June | 2017 | The Car Magazine

The Dune arrived last year and caused quite a stir amongst the VW Beetle faithful. I’m not talking about those who adhere to the wonderful little air-cooled rear-engine “Bug” that put Volkswagen…

In Our Garage

2017 Volkswagen Beetle Dune

The Dune arrived last year and caused quite a stir amongst the VW Beetle faithful.

I’m not talking about those who adhere to the wonderful little air-cooled rear-engine “Bug” that put Volkswagen on the global map more than half a century ago, but more so those weaned on the modern-day front-engine, front-drive version that wowed the world as the Concept One when it hit VW’s Detroit auto show stage in 1994 and eventually arrived as the New Beetle in 1997.

It was thoroughly and effectively redesigned in 2010 for the 2011 model year, the “New” internally named A4 version then old, resulting in the simpler “Beetle” nameplate getting the nod for this A5-based third-generation. It remains less frou-frou and therefore appeals to brawnier types, which has inevitably led to some very eye-catching special editions.

The best of these, in my opinion, is the Classic that arrived for 2015, which now seems to be a permanent fixture within the Beetle lineup, whereas the crossover-styled Dune is on its second year, with a convertible version added for 2017, so it appears this wonderfully unorthodox new addition will become a perennial regular too.

The Dune does a pretty good job of toughening up the Beetle’s less than masculine image, as seen here at its photo shoot next to a local river about five kilometers from my home. The gritty dirt underneath and natural background seems fitting, this being the “dune buggy” of the family, although a Golf Alltrack might be the more capable compact VW to take up and over unpaved hills.

The expected SUV-like matte black plastic cladding is tastefully applied as a lower body wraparound, adding a little more beef around the wheel cutouts, while VW spiffs up the design with aluminum-look grille trim and undertrays front and rear. A 10-mm raised “Rough road” suspension adds to the crossover look, allowing more room for a decidedly non-4×4-like set of 18-inch machine-finished Canyon alloys, while wider front and rear tracks and a thicker 23-mm front stabilizer bar make sure that any additional top-heaviness is offset by added stability and extra rigidity in the suspension.

Exclusive Sandstorm Yellow Metallic paint (it’s also available in Deep Black Pearl and Pure White) gets carried over to the dash and door uppers inside, where it’s joined by Curry Yellow piping and stitching on the otherwise black leatherette bolstered seats with Dark Ceramique cloth inserts (no matter the exterior colour chosen), while the Curry Yellow stitching is also found on the leather-wrapped steering wheel, shifter boot, handbrake handle, and centre armrest.

The $28,890 Dune hardtop is not only a style icon taken to the next level, but it’s a well-equipped daily driver filled with the types of features today’s buyers want, such as auto on/off HID headlights with delayed shut-off, LED daytime running lights, fog lamps, LED taillights, heated power-adjustable side mirrors, proximity-sensing access with pushbutton start, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, heatable front seats, a 6.3-inch colour infotainment touchscreen with proximity-sensing digital buttons, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink, a backup camera, navigation, two SD card slots, a USB port, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, eight-speaker 400-watt Fender audio, a large power moonroof, front and rear parking sensors, an alarm, and more.

Front-wheel motivation comes via VW’s 1.8-litre turbocharged and direct-injected 1.8-litre four-cylinder that’s capable of 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, and partially due to its six-speed auto with Tiptronic manual mode is rated at 9.7 L/100km in the city and 7.2 on the highway. While it looks like an off-road warrior the Dune isn’t available with 4Motion all-wheel drive, but its electronic traction and stability control, amongst other driving aids, reportedly help it go farther into the wilderness than most would think possible, but unfortunately we won’t be bushwhacking this week.

We will be enjoying the Beetle Dune on the streets of our fair city instead, although this week it’s particularly cool and cloudy, albeit mostly dry, so we probably won’t be taking it to the beach where it would fit in most ideally.

Either way, come back for a full review where we’ll give you the ins and outs of its passenger and cargo compartments, the pluses and minuses of its driving dynamics, the pros and cons of is various features, all the while wandering through various (hopefully entertaining) digressions…

VW has created a new midsize crossover SUV that could really shake up the 7-passenger market. Meet the new Atlas, a rugged yet refined looking sport utility powered by an efficient 2.0L I-4 or powerful…

New Car Reviews

2018 Volkswagen Atlas Road Test Review

In Greek mythology, Atlas was the figure that was tasked to carry the sky on his shoulders for eternity.

The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas has a role very close to the mythical Atlas, as VW is counting on Atlas to be a sales star as the company rebounds from its diesel emissions scandal.

The Atlas is large and in charge. It's the only VW that seats seven, now that the Routan minivan is kaput. And the Atlas' third row is unique, as you can leave three child safety seats firmly connected in the second row and still have generous access to the adult-sized third row. Yes, you can be more than five feet tall and sit comfortably in the Atlas' third row.

And while the Atlas is large, it drives like its smaller brothers Touareg and Tiguan. Touareg is considerably more expensive than Atlas ($35,690 base versus $51,960 for Touareg) and priced competitively with the much smaller Tiguan (base MSRP $25,990), which in 2018 guise is larger than the previous generation's offering. Read Full Story

Volvo has been very busy remaking its entire brand over the past few years. It started with a focus on powertrains, its various five-cylinders and V6s gradually replaced by a lineup of efficient direct-injection…

In Our Garage

2017 Volvo S60 T6 AWD

Volvo has been very busy remaking its entire brand over the past few years. It started with a focus on powertrains, its various five-cylinders and V6s gradually replaced by a lineup of efficient direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinders. Pricier trims went a step further by integrating both turbocharging and supercharging into the same 2.0-litre four, while the all-new award-winning XC90 SUV even has a plug-in hybrid version of the latter. That XC90 ushered in the second phase of Volvo’s metamorphosis, a wholesale brand-wide design that included an entirely new level of opulent luxury and future-tech feature sets. The XC90 was quickly followed by an entirely new mid-size luxury sedan dubbed S90 (replacing the S80), this model including a wagon variant named V90 (replacing the V70), plus an immediately more popular raised crossover model that—in Volvo tradition—goes by the name of V90 Cross Country (replacing the V70 Cross Country/XC70).

While all of this is thoroughly exciting to anyone working for Volvo or supportive of the storied Swedish marque, the new 2018 XC60, which looks like a smaller interpretation of the XC90, will certainly become Volvo’s new sales leader when it goes on sale later this year. This leaves the D-segment S60, currently in our garage, as well as its V60 and V60 Cross Country siblings, which I’ve reviewed previously, as the lone Volvo line yet to go under the surgeon’s knife, plus of course an entire line of subcompact cars and SUVs that have yet to surface.

While not as new in styling or features as the updated models mentioned, the S60 is still very worthy of attention, especially those who tend to hold onto their cars longer and therefore wouldn’t suffer from as much depreciation when the updated model arrives next year on a new modular chassis architecture that Volvo will use exclusively (the current S60 reaches back seven years to when Ford sold the brand to China’s Geely, while the Volvo V3/Ford EUCD chassis it rides upon is 11 years old—coming into use with the S80—and has been shared with many Ford and Land Rover models ever since).

The design is clean, uncluttered and especially aerodynamic, and I must admit still looks smart if not the newest kid on the block. Unfortunately it sells into a premium sector that thrives on latest and greatest, hence why newer Volvo designs have mostly seen big boosts in sales (especially the XC90) and why this one has seen its once strong market share slowly and steadily erode from a high of 3,227 units in 2002 to an initial bump of 1,519 in 2011 and then a slightly higher blip to 1,525 in 2012, both after the redesigned version hit the road, to just 657 examples last year. There’s a silver lining in all of this dreariness, however; the previous low before this second-gen car arrived in 2010 was 208 deliveries, meaning they’ve got a lot more to build upon this time around.

While it’s fair to say the exterior sheetmetal is still plenty attractive, the cabin is very high in quality and designed with one part minimalism and another button overkill, but being a fan of classic high-end audio equipment this works well for me. The majority of buttons are clustered atop the floating centre stack, still a lovely design element, and they’re positioned to make a lot of sense once acclimatized, especially the HVAC interface that’s basically a body pictograph (you don’t even need to speak Swedish to figure it out—or English). Above that is a fully featured infotainment system with good graphics and nice contrast for good depth of colour, and while not as impressive as the best-in-class tablet-style touchscreen interface found in the XC90 and S90/V90 series, it’s quite serviceable and includes a backup camera with active guidelines as well as navigation in my top-tier T6 AWD tester.

Even more impressive is the S60’s fully configurable primary gauge cluster. Volvo was early to adopt a feature that’s now becoming more prevalent in competitors’ higher trims, and they did a very good job on this one, plus its resolution quality is extremely good. No matter the trim level the S60 delivers an upscale environment with superb attention to detail, very high quality padded soft synthetic surface treatments, tastefully applied satin-finished and brushed metals, and some of the best seats in the car industry.

I’ll leave my road test analysis to my upcoming review, and won’t comment too much further on the S60’s other attributes or detractors, but only add that my tester was equipped with the upgraded turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder with 302 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, plus AWD fed through an eight-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and paddle shifters. That’s a cutting edge drivetrain considering its conservative styling, and one I’ll soon tell you all about. Come join me back here in a couple of weeks for the full review…

Ford F-150 buyers love their special editions, and I must admit the new 2017 Lariat Special Edition added to my SuperCrew 3.5 Ecoboost 4×4 tester is one I could definitely fall for as well. This…

In Our Garage

2017 Ford F-150 Lariat 3.5 Ecoboost Special Edition

Ford F-150 buyers love their special editions, and I must admit the new 2017 Lariat Special Edition added to my SuperCrew 3.5 Ecoboost 4×4 tester is one I could definitely fall for as well. This thing looks fabulous! I can’t tell you how many rubbernecking stares I got while driving around town, and my neighbourhood is one of the rarer places to find pickup trucks, at least when it comes to those that live here. There are plenty of plain white work trucks with side signage scattered across the myriad building sites throughout my ever-burgeoning inner-city-like suburb, while the streets are literally littered with the bourgeois supercars of the nouveau super riche, from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, McLaren, and the like. Cars like that are commonplace, but a truck like this totally stands out.

Lariat sits third amongst seven trims, the others being XL, XLT, King Ranch, Platinum, Raptor, and Limited. We really should consider the Raptor a completely unique model due to exclusive body panels and an extreme off-road specific driveline, but for the time being we’ll just leave it alone, being that Ford has promised a full week’s test with one in the near future. Back to the Lariat, while third-rung up the F-150 ladder, its $46,149 price tag is somewhat higher than the XL’s $28,249 starting point, or the XLT’s $30,549 base window sticker. Then again the King Ranch starts at $63,349, which is well into premium-branded luxury mid-size SUV territory, and the Platinum delves even deeper into the luxe class with a sticker of $65,549. The Raptor, incidentally starts at $68,399, while the end-all-to-be-all luxury trucks (or at least Ford would like to have us think of its F-150 Limited this way) is a highfalutin $73,149: ranch owners and contractor/developers only need apply.

All of a sudden this Lariat is looking pretty approachable, even with its fancy additions. Upgrading to the four-door SuperCrew cab with the five-and-a-half-foot short box, the 3.5-litre Ecoboost V6, new 10-speed automatic (yes, a 10-speed, just like the bike my big brother got when I was relegated to a 5-speed) with auto start/stop, and four-wheel drive elevated that Lariat price to $58,249 (back up to mid-size luxury SUV territory again), while its Ruby Red paint adds another $450. That black stripe down the side and its black hood decal are part of the Special Edition package mentioned a moment ago, as are the strips of red running across the otherwise grey-tone grille. There’s much more to this $2,400 package than that, mind you, such as LED headlamps with dark housings (my tester also had the Luxury package, so expect halogens in lesser equipped models), body-colour front and rear bumpers, unique 20-inch alloys on 275/55 all-terrain tires and a set of black running boards between them, unique red and black fender and tailgate “F-150” badges, and finally a unique squared off chrome tailpipe finisher on the outside.

Inside, the F-150 Lariat Special Edition gets an exclusive red-stitched leather-wrapped steering wheel, red-stitched detailing on the unique instrument panel and doors, a red-stitched console top, and a very fine looking set of red-accented, leather and psuede-trimmed Special Edition seats, plus all of the features that come with the Lariat and the Luxury package noted a moment ago. The latter is a $4,900 package that adds whollops of high-end features like those LED headlights that are actually comprised of very cool looking dual-stacking beams and infused with auto high beam technology, while the taillights are upgraded to LEDs as well. The package normally comes with 18-inch chromed wheels and a whole host of chromed exterior trim, all of which gets nixed for the Special Edition package above, but the normally chrome-capped side mirrors (black as-tested) benefit from power-folding capability, auto-dimming, LED side-mirror security approach lights, blindspot monitoring warning lights, and more, while rear cross-traffic alert is also part of the 502A Luxury upgrade.

Additional kit from this package includes rain-sensing wipers, a universal garage door opener, a heatable steering wheel rim, a powered tilt and telescoping steering column with memory, 700-watt 10-speaker Sony audio (with a sub), satellite radio, voice-activated navigation, Sync Connect services, and heatable rear seats. We could leave it there, but you might notice the addition of the $1,250 Technology package in the photos, which ups the ante with a 360-degree parking monitor with a split-screen display and Dynamic Hitch Assist, plus lane keeping assist. A $550 spray-in bedliner made the box much more serviceable, while Ford’s exclusive (and still brilliant) $400 Tailgate Step made getting in and out much easier (money well spent for the 50-plus crowd). Likewise for the $300 retractable Box Side Steps, and there were more extras added on, but I will leave it there as this is supposed to be a “Garage” piece, not a complete review.

That means I’ll be back soon with that full road test review where I’ll talk about how the modern-day legend 3.5 Ecoboost mates up to its new 10-speed partner, and how intrusive (or not) the auto start/stop system is. Fuel economy matters a lot in this class and was one of the key reasons Ford spent all the crazy money needed for this truck’s fully aluminum body shell, so will go over in detail, plus hauling specs, and of course the experiential stuff, how it drives in town, rides overall, pulls away from a stoplight, manages highway speeds, handles, coddles, comforts, etcetera. Come back soon for a full report…

Two years ago Honda hadn’t even staked their claim in the burgeoning subcompact SUV category, but after its first seven months of availability the HR-V shot right up to the top of its class in the Canadian…

In Our Garage

2017 Honda HR-V EX-L Navi

Two years ago Honda hadn’t even staked their claim in the burgeoning subcompact SUV category, but after its first seven months of availability the HR-V shot right up to the top of its class in the Canadian market with 8,959 sales compared to the next-best Chevy Trax that had 12 months to achieve its 8,156-unit final tally. What about 2016? With a full year under its belt the little Honda SUV became the only segment challenger to break five figures with final sales of 12,371 units compared to 9,354 deliveries from the the next-bestselling Mazda CX-3. The subcompact SUV segment almost doubled in 2015, thanks to two additional models added alongside the HR-V and CX-3. The all-American Jeep Renegade and its Italian Fiat 500X cousin haven’t fared as well as the two Japanese entries in Canada at least, ranking seventh and eighth respectively last year with sales of 3,962 and 766 units apiece, the third through sixth positions filled with the Trax (9,072), Mitsubishi RVR (6,196), Buick Encore (5,533), and Nissan Juke (4,442), with the final ninth spot in the category filled by Mini’s (arguably premium-level) Countryman (694).

Interestingly, things are very different in the U.S. where the Renegade was number one last year with 106,606 deliveries, the HR-V number two with 82,041, Trax a close third with 79,016, Encore an even closer fourth with 78,565, Outlander Sport (RVR) a distant fifth with 33,067, Juke even further away with 19,577, CX-3 unfairly relegated to the lower ranks with just 18,557 (for some reason Mazda sells poorly in the States), the Countryman with 12,706, and the 500X still getting no respect with a mere 11,712 sales. The common denominator? The HR-V rocks both sales charts. So how is it doing now? With five months of 2017 down the road, the HR-V is so far ahead in Canada it could get quite embarrassing for the others, thanks to 6,627 sales compared to 3,867 for the CX-3, 3,379 for the Encore (a mid-cycle update is boosting its sales), 2,787 for the Trax, 2,687 for the RVR (it’s update wasn’t so well received), 1,645 for the Renegade (up one position), 1,103 for the Juke, 773 for the 500X, 690 for the new Toyota CH-R (after just one month no less), 411 for the Countryman, and 191 for the new Nissan Qashqai (also after its first month).

The two new entries make the subcompact SUV class 11 competitors deep, with the Ford EcoSport yet to make its North American debut. Consider for a moment that calendar year 2014 only found five in this category, while there were just three competing in 2011 and only two going head-to-head in 2010 (the Juke and RVR in case you were wondering). That a newcomer arrived on the scene and managed to steal most of the thunder is shocking, but it will all make sense to anyone who’s lived with the amazingly practical little runabout. We Canadians are particularly practical when it comes to buying small vehicles, which we do more often than our friends to the south. Next to big Ford Series trucks (that derive much of their sales from the commercial market), our bestselling car is Honda’s Civic, which sold 64,552 units in 2016 and already found 30,450 buyers this year. The Honda CR-V fares well in the compact SUV segment too, in a constant battle with Toyota’s RAV4 that sees one ahead of the other depending on the month (the RAV4 took top sales honours last year and is slightly ahead again now), while the subcompact Honda Fit hatchback was second-most popular in its class last year, although has experienced an uncharacteristic plunge to sixth over the first five months of 2017.

This must have something to do with its availability at the dealer level, because the current third-generation Fit (second in our market) is three years younger than the segment’s long-in-tooth albeit bestselling Hyundai Accent, and by my experience remains one of the best in the class. On that note a mild refresh is expected later this year as a 2018 model, so it could be that Honda is slowly phasing out this 2017 version so that its dealers don’t end up with too many in stock when the new one arrives. Then again it could be this very HR-V that’s cannibalizing the Fit’s sales. As you may already know, the HR-V is based on the Fit and is therefore similarly sized and equally efficient in its packaging. It’s quite a bit pricier with a base of $21,050 compared to $15,050, which puts it out of reach of price-sensitive first-time car buyers that normally shop in the subcompact car class, but some that come shopping for a Fit might very well be upsold to the HR-V. We’ll just have to see how the Fit story pans out as the year unfolds, but either way the really big story will be the HR-V and how it continues to dominate its class.

The HR-V rightly gets no significant changes for 2017, with only two items on the list. The first is the cancellation of the lovely Misty Green Pearl hue (a dark forest green) that coated the exterior of the 2016 HR-V AWD EX-L Navi I tested and reviewed last year (I reviewed the 2016 HR-V EX-2WD as well). Therefore, the only difference between this 2017 HR-V AWD EX-L Navi is its stealthy Modern Steel Metallic grey. This means Honda now provides six exterior HR-V colours to choose from including this nice shade of grey, Crystal Black Pearl, White Orchid Pearl, Deep Ocean Pearl (a dark blue), Milano Red, and Mulberry Metallic (a dark aubergine purple). The second change is another subtraction, the elimination of the six-speed manual on mid-grade EX trim. This might cause a small handful of HR-V fans to grimace, but if there were going to be a major outcry they wouldn’t have done it. As it is, only the base LX model gets the wonderful DIY gearbox for 2017, all other trims making do with Honda’s efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT).

From the outside it’s difficult to figure out exactly which trim level you’re driving, mostly because the HR-V is so nicely featured in base trim. All come with the same sizeable 17-inch five-spoke alloys on 215/55 all-seasons, body-coloured side mirrors, and body-coloured rear rooftop spoiler, while the headlights are multi-reflector halogens and taillights filled with LEDs. Lastly, matte-finish black plastic cladding trims out the lower front fascia, wheel arch edges, side skirts, and the bottom half of the rear bumper in typical SUV fashion. The move up to EX adds circular fog lamps up front and LED turn signals within the side mirror housings, while the top-line EX-L Navi gets a set of silver roof rails to make it stand out. I could see would-be buyers loving or loathing the HR-V’s styling, a theme that I’ve witnessed firsthand while living with Honda’s latest designs. People are either enamoured with the modern, edgy, origami look or they won’t be caught dead in one, which is certainly a different strategy than the mainstream volume brand has played for most of its existence. I’ve always loved Honda’s engineering, but been lulled to sleep by its styling, so I can hardly complain after they’ve spiced things up. I can’t say I’m in the enamoured camp, but I’m hardly frothing at the mouth in rabid rage either.

For me the optimal looker in the segment is Mazda’s CX-3. It’s one of the best to drive too, but if forced to decide between styling and performance or overall practicality, I’d probably lean towards the latter. I’ll get into what makes the HR-V best in class in my upcoming road test review, at which point I’ll run over more of its standard and optional features, performance, fuel economy, etcetera. As good as it is the HR-V is not perfect, so I’ll dissect these issues at length as well. Make sure to come back for all the sordid details soon…

North America loves its F-series trucks. In 2016 Ford sold 820,799 F-series pickups in the United States. Canada sold nearly 150,000. Ford likes to boast that it’s been Canada’s best selling vehicle…

In Our Garage

2017 Ford F-150 Lariat 4×4 SuperCrew

North America loves its F-series trucks. In 2016 Ford sold 820,799 F-series pickups in the United States. Canada sold nearly 150,000. Ford likes to boast that it’s been Canada’s best selling vehicle for 51 years and it’s easy to understand why. The closest competitor to the F-series line was the Ram Pickup having sold 89,048 last year, followed by the GMC Sierra with 51,091 and then the Chevrolet Silverado at 44,932. So what makes the Ford so appealing to the Canadian consumer? Pickups are a different breed today than they were in decades past. Trucks were used for heavy lifting and towing and usually thought of as a tradesman’s tool. However, many have developed luxurious traits that are normally only seen in luxury sedans and SUVs. The interior of our test model is spacious with tasteful aluminum accents and comfortable bucket seats that are covered in leather. The dash is well thought out and very easy to become accustomed to. There is plenty of room in the back row, which can easily seat three adults side-by-side.

If you love chrome look no further than the Ford F-150 Lariat 4×4 SuperCrew.

This model also has the Lariat Chrome appearance options package ($1,000), which includes a chrome three-bar style grille with chrome surround, chrome mesh inserts, two chrome front tow hooks, chrome skull caps on the exterior mirrors, chrome door handles with body-colour bezels, chrome angular running boards, and of course a single-tip chrome exhaust. The aesthetics aren’t the only discernable factor about this new model. Our F-150 Lariat 4×4 SuperCrew is also well equipped, this truck featuring a $2,300 equipment package that includes blind spot information, rear cross-traffic alert, trailer tow monitoring, SYNC connect (for your smartphone), Sirius XM satellite radio, 10-speaker audio, voice-activated navigation and LED puddle lamps.

The LED headlights and the chrome grille on this Ford F-150 help give it a rugged look.

It’s easy to get caught up marveling at all the technology and dazzling chrome accents, however the truck’s unseen components make it truly outstanding. The F-150 Lariat comes with a choice of three engines. First, the 2.7-litre V6 EcoBoost comes standard and develops 325 horsepower and 375 lb-ft of torque while only consuming 12.2 L/100km city, 9.3 highway and 10.9 combined. The second available engine is the $900 optional 5.0-litre V8 with twin independent variable cam timing. It’s fast thanks to 385 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 387 lb-ft of torque at 3,850 rpm. This means it will reach 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds from standstill. The 5.0 is surprisingly fuel-efficient for a V8, but nowhere near the EcoBoost engine. At 16.0 L/100km city, 11.8 highway and 14.1 combined the V8 has comparable fuel economy to the other trucks in its class, including the GMC Sierra SLE 5.3-litre V8 that has a 15.9 L/100km city, 11.1 highway and 13.8 combined rating, and the Ram pickup with the Hemi V8, although not the Ram’s similarly potent EcoDiesel.

Fantastic interior equipped with an awesome infotainment system.

The third available engine is the $1,650 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost developing 365 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm. The fastest of the three, it will reach 100km/h in 5.8 seconds. At 15.6 L/100km city, 13.2 highway and 14.5 combined, this engine is the thirstiest as well, but offers a lot of pulling power. Also, when compared to competitors’ top engine choices it’s a fuel economy leader, partially due to an all-new 10-speed automatic transmission with auto start/stop. Unfortunately, the 2.7-litre V6 EcoBoost and the 5.0-litre V8 are not yet available with the new 10-speed automatic, and come with a proven six-speed automatic transmission instead. Depending on the engine, drivetrain, and body style, each F-150 model differs in maximum towing capability and maximum payload capacity. The smallest base 2.7-litre V6 EcoBoost has a maximum towing capability of 3,855 kg (8,500 lbs) and a maximum payload capacity of 1,002 kg (2,210 lbs) when mated up to the Regular Cab body style and 4×2 drivetrain, whereas the largest 5.0-litre TI-VCT V8 with the Regular Cab 4×2 has a max tow rating of 4,989 kg (11,000 lbs) and a max payload capacity of 1,483 kg (3,270 lbs). Finally, the 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 with the Regular Cab and a 4×2 drivetrain has a max towing capability of 5,533 kg (12,200 lbs) and a max payload capacity of 1,470 kg (3,240 lbs). The F-150’s ability to provide strong performance despite its sizeable proportions isn’t just about engine performance, but more importantly can be attributed to a completely new light truck philosophy at Ford. As part of the 2015 F-150 redesign it switched from utilizing steel for its body and bed to a combination of “military-grade” aluminum and high-strength steel. In the upcoming review we’ll give you a taste of what it’s like to sit behind the wheel along with a detailed description of the infotainment system that truly impressed us. Stay tuned for a full review…

The all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox is here and we have it in our garage. Past models have sold relatively well in the small SUV category. Canadian consumers bought 19,197 Equinox utilities in 2016, and…

In Our Garage

2018 Chevrolet Equinox AWD 4dr Premier

The brand new completely redesigned 2018 Chevrolet Equinox looks great in it’s top-tier Premier trim.

The all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox is here and we have it in our garage. Past models have sold relatively well in the small SUV category. Canadian consumers bought 19,197 Equinox utilities in 2016, and over the course of its 13-year tenure upwards of two million have been sold in North America. It faces stiff competition in the compact crossover market going up against the bestselling Toyota RAV4 that sold 49,103 units last year. Other competitors in the Equinox’ class include the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue and Jeep Cherokee. The Equinox finally received a much-needed redesign from its tired second-generation model that’s been in production since 2009. The grille is more aggressive and trimmed in chrome while the LED headlights have gone from rounded and cute to sharp and sporty. The front fascia looks like it’s taken athletic styling cues from the other cars in Chevrolet’s lineup such as the Cruze, Malibu and Volt. The entire car has been aero-tested in a wind tunnel and it shows. Subtle sculpting in the Equinox’ side paneling make it an interesting vehicle to look at. The changes don’t stop with aesthetics. The new Chevy weighs 204 kg (450 lbs) less than the previous model at 1,509 kg (3,327 lbs), which results in better fuel economy and acceleration, but we will get to that in the full review.

The new Chevrolet Equinox has shed quite a bit of weight compared to its previous model

The wheelbase is 2,725 mm (107.3 inches) long, 132 mm (5.2 inches) shorter than the previous model 2857.5 mm (112.5 inches). A shorter wheelbase results in the car being, you guessed it, smaller. The 2018 Equinox is 119.4 mm (4.7 inches) shorter in overall length than the previous model at 4,650.74 mm (183.1 inches). The cargo capacity is slightly down from the 2016 Equinox but it doesn’t affect the amount of room for passengers. The second row has ample space and can comfortably seat three adults abreast, although the headroom in the back row is slightly cramped at 937 mm (36.9 inches) with a sunroof. Up front the driver’s seat is fully changeable with eight-way adjustable, upwards of six feet I found no issue with the head room and was pleasantly comfortable. The third-generation Equinox comes with a choice of three engines. The first is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 170 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 203 lb-ft of torque at 2,500-4,500 rpm. The second engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, which produces 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The last is a 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel four-cylinder engine that develops 136 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque.

Responsive? Come back and read the full review to find out what it’s like to drive.

This Equinox in our garage has the 1.5-litre turbocharged engine paired to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting mode. The engine has auto start/stop feature to enhance fuel efficiency. Along with the broad and varied engine lineup the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox also comes with four trim levels including the L, LS, LT and Premier with all trims available in front- or all-wheel drive. Our tester is finished in top-line Premier AWD trim, which comes with an array of features such as, 19-inch ultra bright machined wheels with sparkle silver pockets, body-colour door handles with chrome strip, chrome mirror caps, chrome roof-mounted side rails a power sunroof, fog lamps, a power tailgate, rear park assist, leather-trimmed upholstery, remote start and heated front seats.

The Equinox comes loaded with technology and a very user friendly touch screen interface.

On top of Chevy’s Premier trim the tester also features a $5,965 True North Edition package that comes with Chevrolet’s impressive MyLink infotainment system that includes an eight-inch colour touch-screen display with navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth with A2DP streaming stereo audio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging capability, USB integration and OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity. The Equinox is extremely well equipped with advanced safety features such as forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist and automated low-speed braking. The Chevy is also loaded with sensors and cameras that provide more safety features such as blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, rear park assist, rearview camera, and a bird’s-eye view of your perimeter. For parents there is also a “Teen Driver” system that sets speed warnings and limits the maximum volume for the audio system. Additionally, it delivers a “report card” that parents can view to see how their teen is driving. Come back to read the full road test review, at which point we’ll fill you in on the new SUV’s overall practicality, economy, and safety features, as well as what it’s like to drive.

Three years ago Honda introduced the midsize sedan segment’s best hybrid and they’ve done it once again with the advent of the 2017 Accord Hybrid, the updated model boasting class leading range and…

New Car Reviews

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Road Test

When you go to Honda's retail website and click on "Hybrids" you're presented with the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid. That's it. For the first automaker to ever produce a modern-day hybrid for consumer sale, not to mention a company that's created two different versions of that dedicated Insight compact hatchback (1999–2006 and 2009–2014), a long-running Civic Hybrid compact sedan (2002–2015), and another dedicated CR-Z hybrid sports model (2010–2016), it's strange to see just one electrified model in the current lineup.

Click on the "Hybrid" pull-down menu at Toyota Canada's site and you'll find six completely different HEVs, including three that wear Prius badges (subcompact, compact, and near full-size), two SUVs, and the Camry Hybrid that does battle with this Accord Hybrid, while Toyota's U.S. division offers two more including the Prius Prime plug-in and the full-size Avalon Hybrid, not to mention a Camry/Accord-sized hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle dubbed Read Full Story

News & Reviews- Month: June 2017