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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

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. Greeley Tribune / Loveland Reporter-Herald

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.”

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.

2022 NISSAN FRONTIER

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

Visit your local auto dealer GREELEY McDonald Toyota 4732 W. 26th St., Greeley, 970.339.3900, mcdonaldtoyotagreeley.com 8

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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

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.

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

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

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

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

2023 NISSAN Z

Greeley Tribune / Loveland Reporter-Herald

buying guide

ASK THE EXPERT

How To Finance A Car The Smart Way

Linda Thorsen Bond Drive Colorado

uying a car doesn’t have to be an arduous process. Kristen Campbell, marketing specialist for Weld Community Credit Union, gave Drive her five top tips for buying a car: Applying for a loan is super simple. You just fill out the online form. My best tip is to have your driver’s license available so you don’t have to stop and go get it. Shop ahead of time so you know the amount you want to apply for. Figure out a general idea then November 2021

Kristen Campbell Weld Community Credit Union

you’ll know what to request. Another tip is to get preapproved so you’ll know what you can afford. First, you do an application and include a general idea of what you’re shopping for and an approximate amount that

would cost. Your application will be put through a process that will approve you for a certain amount. We’ll give you a pre-approval letter to take to the dealership, then they will send the papers to us for final approval. Be patient with the process. We work as fast as we can, but it takes a little bit of time to get everything taken care of. Be realistic. You can shoot for the moon and say you want to spend $50,000 on your first car, and we may have to bring you down to earth a little bit. That’s just part of the process. You can shoot for the moon but we’ll give you the stars. Kristen added, “You don’t have

to be a member to fill out an application. You can apply and you can get preapproved, then you would open an account with us once you’re approved. You do have to be a member of Weld Community Credit Union to get the loan. To become a member or owner of Weld CCU, you will open a savings account. They even make that attractive. Kristen said, “Minimally, you start by putting $5 in your account. When you get the loan, we will put that $5 back into your account. In addition, we will give $5 to the Guadalupe Center or to the Weld Food Bank in your name for your account, and with each new loan we will donate an additional $10.” Kristen even added a tip for saving for your dream car: “Opening a share certificate of deposit (CD) for a 3-, 6- or 12-month term will earn better interest than a regular savings. Share certificates are a great way to save for short- and long-term goals! You can add money into a certificate which will earn and save enough for a car or at least a down payment on a car. Set up an automatic transfer with each paycheck to go to the CD (or a regular savings account) which will help keep you on track for your savings goals. Weld Community Credit Union 2555 47th Ave., Greeley, 970.330.9728, weldccu.com DRIVE

trends

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

Kyle Stock Bloomberg News (TNS)

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 10

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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. Greeley Tribune / Loveland Reporter-Herald

spotlight

Frontier Access & Mobility: Finding Solutions When Ability to Travel is Diminishing Linda Thorsen Bond Drive Colorado

ichelle McMahon specializes in success stories. At Frontier Access & Mobility, she helps people find solutions when their ability to travel is diminishing. Often, she helps the person who is responsible for helping a loved one stay mobile. Michelle and the staff listen, access and educate. “We can explain the technologies for accessibility,” she said. “Some people might need a motorized scooter or one of the many kinds of wheelchairs. For many people, the modified minivan is the best solution. There is a big world of possibilities out there, and we help people find them.” Frontier Access is the only specialized company north of Denver that rents, sells

and repairs converted and modified vehicles that provide handicapped accessible solutions at prices that are often even lower than the bigger cities. “We want to build a relationship,” Michelle said. “We help with mobility and independence and we educate people to find the solution that is best for them. “ “In fact, when people find that their vehicle isn’t compatible with their changing needs, we can help them find other options,” Michelle said. “We are also a car dealer and we can find someone to buy their vehicle from them, or trade it in. We’ll say ‘This is what it costs,’ and we’ll help them see what the return will be on their investment in the equipment. We don’t want people to get injured helping their loved ones in and out of a vehicle, and we can sell the wheelchair and van that go together. A minivan, for example, goes to our conversion company and everything inside is taken out. A new floor is put on the vehicle, and that makes it a lower

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floor minivan. That opens the door height, so someone can stay in their power wheelchair, push a button, the door slides open, the vehicle kneels down to one side, and the ramp comes out. Now they can drive up the ramp and if they have a power wheelchair, they can anchor the chair to the floor of vehicle, use seat and shoulder belt, all while staying in their chair. The vehicle lift picks up the equipment, powers it up then rotates in. We can help education people to this whole new world.” She recommends the video, vantagemobility.com/ how-a-van-is-built, that shows a state-of-the art mobility van conversion featuring the latest in assembly-line technology and CAD software.

1 To have a sense of personal obligation to each customer 2 To perform high quality repair service at a fair and just price 3 To advise the customer which services are required to correct existing problems, to maintain the vehicle, and for preventive maintenance 4 To make every effort to repair the customer’s vehicle right the first time

CODES OF ETHICS

5 To notify the customer if appointments or completion promises cannot be kept 6 That customers have a right to know everything we learn about the condition of their vehicle 7 At no time will a lesser service be recommended when a more serious condition exists

8 To use only proven merchandise of high quality, distributed by reputable firms 9 To exercise reasonable care for the customer’s property while in our possession 10 To protect our environment by conducting business in the most sustainable ways possible

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trends

Detroit’s Next Big Idea: Tiny Trucks Kyle Stock and Keith Naughton Bloomberg News (TNS)

.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 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 12

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

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 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 day-to-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 jumbo-jet 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 engineer a modest window sticker, with a starting price Greeley Tribune / Loveland Reporter-Herald

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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gift ideas

GIFT Gideas

for auto enthusiasts

DARIAN ARMER Drive Colorado

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. 14

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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. Greeley Tribune / Loveland Reporter-Herald

Get surprisingly great Auto rates.

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 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.

Here’s the deal, ever yone loves a good surprise — especially when it comes to saving money. State Farm® has always been about that. Call me to discover your surprisingly great rates on Auto today.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®

Tammy Sandoval Ins Agcy Inc

Tammy Sandoval, Agent 1400 28th Street, Boulder, CO 80303 LET’S303-494-4700 TALK TODAY. Bus:

For more great gift ideas, visit S-Cargo Truck Caps, 1954 14th St. SE, Loveland, 970.669.3164 or go online to scargotruckcaps.com. November 2021

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL 1901155 State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas, Richardson, TX DRIVE

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

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 16

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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 Greeley Tribune / Loveland Reporter-Herald

maintenance

Leaking auto fluids present more than just a driveway mess

Andy Stonehouse Drive Colorado

odern vehicles may be more fuel efficient and safe than the automobiles of days past, but most of them still run on toxic fluids like motor oil and antifreeze – and no one has created a leakproof car, quite yet. We’ve all seen an oily puddle underneath a neglected car or truck in our neighborhood, but the era of environmental concern now suggests that we consider taking action when we see a vehicle that’s dripping fluids. Even if that car is our own. The City of Loveland, like most other major November 2021

Front Range communities, has strict guidelines regarding the discharge of automobile fluids that could end up in stormwater drains, and ultimately area streams and lakes. Kelly Leedy, stormwater quality specialist with the City of Loveland’s public works administration, said a special hotline (970.962.2761) exists in Loveland for people who spot and would like to anonymously report puddle-producing vehicles. “Everyone is connected by water quality and what we can do to help to address potential pollutants that can lead to untreated waste ending up in our rivers and lakes,” Leedy said. “We want to try to keep things as clean as possible for recreational use, as well as the organisms and lifeforms in the water itself.” Loveland municipal code prohibits illicit

discharge of anything that’s not rainwater, snowmelt or naturally occurring water. Leedy said code 13.20.130 also calls for potential fines for vehicle leaks, but said she prefers to take an educational outreach approach to help owners remedy their problem. “We get one or two calls a week, so we typically go out and observe to see if the problem can be easily remedied, and then we have a conversation with the vehicle owner. If someone does have an oil leak or a broken hydraulic fluid line, we suggest they clean things up with something as simple as kitty litter, or go to an auto shop for a professional cleaning product, in addition to getting the leak fixed. We also suggest putting out a drip pan or cardboard until they do.” Leedy said that people for the most part take ownership of their leaks, and are often more motivated when they see the potential environmental risks of leaking fluids. Dan Moyer, owner of Loveland’s Metric Motors, said that a bit of prevention can go a long way to help prevent driveway leaks from happening in the first place. “The best thing is to take your car to a local mechanic and to have your vehicle technically inspected two times a year,” Moyer said. “They’ll note any oil or fluid leaks in the drivetrain. Sometimes that can be related to the life of a vehicle – seals and gaskets leak when they’re near the end of their life. Not staying up on that can cause the leaks to be excessive.” City of Loveland Public Works Administration, 2525 West 1st Street, Loveland, lovgov.org/services/public-works. To report puddle producing vehicles, call 970.962.2761. Metric Motors, 821 S. Lincoln Ave., Loveland, 970.667.2044, automotiverepairloveland.com DRIVE

auto review

Toyota introduces a Corolla crossover for 2022

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross. (Photo: Toyota/TNS).

Larry Printz Tribune News Service (TNS)

AUSTIN, Te xas — Popular taste is a fickle thing. One minute the world loves you, the next they never knew you existed. Madonna was queen of the pop world until her place was usurped by Lady Gaga. Madonna is still very popular, no doubt. But neither are as popular as, say, Cher. Some pop artists are immortal. The same could be said of the Toyota Corolla. This is a car that has sold more than 50 million units in 55 years. Let’s face it, whatever may happen in the world, there’s always a Corolla: affordable, sensibly styled, fuel efficient and reliable. Exciting? Occasionally. That’s not its raison d’etre, unlike Cher. But in its longevity, it’s every bit the Cher of the car world, having debuted around the same time. It’s a survivor. Do you believe in life after love? The Corolla does. But as the world has gone crazy for crossovers, and sedan sales slump, Toyota is trying to maintain its franchise’s relevance. First came a revival of the Corolla hatchback, a throwback to the 1980s minus the rear-wheel drive and hotter performance. It helped, but not as much as what’s debuting now: the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross. That’s right. A Corolla crossover. 18

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Styled and engineered in Japan, and built in Huntsville, Ala., the Corolla Cross fits between the C-HR and RAV4 in the Toyota lineup. Given the C-HR’s entry-level pricing, you’d think it would be more popular than a cold beer in July, and certainly it has its audience, selling 42,936 copies in 2020. But the RAV4 is far more popular, selling 430,387 units in the same period. Surely, the C-HR’s Kabuki mask styling and cramped interior prevent it from being more popular. It’s just not mainstream enough. This is what the 2022 Corolla Cross is meant to address. The Corolla Cross’s soft exterior form, tall roof and bold grille are far more restrained than either of the crossovers that bracket it in the lineup. Its conservative demeanor is refreshing, a welcome breath of fresh air. Its look is exquisite French vanilla, the sort of vehicle Toyota wasn’t ashamed to produce. It’s as if they turned back time – but not totally. Climb behind the wheel of the XLE model, and you’ll find an instrument panel cribbed from its sister ship, and this isn’t a bad thing. Feeling neither cheap nor sparse, its color and shrewd material choices conjure a premium feel. An 8-inch infotainment touchscreen (7-inch on L and LE trims) anchors the center of the instrument panel, and is placed above a simple row of climate control buttons bookended by

rotary knobs. The instrument panel is covered in a synthetic material accented with simple accents that suggests extravagant modernism. This is mass market design at its finest, and feels more natural in the Corolla Cross than in the Corolla sedan. As you’d expect, the Corolla Cross’s interior is comfortable and quiet. Front seat legroom is generous, rear seat space is adequate, and the cargo hold is generous. The easy-to-use infotainment screen comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa. USB ports are numerous, and an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot is available as part of Toyota’s wireless telematics service. When it comes time to drive, you’ll find something familiar under the hood: Toyota’s turbocharged 2.0-liter turbocharged fourcylinder engine, rated at 169 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. It’s matched to a continuously variable transmission fitted with a conventional first gear to improve performance off the line. Front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive is a $1,300 premium. Towing is rated at 1,500 pounds. And it comes with the requisite driver-assistance safety systems. But there’s one more thing to consider: Front-wheeldrive models get a live rear axle, and all-wheeldrive trims get an independent rear suspension, and this makes a noticeable difference. Opt for the front driver and you’ll find handling is decent, safely scrubbing off speed when you take on a too-challenging corner. Obviously, this is no sports car; it’s a suburban schlepper, one that’s more than up to the task. By contrast, all-wheel drive and an independent suspension transform its handling, feeling far more precise, and allowing the driver to indulge their inner Andretti. Push hard enough and the tail starts to get twitchy. The driveline has adequate power, although manual shifting helps maintain the power band when you need it, such as when you’re driving uphill. That’s when engine power is marginal. But for those who have driven Corollas before, this won’t come as a surprise. In fact, it might even endear the Corolla Cross to them; it will feel familiar. The new Corolla Cross went on sale in October, and officials are e xpecting demand to be strong. While they wouldn’t commit to how many they expect to sell, it wouldn’t be surprising if this version of the Corolla quickly becomes its top seller worldwide. For those who love sedans, that may be bad news, but for the rest of us, the beat goes on. Greeley Tribune / Loveland Reporter-Herald

maintenance

Best Ways to Keep Your Car Clean This Winter KATHLEEN DUFF Drive Colorado

inter is tough on vehicles. Whether you drive a rugged four-wheel-drive 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, which has 12 locations in Northern Colorado and Wyoming. “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 November 2021

are dry before they clean their vehicle. But the benefit of having a wash membership pass is 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.

Winter car care tips • 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, 1171 E. Mulberry, Fort Collins, 970.484.8893; 3141 S. College, Fort Collins, 970.223.4095; 6913 W. 10th St., Greeley, 970.888.3751; 3417 W. 28th St., Greeley, 970.330.9274; 4810 Larimer Parkway, Johnstown, 970.461.5035; 1213 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, 303.834.8387; 2025 Main Street, Longmont, 720.491.3727; 3555 Mountain Lion Drive, Loveland, 970.966.7959; 279 W. 64th St., Loveland, 970.461.7971; breezethrucarwash.com. DRIVE

DEAR FAMILY, FIND TONS OF ROOM FOR GOOD TIMES.

SEE YOUR COLORADO TOYOTA DEALER MCDONALD TOYOTA | GREELEY, CO Prototype shown with options. Do not overload your vehicle. See Owner’s Manual for weight limits and restrictions. The vehicle is shown with some accessories not available from Toyota. 20

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Greeley Tribune / Loveland Reporter-Herald