Holiday Drive 2021: Boulder County

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DECEMBER 2021

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DRIVE TIME: WHAT TO CONSIDER IF YOU’RE BUYING A CAR IN 2022

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AUTO INSURANCE TIPS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Trends

DECEMBER 2021

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DETROIT’S NEXT BIG IDEA: TINY TRUCKS

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THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE INVASION IS ALREADY HERE

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BOULDER COUNTY NORTHERN COLORADO CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brittany Anas Darian Armer Linda Thorsen Bond Emma Castleberry Kathleen Duff Keith Naughton Larry Printz Kyle Stock Andy Stonehouse John Teehan Darren Thornberry

MANAGING EDITOR/DESIGNER Greg Stone ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Julie Casper Susan Giglio Thais Hafer Desirea Martinez To ni McNeill Chuck Willett ADVERTISING DIRECTORS Christine Labozan, Mary Romano Jill Stravolemos

BEST WAYS TO KEEP YOUR CAR CLEAN THIS WINTER

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HYUNDAI SANTA CRUZ PICKUP

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FOUNDATIONS HYUNDAI OF BOULDER

Drive is an advertising feature published by the Boulder Daily Camera, Greeley Tribune, Longmont Times-Call and Loveland Reporter-Herald. ©2021.All Rights Reserved. Prairie Mountain Media.

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Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call

The must see highly anticipated 2022 Nissan Frontier is in stock today.

MODERN – TOUGH – FUN • Class Leading 310 Horsepower + 6,720 LB Max Towing Capability • Zero Gravity Front Seats • Standard Apple Carplay / Android Auto • Available Wireless Charging Pad & Nissan Connect WIFI • Available Intelligent Cruise Control

• Standard Automatic Emergency Braking With Pedestrian Detection • Standard Trailer Sway Control • 9 Inch Color Touch Screen Display • Available Factory Spray In Bedliner With LED Bed Lighting

2285 28th Street, Boulder, CO 80301 • 303-443-8110 November 2021

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buying guide

Drive Time: What to Consider if You’re Buying a Car in 2022 Brittany Anas Drive Colorado

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f it’s been a while since you’ve bought a car, much has changed.

First, the exciting news: The auto industry is amid a major transformation, and shifting green with the growth of electric-vehicle manufacturing. Many automakers are eager to debut the latest in EV technology in their forthcoming lineup of vehicles.

But, now some more cautionary news: If you’re planning to buy a vehicle, arm yourself with 4

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some patience. For nearly two years, a lack of computer chips has been challenging the auto industry, delaying auto shipments and leading to more expensive vehicles. COVID also shut down manufacturing plants, which further compounded the supply chain woes.

We checked in with local dealerships to find out the auto trends that are on the horizon and how they’ll affect drivers. Here, a roadmap for car buying in 2022.

BUYERS WILL NEED TO PLAN AHEAD The chip shortage alone could result in 1.28 million fewer

vehicles being made in the United States in 2021, according to the Alliance for Auto Innovation, a trade group representing automakers.

Buyers will need to be patient and plan ahead for their next vehicle purchase, explains Ted Christiano at Boulder Nissan.

“If you are leasing a vehicle you should start researching your next vehicle roughly six months ahead of time since the supply is still very low for new models,” he says. “Placing a custom order with your dealer will be your best bet to secure the vehicle you are most interested in.”

Supply chain issues have affected

all areas of the car industry, says Troy Mewis, general manager at Valley Nissan Mitsubishi in Longmont.

“We believe the worst is behind us but the days of having hundreds of new vehicles on the lots are gone,” Mewis says. “Nissan has strategically prioritized building their most in demand vehicles like the all new Frontier, Pathfinder and Rogue.”

Inventory volumes should continue to increase over the next 12 months, he says.

COMMUTES ARE BACK After months of working from home, daily commutes are once Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call

again something to contend with.

To smooth out the road ahead, Nissan has developed an upgraded cruise control called ProPilot assist, Mewis says.

“It essentially will drive the vehicle for you,” he says. “It uses cameras and sensors to follow the car in front of you at a distance that you can set.” It also has steering controls.

GREEN VEHICLES ARE ALL THE RAGE Green vehicles are the future, with more than 70 million EVs on the road by 2030, according to a McKinsey & Company report.

Throughout Colorado, dealerships are excited about their new vehicles, including some hybrid and EV models.

The all new 100 percent electric Nissan Ariya crossover SUV just began its reservation process, says Christiano.

November 2021

“This is an exciting new model for consumers and it meets the needs of so many Coloradoans with it’s available all wheel drive and extended range,” he says.

At Valley Nissan Mitsubishi in Longmont, the Frontier and Pathfinder have been really well received by the public.

The dealership is also extremely excited about the all new all electric crossover the Ariya, with reservations now open.

At McDonald Toyota in Greeley, director Jessica Zumbrun expects the new 2022 Tundra will take center stage next year.

“There’s been a lot of buzz from Tundra fans for a very long time and we hope to see the first ones hit the streets in Greeley and Northern Colorado in late December or early 2022,” she says.

“We have units already allocated and available. Plus we will have

the all-new Hybrid powertrain model that will arrive in late spring.”

Also, the bZ4X is an allelectric vehicle arriving in 2022, Zumbrun says. “It’s roughly the size of the RAV4 and will offer AWD capabilities, so we know it will become a popular model very quickly here in Northern Colorado,” she says.

For 2022, the Prius Prime and RAV4 Prime are both plug-in hybrids and can operate in EV mode only, but also have efficient gas engines, Zumbrun says.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A GREEN VEHICLE If you’re interested in an electric vehicle in 2022, there’s a few things to consider before heading into the dealership, says Nigel Zeid, an independent EV educator.

“The first thing I ask people is: How far is your drive on your longest day?” Zeid says. Most EVs get at least a 200-mile range.

Other things to take into consideration include whether you can plug in at home (some apartment complexes don’t have charging stations) and at work.

You can also look into what kind of rebates you may qualify for if you’re investing in an electric vehicle, Zeid says. (To learn more, visit evtransformotion.com).

If you’re new to electric vehicles, leasing may be a good choice. It allows you to test out a model as technology advances over the next few years, with higher-powered batteries on the horizon.

While energy costs for hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles are generally lower than for similar conventional vehicles, the upfront purchase price can be significantly higher.

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buying guide

202 2 RIV IAN R1T

2022 Automotive Preview Electrics, big updates add to a star-studded lineup of new vehicles

Andy Stonehouse Drive Colorado

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fter an admittedly unusual couple of years, automotive enthusiasts have a lot of new options ahead on the new car horizon – provided the production delays and chip shortages that have 6

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dogged the industry can finally start getting models to the showroom floor.

Supply chain issues aside, the 2022 model year promises an impressive array of new technology, some major updates to favorite models and the continued expansion of allelectric and hybrid models across both existing and brand-new automotive companies. Here’s an overview, with some additional insight from local dealers.

2022 RIVIAN R1T

Appearing as solid competition to both Tesla and traditional truck makers, the Americanbuilt Rivian R1T pickup is a revolutionary and extremely user-friendly truck which just happens to have an all-electric range of 314 miles – plus a quad-motor system that can tow up to 11,000 pounds and hit 60 mph in three seconds.

Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call

Get surprisingly great Auto rates.

2022 TOYOTA TUNDRA 2022 TOYOTA TUNDRA

Another iconic pickup – built in America, but crafted with Japanese build quality – also appears in highly revised form, this year.

“The Tundra hasn’t seen a redesign since 2014, so we know there are many, many fans waiting to catch a glimpse of the new look in person,” said Jessica Zumbrun, director, with McDonald Toyota in Greeley. “We’re expecting to see the 2022 Tundra hit the streets in Northern Colorado in late December or early January. The 2022 Tundra has a completely new look and will have a new hybrid option, three bed options, plus two, four-door cab sizes. We know there is high demand, so if you

want one for yourself, we suggest getting on our customer list.”

2023 BZ4X SUV CONCEPT

Toyota may have revolutionized the hybrid world with its Prius family, but the news of a first mass-market all-electric Toyota will likely stir some interest – especially as the vehicle has been co-developed with Subaru, which will have its own version, called the Solterra. “The bZ4X is an allelectric vehicle arriving in 2022,” Zumbrun says. “It’s roughly the size of the RAV4 and will offer AWD capabilities, so we know it will become a popular model very quickly here in Northern Colorado.”

Here’s the deal, ever yone loves a good surprise — especially when it comes to saving money.

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Tammy Sandoval, Agent 1400 28th Street, Boulder, CO 80303 Bus: 303-494-4700

2023 BZ4X SUV CONCEPT November 2021

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2022 NISSA N FRONT IER

202 3 NIS SAN Z 2022 SUBARU BRZ

Subaru’s popular old-school race machine at long last gets a small but significant power boost, as well as a much-refreshed design. A new 2.4-liter non-turbo Boxer engine delivers 228 horsepower of rear-wheel-drive sports car fun, with seating for four.

2022 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

Hyundai’s already capable, family-friendly SUV gets a more rough and rugged look in the special XRT edition. Front and rear skid plates, black roof rails and wheels and darkened lower front and rear fascia – plus side moldings and steps – transform the look entirely.

an extremely capable PRO-4X off-road model really do revolutionize this popular truck. “The Frontier was well overdue for a new facelift and technology upgrades but it got so much more than just that,” explains Ted Christiano, general manager at Boulder Nissan. “With the new drivetrain, upgraded seats and a suite of safety features the truck is now night and day from its predecessor. We are getting interest from all types of buyers from many other brands now taking a serious interest in the new 2022 Frontier.”

Toyota Supra or even the Chevrolet Corvette.

“The 2023 Nissan Z is sending a refreshing buzz through the sports car world and with its retro design, Nissan/Datsun purists are getting lined up to place their orders,” Christiano says.

“The Nissan dealer network is also anticipating a recovery of sales of the iconic Z that hasn’t been present for many years.”

2022 HYUNDAI TUCSON

An all-new machine with brawnier, updated looks, 310 horses of competitive V-6 power and

For generations, sports car enthusiasts have loved the Japanese Z family. And with a very stylish and powerful presentation, the 400-horsepower 2023 Nissan Z promises to be a solid contender against models such as the

The larger Tucson gets an updated interior and its version of the new Hyundai front face and light design, plus engine options including a standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder or a new 1.6-liter turbo engine. There will be both hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric versions, as well as the off-road oriented XRT model and upscale N Line model.

Visit your local auto dealer

Foundation Hyundai of Boulder 2555 30th St., Boulder 303.442.1 114, hyundaiofboulder.com

Valley Subaru 1800 Industrial Circle, Longmont, 720.539.7321, valleysubaru.com

BOULDER Boulder Nissan 2285 28th St., Boulder 303.443.8110, bouldernissan.com

LONGMONT Valley Nissan 1005 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, 303.586.2862, valleynissan.com

GREELEY McDonald Toyota 4732 W. 26th St., Greeley, 970.339.3900, mcdonaldtoyotagreeley.com

2022 NISSAN FRONTIER

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2023 NISSAN Z

Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call

insurance

AUTO INSURANCE TIPS:

Everything You Need to Know reckless driving, accidents, and other moving violations will experience higher rates than drivers with clean records. Do everything you can to be a safe, sensible driver.

MAINTAIN A GOOD CREDIT HISTORY A good credit score can go a long way in getting you the best rate for your car insurance. Bad credit could end up with you with more than double the insurance rates a person with good credit would receive.

John Teehan Drive Colorado

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veryone wants the best car insurance they can get for the best price available. Depending on various factors, the cost of premiums and what you can get covered can vary considerably.

Whether you’re looking to purchase new insurance, or are up for renewal, here are some things to know about getting the lowest possible rate while not sacrificing effective coverage.

LOOK AT VARIOUS INSURANCE PROVIDERS Different insurance companies will offer different rates for November 2021

different types of drivers. Before settling on the first insurance company you call, take some time to call around to several providers with your information and see who is offering you the best coverage or deal.

CONSIDER INSURANCE RATES BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR CAR The type of car you drive has an impact on the rate you receive.

Factors include price, cost of repairs, the likelihood of theft, and its overall safety record. Also, some insurers will offer discounts depending on a vehicle’s safety features and anti-theft measures.

BE A SAFE DRIVER Drivers with a history of fast or

BUNDLE YOUR INSURANCE WITH A SINGLE COMPANY Most insurers will offer you a discount if you acquire two or more insurance policies with them. It’s not uncommon for an individual or family with more than one car to have policies for each with the same insurance company. Many people don’t realize that having a homeowner’s policy with the same company can also help get you a discount on vehicle insurance.

LOOK INTO GROUP INSURANCE Some insurance companies offer rate reductions to drivers who sign up for insurance through an employer-provided group plan.

You can often find group plans from certain professional groups

and alumni associations. Check with any groups you belong to and see what they may have available.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION There are numerous resources available to you online such as the Insurance Information Institute (iii.org) or an insurance agent near you who understands the insurance needs of northern Coloradans. Tammy Sandoval has been with State Farm Insurance since 1995 and is an active member of the Boulder community. She can get you the information you need to make an informed decision about what’s best for you, your family, and your vehicles.

Tammy Sandoval State Farm Insurance 1400 28th St., Suite 1, Boulder, 303.494.4700, tammysandoval.com DRIVE

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1800 Industrial Circle Longmont, CO 80501

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Big Enough to Serve You, ou, But Small Enough to know k You Y *Subaru will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased from November 18, 2021 through ough January 3, 2022, to four national charities designated ated by the purchaser or lessee. Pre-approved Pre approved Hometown Charities may be selected for donation depending on retailer participation. For every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased during the campaign period, participating retailers will donate a minimum of $50 in total to their registered

Big Enough to Serve You, But Small Enough to know You • DON’T WORRY BE VALLEY 10

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Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call

Hometown Charities. Routine service visit consists of any visit that includes customer payment of $5 or greater or any service that includes a genuine Subaru oil filter. SOA will donate $2 and the Retailer will donate $3 for a total donation of $5 to be divided between each registered hometown charity. Purchasers/lessees must make their charity designations by January 3, 2022. The four national charities will receive a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000 each. See your local Subaru retailer for details or visit subaru.com/share. All donations made by Subaru of America, Inc.

November 2021

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trends

Detroit’s Next Big Idea: Tiny Trucks

The 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT and 2L-EcoBoost AWD Lariat. (Photo: Ford/TNS).

Kyle Stock and Keith Naughton Bloomberg News (TNS)

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.S. Army Staff Sergeant Trevor McKinnon decided to buy a new car slowly and then all at once.

In a matter of days, he had to call on his boyfriend’s parents to shuttle a water heater and he read a review of the Maverick, a pint-sized pickup truck – the newest new thing from Ford Motor Co. “I got on cars.com and saw that there was one Maverick for sale in all of Colorado Springs,” he recalled. “I drove over there and bought it that day.”

McKinnon, 26, doesn’t ski or camp; he doesn’t ply a trade or even drive off road. But he is a first-time homeowner and is thrilled to no longer ratchet-strap furniture to the roof of his 2018 Ford Focus. What’s more, his “cactus gray” Maverick is just as efficient, consistently logging 28 miles per gallon of gasoline.

Having supersized its trucks and killed off many of its regular, car-shaped vehicles (including the Focus that McKinnon traded in), the U.S. auto industry is playing an old hit with 12

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tiny pickups. The same types of fuel-sipping work rigs that gained momentum after the gas crisis of the 1970s, are having a renaissance today, as young buyers fret over the climate crisis and confront piles of student debt.

Jim Baumbick, Ford’s vice president of product line management, said the company sees small trucks as “an untapped opportunity” – precious so-called white space in an auto industry jammed with SUVs of all shapes and sizes. Ford had been closely eyeing the market for starter vehicles, Baumbick said, and saw “a lot of competitors and a lot of customers” but not a lot of trucks. “When you make a list of things you can do in a truck that you can’t do in a car,” he said, “the list gets really long.”

In addition to Ford’s Maverick, Hyundai recently launched the Santa Cruz, an even more modest rig that looks like a small sport utility vehicle with a hot tub bolted on the back. In developing the machine, which is being made in Alabama, Hyundai tacticians did more research in America than they have on nearly any vehicle, according to Gil Castillo, senior group manager of product strategy. They didn’t find many disgruntled pickup drivers, but they did discover a large crowd of people

driving compact crossover SUVs who yearned for more cargo space. These are the mountain bikers of San Francisco and Brooklyn’s stripedbass fiends, the soccer dads and ski moms of the suburbs and the DIY, HGTV fans all over America.

“We don’t really think of our vehicle as a pickup truck,” Castillo explained. “When you look at the size of the compact SUV market … we realized it wouldn’t take that many people interested in a solution like the Santa Cruz to reach some significant sales.”

Forecaster LMC Automotive sees the compact-pickup market in the U.S. growing to as many as 200,000 vehicles a year by middecade. It also expects Toyota will get back in the tiny-truck game, and possibly General Motors. GM declined to comment.

“This is a segment that has legs,” said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting at LMC. “Millennials are interested in the utility of a pickup and the flexibility of having that open bed, whether you’re using it as a lifestyle truck or making trips to the hardware store.”

Chris Cuellar, a computer scientist in Albuquerque, New Mexico, just bought a nearly fully loaded $39,000 Maverick in a blue-gray Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call

color called “Area 51 Blue” to add to his family fleet, which also includes a Ford Focus compact car and a Honda Odyssey minivan.

“If you would have asked me two years ago if I’d ever own a truck, I would have told you you’re crazy,” Cuellar said. “But then as life catches up, you’re a homeowner, you start having to do yard work, you need to make a Home Depot run and you realize your Ford Focus isn’t cutting it anymore.” The major selling point: the Maverick can fit all three of his kids’ car seats.

Matt Meredith’s YouTube videos about customizing his new Maverick have garnered 60,000 views in the past two weeks.

The attention helps drum up ad revenue and business for Meredith’s company, Bullseye Custom Autos.

The Air Force veteran spends much of his time tuning his two F-150s for the racetrack, but the Maverick has taken over his dayto-day driving: hauling headlights and other gear to trade shows and serving as a loaner for clients. Last year, Meredith logged 46,000 miles in his bigger Ford pickups, so he expects his fuel savings to be significant.

“I’ve beaten the ever-loving crap out of it and I’m still averaging well more than 23 miles per gallon,” he said. “It’s extremely useful.”

Maverick engineers traded an attic’s worth of cargo capacity for the option of parallel parking on a tight urban block — it’s almost three feet shorter than its full-sized sibling. They swapped jumbojet towing stunts for a hybrid engine that goes up to 42 miles on a gallon. And they nixed the go-anywhere chassis of the F-150 for the unibody frame of its small Escape SUV, a far smoother ride on a paved road. The dashboard is a cheap composite, but Apple CarPlay is standard.

The decisions let the carmaker November 2021

engineer a modest window sticker, with a starting price under $20,000. “Entry level does not mean cheap. It means affordable,” said Baumbick.

Hyundai’s Santa Cruz, meanwhile, is even more diminutive, four inches shorter and nearly three inches narrower.

The rig, which starts just shy of $24,000, is dubbed a “Sport Adventure Vehicle” by the suits in South Korea. Unlike the Ford’s boxy build, it’s a suite of sinuous curves, akin to a contemporary SUV with a chunk chopped out of the rear.

“We couldn’t just design something that looked like a traditional truck but smaller,” Castillo said. Getting the look and capabilities right was tricky, but Hyundai did have a playbook of sorts.

In the wake of the 1970s gas crisis, automakers launched several tiny trucks as a cheap set of wheels for first-time buyers. These included the Chevy S-10, a Ford Ranger that was much smaller than the current version and the Toyota pickup in North America (known as Hilux in international markets). It was the inspiration for the yellow Pizza Planet pickup in the Toy Story movies, with a tailgate featuring only the letters “YO”. The Chevy S-10 became the foundation of the first compact SUV in America in 1983, the S-10 Blazer.

Gas prices eventually swooned and changing tastes sent compact pickups to the scrap heap, ultimately replaced by larger and pricier midsize trucks, including the “Taco,” Toyota’s top-selling Toyota Tacoma. GM rolled out two midsized pickups in late 2014, the Chevy Colorado and the GMC Sierra. Ford followed in 2018 with its reborn Ranger – it’d been off the market for seven years. And Jeep gave its Wrangler the truck

treatment with its Gladiator, which hit dealers in early 2019.

Launching a smaller, cheaper vehicle is a fraught exercise. The risk is that it will lure buyers who would otherwise have bought the bigger, more profitable machine – what consultants call cannibalization. Critically, this didn’t happen when Detroit unleashed its parade of midsized trucks nearly a decade ago. Sales of its half-ton moneymakers continued to swell steadily, suggesting the industry had tapped an entirely new crowd of buyers.

Ford sold 4,140 Mavericks in October, its first full month on sale, and it has 100,000 nonbinding reservations, roughly the number of F-150s it sells in seven weeks. In August and September, Hyundai sold nearly 3,000 Santa Cruz pickups. The rig is poised to zoom past the company’s traditional cars. Between 2014 and

2019, U.S. sales of midsized trucks surged 155% to 639,000. In the same period, the market for fullsized pickups increased by 20%. It was a nifty bit of product planning and if it worked going from large to medium, maybe it can going from medium to small.

LMC sees Ford selling 50,000 to 60,000 Mavericks a year and Hyundai may sell between 30,000 and 40,000 of the Santa Cruz.

When Toyota enters the market, it will challenge Ford for bragging rights, Schuster said. GM is taking a “wait and see” approach, Schuster said, but it’s likely to join the fray if the segment takes off.

For now, the Maverick and Santa Cruz have the budding market to themselves. “There’s always that risk when you’re trying to develop something that isn’t quite here and isn’t quite there,” Castillo said. “But it seems like the market’s getting it.”

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The Electric Vehicle Invasion ...is already here The Volvo C40 Recharge. (Volvo/TNS)

Kyle Stock Bloomberg News (TNS)

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ntil recently, car companies not named Tesla had a general stance on electric vehicles: We’ll start making them en masse, when people start buying them en masse.

The late Fiat-Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne went so far as to implore drivers not to buy his company’s seminal electric Fiat; the unit economics were so poor, he reasoned, that he lost money on every sale ($14,000 by Marchionne’s math).

Well, people are buying electric vehicles now, partly because the climate is simmering closer to a boil and partly because the auto industry is finally making appealing battery-powered machines in volume. Ultimately, the whither and why is less important than the what.

Drivers around the world will buy about 5.6 million electric passenger vehicles this year, according to a new report from BloombergNEF released in concert with the COP26 United 14

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Nations Climate Change Conference. That’s almost double the number purchased last year and, more importantly, it represents almost 8% of all vehicle sales.“We are seeing some more organic demand for EVs,” Aleksandra O’Donovan, one of the BNEF analysts who authored the report, commented via email.

Among the factors affecting this rise: “One, the wider choice of electric vehicles now available to customers, and even more importantly, vehicles addressing those sought after segments like the SUVs,” O’Donovan said.

Also, EV sales are 20% or more of total vehicle sales for several European automakers, including Volvo and Daimler. And there are more than 500 models of EVs and fuel cell vehicles available for sale today — just six years ago, that figure was under 100.

Charging often has been cited as the reason why adoption wasn’t happening more quickly.

But the narrative around the dearth of public charging infrastructure creating a bottleneck to EV adoption also is set to change, as consumers more and more are taking matters into their own hands. Garages and parking lots will see some 2.1 million vehicle chargers installed this

year, according to the BNEF report, a 63% increase over the number of private plugs at the start of the year.

Meanwhile, electric motors are being put to work, in trucks, buses and tractors.

BloombergNEF expects commercial buyers to purchase 150,000 electric vehicles this year, also nearly double last year’s tally. Stretching how far these machines can travel between charges plus predictable drive cycles and relatively low maintenance costs increasingly tilt the economics in favor of things like electric mail trucks and battery-powered flower delivery vans.

BNEF’s O’Donovan’s cautions there still is work to be done to get road transport on a path to a net-zero fleet by 2050. “Sales of combustion vehicles need to essentially stop around 2035,” she said. “Automakers accounting for only 19% of the global passenger vehicle market have stated their intentions to stop selling ICE vehicles by then.”

Indeed, it will be years before electric vehicles outsell their gas-powered siblings. But change, as they say, happens very slowly and then all at once. And it’s no longer happening slowly.

Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call

maintenance

Best Ways to Keep Your Car Clean This Winter

Winter car care tips

KATHLEEN DUFF Drive Colorado

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inter is tough on vehicles. Whether you drive a rugged four-wheeldrive truck or a trusted passenger sedan, the season’s ice, snow and sludge can do plenty of damage.

Ignoring a vehicle in the winter can be costly, leading to chipped paint and corrosion that need to be repaired. If not addressed, those issues can decrease the usable life and the resale value of cars and trucks.

“The question I get all the time is, ‘Should I wash my vehicle in the winter?’” said Wade Keith, brand manager and part-owner of Breeze Thru Car Wash. “My answer is absolutely. In fact, I’d say wash it more often.”

Keith said magnesium chloride and other substances applied to Colorado’s highways to foster ice melt can stick to a vehicle. If left unchecked, the chemicals, along with abrasives such as dirt and sand, can damage a vehicle’s paint.

“It cakes on your car, creating chipped areas; it can erode parts of your car faster,” he said.

Pressure washing is particularly important.

Breeze Thru offers various package options, including an Unlimited Wash Pass, in which customers can wash their vehicles as many times as they want for one monthly price.

“A one-pass will get your car cleaner, but if you wash more frequently, the more you do it, the better,” Keith said. “A lot of folks, if they buy the retail wash, will wait until the roads are dry before they clean their vehicle. But the benefit of having a wash membership pass is November 2021

to go through the wash multiple times while the weather is bad to keep it clean longer.”

That practice is particularly important for the undercarriage of a vehicle. Often neglected because it is out of sight, the undercarriage is where corrosives can cause the most damage.

“Again, a pressure washer is your best option. If you do a lot of winter driving, especially in the mountains, it’s important to clean that out.”

To reduce wear, the car-wash industry has introduced a new type of wax called ceramics, Keith explained.

“We’ve introduced the ceramic in our top package called the Premium Shine. You can see the difference; it provides a lot better protection. The good thing is that it adds an extra layer against bugs, and bugs are hard to remove,” he said. “I wax my car before snowstorms to protect the exterior.”

And that’s just the outside. Cold weather can be equally damaging to the inside of vehicles. Keith recommends all-weather mats that can be removed and washed.

“They are really a good idea if you have kids and dogs,” he said.

• Use a product such as Windex on windows to ensure that snow and ice slide off more completely.

• Check windshield wiper levels prior to traveling.

• Consider packing a car care kit for the winter, including extra windshield wiper fluid, soft cloths, a bag of kitty litter to provide traction beneath stuck tires, flashlight, blankets and jumper cables • Don’t forget to winterize boats and other recreational equipment. Wash them thoroughly before storing them for the winter.

• Clean interiors after every trip or event. Vacuum often. Try running a damp cloth across upholstery where dogs or cats have been to remove short hairs.

Breeze Thru Car Wash, 1213 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, 303.834.8387; 2025 Main Street, Longmont, 720.491.3727, breezethrucarwash.com.

Washed Up Car Wash, 1876 Hover St., Longmont, 303.532.4365, washedupcarwash.com DRIVE

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gift ideas

GIFT Gideas

for auto enthusiasts

DARIAN ARMER Drive Colorado

M

ake sure to put S-Cargo Truck Caps on your list of places to Christmas shop this year. From in-laws to friends, look no further for the perfect gift for anyone on your list.

FOR THE ORGANIZER — WEATHERTECH CUPFONE The WeatherTech CupFone is a unique device holder that fits in the space of a cup holder. The CupFone is resizable so it fits in most any car or cup holder. The CupFone has storage in the middle, so no more loose change rattling around the car.

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FOR THE VERTICALLY CHALLENGED – THE MOKI DOOR STEP Originally launched on Shark Tank, the Moki Door Step pops into almost any vehicle’s door latch system to provide a step up to your car’s roof rack. It easily pops in and out so you can use it and then quickly stash and store it under the seat when not in use.

FOR SOMEONE WITH KIDS – KIDS TRAVEL TRAY If you’re a parent yourself, you might wind up gifting the Kids Travel Tray to yourself. The tray secures behind a car seat and helps corral toys and snacks. Don’t dread long holiday car trips anymore.

Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call

maintenance FOR THE OUTDOORSMAN – OVERLAND VEHICLE SYSTEMS COLLAPSIBLE SHOVEL The light weight, packable and military-inspired design of this collapsible shovel makes it the perfect gift for the off-roading outdoorsman in your life. Whether stuck in the snow or putting out a campfire, the Overland Vehicle Systems Collapsible Shovel packs down nice and small to make an inexpensive stocking stuff ffeer.

FOR THE PET LOVER – THE WEATHERTECH PETRAMP For smaller pets, or older ones who just need a paw up, the WeatherTech PetRamp is a good way to give dogs or other pets a better trajectory to get into a taller vehicle. Its skid-resistant surface provides good footing for pets while its lightweight plastic material is easy to stow while still holding up to 300 pounds.

For more great gift ideas, visit S-Cargo Truck Caps online at scargotruckcaps.com.

Home, Sweet Home.

At Home Colorado presents engaging content about homes, from buying and selling to improvement, landscaping and design. It also features homes for sale, open house listings and local real estate news.

Look for it Fridays in the Boulder Daily Camera and Saturdays in the Longmont Times-Call or visit AtHomeColorado.com.

For advertising information call Thais Hafer 303.473.1456, Toni McNeill 303.684.5929 or Mary Romano 303.473.1450.

November 2021

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auto review

Hyundai Santa Cruz Pickup ... Where SUVs Leave Off The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz compact pickup. (Photo: Mark Phelan/Detroit Free Press/TNS).

Henry Payne The Detroit News (TNS)

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – And now for something completely different.

The segment-busting 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup is the first of its kind – a unibodybased, head-turning Swiss Army knife with many tools for many chores. Did I say pickup?

Hyundai prefers the term Sport Adventure Vehicle because Santa Cruz is truly a different animal.

“I think this segment is the new hot hatch,” said Hyundai Test and Development manager Chahe Apelian of a compact SUV segment that will soon include the Ford Maverick and maybe entrants from Ram and VW. That’s music to my ears as I was an early buyer of the segment-busting 1984 VW Golf GTI, the original hot hatch. An enthusiast’s compact.

Since then, hot hatches have become the most versatile vehicle in autodom with utility and performance at an affordable price. Though hardly volume sellers compared to their peers, they attract passionate lifestyle buyers who turn brand missionaries.

In addition to the GTI, today’s hot hatch segment includes all-stars like the Golf R, Mazda 3 Turbo and Hyundai Veloster N (soon to be 18

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replaced by the Kona N).

As Americans have pivoted to utes and trucks, the Santa Cruz offers similar benefit to adventure-minded SUV buyers. Think lifestyle enthusiasts like Subaru Outback or Jeep Compass customers.

Start with Santa Cruz’s centerpiece: – The bed. As hatch is to Golf GTI utility, the bed is to Santa Cruz.

Unlike traditional pickups which option multi-length beds, the Cruz tub is fully integrated into the chassis design. Ladder-frame truck beds are clearly tacked onto the cabin so they can be swapped out for a bigger unit during assembly. Cruz’s bed is a natural extension of the vehicle’s lines. Hey, it’s not a Mercedes, but it makes for a leaner, more sinewy profile that is pleasing to the eye.

Then the bed gets down to basics: soft-drop tailgate, sub-bed storage, drainage plug, side-wall storage, LED lights, utility rails. All standard. In a vehicle starting at $24,000 – well under a midsize pickup class where you’ll be hard-pressed to find standard goodies. Built in ‘Bama, Cruz was designed on Cali’s surfer coast with Yanks in mind. It even copies Chevy Silverado’s corner steps to help you lay your surfboard in the bed.

Like hot hatches, pickups are generally boy toys, but I’m betting these features will make Santa Cruz a chick magnet, too. Wee Mrs. Payne

is terrified of free-falling tailgates, but soft-drop reassures. And on a trip to the grocer (or the park to barbecue), it’s a no-brainer to throw your meats ‘n’ drinks into the sub-bed locker with a bag of ice. When you arrive at your destination, pull the plug to drain the water.

The icing on the cake is the tonneau cover.

Lockable, water-resistant and easy to slide, it’s the answer to every pickup buyer’s prayers – a retractable cover that instantly turns the bed into a trunk to protect your stuff from the elements.

Not standard, but worth the $3,270 upgrade that includes 115-volt plug in rear, sunroof, sliding rear window and more.

The sub-bed is also perfect for muddy kids cleats and jerseys – indeed, the whole idea of a bed on the back of an SUV is to keep smells and dirt separated from the cabin.

The 4-foot bed does come with compromises.

You won’t be hauling ATVs back there. Indeed, the bed can’t even swallow a bicycle whole, necessitating that you throw the front tire over the tailgate to fit it in. That, naturally, means you have to buy a Hyundai accessory to protect the tailgate (or just throw a thick rug over it).

For those who want to drag their ATV to the Outback, you’ll need to buy a trailer. With that in mind, Hyundai ambitiously, obsessively benchmarked to the Honda Ridgeline (a segment bigger and the only other SUV-based unibody pickup) with 5,000-pound towing capability. Nice.

For more typical use cases of loading mulch, cinderblock, furniture ... Santa Cruz also has a Ridgeline-like payload of 1,900 pounds.

– It’s a compact SUV. Just as GTI shares a skeleton with the VW Golf, so is the Santa Cruz a Tucson with a bed. Tucson, also new this year, has immediately gone to the top of the SUV class in my book with its Lambo looks, clever interior and tight handling.

Male and female alike will find this pleasing for metro errands where even midsize pickups can feel big.

Around the crowded San Francisco Bay Area, Cruz was as easy to park as, well, a Tucson. That compact size shows in back, and my 6-foot-5inch frame’s legs were jammed into the back of the front seat when I tried to sit behind myself.

Normal-size folks will be more comfortable – and there’s sub-seat storage space to boot.

– It’s a looker. The GTI and Mazda 3 Turbo hatches are eye-catching. Cruz, too. When I say the Cruz is a Tucson with a bed, I mean outside and inside. Teased waaaay back at the 2016 Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call

Detroit Auto Show as a prototype, Santa Cruz was a long time coming as Hyundai developed an architecture that could meet the pickup’s needs.

Hyundai has bold styling ambitions, and Tucson/Santa Cruz’s triangle-themed design is unique.

The state-of-the-art interior boasts the same pluses and minuses as Tucson. I love its simplicity with two all-digital screens running the show and twin lines wrapping the cabin.

The latter is made possible by ditching the instrument display screen’s hood (credit a bright LCD display). Dude, it’s cool.

Hyundai jumps the shark by continuing that simplicity to a touchscreen without volume dials which occupants will miss. At least the driver can control volume with a steering-wheel button. It’s hard to be mad when Santa Cruz comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

– Fun to drive. OK, the high-riding (8.6inch) Cruz is no hot hatch on road, but it can cut some rug. The 2022 Nissan Frontier is the best-handling ladder-frame truck I’ve driven thanks to clever suspension and cabin

dealer spotlight John Teehan Drive Colorado

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hen you’re looking for a car, you don’t want just any car dealership.

You want one with a proven record of exceptional customer service and forging lifelong relationships with Boulder residents.

Foundation Hyundai of Boulder is not only a business that serves drivers in and around the Boulder area but also sees itself as a part of the community.

Foundation Hyundai of Boulder assists customers with every aspect of car ownership. Customers can browse a selection of new and used Hyundais and take test drives. The experienced sales staff can assist you in finding the car November 2021

mounts – but it can’t hold a candle to the Santa Cruz. With a healthy turbocharged 281 horses under the hood (a 191-horse 4-cylinder is also capable), we danced together through the twists and turns of the Bay Area’s challenging Route 9 and had a ball.

Just, um, don’t try that with the groceries in back. Same goes for hot hatches.

2022 HYUNDAI SANTA CRUZ • Vehicle type: Front-engine, front- and all-wheel-drive, five-passenger pickup •

Price: $25,175, including $1,185 destination fee ($40,905 Limited model as tested)

(2.5L turbo) •

Performance: 0-60 mph (7.5 seconds, Car and Driver, 2.5L turbo-4); payload, 1,900 pounds; tow, 5,000 pounds

•

Weight: 2,835 pounds (manual Limited as tested)

•

Fuel economy: EPA, 19 mpg city/26 highway/22 combined (2.5L turbo-4 as tested)

REPORT CARD •

Highs: Segment-busting pickup for metro drivers; versatile bed

•

Powerplant: 2.5-liter 4-cylinder; 2.5-liter turbo-4

•

•

Power: 191 horsepower, 181 pound-feet of torque (2.5L); 281 horsepower, 311 pound-feet of torque (2.5L turbo)

Lows: Won’t fit your bike without taking wheel off; touchscreen needs buttons, please

•

Overall: 4 stars

•

Transmissions: 8-speed automatic (2.5L); 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News.

Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne. Visit at detroitnews.com.

Foundation Hyundai of Boulder

that best serves your needs, help acquire financing, and provide reliable service and repairs for any issues that might come up down the road. Foundation Hyundai is dedicated to helping drivers succeed.

WHAT MAKES FOUNDATION HYUNDAI DIFFERENT? There are a few ways the Foundation Hyundai experience differs from those one might have at another dealership. For one, their sales staff do not work on commission, so you won’t get that high-pressure, almostdesperate sales push you’d see at other dealerships. They also offer a lifetime powertrain warranty, thus offering you peace of mind while out on the road. And their vehicle purchase process is entirely transparent. There are no hidden

fees or surcharges. You can even browse and order your next vehicle online.

WHAT’S ON THE LOT Foundation Hyundai of Boulder offers a variety of both new and used Hyundai models including electric vehicles. All pre-owned cars are Hyundai certified. That means they’re high-quality and in like-new condition with a manufacturer-backed warranty.

Pre-owned vehicles are never older than five years, pass a full 173-point quality assurance inspection, and come with a clean, non-branded title as verified by a Vehicle History Report.

COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE The service center at Foundation Hyundai offers superior repair services where customer

satisfaction is a top priority. They are committed to providing the very best in repairs and service with excellent response and repair times.

With options from the MyHyundai app, you can track maintenance, view service history, schedule appointments and more.

A DEALERSHIP THAT CARES You can visit Foundation Hyundai of Boulder yourself to see how they can best serve you. Browse their selection and feel free to ask questions. They are committed to seeing you drive off with the car that is best for you.

Foundation Hyundai of Boulder 2555 30th St., Boulder, 303.442.1114, hyundaiofboulder.com DRIVE

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2555 30th St, Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 442-1114 hyundaiofboulder.com 20

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Boulder Daily Camera / Longmont Times-Call