier carries a base price of $4,861, including
white-sidewall tires, power front disc brakes, 6-foot box and 4-speed
transmission.
Optional items
included the 2300 engine (2000 is standard) for $174.20, AM push-button radio
for $78.90, tinted glass $28.30, swing-lock western mirrors $51.80 and rear
step bumper $83.60. Freight charges of $110 brought the pickup’s price to
$5,387.80. An unusual enclosed rear body was mounted on the Courier, pushing
the vehicle’s value to $7,094.55.
The Courier, on a
wheelbase of 106.9 inches, has a 1,400-pound capacity for cargo and passengers.
Wing windows aid ventilation in the cab, and the unit possesses a fast,
effective heater.
The new Lexus UX250h gets all-wheel drive from electric boost. (Bud Wells photo)
It’s an
odd-color green on the 2019 Lexus UX 250h all-wheel-drive review model I piloted
in February. Nori green pearl, Lexus calls it, somewhat like the olive green on
a Jeep.
This is no
Jeep. It is Lexus’ new luxury subcompact SUV, a hybrid which gains AWD
capability through use of an electric motor-generator which drives the rear
wheels. It is based on the platform of the fun-but-quirky-looking Toyota C-HR,
which showed up a year ago.
The
Japanese-built UX will battle for sales in the luxury subcompact category
against such strong entries as the Audi Q3, BMW X2, Cadillac XT4, Infiniti
QX30, Jaguar E-Pace, Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, Range Rover Evoque and Volvo
XC40.
The UX 250h
all-wheel-drive model is powered by a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder gas engine, an
electric motor up front and another at the back, where also is a nickel-metal
hydride battery pack. The motor at the rear is the source of power to the rear
wheels, as there is no driveshaft. The electric motor-generator drives the rear
wheels up to 45 miles per hour, and beyond that the UX performs in front-drive.
The gas/electric power sources are tied
to a continuously variable transmission.
The hybrid
addition lifts the UXh’s estimated fuel mileage to 41 in town and 38 on the
highway. My overall average was 33.2, reduced some by two mornings of driving
in 8-below-zero temperatures.
The new
subcompact is also offered in nonhybrid form as the Lexus UX200, a
front-wheel-drive vehicle with a 169-horsepower, 4-cylinder gas engine. The
UX250h, with its gas/electric combination, is rated at 181 horsepower. Its
electric boost off the line makes it quicker than the nonhybrid model.
The UX250h is
small, with a 103.9-inch wheelbase and overall length of 177 inches, yet
because of the battery pack and electric motors it carries a hefty 3,605-pound
curb weight. It rides on Bridgestone 225/50RF18 tires.
Space is very
tight in the rear cargo area; only 17 cubic feet, short of the 19-24 range of
its luxury subcompact competitors. I realized how short when our load of
supplies from Costco in Timnath had to be divided between the cargo and rear
seats. It’s the battery pack and a sloped roofline that steal away space, for
the non-hybrid version of the UX has available more cubic feet than the hybrid.
Golden
leatherette-finished seats (heated and cooled) and dash pads embellished the
interior. Some difficulty arose with use of the remote touch controller for
infotainment, though the simple and quick-response voice command eased the
situation. A couple of interior “bugs” I’ve complained about in other Lexus
models are the “ears” protruding from each side of a cover atop the gauge
panel. They’re dials for snow/traction and for shifting between comfort and
sport modes and seem out of place. These are key decision choices for a driver
while maneuvering; of absolutely no concern to other passengers, and ought to
be more unobtrusively placed.
The Lexus UX250h
shows a relatively reasonable base price of $34,000. Add to that navigation and
premium sound system, triple-beam LED headlamps, cornering lamps, blind-spot
monitor, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, moonroof and heated steering
wheel, and the sticker total reaches $42,050.
Lexus now has
a full line of SUV/crossovers. The lineup and starting prices include, at the
top, the large LX at $86,080; the GX at $52,355; the RX Hybrid at $46,095; the
RX at $43,670; the NX Hybrid at $38,835; the NX at $36,485; the UX Hybrid at
$34,000; the UX at $32,000.
