When most people think of the Jaguar brand, images of fast, luxurious, prestigious cars come to mind, and the new F-Type S Coupe fits that mold precisely. Now one of the most alluring sports cars on the…

2015 Jaguar F-Type S Coupe Road Test Review

You have to go pretty far back in time to find a prettier two-door sport coupe than the Jaguar F-Type. That would be 1971, the final year of two-seat E-Type Coupe production. The redesigned Series 3 E-Type Coupe that came later was nowhere near as attractive due to its 2+2 layout.

On that note I love that Jaguar made the new F-Type a two-seater, whether in hardtop or roadster guise. As experienced with the outgoing XK, the rear seats are so impractical, even for kids, they remain empty anyway, so why add more weight and take up space? Besides, everyone in the collectible world knows that a two-seater is worth more in the long run.

I also like that it's not trying to be a reincarnated E-Type. Unlike the just-mentioned XK, which really tried to conjure the spirit of E with the oval grille and rounded sheetmetal of the first generation '96–'06 car, the F-Type takes a different path. Instead, the grille is ovoid, not even remotely resembling the E, while its complex Read Full Story
Are you looking to trade up to something that really turns eyeballs? How about a Rolls-Royce? Better yet, how about a more powerful Ghost V-Specification of the world’s ultimate sport sedan? There’s…

2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost V-Specification Road Test Review

When the Ghost arrived on the scene in 2009 it became the automotive luxury brand of luxury brand's first attempt to go after entry-level buyers. Of course, Rolls-Royce' concept of entry-level might be a bit different than yours or mine. They run in a crowd that would consider an Omega or Rolex a work watch, preferring their Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and A. Lange & Söhne Grand Complication tourbillons for dinner engagements and society parties (ok, you could buy 10 Ghosts for the price of that last watch, but you get my point). Wearing an MK or Guess watch? Just as likely as nabbing a bunch of 70-percent off deals at H&M before going for burgers and suds at TGIFs.

I'm jesting of course. People are people and even those who live in Beverly Hills like to slum it in Hollywood some of the time, but there's a continental divide between those who can purchase a luxury car that costs more than the entry price of a Vancouver or Toronto condominium and those that live Read Full Story
Have you ever considered going electric? While still a micro-niche in the scheme of all things automotive, EVs play an important role in a brand’s image while pointing the way to a more sustainable…

2015 BMW i3 Lodge Road Test Review

I've always had a thing for small. I figure, if it's possible to fit everything you need and most of what you want into a nice, tidy, efficient package, why not? Compact luxury has long been a big thing in Europe and other markets where road and parking space is limited, so it's refreshing to see Canadians warming up to the idea too.

BMW was actually a forerunner in this respect, not only delivering a compact car with premium levels of materials quality, fit, finish and features, but also making its 1968 2002 brilliantly fun to drive. This philosophy has since underpinned every entry-level car the company has produced, so it only makes sense that it would continue with the brand's first foray into small, efficient electrics.

I'm talking about the new BMW i3, easily one of the most intriguing cars I've laid eyes on and one of the more enjoyable cars I've driven in a long time. If its impish good looks don't immediately pique your interest a peek inside via its clamshell Read Full Story
Is Toyota losing potential customers because of its slow-selling Scion brand? And is the brilliantly executed FR-S wasted under a nameplate that won’t benefit from the trickledown effect of its halo…

2015 Scion FR-S Automatic Road Test Review

Look up "Scion" in the dictionary and the answer you'll get puts the automotive brand into perspective. Answer 1. "A young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting." Answer 2. "A descendant of a notable family." Scion is a comparatively young offshoot of a very notable family, Toyota, and it's even rooted in the youth movement.

When Scion began as an exclusive California-only project just after this current millennium turned, and then soon expanded across the U.S., it seemed like Toyota was onto something big. Toyota Canada bought into the program seven years later, and while most auto scribes including yours truly were all gung ho about the idea, in retrospect they may have been better off giving it a pass, or at least augmenting the program. Why?

Unfortunately, today's youth aren't all that interested in cars. Ask any teen what matters more, getting their driver's license or a new smartphone, and… well you probably already know the Read Full Story
Are you looking for a compact CUV with loads of luxury features? Lincoln has just the item with its new MKC, and today on CarCostCanada we’re featuring a detailed review and comprehensive photo gallery…

2015 Lincoln MKC 2.3L Ecoboost AWD Reserve Road Test Review

Finally! Yes, Lincoln has finally shown up with a compact CUV. They're not alone, as Lexus was equally slow to enter North America's fastest growing automotive segment. It's taken these two so long to join the party there's already a burgeoning subcompact premium crossover segment planting roots further down the food chain, but so as not to remind them about how much money and market share they've lost over the last decade or so we'll focus on the segment at hand for the moment.

Last year the new MKC arrived a full 17 years after the category initiator came on the scene, Land Rover's 1998 Freelander having first shown up in 1997, a model that eventually became the LR2 in North America. More of a bit player in what eventually became a hit series, BMW's X3 might be the more appropriate model to look to as a segment forerunner. It went into full production in 2003, and that year I was in Spain on the model's launch program with no idea how important this new segment was to become. Read Full Story
Chances are you haven’t seen many Lexus GS sport-luxury sedans on the road, because they sell in small numbers. This doesn’t mean they’re not worthy of your attention, however, this particular 2015…

2015 Lexus GS 350 AWD F Sport Road Test Review

When the GS sedan was redesigned for the 2013 model year it made a dramatic statement, especially for a mid-size Lexus. Sure it is Lexus' performance-oriented midsize model, so it should look more aggressive than the comfort-biased ES, per se, but its new spindle-shaped grille was even more provocative than the nose on the Japanese premium brand's exotic LFA supercar.

That spindle grille has now become the brand's trademark look, showing up on everything from the best-selling RX crossover SUV to the aforementioned ES sedan, making the latter look uncomfortably similar to the pricier GS. This in mind, the comparatively radical IS sport sedan and near over-the-top NX compact crossover are so compelling that, dare I say, the GS almost looks staid and conservative in comparison, even in top-line F Sport trim. Don't get me wrong as I still think it's an attractive sport-luxury sedan that's easily as alluring as most rivals, but I wouldn't put it past Lexus to go even edgier when the Read Full Story
Bored of your Japanese, Korean or domestic branded mid-size sedan? Want a German four-door but worried about paying too much? Think again, because Volkswagen has lowered the price of its new larger Passat…

2015 Volkswagen Passat 1.8 TSI Comfortline Road Test Review

If you tend to "ask the audience" before making a decision and generally follow the crowd when it comes to major purchases the Volkswagen Passat isn't for you. That's not to say it doesn't sell well, but out of 11 mainstream mid-size models available in Canada it ranked eighth on the sales charts last year.

Of course, popularity rarely translates into best, at least not what's best for every buyer in each automotive segment. For some, styling matters more than features, my Night Blue Metallic on Cornsilk Beige Passat tester looking pretty classy, and never forget that price plays a significant role when it comes to mass-market appeal. Also, some of the brands make their mid-size models available with special de-contented fleet packages that appeal to large companies and government agencies that buy in bulk, these numbers helping the car look more popular in the retail sector than it really is. Not factoring such differentials into the equation and therefore simply laying the Read Full Story
Today on CarCostCanada, auto journalist Trevor Hofmann reviews the recently updated 2015 Volvo S60 with its base T5 Drive-E powertrain, although loaded up with some luxurious and sporty packages. Make…

2015 Volvo S60 T5 Drive-E Road Test Review

Once upon a time Volvo had a stronghold on the North American premium import market, with its boxy albeit well made and fun to drive substitutes to BMW and Mercedes-Benz targeting the nonconformists in well-to-do society. Now, however, the most competitive rival to the Teutonic twosome also hails from Germany, Audi having risen through the ranks to effectively replace Volvo as the European luxury alternative, while plenty of worthy offerings from Japan, Korea and the U.S. have made competing in our market, not to mention other global markets, ever more challenging.

This competition almost killed Volvo, which was underfunded and left to wither and die under Ford ownership, at least after the blue oval automaker had decided to let go of its Premium Auto Group offerings in order to restructure and rebuild. A good decision for Ford, which now appears to have clairvoyantly forecasted the Great Recession of 2008/2009 that forced General Motors and Chrysler into government assisted Read Full Story