The approach of December found me at the wheel of the new 2017 Cadillac XT5, the high-end Platinum edition finished in stellar black metallic – seemingly sparkling for the occasion.

It is the 2,000^th new car, truck or SUV I’ve driven and reviewed, dating back into the 1970s.

Thirty-nine years ago this month, it was Christmas Eve 1977, I drove away from Jim McDonough and the long-since-gone Griffith Chrysler Plymouth in Northglenn in a new Chrysler Cordoba. That started it.

When Todd Maul, managing partner of John Elway Dealerships, in a recent discussion offered the loan of a new Cadillac for pick up on Monday at John Elway Cadillac of Park Meadows, the vehicle was No. 2,000 for me, falling right after a BMW i3 electric and just before a Nissan Pathfinder.

The XT5, which was my choice of several possibilities in the Cadillac line, is a new midsize crossover, succeeding the SRX of the past 12 years. It is of 112.5-inch wheelbase, 2 inches longer than that of the SRX. The XT5’s overall length is a bit shorter than the old model, yet it is roomier in both rear-seat and cargo space. The ’17 model is 100 pounds lighter than the SRX.

Gavin Pierce, general manager/partner of Elway Cadillac, selected the loaded Platinum edition for me, and Stefan Hachey, sales consultant, got a kick out of showing me some of the new features; push a button and the rearview mirror becomes an absolute live video of what’s behind, of far greater distinction than the rearview camera on the navigation display screen.

While at Elway’s, I renewed friendship with Ron Goodman, the dealership’s new-car sales manager who for 25 years operated a Buick GMC store on South Broadway.

The Cadillac’s 3.6-liter, direct-injected V-6 engine is rated at 310 horsepower and 271 lb.-ft. of torque and tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission with a small electronic by-wire shifter. The engine is equipped with cylinder-deactivation, which on smooth cruising or deceleration will operate on V4 cylinders rather than the full V6. This is a fuel-saver; the XT5 averaged 23 miles per gallon in overall driving, about par for the midsize segment. On a return drive from Greeley to Denver, though, the model reached 29 mpg. Its EPA estimate is 18/26. I would say, even with the 310 hp, the engine defaults to smoothness over power.

he all-wheel-drive system can be set to modes for Touring, with 60 percent of torque relayed to the front wheels; to AWD with 50/50 split of torque and capability of routing up to 100 percent to front or rear axles and to either side; and to Sport, with 80 percent of torque devoted to the rear wheels.

The Cadillac’s overall length of 189.5 inches is a half-inch shorter than that of the Lincoln MKX. Accenting the black-finished XT5 are a large, bright grille and 20-inch, fully polished multispoke aluminum wheels.

The XT5’s interior is plush and stylish and comfortable, as fine as any in the luxury midsize class, which includes Lexus RX350, Lincoln MKX, Audi Q5, Mercedes GLE and Infiniti QX60, among others. For the driver, the head-up display is unusually bright and colorful.

In addition to heated and ventilated leather seats and heated steering wheel, the cabin features leather-wrapped instrument panel and door panels, with micro-suede headliner. Rear seats slide fore and aft and recline, and the cargo area offers 30 cubic feet of space, about average for midsizers. The hands-free power liftgate can be opened with a wave of the foot. A highlight of the CUE audio/navigation infotainment setup is a 14-speaker Bose surround-sound; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are compatible.

The XT5 Platinum’s sticker price totaled $65,835 with the many options, including adaptive cruise and automatic front and rear collision braking. Pricing for a more basically equipped XT5 with all-wheel drive begins in the low to mid- $40,000s.

The new XT5 is the 49^th Cadillac I’ve driven over the years. The first was a 1978 Seville sedan in which I drove Jan and her parents, Lyle and Ruth Davis, downtown to the Auditorium Theatre for a performance of “Hello, Dolly!” with Carol Channing. I parked in a lot across from the theatre, closed the driver door and set off one of the earliest theft-deterrent alarm systems in an automobile. With all those “bells and whistles,” the Seville’s price was $17,174.

A total of 132 Fords is the most of any one make I’ve driven among the 2,000. Second most is the Chevrolet, of course, with 120.

In my early years of reviewing the new cars, most were borrowed from Denver metro dealers; some came directly from the manufacturers. In the past 30 years, manufacturers have assumed responsibility of supplying most of the products to the automotive press. Today, they’re provided and distributed through three agencies in this area – Automotive Media Solutions, Drive Shop and Rocky Mountain Redline.

No need, to this point, to fear the consequences of the Chinese ownership of Volvo.

Right out of Gothenberg, Sweden, comes Volvo’s newest product, the S90 sedan rolling smoothly into the luxury territory dominated by the German automakers. Watch out Mercedes, BMW and Audi.

The new one is filled with Volvo style and quality; no hint of diminishment from Zhejiang Geely holding company, the Chinese firm which has owned Volvo since 2010.

The S90 replaces the S80 as flagship in Volvo’s lineup; it is 4 inches longer and noticeably wider. Its stylish exterior, luxurious interior and highway performance make it, perhaps, the finest four-door sedan I’ve driven this year.

The 2017 S90 T6 Inscription with all-wheel drive was the review model, powered by a 4-cylinder engine both turbocharged and supercharged, with 316 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. torque.

We drove it to Parker for the second birthday celebration of Tessa, daughter of Daniel and Kara Hansen. Before departing the party, the new S90 drew the attention of sons Kurt and Dale Wells. Kurt drives a Lincoln MKS, an American competitor of the Volvo. The S90, though 3 inches longer in wheelbase than the Lincoln, is 10 inches shorter in overall length, 195.4 to 205.6. Trunk space is considerably smaller in the Volvo; its fuel-mileage rating is higher, 22/31 for the Volvo and 17/24 for the Lincoln. The Lincoln is 150 pounds heavier.

Highlighting the S90’s sleek exterior are T-shaped accent headlights, referred to by Volvo as Thor’s Hammer, bookends to a waterfall grille somewhat similar to that used on the 1972 Volvo P1800. The hood is long, the top is low and the rear deck is short, finished in mussel blue.

Dressing up the interior are perforated leather seating and woodgrain trim on the dash and doors. Added pleasure from the Inscription trim level are the 13-speaker sound system of Bowers & Wilkins, navigation, digital instrument cluster and chilled glove box.

The 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine delivers adequate power to the 4,000-pound sedan with both instant boost and midrange thrust from the supercharger/turbocharger combination. The AWD will split power 50/50 front to rear as necessary in adverse conditions. The smaller powerplant and 8-speed automatic transmission lift the Volvo’s highway fuel-mileage estimate to 31 miles per gallon. My overall average was 27.9. The S90 rides on very-low-profile tires from Pirelli (255/35R20).

A Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive system aids the S90’s operator with adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping for maintaining proper road position in highway travel.

The S90, with sticker price of $66,105, will compete with the Audi A6 and A7, the BMW 5 series and 6 series and Mercedes-Benz E Class.

In addition to the all-wheel-drive T6, Volvo offers an S90 T5 with front-wheel drive. A T8 plug-in hybrid is expected to be introduced in the near future.

The only “untouchable” during last month’s testing of 40 new cars and trucks at Devil’s Thumb Ranch near Tabernash was a red, sleek-looking though rather ruggedly trimmed Volkswagen called the Alltrack.

It was locked tight; all I could do was walk around it. It hadn’t yet gone on sale and there would be no drives in it, VW officials said.

So I suggested to Darryll Harrison Jr., a manager/spokesperson for VW of America, “You drive and I’ll ride.” But he said, “Sorry, not permitted.”

Well, the new wagon has arrived in Denver, and I’m driving it. This one is finished in platinum gray metallic.

A member of the Golf family, all the Alltracks are equipped with 4Motion all-wheel drive. They’re upgraded from the Golf SportWagen. The Alltrack boasts an inch more ground clearance, has wheel arch moldings and sturdier bumpers.

Volkswagen has aimed it at the Subaru Outback wagon, though the Alltrack measures up more closely with the smaller Subaru Crosstrek.

The Alltrack is 9 inches shorter and 350 pounds lighter than the Outback. Its turbocharged 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine (170 horsepower, 199 lb.-ft. of torque) and 6-speed automatic transmission outperforms the Subaru’s boxer-4 (175-hp, 174 torque) and continuously variable transmission. Both the VW and Subaru are excellent handlers; the Outback offers a smoother ride. The Outback’s EPA estimate is 25/32, the Alltrack’s 22/30.

Cargo space behind the second-row seat is 30.4 cubic feet in the Alltrack; the Outback is 35 and the Subaru Crosstrek 22.

Loaded up with drive-mode selection, navigation/audio touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, rearview camera, adaptive cruise and park-distance control, the Alltrack’s listed sticker price is $32,195.

A comparison of the Alltrack with the Subaru comes fairly fresh, for it was only a couple weeks ago I was driving the 2017 Outback. With four days to closing of U.S. 34 for winter repairs in Big Thompson Canyon, Jan and I on Thursday, Oct. 13, drove the Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring wagon up into the canyon.

Departing the highway at Drake, we appreciated the smooth new Devil’s Gulch Road to Glen Haven, one of my favorite destinations in northern Colorado.

At the Glen Haven General Store, we shared one of Steve and Becky Childs’ homemade cinnamon rolls.

The new Outback attracted keen interest from Steve Childs; he owns two Subarus – a 1986 Brat and 2009 Legacy, and says his sons are “Subaru fanatics.” He was quite taken with the wagon’s java brown leather-trimmed seats.

This is the 36^th year the Childs have owned and operated the general store. Closing of the highway Oct. 17 fit their timing, as they had scheduled closing of the store for the winter last Saturday, Oct. 22 (to reopen in mid-May).

The Outback was equipped with the 175-hp boxer-4 engine and Subaru’s CVT transmission. More power is available with a 3.6-liter, 6-cylinder, though its price premium of several thousand dollars lends support to my opting for the 4-cylinder, the Outback’s strongest seller.

The “4,” noted for its smoothness, is not overly powerful. It worked hard on a couple of sharp switchbacks on the climb from Glen Haven to Estes Park. In less strenuous maneuvering, though, shift it into manual mode, engage the paddle shifters and the rpm will rise and deliver more adequate performance locked in a low gear setting.

I remember the first Outback, introduced in 1995 as a variant of the Legacy wagon. Wagons were going nowhere at that time. The Outback, though, with its boxer engines and sturdy all-wheel-drive structure and heavy side cladding, endured among a rush of SUVs and more modern crossovers, and found favor with lots of outdoors persons.

It caught on “big time,” as its all-wheel drive conquered our state’s rugged terrain and inclement weather.

As hot as Subaru is in Colorado today, its products are more lukewarm in much of the U.S. Besides Colorado, its pockets of especially strong sales success are New York, Pennsylvania and the New England states; Washington, Oregon and northern California.

The ’17 Outback Touring model carried a sticker price of $36,870, including navigation, audio/Bluetooth, rearview camera, power rear gate with height memory, heated front and rear seats and moonroof.

Two weeks prior to driving the all-new Alltrack, Volkswagen delivered to me a 2016 Golf R four-door, finished in tornado red.

The R hatchback and the Alltrack bring to six the number of Golf models I’ve driven in the past two years. “Meine gute.”

I’m not complaining, though. In fact, the Golf R is a blast to drive with its 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine churning out 292 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission, with 4Motion all-wheel-drive, kept the revs high and, with ease of downshifting, the corners tight. Its performance sharpens considerably in race mode, which disengages traction control.

The R carries a decent 22/31 fuel-mileage estimate, and my maneuvers resulted in an average of 23.5

Built in Wolfsburg, Germany, the Golf R showed a sticker price of $36,470, including black leather interior, app-connect smartphone, rearview camera, 6.5-inch touchscreen navigation and audio with Bluetooth, push-button start, heated front sport seats, rain-sensing wipers with heated nozzles and head-impact airbags.

It rides on Bridgestone 225/40R18 tires and fancy spoked wheels.

I recorded an amazing 40.1 miles per gallon on a run to Fort Morgan and back from the newest car on the market – the 2017 Jaguar XE sport sedan.

This one is a smaller Jag, with rear-drive chassis and power from a 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine and 8-speed automatic transmission.

With its drive control in dynamic mode, the XE proves a good handler and shows quickness and smoothness in acceleration.

The XE also comes with a V-6 gasoline engine and all-wheel drive, which surely would have been better-suited to a Colorado test as we head into the winter and its weather perils.

The sales of light-duty diesels in the U.S. have fallen sharply among the car category.

Blame German car builder Volkswagen for that. It’s been just a year since VW admitted to the EPA regulators that it installed illegal defeat devices in nearly 500,000 2.0-liter diesel engines to fool U.S. emissions tests. VW/Audi dominated sales of light-duty diesels at that time, holding approximately 35 percent of the market.

The uproar over the cheating scandal forced VW to halt sales of its high-fuel-mileage turbodiesels. VW has not resumed sales of diesels in the U.S. and has announced no timetable for doing so.

Barely more than 90,000 light-duty diesels have been sold thus far this year, compared with 150,000 by this time a year ago just before VW’s engines took the hit. Of the 90,000 sold through the end of August this year, seventy-five percent are credited to two truck-market models, the Ford Transit vans and the Ram 1500 pickup.

The Ram led sales of diesel-powered light vehicles in August, and for the first eight months of this year is locked in a very tight race with the Ford Transit diesel.

Ford Transit has sold 35,633 diesel units thus far, barely ahead of the Ram with 35,192.

Others of the top 10 diesel sellers lag far behind – Chevrolet Colorado 4,713; Jeep Grand Cherokee 2,716; Range Rover Sport 2,173; GMC Canyon 2,106; Range Rover 1,789; BMW X5 1,578; BMW 3-series 1,140, and Mercedes-Benz GLE-class 878.

By falling into a price-leader role for Jaguar, the new XE has jumped ahead of the firm’s other cars, the XF, XJ and XK and the F-Type. Introduced with the XE several months ago is Jaguar’s first-ever SUV, the F-Pace, and it is outselling everything made by the British company.

Most of the XE’s sold are those equipped with the gas engines and, in Colorado, most also are AWD versions.

The XE is built on a 111.6-inch wheelbase, with overall length of 183.9 inches, only an inch longer than a Honda Civic. Jaguar hasn’t introduced a model this small since 2001, when the X-Type front-wheel-drive sedan showed up. It was discontinued in 2009.

Interior finish in the new one is not on a par with Jaguar standards, but its sticker price of $43,895 may be the forgiving factor. Heated and cooled perforated seats are comfortable, and headroom and legroom are okay in the rear seating area, though shoulder space is tight. Accompanying Jan and me on the drive into Morgan County were Ruth Davis and Kim Parker.

A long trunk opens up 15.9 cubic feet of space. Beneath the trunk floor rests a temporary spare tire, painted bright orange, i.e. it will be used only for the briefest necessities.

An oddity: When the backup camera is in use while the car is in reverse, the volume for the audio system can’t be turned down or up.

EPA estimate for the Jag’s diesel setup is 32/42 mpg.

It’s a fun, sporty car to drive, even in normal or eco style, away from the dynamic mode. It has the rotary dial shifter, which Jaguar and Land Rover have relied upon for more than 10 years. The 4-cylinder turbodiesel generates 180 horsepower/318 torque and shift paddles lend control over the 8-speed tranny. The XE has automatic-bright headlamps, which shine high or lower, depending on oncoming traffic. It rides on Continental Pro Contact 225/45R18 tires.

Its $43k price tag covers navigation with a 10.2-inch touchscreen, Meridian surround sound, head-up display, electric rear sunblind, blind-spot monitor, front and rear parking aids, headlight powerwash, moonroof, heated steering wheel, and stop-start technology.

Here are the specifications for the 2017 Jaguar XE luxury sport sedan:

• Capacity 5-passenger four-door
• Wheelbase 111.6 inches
• Length 183.9 inches
• Width 77.4 inches
• Height 55.7 inches
• Curb Weight 3,320 pounds
• Track 62.8 inches front, 62.4 rear
• Ground Clearance 7.2 inches
• Turn Circle 38.4 feet
• Drivetrain Rear-wheel-drive
• Engine 2.0-liter turbodiesel 4-cylinder
• Horsepower/Torque 180/318
• Transmission 8-speed automatic
• Top Speed 120 mph
• Suspension Coil springs, stabilizer bars
• Fuel mileage estimate 32/42
• Fuel mileage average 38.1
• Fuel Tank 14.8 gallons, diesel
• Wheels 18-inch
• Tires Continental Pro Contact 225/45R18
• Cargo Volume 15.9 cubic feet
• Warranty 5 years/60,000 miles basic, 5/6,000 powertrain

Competitors BMW 3 series, Volvo S60 Cross Country, Mercedes-Benz C Class, Lexus E350

Assembly Plant Solihull, England

Parts Content U.S./Canadian 0%, Germany 50%, United Kingdom 43%

Base Price of Lowest Model $36,200; Base Price of Review Model $42,900; Destination Charge $995; Sticker Price $43,895.

Only a year deep into its presence among the subcompact crossover market, the 2017 Mazda CX-3 is carving out a more sizable chunk of business in the growing category.

Sales for subcompact crossovers are hot, increasing nearly 40 percent thus far this year over last.

Some call the CX-3 the brightest of the bunch in the glowing market; others insist Mazda must, in order to gain that rating, add a turbocharger beneath its hood.

The CX-3 isn’t as tough-looking as the Jeep Renegade and perhaps not as good-looking as the Honda HR-V.

It’s stylish, though, in its own right; from a blunt-nose front, the CX-3’s lines flow smoothly all the way back to sweeping taillights and dual exhausts. “Sinewy” is the word used by Mazda to describe its exterior design. It rivals, at least to a degree, the Honda as “best looking.”

If its style doesn’t grab you, its lustre may. The review model I drove was finished in bright dynamic blue mica.

Others in the subcompact field, besides Mazda, Jeep and Honda, are Buick Encore, Chevrolet Trax, Fiat 500X, Mini Cooper Countryman, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, Nissan Juke and Subaru Crosstrek.

Though of somewhat sluggish performance on occasion, the CX-3 Grand Touring edition I drove was impressive in handling, with excellent balance, and high in fuel mileage. Its EPA fuel estimate is 27/32 and it averaged 29.3 mpg for my travels. Fuel-tank capacity is only 11.9 gallons.

The CX-3’s SkyActiv 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine is of 146 horsepower and torque and is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. It is built in Hiroshima, Japan. Power is modest, though the use of Sport mode and paddle shifters provide a bit of a boost and quickness in performance. Low-end performance is more than adequate; midrange is only average.

Suspension consists of front struts and rear multilink. The Mazda rides on Yokohama P215/50R18 tires. Its turning circle is slightly over 34 feet.

Enhancing a busy, colorful interior is a padded white leather strip across the front of the dash, somewhat similar to that of the Toyota RAV4. The seats are well-cushioned; contrasting their perforated white leather are black suede inserts and red stitching. Doors and console finished in black are trimmed with red leather. Rear seats are limited in legroom, though headroom is plenty.

There are two misplaced cupholders, one behind the other beneath the front-seat armrest at the rear of the center console. To access the cupholders, the armrest must be raised to an unusable straight-up position. Door pockets can be used to hold some drinks.

The Mazda falls short of others in cargo space, only 10.1 cubic feet behind the second row of seats. That increases to 42.3 feet with the second row folded.

A sticker price of $28,510 seemed reasonable for the CX-3. Included was an ActivSense package of radar cruise control, smart brake support, variable rain-sensing wipers, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and high-beam control. Also included were navigation and Bose audio, rearview camera, moonroof, heated front seats and automatic climate control.

Sticker prices on other subcompact crossovers I’ve driven have ranged from: $25,230 for a Chevrolet Trax and $25,300 for a Fiat 500X, both front-wheel-drive models, and $26,140 for a Subaru Crosstrek AWD to $30,075 for a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk AWD and $32,230 for a Buick Encore AWD.

So the Mazda CX-3’s $28.5K price falls right in the middle. It is the smallest of all the competitors, weighing in at 2,960 pounds, with wheelbase of 101.2 inches, overall length 168.3, width 69.6 and it stands 60.9 inches tall.

The lengthy Poudre Canyon drive all the way to Gould, then north a bit, was the test track recently for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLS550 4Matic.

Aspen leaves along the way were turning yellow and gold and orange; too early, though, to throw snow at the refreshed all-wheel-drive beauty. GLS is new name for Mercedes, replacing GL from previous years.

Destination was Bill Allen’s elk-hunting camp, where we loaded up Kathy Allen and bags and boxes for the return trip to Greeley. Bill Allen remained on the hunt through the week.

The Mercedes may be the best of the big guys of sport utility vehicles. The short, though impressive, list of full-size luxury SUVs with three rows include, besides the GLS, the Audi Q7, Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti QX80, Lexus LX570, Lincoln Navigator and the combination of Range Rover/Land Rover LR4/Range Rover Sport.

The GLS550’s climbs are effortless with the twin-turboed V-8 and 9-speed automatic. The 4.7-liter biturbo kicks out 449 horsepower (an increase of 20 from last year) and 516 pound-feet of torque – plenty of performance and all-wheel-drive, too. The new 9G-Tronic transmission kept rpm relatively low in most driving situations.

The climb to the top of Cameron Pass was done mostly in the Comfort driving mode, which is the default mode. For the long descent return, I opted for the more spirited Sport mode, including use of paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

That was the most effective use, exemplary I’d say, of the GLS’s electronic stability control/curve control/lane-keeping assist of any I’ve driven through the mountain country. Heading into several sharp curves with the cruise set at 50 to 60 miles per hour, the control system instantaneously braked and slowed the SUV’s speed by 10 mph while assisting the steering effort (guarding against understeer) either right or left, as the curves dictated.

Up to 12.5 inches of ground clearance is possible with the GLS’s retuned Airmatic air suspension.

Diamond-quilted Nappa leather seats are heated and cooled in the front row and heated in the second row. Third-row seating is among the roomiest and most comfortable of any in the full-size category. With all three rows of seats in place, rear cargo space measures 16 cubic feet; power-fold the third row and that expands to 49 feet. Narrow running boards on either side of the long vehicle are positioned so tight to the body underside as to leave little usable foot-step room atop the board.

A $5,400 Bang & Olufsen audio system, including 14 speakers and use of acoustic lens technology at each of the A pillars, enhanced the cabin. While enjoying the surround sound, the driver may chill or warm the cupholder and its drink.

The Mercedes’ overall  length of 201.6 inches is 1 ½ inches longer than the Audi Q7; it stands 6-feet high and weighs in at 5,300 pounds.

Newest feature on the amenity-laden GLS is a Remote Parking Pilot, an app when downloaded onto the owner’s smartphone permits the driver to exit the vehicle, and with use of the smartphone guide it without driver into or out of a tight parking space.

All this dressing pushed sticker price of the Mercedes to $110,565, from a base price of $93,850.