As winter comes to an end and drivers switch to summer tires, Kal Tire staged a timely demonstration to help explain the importance Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press of a tire’s speed rating…

Do you know what tire speed ratings mean?

As winter comes to an end and drivers switch to summer tires, Kal Tire staged a timely demonstration to help explain the importance of a tire's speed rating and to illustrate why the rating is really more about performance than speed.

Indeed, given that even the lowest-rated tires can safely be driven at Canadian highway speed limits all day long, Kal Tire suggests that consumers think of the alphabetic code at the end of a tire's size description as being a "performance rating" rather than a "speed rating".

Technically speaking, a tire's speed rating indicates the tire's ability to stay cool when run at highway speeds and, by extension, during aggressive cornering. From a consumer perspective, this matters because of the way heat is generated and the manner in which higher-rated tires combat heat buildup.

Heat is generated as a tire flexes, deforms, and squirms. That's why underinflated tires risk blowouts: with inadequate air pressure to support the tire's Read Full Story
With the New York International Auto Show getting underway, Mercedes-Benz stole a bit of that show’s thunder by offering a   sneak peek at a concept the German luxury automaker plans to unveil…

Mercedes reveals Concept Coupe SUV ahead of Beijing auto show

With the New York International Auto Show getting underway, Mercedes-Benz stole a bit of that show's thunder by offering a sneak peek at a concept the German luxury automaker plans to unveil at the Beijing auto show later in the month.

Mercedes-Benz chairman Dr. Dieter Zetsche introduced the Concept Coupe SUV during the company's annual shareholder's meeting. Only a single image was revealed, showing a five-door concept vehicle with a distinctly aggressive, sporty character highlighted by deeply sculpted sides, powerful-looking haunches and a rakish roofline. It is expected to preview the long-anticipated production MLC-Class, and is clearly targeted at BMW's coupe-like X6 crossover.

"The sportily styled coupe study with the added value of an SUV provides a realistic glimpse of a series-production vehicle expected next year, which will boast very dynamic handling," explained Zetsche. "With the Concept Coupe SUV we aim to secure new customers by opening up new segments Read Full Story
Travel outside North America and you’ll quickly find out just how well the Mitsubishi Mirage sells, let alone Mitsubishi vehicles Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press on the whole. It’s…

2014 Mitsubishi Mirage SE Road Test Review

Travel outside North America and you'll quickly find out just how well the Mitsubishi Mirage sells, let alone Mitsubishi vehicles on the whole. It's a globally respected brand, made popular by delivering reasonably priced, reliable, fun to drive transportation, a reputation it's steadily building here in Canada too.

I was in Manila recently, where the tri-diamond badge showed up on everything from taxicabs to delivery trucks, not to mention many Filipinos' personal rides including my girlfriend's brother's brand new Mirage hatchback. While the Mirage feels small by Canadian standards, in the Philippines it's average sized. Certainly they have large cars there too, even full-size pickup trucks, but most people drive subcompacts. Fuel prices are about the same as they are here and their household income levels are much, much lower than ours, hence the need to be thrifty, and what's more the especially important requirement of making sure the car they're buying stands the test of Read Full Story
New York is hardly the only game on the global map as far as auto shows go, the next big event being the Beijing Motor Show in only a couple of week’s time. Expected at that show is the production…

Audi reveals renderings of sleek new crossover concept ahead of Beijing

New York is hardly the only game on the global map as far as auto shows go, the next big event being the Beijing Motor Show in only a couple of week's time. Expected at that show is the production version of Lexus' compact NX crossover, while Nissan has promised a new sedan. Likewise, Audi has its targets firmly locked on what became the largest automotive market in the world (as measured by automobile unit production) back in 2008, and therefore will increase brand awareness by debuting a sleek new crossover concept.

The German premium carmaker has revealed artist's renderings of a new five-door coupe-shaped crossover, making it appear as though it has Range Rover's popular Evoque and BMW's new X4 in its crosshairs. The new concept, which will not be called the Q4 as it's unofficially being named in some reports ahead of its official reveal, will be based on a variation of the new TT undercarriage in similar fashion to the Allroad Shooting Brake Concept that arrived on the scene Read Full Story
Shakespeare wrote that “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” and in the case of the all-new Q50 you could argue Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press that, “An Infiniti by…

2014 Infiniti Q50 AWD Premium Road Test Review

Shakespeare wrote that "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," and in the case of the all-new Q50 you could argue that, "An Infiniti by any other name would be as fleet." That's because despite its new moniker, refreshed bodywork, and updated mechanicals, the 2014 Q50 is essentially the latest generation of Infiniti's well-known G37 luxury sport sedan.

It's a car that has traditionally gone up against the likes of the BMW 3 Series, Cadillac ATS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Lexus IS, and in addition to the new name for 2014 Infiniti has given the Q50 fresh styling and a big dollop of new technology to help keep it in the competitive fray.

Stylistically it's more sculpted and aggressive looking than the G37, with squat haunches, swept-back headlights and more than a hint of Lexus spindle in its grille. Personally I like the look, and was happy that the test car was painted something other than the ubiquitous grey, black, white or silver: in this case a pleasing Read Full Story
Can admit to something? I love the Lexus RX. I know, it’s not as sporty as some of its contemporaries, especially those hailing Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press from Germany, but in top-line…

2014 Lexus RX 350 F Sport Road Test Review

Can admit to something? I love the Lexus RX. I know, it's not as sporty as some of its contemporaries, especially those hailing from Germany, but in top-line F Sport trim it comes pretty close, while it does everything else so brilliantly that the model had already me won over way back when Lexus singlehandedly created the car-based luxury crossover segment in 1998.

That's just before I started in the automotive journalism business, and Toyota was one of the first manufacturers to loan me test vehicles. Toyota, of course, is parent company of the Lexus brand, and that in mind a year before the RX arrived here with a stylized "L" on its grille it debuted with a "T" on its face and Harrier nameplate fixed to its tailgate. Now, more than 15 years later, the RX is a legend amongst luxury crossover utility fans.

Since I started reviewing vehicles, I've tested, photographed and reviewed seven RX models in various stages of trim, both conventionally powered as well as hybrids, Read Full Story
In today’s luxury market, if you don’t find a niche and fill it quickly you’ll lose out to more innovative competitors. Infiniti isn’t Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press…

2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid AWD Premium Road Test Review

In today's luxury market, if you don't find a niche and fill it quickly you'll lose out to more innovative competitors. Infiniti isn't unaware of this fact, and while it's very advanced with technologies it hasn't taken the ultimately risky first move of creating a given market segment. In fact, Infiniti hasn't yet entered the popular four-door coupe fray. Rather, Infiniti normally comes to battle in a proven category well armed with attractive design, excellent quality, innovative features and great value. Not a bad plan for a company that's still devoid of any compact models let alone a full-size flagship luxury sedan. Infiniti might be changing its stripes, mind you, as the QX60 Hybrid fills a niche that's been empty for a very long time.

No, Infiniti wasn't first with a hybrid luxury crossover. That title goes to Lexus with its RX, and more recently followed up by the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid. Infiniti is first, mind you, with a seven-occupant luxury crossover hybrid. Certainly Read Full Story
Hot on the heals of the new 2014 Mini Cooper update, the British brand will introduce a revised 2015 Countryman model at the Mini will debut a facelifted Countryman at the New York auto show next week…

Revised Mini Countryman to make New York debut next week

Hot on the heals of the new 2014 Mini Cooper update, the British brand will introduce a revised 2015 Countryman model at the New York International Auto show in Manhattan next week. With photos of the new model not yet available (photos used for this story are of the current model) and very little known about any changes under the sheetmetal, we're left to speculate that some core styling details, such as the shape and larger size of its grille, will likely be borrowed from its smaller siblings.

To be clear, the new 2015 Countryman is not a complete redo like its front-drive brethren, but rather a mid-cycle refresh, a totally revamped four-door model that will likely ride on a variation of Mini's new BMW-shared front-wheel drive architecture expected in a couple of year's time.

The Countryman remains Mini's only four-door hatchback model, and thanks to a larger stance, raised profile, tough bodywork and all-wheel drive running gear, it slots into the burgeoning compact Read Full Story