Denver sits exactly one mile above sea level, and that elevation creates problems most drivers never consider until they move here. Air becomes thinner at 5,280 feet, containing roughly 17 percent less oxygen than at sea level. Your engine needs oxygen to burn fuel efficiently, and when it can’t get enough, power output drops noticeably.
What felt adequately quick in Houston suddenly feels sluggish merging onto I-25, and climbing mountain passes toward ski resorts reveals just how much your SUV is gasping for air.
Turbocharged engines handle altitude better than naturally aspirated alternatives because forced induction compensates for thin air by cramming more oxygen into cylinders…