The 2017 Lexus ES certainly looks the part of a luxury car, but does it provide the interior quality, high levels of comfort, available features and performance most expect from this class? We test a…
What can I say about Lexus ES' that hasn't already been said countless times before, other than it's a front-wheel drive, mid-size, premium-branded anomaly that's managed to weather regular storms of negative driving dynamics criticism and come out shining as a top seller in its field?
Of course, there really isn't much else directly in its field to compare it to other than Lincoln's MKZ or the front-drive Acura RLX that's no longer available in Canada. Alternatively we could look down market into mainstream volume brands in order to face it off against its own platform-sharing Toyota Avalon or others like Buick's LaCrosse, Chevrolet's Impala, Chrysler's 300, Dodge's Charger, Ford's Taurus, Kia's Cadenza, or Nissan's Maxima.
The major differentiator in this class is this electrified 300h that brought Toyota's storied Hybrid Synergy Drive to the mid-size luxury class in 2012 (a year after the MKZ Hybrid), but even this is now old news in the premium sector thanks to Read Full Story
Acura has given its popular TLX a thorough refresh for 2018, with the new A-Spec upgrade most enticing in the lineup. We review it in top-line SH-AWD Elite trim, complete with redesigned front and rear…
When Acura adapted its Precision Concept-inspired "diamond pentagon grille" to the MDX mid-size SUV I liked what I saw, but I questioned how the bold design would work with other models in Acura's growing lineup. As it turns out there was no reason for concern, at least with the newly refreshed 2018 TLX sport sedan.
In fact, the new grille looks especially good with the new A-Spec upgrade, my tester's San Marino Red exterior paint doing a good job of showing all the glossy black highlights around the sporty honeycomb mesh grille and upgraded lower fascia, the latter adding visual drama thanks to unique matte-black mesh grille inserts at centre and larger fog lamp bezels to each corner. What's more, Acura's signature five-lamp Jewel Eye LED headlights are darkened in A-Spec trim, plus body-colour rocker extensions now run down each side, "smoked" LED taillights enhance the design in back, and an aggressive black diffuser looks menacing below the rear bumper, the latter housing Read Full Story
Let’s face it. The majority of today’s consumers hook up to the digital world through an Apple or Android smartphone, and the ability to use either technology within our vehicles makes life a lot…
Apple CarPlay (upper display) has been lauded for making auto infotainment more user-friendly, while the 2018 MDX will also feature standard Android Auto (lower display). (Photo: Acura)
Let’s face it. The majority of today’s consumers hook up to the digital world through an Apple or Android smartphone, and the ability to use either technology within our vehicles makes life a lot easier.
That’s the premise behind Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the former noted for providing the Cupertino, California firm’s easy usability and trademark graphics within various cars’ central infotainment displays, while the latter more widely popular Seattle-sourced operating system does likewise, albeit without proprietary visual and functional designs.
Google’s Android operating system is now more popular than Apple’s iPhone system. (Photo: Acura)
While Honda’s namesake models have had Apple CarPlay and Android Auto incorporated within their single-screen infotainment systems for some time, Acura has been patiently waiting to receive them for its unique dual-display setup. The recently updated 2018 TLX received the two technologies earlier this year, so now the 2018 MDX, which was refreshed last year, will benefit from both smartphone-mirroring interfaces.
The TLX and MDX incorporate the Apple and Android interfaces within their larger top displays and leave the lower touchscreen, plus the rotating dial and buttons below, for control.
Amongst other features, the two smartphone-mirroring systems let you plot out navigation coordinates at home before traveling, which are then incorporated within the car’s infotainment display. (Photo: Acura)
Along with adding the Apple and Android upgrades to the TLX infotainment system it also received improvements to the stock display, with more logically organized functions and quicker response times. These changes will improve the MDX infotainment user experience whether linking your smartphone up to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto or not, plus the smartphone-mirroring technologies will be standard across the 2018 MDX line.
Red is the new colour theme for the 2018 MDX. (Photo: Acura)
Acura’s U.S. division has also shown new colours for the 2018 MDX, which will likely be available here in Canada as well, although the automaker’s Canadian division has made no announcements. This said, Basque Red and San Marino Red would be vivid additions to a lineup that only had Dark Cherry Pearl available for red fans last year, the only other colours being Obsidian Blue Pearl and Black Copper Pearl. This is why we mostly see the MDX in shades of Crystal Black Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic (a medium grey), Lunar Silver Metallic, and White Diamond Pearl.
No pricing or other modifications have been announced for the 2018 MDX, but it is expected to move into the new model year unchanged, other than the revisions just noted.
Toyota’s RAV4 is Canada’s most popular compact SUV, but does that mean it’s best in its class? Check out today’s review of new top-line Limited Platinum AWD trim to find out what we think and…
The RAV4 is number one! At the close of 2016, Toyota's fourth-generation RAV4 became the bestselling compact SUV in Canada, and by a significant margin. What's more, its 49,103 total sales surpassed the mighty Corolla (by 908 units) for the first time ever, yet another sign of shifting consumer tastes from cars to crossover sport utilities. This also means the RAV4 is now the most popular Toyota in Canada.
Sales aren't slowing for 2017 either. In fact, if the RAV4 continues at its current pace it'll easily surpass 50,000 units for another record year. At the close of Q3 2017 the RAV was still in first place with 39,895 sales, beating the runner-up CR-V by 2,181 units and the third-place Ford Escape by 2,718, let alone Nissan's Rogue that's a sizeable 6,715 deliveries behind or Hyundai's Tucson that trails by a whopping 15,650 units. The best of the rest aren't even half as popular, which goes to show how much Canadians like their Toyota SUVs.
Making the universally adored Mazda MX-5 a more comfortable, refined, all-weather sports car didn’t mean it had to lose any of its notable performance prowess, it’s retractable fastback merely makes…
The current Mazda MX-5, which was originally named Miata in North America and still goes by the moniker in the U.S., is the fourth evolution of the Japanese company's sports car. My test car for an August week was the RF version, or retractable fastback, in reality a folding hardtop that takes 13 seconds to raise or lower. Top up or down, it looked clean and dynamic, more visually aggressive than previous models. It should age well. Trunk space was almost the same as the soft-top version, with my duffel bag, computer case, and test instrumentation all managing to fit.
My big decision was where to go with the vehicle. Vancouver traffic didn't seem like a good idea, so, top down I headed towards the twists and turns of the Fraser Canyon. Next to a motorcycle, a convertible provides the most complete driving experience, to my mind much more fun than being sealed in an air-conditioned box.
The Mazda's 155 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque don't sound like much, but the Read Full Story
The Charger SXT is no Hellcat, but its 300-hp 3.6L V6, 8-speed auto and rear or all-wheel drivetrain is plenty capable, whereas its fully independent suspension is surprisingly agile for such a big car.…
Half a century ago, when the Big Three, Ford, GM, and Chrysler, ruled the North American markets, most vehicles were traditional front-engine, rear-wheel drive, and quite often equipped with thirsty V8 engines. In Australia, the full-size car market was dominated by Holdens (GM) and Fords, which competed on racetracks as well as in the showroom. I drove a Holden Commodore a couple of years ago, and was impressed by the vehicle's overall capabilities. There was also a Vauxhall version in England, and to my mind these set a high watermark for reasonably priced, powerful rear-drive sedans.
My early racing years were spent overseas, and I had no real cultural reference to the muscle car era. However, I was one of the pro drivers giving rides around California's Laguna Seca Raceway in Dodge Vipers during Cherries Jubilee, a massive muscle car and hot rod show. The effort and enthusiasm of the owners, along with the rumble of eight-cylinder iron (and 10 with respect to the Vipers), Read Full Story
Toyota’s Sienna will get a big grille refresh for 2018, so if you like a more conservative approach to styling we recommend you snag a 2017 model, like this XLE AWD Limited, while you can. Updated with…
I remember when this third-generation 2011 Sienna was brand new, and in sporty SE trim it was the coolest minivan to ever hit the road.
I was on the press launch and specifically chose to focus on the SE after driving the majority of trims during the national launch program in early 2010, and soon after I tested a four-cylinder LE model at home (that engine since discontinued in the Sienna), another four-cylinder the following year in 2012 trim while visiting my daughter at her university in Sackville, New Brunswick (a comfortable and economical trip from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Moncton, where I stayed), and after that a well-equipped 2012 XLE model at home, a 2013 LE V6 likewise, a 2014 XLE Limited, the mid-cycle updated 2015 in LE AWD guise, and finally an XLE AWD version of the same vintage, so it felt good to get back in the Sienna saddle once again, this time in an XLE AWD with the Limited package (we'll just call it the Limited AWD).
Volkswagen would love you to buy its recently refreshed Passat, but most midsize sedan shoppers are more interested in Honda’s new Accord and Toyota’s new Camry. In fact, few rivals sell less midsize…
Volkswagen had big hopes for its American-sized Passat when it replaced the smaller Euro-spec B6 model back in 2011 for the 2012 model year. I tested and reviewed a TDI Trendline+ and a 3.6 VR6 Highline that year, and while impressed with the styling, performance and roominess, I was a bit put off by its downgraded interior refinement.
After a first foray with the car my review comments included, "The dash, door uppers and inserts remain high-quality soft touch synthetic, but that's about it for premium pliable composites as the rest of the cabin is less impressively finished in hard plastics, a disappointment when compared to most top-line models in the mid-size segment, and a downer considering just how well-made the old Passat's interior was."
To make matters worse, the replacement Euro-spec Passat B7 was a move up in every respect, and likely a model that would've worked very well here in Canada where we traditionally appreciate smaller cars. VW followed up this Read Full Story
