The newest Corolla is in its second year, but I still find myself saying "That's a Corolla?" every time I see one drive by. Recently it was me on the inside looking out, mind you, and believe me when I tell you that the view from this angle is at least as impressive as the popular car's exterior styling.
Yes, the Corolla is ridiculously popular. Toyota Canada sold 48,881 Corollas last year, which was the third best year the car has had in the past 10. It's also the third bestselling compact in Canada, but it should be noted that it achieved its 2014 sales total with just with one four-door sedan model. Its main rivals marginally surpass the 50k threshold, but they do so with multiple body-styles under the single nameplate, from less sought after two-door coupes to very popular five-door hatchbacks. If you want a sporty two-door Corolla you'll need to walk over to the Scion side of the showroom where the tC is parked, whereas the upcoming Scion iM replaces the recently discontinued Read Full Story
News & Reviews- Month: May 2015
2015 Lincoln Navigator Select Road Test Review
When Lincoln brought its Navigator to market in 1997 it changed everything. Certainly we'd had luxury SUVs before, the Range Rover being on our roads since the '70s, but the Navigator was much larger, not to mention more capable of North American-style SUV duties, particularly ferrying large families in big, padded, sofa-style seats plus all their gear stowed in back while pulling massive boats and camp trailers. Nothing fulfilled these roles as well as the Navigator, and sales soared.
Cadillac caught on a couple of years later and threw together the Chevy/GMC Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon-based Escalade that looked identical to the 1999 GMC Denali yet nowhere near as alluring as the Navigator, and while neither of these land yachts currently enjoy the level of sales they achieved in the aughts, they still play an important role in the grand scheme of all things automotive, remaining some of the only ways to tow heavy loads while ensconced in splendiferous comfort. They also deliver a Read Full Story
Cadillac caught on a couple of years later and threw together the Chevy/GMC Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon-based Escalade that looked identical to the 1999 GMC Denali yet nowhere near as alluring as the Navigator, and while neither of these land yachts currently enjoy the level of sales they achieved in the aughts, they still play an important role in the grand scheme of all things automotive, remaining some of the only ways to tow heavy loads while ensconced in splendiferous comfort. They also deliver a Read Full Story
2015 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Premium Road Test Review
The sports coupe segment sells in relatively small numbers compared to four-door models from the same makers, but it's nevertheless important for raising brand awareness and street cred.
This is evidenced by most every auto brand offering at least one two-door hardtop entry, with their sizes and prices varying dramatically. Some are compact front-drive models built off the backs of bread-and-butter four-door sedans or three- and five-door hatchbacks, the former including the now defunct Hyundai Elantra Coupe, best-selling Honda Civic Coupe, Kia Forte Koup and Scion tC (based on the Toyota Corolla), with the latter comprised of the Mini Coupe and VW Beetle, while others follow the same plan within the mid-size segment, such as the Honda Accord Coupe, Nissan Altima Coupe, and Volkswagen CC, although this last model falls into the four-door coupe category.
While such cars proved very popular in years past, sport coupe buyers are now leaning more towards rear-drive models Read Full Story
This is evidenced by most every auto brand offering at least one two-door hardtop entry, with their sizes and prices varying dramatically. Some are compact front-drive models built off the backs of bread-and-butter four-door sedans or three- and five-door hatchbacks, the former including the now defunct Hyundai Elantra Coupe, best-selling Honda Civic Coupe, Kia Forte Koup and Scion tC (based on the Toyota Corolla), with the latter comprised of the Mini Coupe and VW Beetle, while others follow the same plan within the mid-size segment, such as the Honda Accord Coupe, Nissan Altima Coupe, and Volkswagen CC, although this last model falls into the four-door coupe category.
While such cars proved very popular in years past, sport coupe buyers are now leaning more towards rear-drive models Read Full Story
2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Dynamic Road Test Review
When the Range Rover Evoque originally wowed Detroit auto show-goers as the Land Rover LRX Concept in January of 2008, nothing else existed in the truly compact premium crossover segment. Certainly BMW had its X3 whereas Audi and Mercedes-Benz had just started producing their Q5 and GLK respectively, but these were near mid-size models in comparison to the diminutive CUV that would soon become Evoque.
The production Evoque hit the road in 2011 as a 2012 model and I could hardly wait to get my hands on it, my first weeklong test being in a three-door coupe version. Looking long, low and sleek despite its abbreviated dimensions, its measurements being 4,371 mm (172.1 inches) long, 1,985 mm (78.1 inches) wide (with the mirrors folded), and 1,605 mm (63.2 inches) tall while riding on a 2,660-mm (104.7-inch) wheelbase, it was the hot hatch of premium SUVs, a beautiful bit of Brit kit that turned heads quicker than anything else in the LR or RR lineup, let alone any of its competitors. Read Full Story
The production Evoque hit the road in 2011 as a 2012 model and I could hardly wait to get my hands on it, my first weeklong test being in a three-door coupe version. Looking long, low and sleek despite its abbreviated dimensions, its measurements being 4,371 mm (172.1 inches) long, 1,985 mm (78.1 inches) wide (with the mirrors folded), and 1,605 mm (63.2 inches) tall while riding on a 2,660-mm (104.7-inch) wheelbase, it was the hot hatch of premium SUVs, a beautiful bit of Brit kit that turned heads quicker than anything else in the LR or RR lineup, let alone any of its competitors. Read Full Story
2015 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD Road Test Review
If you want to succeed in life, find a good match, focus on your collective priorities, and by all means don't allow any differences to derail you from your primary objectives.
After being starved for development funds by Ford's now defunct Premier Auto Group ("PAG"), China-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd ("Geely") purchased Volvo in 2010 for US$1.8 billion in what was the largest foreign purchase by a Chinese car manufacturer. Call it an arranged marriage, and one that Geely wasn't fully satisfied with from the onset, at least physically. The public confrontations began immediately when Geely wanted its new Swedish bride to augment its conservative image from grille to derriere with size and styling a la Audi/BMW/Mercedes, a demand that went against Volvo's longstanding modest personality. It's the automotive equivalent of Prince William and the rest of the Royals forcing Kate Middleton to look more like Adriana Lima (of course in this case the couple would be Crown Read Full Story
After being starved for development funds by Ford's now defunct Premier Auto Group ("PAG"), China-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd ("Geely") purchased Volvo in 2010 for US$1.8 billion in what was the largest foreign purchase by a Chinese car manufacturer. Call it an arranged marriage, and one that Geely wasn't fully satisfied with from the onset, at least physically. The public confrontations began immediately when Geely wanted its new Swedish bride to augment its conservative image from grille to derriere with size and styling a la Audi/BMW/Mercedes, a demand that went against Volvo's longstanding modest personality. It's the automotive equivalent of Prince William and the rest of the Royals forcing Kate Middleton to look more like Adriana Lima (of course in this case the couple would be Crown Read Full Story
2015 Lexus RC 350 AWD Road Test Review
Lexus' IS lineup has included a sedan and retractable hardtop convertible for some time, but no fixed hardtop two-door model. And this while its premium competitors clean up in the personal sports coupe segment.
Audi has its A5/S5 coupes, BMW its legendary 3 Series/M3 Coupe, which was recently renamed 4 Series/M4, not to mention a slightly smaller 2 Series two-door, and Mercedes-Benz added a C-Class Coupe to its lineup a few years back. Lexus' Japanese rival Infiniti has long offered the G35/G37 Coupe, now dubbed Q60, while Cadillac gives North American patriots (and other global patrons) the option of a very stylish ATS Coupe as well as the new Chevrolet Volt-based electrified ELR coupe. Even Land Rover makes a "sport coupe" with its two-door Range Rover Evoque, not to mention new premium four-door coupes are available from luxury brands in the compact segment. Yes, it's about time Lexus anted up with a compact sports coupe of its own.
Enter the new 2015 RC 350, RC Read Full Story
Audi has its A5/S5 coupes, BMW its legendary 3 Series/M3 Coupe, which was recently renamed 4 Series/M4, not to mention a slightly smaller 2 Series two-door, and Mercedes-Benz added a C-Class Coupe to its lineup a few years back. Lexus' Japanese rival Infiniti has long offered the G35/G37 Coupe, now dubbed Q60, while Cadillac gives North American patriots (and other global patrons) the option of a very stylish ATS Coupe as well as the new Chevrolet Volt-based electrified ELR coupe. Even Land Rover makes a "sport coupe" with its two-door Range Rover Evoque, not to mention new premium four-door coupes are available from luxury brands in the compact segment. Yes, it's about time Lexus anted up with a compact sports coupe of its own.
Enter the new 2015 RC 350, RC Read Full Story
2015 BMW X6 xDrive50i Road Test Review
BMW fills more luxury and performance niches than any other automaker, which is no doubt a costly undertaking yet certifies the brand fulfills the individual desires and requirements of each and every client.
Case in point is the unorthodox X6. Totally revised for 2015, with new styling that pulls cues from the recently updated X5, with a bolder front fascia featuring BMW's new signature headlight treatment that butts up against the outer portions of its revised twin kidney grille, more muscular flanks and a rounder rear end sporting more complicated LED taillights, while classy dark brushed aluminum trim gets added to the grille, front-centre "skid plate", brake vents, side-panel engine vents, mirror caps, liftgate lip and lower rear valance, contrasting nicely against my tester's Alpine White paint. The look is fresh and even more aggressive than the original design, not to mention totally unique within its own Sports Activity Coupé segment.
Acura attempted Read Full Story
Case in point is the unorthodox X6. Totally revised for 2015, with new styling that pulls cues from the recently updated X5, with a bolder front fascia featuring BMW's new signature headlight treatment that butts up against the outer portions of its revised twin kidney grille, more muscular flanks and a rounder rear end sporting more complicated LED taillights, while classy dark brushed aluminum trim gets added to the grille, front-centre "skid plate", brake vents, side-panel engine vents, mirror caps, liftgate lip and lower rear valance, contrasting nicely against my tester's Alpine White paint. The look is fresh and even more aggressive than the original design, not to mention totally unique within its own Sports Activity Coupé segment.
Acura attempted Read Full Story
2015 Ford Transit 250 Diesel Cargo Van Road Test Review
There could only be a couple of possible reasons you're reading this review: 1) you love reading about any and all things automotive, or 2) you're a small business owner/operator or medium to large company's fleet manager and in the market for a new panel van(s). If you're in the former camp, please read on and enjoy. Those in the latter lot will want to pay closer attention as the new Ford Transit truly has a lot to offer.
Transit is a new name in North America, but not so in over 110 markets on six continents, some of which have been selling it since 1965. The Econoline/E-Series has been on the market since 1961, having enjoyed best-selling segment sales for the majority of its tenure. Why discontinue a bestseller? Like many blue-oval branded models we've been getting lately, from the Fiesta and Euro-sourced Focus to the C-Max and smaller Transit Connect, the new full-size Transit is now in our market because of the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker's "One Ford" product plan Read Full Story
Transit is a new name in North America, but not so in over 110 markets on six continents, some of which have been selling it since 1965. The Econoline/E-Series has been on the market since 1961, having enjoyed best-selling segment sales for the majority of its tenure. Why discontinue a bestseller? Like many blue-oval branded models we've been getting lately, from the Fiesta and Euro-sourced Focus to the C-Max and smaller Transit Connect, the new full-size Transit is now in our market because of the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker's "One Ford" product plan Read Full Story