Denver is famous for two things: beautiful mountain scenery and thin air. That thin air is not just a fun trivia fact, it actually affects how your car performs every day.
Denver sits around 5,280 feet above sea level, and as you go higher into the Rockies, elevation climbs quickly. At these altitudes, there is less oxygen available in the air. That matters because engines need oxygen to burn fuel.
When oxygen is reduced, engines can produce less power, especially older or naturally aspirated models that depend heavily on dense air. This is why some cars feel “normal” at sea level but suddenly feel lazy, sluggish, or strained around Denver, especially when climbing hills with passengers or cargo…