Capable of 4.5 L/100km in the city, the new 2017 Kia Niro should be high on Canadians’ shopping lists, especially considering most of us are now paying similar fuel prices to what we endured prior to…

2017 Kia Niro Road Test

For decades, the Korean brand Kia was an enigma in the North American markets. During its early history, Kia supplied engines and transmissions to Ford for use in North American and European models. When I first married, I bought my then wife a 1988 Ford Festiva, a Kia-powered tiny affair. We drove the Festiva for 87,000 km with the only problem being a faulty driver-side, rear wheel bearing. The Festiva featured decent performance-it actually was fun to drive-and was roomy inside. I wish YouTube had been established in 1988, as watching me unfold my 6-foot-9, 300-pound body from the Festiva would've probably made for a viral hit. But I fit just fine inside the tiny car, and its reliability endeared me to the Kia brand.

Fast forward to the late '90s when Kia established its first dealerships here in Canada. Due to the Asian financial crisis of the same era, Kia filed for bankruptcy and after a bidding war with Ford was acquired by fellow Korean brand Hyundai. Under Hyundai's Read Full Story
As if winning Vincentric’s 5th Annual Best Value in Canada Awards for the Fit subcompact hatchback, CR-V compact SUV, and Odyssey minivan wasn’t enough last year, or for that matter the Odyssey and…

Honda Canada receives five retained value awards

As if winning Vincentric's 5th Annual Best Value in Canada Awards for the Fit subcompact hatchback, CR-V compact SUV, and Odyssey minivan wasn't enough last year, or for that matter the Odyssey and new HR-V subcompact SUV also winning their categories in Vincentric's Lowest Cost to Own in Canada awards, ALG recently recognized the Fit, CR-V, Odyssey and Accord at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto for its 2017 Best Residual Value awards program. Winners of ALG Canadian Residual Value Awards are chosen after the third-party analytical firm studies the competition within each vehicle segment, as well as historical vehicle performance and industry trends. Additionally, vehicle quality, production numbers relative to demand, pricing, and marketing strategies are factored in. Retained value is important because the actual price you pay for a vehicle is the difference between the cost at the point of purchase and what you receive back for it when it's traded in or sold later. With Read Full Story
Subaru has completely redone its Impreza and it makes some of the class leaders look dated. Check out our review of this top-line Sport-tech 5-Door where we go into detail from the outside in, not to…

2017 Subaru Impreza Sport-tech 5-Door Road Test

It's been an especially good 12-plus months for Subaru. Not only did calendar year 2016 result in the Japanese brand's best-ever sales, but since then it took home trophies for Canadian Black Book's 2017 Best Retained Value for Overall Brand in the Car Category, as well as top overall brand honours in ALG's 9th Annual Canadian Residual Value Awards.

The Impreza achieved third place in the CBB award's compact category, first place won by Subaru's Crosstrek that's based on the Impreza 5-Door model reviewed here, while the Impreza also won the ALG award's "Compact Car" category outright. Topping it all off, Impreza had its best-ever sales in calendar year 2016 too, one of few compact models that actually grew its numbers from 2015 through 2016.

Helping boost that total is an entirely new 2017 Impreza that arrived last fall, and believe me it's a game changer. For starters it's arguably the most attractive Impreza ever, this aided by a longer, wider and lower stance. Second, Read Full Story
Audi achieved multiple victories in the Canadian Black Book 10th annual 2017 Best Retained Value Awards, winning the “Luxury Car” prize with its sleek A7 four-door coupe, while also earning second…

Audi does well in CBB and ALG best retained value awards

Audi achieved multiple victories in the Canadian Black Book 10th annual 2017 Best Retained Value Awards, winning the "Luxury Car" prize with its sleek A7 four-door coupe, while also earning second place in the same category with the popular A5 sport coupe and convertible. Additionally, Audi's Q5 once again ran away with the "Compact Luxury SUV" segment, and TT held onto second in the "Sports Car" class. "Depreciation is the single largest expense of owning a vehicle, more than gas, maintenance or insurance," said Brian Murphy, VP Research and Editorial, Canadian Black Book. "Understanding your vehicle's retained value is extremely important for anyone researching to buy, sell or trade-in any vehicle." In other words, the real price paid for a car is the difference between the cost of purchase and what's left over when that vehicle is traded in or sold later. It's also important to understand that CBB's "2017" Best Retained Value Awards are focused on 2013 model year vehicles. Vehicle values Read Full Story
I just wrote a story about Canadian Black Book resale values and learned that Tundra retains its MSRP better than any other full-size truck (click “Toyota” under TCM Quick Links below to read the…

2017 Toyota Tundra Double Cab TRD Pro

I just wrote a story about Canadian Black Book resale values and learned that Tundra retains its MSRP better than any other full-size truck (click “Toyota” under TCM Quick Links below to read the entire story), but I’ve covered every recent model year of this pickup in multiple trims as well as generations past (scroll through that same link for previous reviews), plus my dad owned a fault-free first-gen version decades ago, so I don’t need to be sold on how good it is. Then again, the TRD Pro took me off guard.

This truck is bold, brazen, and just plain baddass! Chrome? Not. It’s matte black all the way, except for its glossy black wheels and superb “Cement” grey paint. I can’t tell you how many neck-snapping looks it’s received from passersby over the past few days, but suffice to say it’s pulled more eyeballs than most of the ultra-exotic hardware I’ve driven this year, and the sound of its big 5.7-litre V8 at full throttle is almost as intoxicating as the exhaust note of one of those supercars (the amount of gas it guzzles is almost as dizzying too). At 381-hp and 401 lb-ft of torque it’s quick for a 2,480-kilo (5,467-lb) behemoth, but its ultimate capability is meant to be experienced off-road.

Without giving too much away ahead of the full review, initial criticisms include gluttonous fuel economy, poorer interior plastics quality than most rivals, and no integrated rear bumper steps (or anything likewise) for climbing up onto the bed when the tailgate is lowered, but before you think I’ve got nothing good to say, the Tundra TRD Pro’s attributes are way too lengthy to list (here at least) so stay tuned for all the details in my upcoming road test…

Everyone in business understands that saving money is just as important as increasing revenue, with real earnings, or profits found in between. No wonder business leaders love Land Rover. ALG, an analytics…

Land Rover number one in ALG Residual Value Awards

Everyone in business understands that saving money is just as important as increasing revenue, with real earnings, or profits found in between. No wonder business leaders love Land Rover. ALG, an analytics subsidiary of TrueCar, recently named Land Rover with top Overall Brand Honours in ALG's 9th Annual Canadian Residual Value Awards (RVA) within the Premium Brand sector. "Residual values are a key indicator of the overall market success and health of a vehicle and brand. Whether a consumer is looking to purchase or lease a vehicle, the largest cost consideration is how much a vehicle will retain its value over time," said Jim Nguyen, president of ALG. "And with vehicle leasing on the rise, resale values have never been more important to both consumers and automakers." The RVA forecasts brands and models that will most likely retain highest average values when compared to their original Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) after three years. This was the third consecutive year Read Full Story
The new 2017 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive might just be the most efficient car on the planet, with a super small footprint yet a roomy interior for two, a lightweight design improving power and battery…

Redesigned 2017 Smart Electric Drive adds range and performance

The Smart Fortwo Electric Drive has been with us since 2013 when it was introduced as a 2014 model, and since then has received rave reviews from those who appreciate efficient EV mobility. Its smooth acceleration improved on the gasoline-powered model's performance, plus it's hard to argue against near zero fuel costs despite a temporary drop in pump prices.

Yes, as it turns out many Canadians haven't fared much better at $27-$54 per barrel than we did when crude hovered between $100-$146, the provincial average gasoline pump price ranging between $0.97 per litre in Saskatchewan and $1.29 in Newfoundland, with Ontario at $1.04 and BC at $1.19 at the time of writing, while the lowest metro price is Edmonton at $0.95 and highest Vancouver at $1.29, Toronto splitting the middle with $1.06 per litre. Hence, alternative fuel vehicles are still just as valid today as they were two and a half years ago before the oil market tanked.

Smart's marketing department might want Read Full Story
To say Volvo has been on a roll would be an understatement, the Swedish brand’s new XC90 mid-size crossover SUV and S90 mid-size luxury sedan rejuvenating interest in the brand’s entire lineup.…

Volvo Car Canada reports 27.5 percent growth for 2016

To say Volvo has been on a roll would be an understatement, the Swedish brand’s new XC90 mid-size crossover SUV and S90 mid-size luxury sedan rejuvenating interest in the brand’s entire lineup. Volvo Canada sold 6,103 units in calendar year 2016, which showed a 27.5-percent increase over the 4,788 deliveries experienced in 2015. December resulted in 433 units down the road compared to 340 total sales for the same month the year prior, this strong result marking the fifteenth consecutive month of sales growth in Canada. “2016 was truly an exceptional year for Volvo Canada. Exciting new product, the introduction of advanced technologies and a motivated retailer network led to the Volvo Car brand exceeding expectations in Canada,” said Alexander Lvovich, Managing Director, Volvo Car Canada Ltd. “With three new models being unveiled in 2017, the brand is poised for another year of growth as the Volvo Car brand continues to make its impact on the premium car segment in Canada.”