November | 2018 | The Car Magazine

None of us should be surprised when an automaker launches a new sport utility vehicle these days, but some new entries make more sense than others. For reasons that likely have something to do with North…

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Honda introduces all-new 2019 Passport mid-size SUV

The 2019 Honda Passport slots between the brand’s compact CR-V and 3-row Pilot SUVs, and promises 5-occupant seating and off-road capability. (Photo: Honda)

None of us should be surprised when an automaker launches a new sport utility vehicle these days, but some new entries make more sense than others. For reasons that likely have something to do with North American average sized families (which as of 2016 were estimated at 2.9 persons in Canada, and as of 2017 were 3.14 in the U.S.—which is larger than the EU’s 2.3-person average), five-passenger mid-size SUVs sell better than their larger seven-passenger siblings.

For example the best-selling five-passenger Santa Fe obliterated the larger Santa Fe XL last year with 21,615 deliveries compared to just 6,787, while the next most popular Ford Edge merely nosed out the Explorer with 19,967 unit sales to 17,333. Likewise, the five-occupant Nissan Murano was ahead of the Pathfinder with 15,120 sales to 9,838, and just in case you’re wondering whether brands that only offer seven-passenger crossovers sell much more than those that provide both, consider that the Kia Sorento only sold 15,990 units, the Toyota Highlander just 15,259, the Dodge Journey 13,745, and the Pilot just 8,905.

Other brands fared worse than Honda, with the Dodge Durango down at 6,505 units, GMC Acadia at 5,380, Chevrolet Traverse at 4,710, Volkswagen Atlas at 4,534 (after just seven months of sales), Mazda CX-9 at 3,943, plus a couple of stragglers not worth mentioning, but no doubt the brand that produces the CR-V, Canada’s best-selling compact SUV, and does nearly as well with the HR-V in the subcompact SUV segment, wants to find similar success in the mid-size utility class.

Set to arrive in Honda dealerships across Canada early next year, the 2019 Passport will attempt to recharge the brand’s lagging mid-size sales by targeting two types of SUV buyers, those who simply want more passenger and cargo space than a CR-V can provide, without the added length of a three-row utility, and more adventurous owners who’d like to take their new SUV off the beaten track.

If you’ve been watching Honda’s automotive news stream lately you’ve probably seen greater focus than usual put on off-road performance, with last month’s Ridgeline-based Rugged Open Air Vehicle Concept now seeming like a precursor to a couple of similarly styled all-terrain vehicles, the Talon 1000X and Talon 1000R, introduced alongside the new Passport on Tuesday, November 27. Those not familiar with Honda’s motorcycle and ATV divisions might find all of the above a surprise, but the idea of Honda going off-road will be nothing new to fans of the brand who were weaned on CRs, XLs and XRs, ATCs, TRXs and Four-Trax’s, and most specifically FLs, otherwise known as Honda Odysseys, which were little single-seat four-wheel off-roaders around well before anyone ever heard of a minivan (Honda also made a Pilot ATV in 1989 and 1990), and are closest in concept to the two new Talon ATVs.

Tapping into Honda’s off-road heritage makes a great deal of sense for the brand’s SUV lineup as well as its sole Ridgeline pickup truck, as there’s a lot of missed opportunity for cross-marketing Honda SUVs with Honda dirt bikes and ATVs, not to mention Honda generators and water pumps that would fit nicely into camping lifestyle ad campaigns, and its lawnmowers, handheld edge trimmers, tillers, snowblowers, and more that fit ideally into the lives of home and cabin/cottage owners. The Ridgeline is the more appropriate cross-marketing product for the latter items, but the new off-road capable Passport makes a good fit for anything camping related.

The new Passport would be ideal for trailering all of the recreation vehicles and handy tools noted above (see photos of it towing the new Talon and a camp trailer in the gallery), not to mention boats powered by Honda Marine outboard engines and Honda AquaTrax personal watercraft (although you’ll need to have a used one of the latter being that Honda recently pulled out of the industry), thanks to an optional tow package rated at 1,588 kilograms (3,500 lbs) for front-wheel drive models and 2,268 kilos (5,000 lbs) with all-wheel drive. What’s more, the “overhead” option found in the new Passport’s standard multi-view rearview camera makes connecting hitch and trailer easier than ever before.

Off-road enthusiasts who might have considered a Ridgeline, but never a Pilot or CR-V, will find the new Passport a serious alternative to other medium-duty 4×4 capable SUVs thanks to Honda’s upgraded i-VTM4 all-wheel drive system, which uses active torque vectoring to send up to 70 percent of engine torque to the rear axle and 100 percent to either the left or right rear wheels. Honda promises handling excellence no matter the conditions, citing “rain-slicked or snowy roads or sandy trails,” whereas on pavement it also responds better by overdriving the outside rear wheels amid turns.

Honda’s Intelligent Traction Management (ITM) adds another element to the Passport’s off-road prowess, thanks to four driving modes that work in tandem with the optional i-VTM4 all-wheel drive, including normal, snow, mud and sand selections. ITM is actually standard with both FWD and AWD models, although the drive modes for the former only include normal and snow settings. Also notable, the new Passport adds 13 mm (0.5 in) of ground clearance over its Pilot sibling in FWD guise, and 28 mm (1.1 in) with AWD, allowing greater ability to overcome obstacles like rocks and roots found on the trail.

So how does the Passport AWD do in off-road conditions? As you can see by the photos provided with its launch material, it certainly looks more capable than any previous Honda SUV, at least anything designed and produced by Honda (let’s not forget about the 1993–2002 Isuzu Rodeo-based mid-size model of the same name that could be considered the spiritual successor to this new Passport, and the reason Honda may have chosen to dig up this old name from the mostly forgotten past. Back to the here and now, Honda thoroughly tested the new Passport in “the world’s harshest environments” like “the sands of Dubai, muddy country roads of Russia, and snowbound trails in Minnesota,” and claims that it’s “more capable off road than many unibody SUVs.” Basically they’re saying not to expect it to out-4×4 a Jeep Wrangler, but when up against a similarly equipped unibody crossover SUV that doesn’t offer a bull-low gear ratio, the combination of i-VTM4 and ITM allow AWD-equipped Passports hold their own.

While all of this is fun and interesting, we all know the majority of Passport owners will never take their SUV off pavement and therefore might only ever experience slippery road conditions from rain, snow and ice. As noted earlier Honda has this covered too, while also providing the most powerful base engine in its class, which is both a boon and a bane. The automaker turns to the same i-VTEC valvetrain-enhanced 3.5-litre V6 found in the larger Pilot and Ridgeline pickup truck, not to mention the Odyssey minivan mentioned earlier. On the positive this sole engine makes 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, and while it’s usually good to offer the strongest performance in a segment it’s not necessarily the best to come up short when it comes to fuel economy.

Of course, Honda makes no official fuel consumption claims yet, but we can assume the new model will do better than the base Pilot’s 13.0 L/100km city, 9.3 highway and 11.3 rating due to weighing considerably less and featuring a standard nine-speed automatic transmission with pushbutton gear selection, instead of the more traditional lever operated six-speed unit offered in lower trims of the larger SUV. Higher Pilot trims feature the same nine-speed, and its fuel economy reflects this with a thriftier rating of 12.4 city, 9.3 highway and 11.0 combined, so the new Passport should be able to improve on the latter numbers, while providing smoother and more refined performance than four-cylinder powered competitors that achieve better mileage.

As you may have guessed the new Passport rides on the same fully independent chassis as the Pilot, the Honda Global Light Truck platform consisting of a rigid unibody structure with a fully boxed floor held up by a MacPherson strut front and independent multi-link rear suspension setup, and featuring electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering directing standard 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 245/50 all-season tires in base Sport and EX-L trims or 265/45 tires in Touring and Elite trims.

Of note, the Passport launch model, which was introduced as part of the Los Angeles Auto Show, was in U.S. specification and therefore Canadian-spec trims and features won’t likely be identical. The information provided shows the four trims just mentioned, clarifying them as the “well-appointed Sport, upgraded EX-L, high-tech Touring, and the fully equipped Elite,” but for comparison our Canadian-spec Pilot is offered in LX, EX, EX-L Navi, Touring, and Black Edition trims. These are mostly the same in the U.S. market, except for no Black Edition, whereas we don’t offer Elite trim, instead including all of that model’s features in the top-line Touring.

Along with the 20-inch alloy wheels noted earlier, which is the standard diameter across the entire Passport line, we can safely assume that Canadian-spec models will also get the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver assistive and safety systems as standard equipment, that includes Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) including Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Assistance System (LKAS) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). These advanced electronics are joined by the industry’s usual assortment of active and passive safety features and Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, resulting in a mid-size SUV designed to exceed current crash test standards.

Additional standard features available south of the 49th that should be included in our Passport include LED headlights, LED DRLs, LED fog lamps, and LED taillights, proximity-sensing keyless Smart Entry and Smart Start, a 7.0-inch digital colour TFT primary instrument cluster, a configurable multi-information display featuring audio, trip and phone info (plus turn-by-turn route guidance on models with navigation), tri-zone automatic climate control, a 5.0-inch infotainment display, the aforementioned Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with dynamic guidelines, six-speaker 215-watt audio with a subwoofer, and much more.

In the U.S., Honda includes Blind Spot Information in EX-L, Touring and Elite trims, and adds Rear Cross-Traffic Detection plus front and rear parking sensors to the Touring and Elite, while additional upgrades (depending on trim) include power-folding auto-dimming side mirrors, a larger 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration and smartphone/tablet-style tap, swipe and pinch gesture capability, satellite-linked navigation, 4G LTE in-vehicle Wi-Fi that can support up to seven devices, wireless phone charging, 590-watt 10-speaker premium audio, various HondaLink cloud-based services such as remote unlocking, concierge services, and stolen vehicle tracking, a powered moonroof, second-row sunshades, a power tailgate with available hands-free operation, plus more.

Plenty of Honda Genuine Accessories will also be available for the new Passport, many of which were shown off in the photos provided for this overview. Included are various sizes of roof storage boxes, a roof basket, plus roof-mounted bike, kayak and ski/snowboard racks, while Passport owners can also protect the cargo area with hard plastic floor, side, and seatback covers. Additionally, the storage area under the load floor can be sectioned off with individual, removable, washable bins.

Honda will also be offering a number of cosmetic upgrades including a coloured graphics package, undercarriage welcome lights, and illuminated doorsills, while two accessory packages will be available as well, including The Adventure Package that adds fender flares, running boards, a trailer hitch, and more, plus The Urban Package featuring unique 20-inch alloy wheels, front and rear underbody spoilers, roof rails with crossbars, and the just noted cargo storage bins. Again, we’ll need to wait until Honda Canada reveals our Canadian-spec Passport before confirming everything on this list, but we can be certain that some, if not all of these items will be available here.

As noted earlier, a key reason for stepping up into a mid-size five-occupant SUV over a compact one like the CR-V is increased interior volume, so along with more passenger volume front to back the new Passport provides 368 litres (13.0 cubic feet) of additional passenger volume over its smaller sibling, its 3,282 litres (115.9 cu ft) ahead of the rear seatbacks resulting in segment-leading status, while the Passport’s 4,448 litres (157.1 cu ft) of overall interior volume is also best-in-class.

The Passport continues to lead the class when it comes to cargo hauling too, with 1,166 litres (41.2 cu ft) of luggage space behind the rear seats and 2,206 litres (77.9 cu ft) with the rear row lowered, which is also 56 litres (2.0 cu ft) more cargo space than the CR-V offers in the very back, and 60 litres (2.1 cu ft) more overall. Like with the CR-V, the Passport’s 60/40-split rear seatbacks fold automatically via releases in the cargo area, but the larger SUV uses electric buttons instead of levers, while the Passport also provides a reversible cargo floor that swaps out the carpeting for an easily maintained hard plastic surface.

Another segment-leading bonus is underfloor storage, which measures 71 litres (2.5 cu ft) on its own and can be accessorized as noted earlier.

Stowage in mind, all Passport trims feature a large centre console bin between front occupants, while its roll top cover doubles as a handy tray when closed. There’s more centre console storage ahead of the gear selector, while the door panels provide even more places to put things.

Honda promises “high-quality interior appointments” including “generous use of soft-touch surfaces on the dash and doors,” plus “attractive and durable” fabric upholstery in the base Sport model and optional perforated leather with EX-L, Touring and Elite trims.

After all is said and done, no one should discount the role styling plays in automotive decision-making, and fortunately the Passport benefits from the new 2019 Pilot’s design influence. The latter is better looking than previous generations and the new Passport is arguably more so, thanks to a taller more 4×4-capable looking stance and sporty matte black used for the grille, headlights, bumpers, and wheels, plus glossy black trim in key areas, sharp looking LED headlight accents, unique floating C-pillars, and sporty chrome dual exhaust outlets. Each trim will get exclusive alloy wheel designs too, but so far there’s no word about Honda replacing some of the scratch-resistant blackened trim with dressier body-colour paint and satin-silver or chrome for a city-slicker version, but something similar makes sense for a future base model as well as alternative high-end trims.

All in all it appears Honda has a winner on its hands, particularly because it targets the more popular five-passenger mid-size SUV market segment with an attractive, roomy, well-equipped entry sporting above-average performance and no shortage of high-tech features. Its rugged styling and off-road capability make certain the Passport targets a different kind of customer than the smaller CR-V, and truly opens up opportunity for a more rugged Ridgeline and other more adventuresome products in the future. Hopefully this new Honda swagger is a sign of things to come.

Now, make sure to check out the photo gallery above and watch the following short video that was released as part of the Passport’s Los Angeles Auto Show launch event:

Introducing the All-new 2019 Honda Passport (0:54):

Ever feel like you’re in a fishbowl? Drive a new Toyota C-HR in Radiant Green Mica with a white roof and get ready for gaping eyeballs focused in your direction. Young and old, people point and smile,…

New Car Reviews

2018 Toyota C-HR XLE Premium Road Test

Ever feel like you’re in a fishbowl? Drive a new Toyota C-HR in Radiant Green Mica with a white roof and get ready for gaping eyeballs focused in your direction. Young and old, people point and smile, frown, or just generally look bewildered. It’s a polarizing vehicle. Not everybody likes it, but the ones that do, love it.

Toyota did the unexpected with this subcompact crossover SUV, but I suppose those in the know should’ve expected as much being that the C-HR was initially meant to wear Scion badging. The cancellation of the youth-targeted Scion brand resulted in the C-HR becoming a Toyota, and the unorthodox subcompact SUV’s sales will no doubt benefit from association with a household name brand.

My 2018 C-HR tale actually involves two weeklong drives, one wearing the aforementioned light green and white two-tone colour combo and the other a more conservative yet still eye-arresting Blue Eclipse Metallic monotone paint job. Both were in the same trim level, which I can say with 100-percent accuracy being that Toyota only offers the C-HR as an XLE in Canada.

This one-trim-fits-all approach is another sign of the new C-HR’s Scion history, a marketing strategy that arguably wasn’t successful for Toyota’s sub-brand and hasn’t worked effectively over the C-HR’s first year of availability either. After a fairly decent final seven months of 2017, thanks to 4,321 deliveries after its launch in May last year, Toyota only managed to find 5,188 C-HR buyers over the first nine months of 2018. That might sound reasonable until factoring for Hyundai that managed to find twice as many buyers for its fresh new Kona in just seven months. The newcomer went on sale in March this year and sales had already reached 10,852 units by the close of Q3, whereas Nissan sold nearly three times as many Qashqai crossovers during the same three quarters, and those 14,755 sales don’t even include the new smaller Kicks subcompact that replaces the outgoing Juke.

Now that I’ve mentioned the oddball Juke, this new C-HR is almost as divisive from a styling perspective, which is likely a key reason it’s not selling as well as its more mainstream alternatives. There’s nothing wrong with controversy when trying to make news, but Toyota likely knew from onset its C-HR would become a niche player at best. After all, C-HR stands for “Coupe-High Rider”, the original name of the Scion concept that wowed Los Angeles Auto Show goers three years ago, its fastback 4×4 design mirroring similar four-door coupe-style SUVs within the premium sector, such as the BMW X4/X6, the Mercedes-Benz GLC- and GLE-Class Coupe, the new Audi Q8, and lest we forget the now discontinued Acura ZDX. We’ve seen similar attempts within the mainstream volume sector including Honda’s now defunct Crosstour and the recently introduced Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, but, Juke aside, the little C-HR is trying to find a niche within a segment that’s usually a lot more practical.

On the positive, the C-HR is a clear sign that Toyota is no longer afraid of being bold and daring. The brand was such a dreadful bore for so long that powers that be in Aichi, Japan, specifically group President Akio Toyoda, truly needed to shake things up by pushing the company’s designers to create new models with more emotional appeal. “No more boring cars,” he challenged, and that’s exactly why we’re looking at this C-HR today.

Just the same, the grille and surrounding fascia aren’t that much of a collective departure from the outgoing RAV4, other than headlights that wrap almost completely around the front of the vehicle before stretching halfway through the front wheel arches, making up a large portion of the hood just above. Again these aren’t completely different from those on the bug-eyed Juke, while the C-HR’s geometrically sculpted side panels are too complex to even put into words, the entire vehicular concoction complemented by massive chunks of matte black body cladding up front, around the wheel cutouts and down each side before culminating across an aggressive diffuser-infused back bumper.

There’s really nothing subtle about the C-HR, it’s rear rooftop spoiler the most racing-inspired design element, visually formed from the top of the rear door handles before flowing rearward, with three big vents cut through the middle for directing wind down the sloping rear glass that gets more theoretical downforce from a secondary lip spoiler on the trailing edge of the hatchback. That spoiler is partly made up of taillight clusters, these almost conventional in their design when compared to the rest of the SUV, that’s about as muscularly overdeveloped as anything the subcompact class has ever seen. It could easily be likened to bodybuilding steroid use gone horribly wrong, but truth be told its many convoluted extremes seem to come together in a totally acceptable cohesive whole. In fact, I kind of like it. Although, truth be told, I liked the Juke, Cube and ZDX too, so I may not be the best judge of successful design.

I am a good judge of interior quality, mind you, and to that end the new C-HR picks up where Scion left off. Another orphan of that disbanded brand was the iM, now replaced by the Corolla Hatchback, but while it was with us that European-designed model totally rewrote interior fit, finish and materials quality in the compact class. I’m not going to say the C-HR is better than the recently updated 2019 Honda HR-V or 2019 Mazda CX-3, both of which were already good before they were improved, or some other impressive offerings within this burgeoning class, but you’re going to like the padded and stitched leatherette dash-top, which includes a large bolster stretching from the right side of the instrument panel to the passenger’s door, while a similar albeit smaller padded piece gets fitted to the left side of the instrument cluster.

The door uppers get the same high-quality soft touch synthetic detailing, while the armrests are even softer and more comfortable. Toyota uses plenty of piano black lacquered plastic inside too, more than I would personally like in fact, although, other than where it’s used to decorate the steering wheel spokes it’s found on surfaces that won’t likely get scratched easily, such as the instrument panel inlays and centre stack surrounds, whereas the door inserts and lower panels are surfaced in a unique diamond-textured hard plastic that’s like nothing else I’ve ever seen in the industry. It looks good and appears durable, while most importantly it doesn’t feel cheap like the segment’s usual glossy hard plastic, plus it kind of complements the even more unusual diamond-shaped dimples carved out of the roofliner above. Again, I’ve never seen anything quite like these, and they’re put here only for the sake of style, having no obvious purpose.

Only the shift knob, vent bezels, door release handles and other small trim bits get any sort of metallic brightwork, and it’s a satin-silver finish that’s quite attractive and tastefully applied, whereas the centre console’s matte black treatment might be the smoothest and softest hard plastic I’ve ever felt in my life. Large cupholders are included, the rearward one having a removable floor for stowing taller, narrow bottles, while the bottle holders in the door panels can accept very large containers.

Also on the positive, the C-HR includes some impressive electronic interfaces. A tall, narrow 4.2-inch colour TFT multi-information display (MID) sits within the primary gauge cluster, and it’s especially nice at night when you can see the dark blue detailing more clearly. The graphics quality is excellent, and the resolution is very good. You can scroll through MID info by clicking the arrows on the right steering wheel spoke, resulting in a comprehensive list of functions from the usual estimated range, average fuel economy, and vehicle settings, to lane departure info, messages, and more. The speedometer and tachometer gauge needles are attractive at night too, their white translucence vibrant against a deep black background, the outer rings effervescent in a dark glowing blue and the indices easily legible in white.

The C-HR’s standard 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen sits up high on the centre stack in the usual fixed tablet-style position, but the interface itself is more Scion than Toyota. I say this because it doesn’t include an integrated backup camera, this feature found on the left portion of the rearview mirror instead. It’s a tiny little parking monitor that’s difficult to use and therefore a big negative for me, while the aforementioned infotainment system isn’t as comprehensively functional as some others in the class, missing Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and more. Of note, its “Vehicle Settings” menu is the biggest giveaway that the C-HR was meant for Scion and not Toyota, as along with a tick within the C-HR box, it also shows 86 and iM model names.

There’s an analogue “Media” button for the audio panel that provides radio presets to the left and additional info on the right, the latter featuring a source button that lets you choose between AM, FM, AHA, USB selections, if you’ve got one plugged in, Bluetooth streaming audio, again if your smartphone is connected, and an auxiliary port—ditto. It all worked well enough, and the audio system sounds pretty good too, but take note the 2019 C-HR replaces this so-so system with an infinitely better 8.0-inch display that features a real reverse camera, Toyota’s superb Entune 3.0 smartphone integration with GPS Scout phone app-sourced navigation, Apple CarPlay if you’re phone is so inclined, and more. Believe me, if in-car entertainment is important to you, the near identically equipped 2019 C-HR XLE is well worth paying more for (albeit the Entune 3.0 infotainment system comes standard in a new base model that takes $1,000-plus off the 2018 base price).

Back to this 2018 C-HR XLE, just under the infotainment display is a nicely organized dual-zone automatic HVAC interface featuring tightly fitted, well-damped buttons and rocker switches, plus three-way front seat heater controls. All of the switchgear feels high in quality, is simple to sort out and, like the rest of the centre stack controls, is within easy reach.

Easy might just be the right word to describe living with the C-HR overall, because, rear camera aside, there’s really nothing particularly difficult about it. It’s a vehicle that fits ideally into life, not only because of its tall hatchback layout that provides a reasonable amount of room for driver, passengers and gear, but it’s also very comfortable. The front seats are excellent, which is rarely an issue for Toyota, while its driving position is better for my body type than some other Toyota models. I have longer legs than torso, and therefore am often in need of a fair bit of steering wheel reach, so I was pleasantly surprised to find the C-HR’s tilt and telescopic steering column provided good driver positioning for controllable comfort without forcing a near vertical seatback.

Even though I’m only five-foot-eight, the five or so inches remaining above my head when the driver’s seat was ideally set for optimal visibility is a good tell that even tall folks should have no trouble fitting inside. There’s also plenty of room from side to side up front, while the back seat left about four inches ahead of my knees when the one in front was set up for my height, plus another four or so next to my shoulders and about three beside my hips, whereas all-important rear headroom allowed for about three above my head.

There’s no folding centre armrest, which might be a drawback for some, but the C-HR makes up for this with extremely comfortable rear cushions, especially with respect to lower back support. One thing I didn’t like about sitting in the rear was side window visibility due to the unusually shaped doors, which cause you to look directly into a black panel when turning your head. For this reason I don’t think kids will like it in back, even taller teens, and that should be a concern for any parent. I have to say, however, the jumbo cupholders set into the door panels will probably get a lot of use.

As you might expect by looking at the C-HR’s sloping rear window, cargo space is one of this SUV’s shortcomings. It’s so small in fact, that Toyota Canada doesn’t even mention a number in the model’s online specifications, only stating that 1,031 litres (36.4 cubic feet) are available when laying both 60/40-split rear seatbacks down. Fortunately the brand’s U.S. division is more forthcoming, claiming 19 cubic feet behind those rear seats, which translates into 538 litres. Compared to the segment-best-selling Nissan Qashqai’s 648 litres (22.9 cubic feet) in the very back and 1,730 litres (61.1 cubic feet) with all seats folded its easy to see the need for improvement, while even the tiny Nissan Kicks offers up 716 litres (25.3 cubic feet) behind the rear seatbacks and more than 1,500 litres (53.1 cubic feet) when its rear seats are lowered.

The C-HR’s forte is its high quality, comfortable ride, the car looking as sporty as this segment gets yet not particularly zippy off the line or sensational through the corners, despite MacPherson struts up front and a double-wishbone/trailing arm suspension setup in back. Don’t get me wrong as it does what it needs to do, but the C-HR is nowhere near as confidence inspiring when pushed hard as some others in the class, while the 144-horsepower and 139 lb-ft of torque produced by its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, not to mention the fuel-friendly continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drivetrain its connected to, really don’t combine for enough forward thrust to get you into much trouble anyway. To be fair most of rivals aren’t exactly burning up the asphalt either, but there are some, like the Kona mentioned earlier, that deliver considerably more premium-level performance. As noted, the C-HR shines when comfort is priority one, its ride and those aforementioned seats amongst the best in class.

Fuel economy is a C-HR trump card too, with a Transport Canada estimated rating of 8.7 L/100km in the city, 7.5 on the highway and 8.2 combined. I certainly appreciated this during the ultra-high pump prices experienced over the summer, and would still find this a positive point despite those fuel costs dropping somewhat since the price per barrel of crude plummeted to previously unforeseen depths.

Before signing off with thumbs up or down, the 2018 C-HR’s biggest problem isn’t its so-so performance or smallish cargo hold, but rather the single trim noted earlier. Its sole XLE trim level starts at a rather lofty $24,690 plus freight and fees (find 2018 Toyota C-HR prices, including options, rebate info and dealer invoice pricing at CarCostCanada), and while standard with the colour multi-information display, 7.0-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, dual-zone automatic climate control, and heatable front seats mentioned earlier, plus voice recognition, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, an electromechanical parking brake, a cargo cover, heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals, LED daytime running lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, and more, there’s no entry-level base model to pull in less affluent buyers. This is probably more of a problem for dealer level marketing, as they won’t be able to advertise the lower monthly payment of a base model, but instead are forced to promote what they’ll actually be selling—how novel. Of course, Toyota didn’t take long to react, with the 2019 model offering the new $23,675 base model mentioned earlier, plus a luxury-oriented leather-lined $28,775 Limited model at the high end, while this XLE trim will start at $25,725 for 2019 (find all 2019 Toyota C-HR prices, including trims, options, rebate info and dealer invoice pricing at CarCostCanada).

All 2019 C-HR trims will come standard with the same Safety Sense P suite of advanced driver assistance features included with this 2018 version, which boasts forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, plus automatic high beams and adaptive cruise control.

I won’t go into everything that comes standard and optional with the new 2019 C-HR, but those still trying to get a deal on a 2018 model should take note that an XLE Premium package ups the price to $26,290 (the 2019 C-HR XLE Premium gets bumped to $27,325) and includes 18-inch alloys, power-folding side mirrors with puddle lamps that project the C-HR logo onto the pavement below, proximity-sensing keyless access with pushbutton ignition, and blindspot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert. I’d want mine so equipped for the passive entry alone, but I’m guessing this time of year you won’t exactly have a smorgasbord of 2018 models to choose from.

All in all, the new C-HR is a funky little subcompact SUV offering from a brand that normally can be relied upon for high quality, reliability and top resale values, although I’m not going on record with any big expectations for the latter. This is a niche model within a very hot category of much more popular models, and C-HR sales have been lukewarm at best. Therefore, hoping for a big residual payoff after a few years of use is misplaced trust. In other words, the C-HR isn’t the most pragmatic choice in this class, with plenty of others that might better serve your active lifestyle as well as your wallet. I give Toyota credit for going out on a limb with this unorthodox subcompact SUV, but I don’t necessarily recommend you go out on the same limb with your hard-earned money. It’s worthy of your interest for sure, but buy it because you love it, not because it wears the coveted Toyota badge.

The CR-V is the best SUV in its compact class. Yes, I know I’m going out on a limb making this claim, but as of September 30, 2018 a total of 42,748 Canadians agreed with me, and this number only represented…

New Car Reviews

2018 Honda CR-V Touring Road Test

The CR-V is the best SUV in its compact class. Yes, I know I’m going out on a limb making this claim, but as of September 30, 2018 a total of 42,748 Canadians agreed with me, and this number only represented those who purchased it this year.

That figure also represents the most compact SUVs sold over the first nine months of 2018, meaning that Honda is currently first in this extremely important category. Toyota, which was first last year is now runner up with 41,023 units down the road, whereas Ford’s Escape is a distant third with 34,928 deliveries, Nissan’s Rogue has only managed 32,373 sales, and the remaining 10 rivals merely in the twenty-somethings, teens and four figures.

The CR-V’s success makes a lot of sense, especially the latest fifth-generation model. Its styling is certainly more upscale than previous versions, particularly when dolled up in top-line Touring trim that gets full high/low beam LED headlamps, a chrome garnish on each LED fog lamp bezel, more chrome trim decorating the side sill extensions, bright metal dual tailpipes, satin-silver roof rails, and sporty machine-finished 18-inch alloys with black painted pockets. My tester was finished in Gunmetal Metallic for a sophisticated look at no extra cost, but you can dress yours up in five alternative shades, Platinum White Pearl costing $300 extra, plus two rich looking colours.

Each time I climbed inside of my 2018 tester and took it for a drive I was thoroughly impressed, just as I was with my previous 2017 CR-V Touring test model. It’s not the fastest or the best handling SUV in its class, but its cabin is finished to a higher level of refinement than the majority of its peers and it’s oh so comfortable. What’s more, it’s fitted with an almost fully digital dash, a large high-resolution infotainment system, and even gets some pretty authentic looking woodgrain trim. It’s really more about how much attention to detail has been painstakingly added, mind you, and the overall design of the interior.

Finishing the top of the dash in soft-touch synthetic is nothing new in this category, but Honda goes one step further by trimming the entire instrument panel in nicely stitched leatherette with a stylish piano black inlay down the middle. To be clear, and I don’t know why they didn’t just finish it all the way across, the bolster ahead of the front passenger is soft synthetic, as is the section that stretches above the infotainment system, but the tiny piece surrounding the ignition button and another one on the left lower side of the gauge cluster is made to look identical as the others yet finished in hard plastic. On the positive, the door panels get soft touch uppers, nice padded and stitched leatherette inserts, comfortable padded armrests, and the usual hard plastic lower door panels, while the centre armrest is finished identically to those on the doors, yet quite wide and very comfortable.

Speaking of comfort, the CR-V Touring’s driver’s seat is extremely good. It’s wide enough for most body types, with decent side bolstering, and even includes four-way powered lumbar support. In case you weren’t aware, you won’t even be able to get four-way adjustable lumbar with the Lexus NX, a similarly sized vehicle priced much higher than the CR-V, and this Honda’s ergonomics are much better than the pricey premium model too, thanks to more reach from the tilt and telescopic steering wheel. The comfortable seating position and fully adjustable lumbar support resulted in a vehicle I could drive all day long without pain, which is a rarer find than it should be this day and age.

As part of its comfort quotient the new CR-V remains roomy and accommodating from front to back, with the rear seating area so spacious that there seems to be little need for a larger mid-size five-occupant Honda crossover SUV. It’s so roomy, in fact, that Honda offers a seven-passenger version in other markets, although all of this being said Honda has announced that a new crossover SUV, once again bearing the Passport name (remember the Isuzu Rodeo that was rebadged as a Honda Passport from 1993 to 2002? Yeah didn’t think you would), will soon be unveiled at the Los Angeles auto show.

As for cargo space, the CR-V is one of the more sizeable in the compact SUV class boasting 1,110 (39.2 cubic feet) behind the 60/40-split rear seatbacks and 2,146 litres (75.8 cubic feet) when they’re laid flat. The process to lower them is as good as this segment gets too, thanks to handy levers on each side of the cargo wall that drop them down automatically. What’s more, unlike the previous fourth-generation CR-V the load floor is almost perfectly flat, and therefore much more utile. The rear portion of that floor is also removable and stuffed with a full-size spare tire and jack, although even better is the ability to lower that load floor a few inches for fitting in taller cargo.

Honda provides a large panoramic glass sunroof to shed light on the CR-V Touring’s beautiful interior, not to mention ambient lighting to draw attention to key areas, while additional Touring trim exclusives that I haven’t mentioned yet include rain-sensing wipers, a really accurate and easy-to-use navigation system with nicely detailed mapping and turn-by-turn directions, bilingual voice recognition, an excellent sounding 331-watt audio upgrade with nine speakers including a subwoofer and HD radio, helpful hands-free access to the programmable height-enhanced powered tailgate, and Blind Spot Information (BSI) with Rear Cross Traffic Monitoring, which unfortunately replaces Honda’s superb and exclusive LaneWatch passenger-side blindspot camera that comes standard on EX and EX-L trims.

I should mention that an entire suite of Honda Sensing advanced driver assist systems comes standard with all-wheel drive models in all four CR-V trims, and includes automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, forward collision warning with autonomous collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning with lane keeping assist and road departure mitigation. Along with the usual active and passive safety features, including Honda’s impact-absorbing Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, so-equipped CR-V’s achieve an almost best possible IIHS Top Safety Pick rating.

While Touring trim starts at $38,690 plus freight and fees, you can get into a well-equipped base 2018 CR-V LX model from $27,290, and take note there are two additional trims in between including $33,590 EX and $35,890 EX-L. Honda’s Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System, the latter referring to an electric motor within the transmission that engages the rear wheels when front tire slip occurs, adds $2,800 in LX trim yet comes standard with the EX, EX-L and Touring. For complete pricing of trims and options, plus otherwise difficult to get dealer invoice pricing that can save you thousands, as well as useful rebate information, be sure you visit CarCostCanada.

As you might have guessed, Touring trim incorporates most items from the mid-range EX, including the aforementioned fog lamps, plus turn signals infused into the side mirror housings, a HomeLink garage door opener, a 12-way powered driver’s seat, rear USB charge points, a retractable cargo cover, and more, while an auto-dimming rearview mirror, heatable steering wheel, leather shift knob, perforated leather upholstery, driver’s seat memory, four-way powered front passenger seat, heatable rear outboard seats, and some additional audio gear including satellite radio, plus the powered liftgate (sans gesture control) get pulled up from EX-L trim.

I was previously surprised to find out the CR-V’s proximity-sensing keyless access and pushbutton ignition were standard across the line and the same remains true for 2018, whereas additional base LX features pulled up to Touring trim include LED taillights, an electromechanical parking brake, a configurable colour TFT primary gauge cluster, dual-zone auto climate control, heatable front seats, a high resolution 7.0-inch colour infotainment touchscreen with gesture controls like tap, pinch and swipe, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, a multi-angle backup camera with dynamic guidelines, Bluetooth phone connectivity with streaming audio, Wi-Fi tethering, an always appreciated rotating volume knob, HondaLink Assist automatic emergency response system, plus more.

I mentioned earlier that the CR-V isn’t the fastest or best handling SUV in its class, but it still should be sporty enough for most buying into this family-oriented category. Honda provides one smooth, responsive 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine capable of 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque, which is better than average in this class, while its continuously variable automatic transmission is all about refined, linear acceleration. The CVT kicks down to provide more power and a sportier feel when needed, and doesn’t cause as much of a droning engine/exhaust note as some other CVT-equipped powertrains. What’s more, the CR-V’s claimed 8.4 L/100km city, 7.0 highway and 7.8 combined FWD fuel economy rating, and 8.7 city, 7.2 highway, 8.0 combined AWD consumption estimates make it extremely efficient.

As for the ride, it’s once again smooth and comfortable, although plenty sporty through the corners. Then again I didn’t drive it quickly very often, because the CR-V simply doesn’t tease or tempt its driver to do so. I think that’s a good thing, because it could save you money when it comes to potential speeding tickets, and provides a more relaxing atmosphere that suits this type of luxury-lined family hauler. True, at 55 I’m getting older and don’t care as much about performance during my daily drives, so for me this CR-V is just about perfect.

Another thing we older folks appreciate more than most in younger generations is reliability, and Honda regularly outperforms most competitors in third-party studies. For instance, the most recent J.D. Power and Associates 2018 Vehicle Dependability Study placed Honda within the top 10 of all automotive brands, and therefore above the industry average, while Consumer Reports’ latest 2018 automotive brand report card has Honda in ninth place overall and third amongst mainstream volume nameplates, beating Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, Mazda, Volkswagen and the list goes on. Additionally, CR pointed to the new CR-V as one reason why Honda’s score improved this year.

So all added up it’s no wonder Honda does so well with its CR-V. As noted earlier, it’s easily my pick for best in class, thanks to doing most everything better than its peers, from styling to interior design, finishing, quality, comfort, load flexibility and ease of use. Its electronic interfaces are excellent, while its drivetrain and suspension combo is amongst the best in the business, all resulting in one superb compact crossover SUV made all the better in top-line Touring trim. I highly recommend it.

Twilight was causing headlamps and taillights to illuminate as I was driving home the other day, which is often a dazzling spectacle of white and red LEDs in my neighbourhood of premium and exotic machinery.…

New Car Reviews

2018 Infiniti Q60 3.0T Luxe AWD Road Test

Twilight was causing headlamps and taillights to illuminate as I was driving home the other day, which is often a dazzling spectacle of white and red LEDs in my neighbourhood of premium and exotic machinery. Driving up to a stoplight and one set of particularly elegant rear lamps caught my attention, followed by a captivating silhouette. My eyes immediately locked in, because I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. All I knew was that it was gorgeous. Then I laughed when I realized I was looking at the current generation Infiniti Q60, a car that I’ve spent weeks with at a time on many occasion.

To be completely honest, I’m more than a bit jaded when it comes to cars. This job allows me to park some pretty impressive hardware in my driveway, and like I said a moment ago, every manner of BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus and the list goes on crowd the highways and byways of my well-to-do city, not to mention more Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis and McLarens, plus Bentleys and Rollers than those living anywhere outside of Beverly Hills or Dubai will ever get the chance to see. So factor that in when considering an Infiniti pulled my eyeballs. This is one stunning looking car, no matter the angle.

Another reason it caused me to look is rarity. The Q60 does pretty well compared to a Lexus RC, which it more than doubled in sales last year, but it’s not as strong a seller as say an Audi A5, a BMW 4 Series, or a Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. Both the 4 and A5 more than tripled the Q60’s deliveries last year, and as Q3 2018 closed BMW had sold more than four times as many 4s and Audi had moved more than five times as many A5s, the new segment leader (although we can’t say for sure how many C-Class Coupes get sold each month as Mercedes lumps their sales numbers together with C-Class Sedans). And just in case you’re feeling sorry for Infiniti, consider BMW sold more than 12 times as many 4s and Audi more than 15 times as many A5s, while Infiniti found three times as many Q60 buyers. Ouch!

While slower sales might be a negative to a company’s balance sheet, it’s not necessarily a bad thing for premium buyers who want exclusivity. Let’s face it. In Canada’s better neighbourhoods the luxury wares from the big German brands are ubiquitous, causing their owners to spend umpteen thousands more for bespoke paint, fancy wraps, carbon fibre add-ons and expensive wheels, so therefore the opportunity to get into a car as stunningly beautiful as the 2018 Infiniti Q60 for just $46,295, or this 3.0T Luxe AWD that starts at $53,295, is rare indeed (see all of the 2018 Q60’s trims and pricing at CarCostCanada, plus save on your purchase by researching possible rebates and receiving dealer invoice pricing).

The base model just mentioned is the 2.0T Pure, a trim line and engine that will disappear on the Canadian market for 2019. If you can still find one and don’t care as much about forward thrust as beauty (because the car still looks as nice) its 208 horsepower Mercedes-sourced 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine is plenty fuel-efficient, but most Q60 buyers opt for Infiniti’s own 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 that makes a much more formidable 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, which I have to say is more than adequate, as long as you don’t try the Q60 Red Sport 400 with its same number of horses and 350 lb-ft of ready and willing torque.

That’s a car I’ve previously covered and hope to again soon, but its $61,295 price point might be a bit dear for some, hence the $55,295 Q60 3.0T Sport just below and the Q60 3.0T Luxe I spent a week with. Before I delve into Infiniti’s value proposition, which is always a key reason to consider the Japanese luxury brand, let’s talk driving dynamics.

First off, it’s an easy car to drive around town and on the open highway, as one might expect by looking at its classy chrome detailed exterior and luxuriously appointed leather, hardwood and bright metal lined interior. The ride is firm yet comfortable, its standard 19-inch machine-finished alloys on 255/40 all-season run-flats not helping the former, but its double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension making sure of the latter. Infiniti has tuned the spring rates, dampers and stabilizer bars for a competent mix of compliant performance, and while not quite as capable as the Dynamic Digital Suspension included with the Q60’s two top-tier Sport trims, its agility around corners shouldn’t leave anyone wishing for too much more.

Speaking of more, Infiniti offers the Q60 with the complexity of four different steering systems depending on engine, trim and your willingness to pay. The base model I mentioned earlier comes with a vehicle-speed-sensitive hydraulic electronic power steering setup, while the car I tested features standard electronic power steering, yet is offered with Infiniti’s exclusive Direct Adaptive Steering, which replaces mechanical linkages with electronic switches and servo motors to save weight and further enhance the driving experience. Lastly, those two just noted Sport trims can be had with the optional direct steering system or come standard with a more performance-oriented fast ratio electronic power steering setup.

As with the suspension, I never felt any lack of response when pushing the Q60 hard through corners, something I did as often as opportunity allowed. Instead, all that was needed was a little tap on the sizeable 12.6-inch front and 12.1-inch rear discs to load up the front tires and the wonderfully tuned chassis took care of the rest. Infiniti includes standard Active Trace Control that actually enhances cornering feel by modulates braking and engine torque, and I’ve long been a fan of the brand’s rear-biased Intelligent all-wheel drive that sends all available twist to the wheels in back until tire slippage transfers up to 50 percent of torque forward to the front wheels.

Rear tire slippage can happen when getting hard on the go pedal, although you won’t notice any such torque transferring going on behind the scenes. All you’ll feel is immediate response from throttle input, its torque strongest between 1,600 and 5,200 rpm, which considering its aforementioned 295 lb-ft of twist is a nice broad spectrum that allows what seems like relentlessly quick acceleration.

It feels especially potent when Infiniti’s Drive Mode selector is switched to Sport mode. It was quick enough in the default Standard setting, while Snow, Eco and Personal modes are also included, but Sport is best for lickety quick shifts from the wonderfully engaging seven-speed automatic that snaps to attention at takeoff or alternatively quickly drops down through the gears to find the ideal cog for passing manoeuvres. Shift intervals are nice and crisp, but to be fair this isn’t the sportiest transmission in this class, yet it’s certainly one of the best for simultaneously providing quick responses and ultra-smooth operation.

Truly, Infiniti has really done a wonderful job with this gearbox, while along with its quick reacting performance comes Downshift Rev Matching (DRM) that makes you look and sound like a pro as the engine automatically blips to ideally match a chosen gear; a driver-adaptive learning algorithm that senses your driving style and then adjusts its shifting accordingly; Adaptive Shift Control (ASC) that gets upgraded with navigation system synchronization in Luxe trim and above, which adds GPS mapping data to the usual sensor-based system in order to automatically select shift points when the transmission is left to its own devices in Drive, selecting the best possible gear depending on uphill, downhill or curving road conditions; plus dual automatic transmission fluid coolers to keep it running smoothly and reliably.

I only wish steering wheel-mounted paddles were included with V6-powered cars, and not only with the aforementioned Sport trims. This more pampering Luxe trimmed example is certainly sporty enough to warrant paddle shifters, and I for one would feel a bit put off if I paid $50k-plus for a performance coupe and wasn’t able to enjoy the hands-on control that paddles provide.

That Eco mode mentioned earlier is a pet peeve of mine, and not because it strangely still doesn’t include an auto start/stop function. While it seems to work pretty well for saving fuel, it incorporates one of my most disliked features of any car made anywhere. The Active Eco Pedal pushes back on your right foot when attempting to apply more throttle than it feels is necessary to maximize fuel economy, and I loathe this so much that I purposely won’t use Eco mode. Of note, I often use Eco mode with Infiniti’s competitors, as I like saving fuel when driving in the city, but I find the Active Eco Pedal so disturbingly intrusive that I’d rather pay more for less driving interference. Go ahead and search for it online and you’ll quickly see my distaste for this device isn’t unique, and I’m willing to be the sooner Infiniti gets rid of it the faster people will want to purchase its cars. On the positive, this version doesn’t push back as aggressively as early versions, but it still feels as if you’re pushing down on a block of wood instead of a nicely progressive gas pedal.

Speaking of economy, the new 3.0-litre V6 is much more fuel-efficient than the previous 3.7-litre version, with my weeklong non-Active Eco Pedal usage measuring a combined 11.7 L/100km from mostly city and some highway driving, which comes fairly close to matching the claimed Transport Canada rating of 12.3 city, 8.6 highway and 10.7 combined. The soon-to-be-discontinued four-cylinder gets a thriftier 11.2 city, 8.5 highway and 10.0 combined rating, by the way, which really isn’t all that much better than the V6, while the brilliantly quick 400 horsepower Red Sport version is good for an estimated 12.5 city, 9.2 highway and 11.0 combined, which once again isn’t much of a penalty for its superb performance capability.

I’ll refrain from deep diving into every last feature and option available to Q60 buyers this time around, mostly because this review is coming out towards the end of the 2018 model’s availability and the 2019 will see plenty of changes to trims and feature sets as noted earlier, but suffice to say this current model year and the next one offer premium buyers loads of value. For example, a shortlist of standard features found on the base Pure model include such niceties as full LED headlamps, proximity keyless access, pushbutton ignition, signed aluminum treadplates, genuine aluminum interior inlays, dual-zone auto HVAC, Infiniti InTouch dual display infotainment with an 8.0-inch top monitor and 7.0-inch lower touchscreen, a reverse camera, voice recognition, text message capability, satellite radio, a powered moonroof, eight-way powered front seats with power lumbar support, rear parking sensors, Scratch Shield self-healing paint, plus all the usual active and passive safety features.

Along with the more powerful engine, my 3.0T Luxe tester added remote start, auto-dimming side mirrors, a heatable power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, heatable front seats, memory for the steering wheel, seats, and side mirrors, soft perforated semi-aniline premium leather upholstery, accurate navigation with lane guidance and 3D building graphics, the navigation-synchronized adaptive shift control I mentioned earlier, real-time traffic info via SiriusXM Traffic, superb sounding 13-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround audio, a garage door opener, powered front seat torso bolsters, and more.

Infiniti added $750 worth of Majestic White Pearl paint, plus the $5,200 ProAssist-ProActive package that includes rain-sensing wipers, auto-leveling front headlamps with adaptive cornering, front parking sensors, an Around View Monitor (AVM) with Moving Object Detection (MOD), Predictive Forward Collision Warning (PFCW), Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection (PFEB), Blind-Spot Warning (BSW), and Back Collision Intervention (BCI) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (CTA), which proved to be a useful collection of advanced driver assistance features that worked well without being overly sensitive.

All of this advanced equipment comes in an interior that’s beautifully finished with high-quality materials. Its dash-top is all soft touch synthetic, and stitched together with contrasting thread. Infiniti provides the same impressive treatment across the entire instrument panel, all the way down to the lower console where it turns into an even softer padded leather wrap. This even includes the glove box lid. Likewise, the door panels are finished in this comfortable leather-like material from top to just under the armrests, with contrast stitching throughout—only the lower door panels are finished in a harder plastic, which unfortunately is all too common in this class.

Infiniti enhanced the leather with a rich looking, substantive feeling dark grey hardwood, plus lots of attractive satin-finish aluminum. It’s all tastefully put together for a classy result, while some of its switchgear is edged in knurled metal for extra grip and a ritzier look. Even nicer, the previously noted Bose stereo includes gorgeous drilled aluminum speaker grates on the front doors. Yes, it’s easy to fall in love with the Q60 interior.

I’d like to see more graphical information within the gauge cluster’s multi-information display, or better yet a fully configurable TFT gauge package, but nothing like this is on offer yet. Instead, you get a simpler colour display between two analogue dials ahead of the driver, plus the aforementioned dual display infotainment system that provides more digital acreage than the majority of competitors. The top display is controlled by a rotating knob on the lower console, and the bottom display is a regular touchscreen, and while it all looks impressive initially, the latter lacks the ability to use tap, swipe and pinch gesture controls for the map, forcing you to execute such functions on the rotating dial. The latter function works reasonable well, it’s certainly not as intuitive as a regular touchscreen, which most of us are used to due to our smartphones and tablets.

The perforated leather driver’s seat was wonderfully comfortable, and offered good lateral support made better via powered torso bolsters. This said I’d rather they included four-way powered lumbar support instead, but at least the fore and aft design came very close to pushing in at the ideal spot on the small of my back. Also on the positive, Q60 ergonomics fits my body like a glove. Its powered steering column has plenty of reach, while the seat is as adjustable as I could ever need, thus optimizing my driving position for total control and comfort. As I said over and over again in my reviews, this isn’t always the case due to my unique long-legged, short torso body type.

Rear seating space is tight of course, which is par for the course in the personal coupe category, especially amongst compact D-segment models. This said I had about four inches in front of my knees when the driver’s seat was set for my five-foot-eight medium-build frame, plus ample room for my feet and about an inch above my head to the window glass. I had reasonable side-to-side room as well, measuring about three inches from my outside shoulder and four inches from the hips, while Infiniti does not provide a centre armrest in back, but a centre console includes a shallow tray and equally shallow cupholders. The seatbacks are fairly comfortable, but I wouldn’t want to sit in the back over a long haul.

Now that I’m kind of complaining, I’m still not a fan of foot-operated parking brakes, mostly because they get in the way. Then again with the Q60 it’s not as much of a problem because no manual gearbox is offered.

It would be silly to complain about the Q60’s small 246-litre (8.7 cubic-foot) trunk, because most personal coupes don’t offer a lot when it comes to cargo carrying capacity. Fortunately it’s nicely finished with carpeting all the way around, plus Infiniti filled the empty spare tire hole with a handy tool kit holder. The rear seat folds forward, but take note there’s no split at all, which limits cargo/passenger flexibility.

Perfect it’s not, but factor in all you get with the 2018 Q60, from its potent and efficient powertrains to its gorgeous styling and ultra-rich cabin, not to mention its impressive load of standard features and optional kit, and it’s a lot of personal luxury coupe for a very reasonable price range. On looks alone I could recommend it, but it’s so much more than just a pretty face. If you want a truly special sports coupe that you won’t see coming around every other corner, I recommend you pay special attention to the Infiniti Q60.

Mazda is in a unique branding position, in that it’s wholly independent and therefore able to offer more for the money than some of its rivals. What do I mean? Most of Mazda’s rivals offer a higher…

In Our Garage

2019 Mazda CX-9 Signature

Mazda is in a unique branding position, in that it’s wholly independent and therefore able to offer more for the money than some of its rivals.

What do I mean? Most of Mazda’s rivals offer a higher priced premium brand for owners to gravitate to when they might otherwise feel the inclination to move up to a BMW or Mercedes-Benz, and therefore they won’t allow their mainstream volume models to wander too far upmarket in design or finishings so as not to interfere with this hierarchal brand strategy, but Mazda has no such constraints, so therefore its cars and SUVs are often a cut above their rivals.

Take the 2019 CX-9 mid-size crossover SUV I’m driving this week. It looks like it could’ve rolled off the assembly line of a luxury manufacturer thanks to a big, stylish satin-silver grille with special night illumination that wraps around its lower half, full LED headlamps with auto high beams, adaptive cornering capability and auto self-leveling, a beautifully aerodynamic lower front fascia with integrated LED fog lamps, stunning 20-inch light grey high lustre alloy wheels wrapped in 255/50R20 all-season tires, tastefully applied satin-chrome trim all-round, and a great deal more on the outside.

That said it’s the CX-9 Signature’s interior that really makes occupants feel pampered, much thanks to a two-tone brown and black motif that includes soft Nappa leather upholstery with beautifully detailed stitching, genuine Santos Rosewood trim on the centre console and doors, aluminum dash and upper door panel inlays, satin-chrome interior switchgear, loads of soft-touch surfacing throughout, fabric-wrapped front roof pillars, LED overhead and ambient lighting, plus more, while areas not seen are stuffed full of sound-deadening insulation, the windshield and front windows are made from noise-isolating glass, and plenty of additional refinements to the body shell, steering and suspension systems make everything from the way its doors close to the CX-9’s overall driving dynamics feel as if it were a luxury-branded SUV, while providing a much quieter interior.

The driver and passengers alike will be comforted in other ways too, for instance in the knowledge that the CX-9 Signature is one of the most advanced vehicles on the road when it comes to advanced driver assistance and safety systems, with all the usual active and passive safety features complemented by adaptive cruise control with stop and go, forward obstruction warning, Smart Brake Support and Smart City Brake Support autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, advanced blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, new seatbelt reminders on the second- and third-row seats, and more.

The CX-9 Signature offers an impressive assortment of electronics too, such as a head-up display that projects key information onto the windshield ahead of the driver for easy viewing, a 7.0-inch colour TFT display within the primary gauge cluster, an 8.0-inch tablet-style infotainment touchscreen on the dash top with new Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, new SiriusXM Traffic Plus and Travel Link data services with information on real-time traffic, weather conditions, fuel prices, and sports scores, a new four-camera 360-degree surround parking camera with a bird’s-eye overhead view, navigation with detailed mapping, 12-speaker Bose audio with Centerpoint surround and AudioPilot noise compensation technologies, plus SurroundStage signal processing, satellite and HD radio, voice activation, Bluetooth phone connectivity and audio streaming, text message reading and response capability, plus much more for just $51,500, which is superb value when comparing to luxury branded crossover SUVs with similar equipment (check out all 2019 Mazda CX-9 trims and pricing at CarCostCanada, plus make sure to learn about any available rebates and save even more by getting the 2019 CX-9’s dealer invoice pricing).

Other features that provide CX-9 Signature owners with a premium-branded experience are proximity access with pushbutton ignition, an electromechanical parking brake, a new frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror, new power-folding side mirrors, a Homelink garage door opener, a reworked overhead console with always appreciated sunglasses storage and a better designed LED room lamp control switch, front and rear parking sensors, tri-zone automatic climate control, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel with premium cross-stitching detailing, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with powered lumbar support and memory, an eight-way powered front passenger’s seat with power lumbar, three-way heated and new cooled front seats, heated rear outboard seats, rear side window sunshades, and more.

The changes to the CX-9’s steering and suspension systems not only provide the higher-quality, more premium-like ride noted earlier, but were also designed to deliver greater linear behavior at high speeds, and I’ll let you know how Mazda succeeded in my full road test review. Likewise, I’ll comment on how the carryover its G-Vectoring Control technology feels while seamlessly shifting more torque to the front wheels during corner entry and then sending it rearward upon exit, how i-Activ AWD deals with inclement conditions (although we only had to deal with a rain storm during our weeklong test), how the dynamic pressure turbo-enhanced SkyActiv-G 2.5 four-cylinder engine responded to throttle input at takeoff, when exiting fast-paced corners and while passing on the highway, and whether or not the SkyActiv-Drive six-speed automatic transmission was still up to snuff in an era of seven-, eight-, nine- and even 10-speed autoboxes, not to mention CVTs, despite the inclusion of manual actuation and Drive Selection with a Sport mode.

Mazda is very clear in its specifications that the engine makes 250 horsepower with 93 octane gas or higher, but I’m going to correctly guess that the majority of journalists refill it will much cheaper 87 octane, so the engine is probably only making the 227 horsepower claimed with the lower grade gasoline, but this said its extremely robust 310 lb-ft of torque doesn’t change with the budget fuel and only needs 2,000 rpm to release full twist, so I wouldn’t worry too much about thrust.

As for the rest of the story, make sure to come back for my full review…

When Audi’s Q3 showed up on the Canadian subcompact luxury SUV scene in 2014 for the 2015 model year it was already old news in other parts of the world. It had originally launched as a 2012 model in…

Latest News

Redesigned 2019 Audi Q3 adds style, size and technology to subcompact SUV class

When Audi’s Q3 showed up on the Canadian subcompact luxury SUV scene in 2014 for the 2015 model year it was already old news in other parts of the world. It had originally launched as a 2012 model in Europe, so the heavily refreshed 2016 version that soon replaced the first-generation Q3 was a complete surprise for many when it arrived in late 2015.

That mid-cycle update ushered in a new look for Audi SUVs on the whole. Its equiangular hexagonal singleframe grille grew broader and more sharply edged, with new satin-silver exterior trim for a more sophisticated look. Its headlamps received some subtle revisions too, while a new aluminum hood with reworked sculpting sat overtop, and the lower apron received some minor updates too, depending on trim. Other small updates to the rocker panels and rear bumper cap let aficionados know which model they were looking at no matter the direction of view, but for the rest of us it was the grille up front that made the 2016 Q3 look entirely new.

Now, three more years into what is effectively a seven-year model run has the current Q3 showing its age, so this completely redesigned second-generation Q3 will be a much needed breath of fresh air for Audi retailers and fans of the little utility, many of which have been patiently waiting for a redo before upgrading.

Audi introduced the new and improved 2019 Q3 online over the summer and in the metal at the Paris Motor Show last month, and it’s expected to go on sale during the second quarter of next year. Larger than its predecessor and therefore getting closer to true compact status, the new Q3 rides on parent company Volkswagen group’s MQB platform architecture that also underpins the namesake brand’s much improved Tiguan.

To put it in perspective, with a 4,485-mm (176.6-inch) overall length the new 2019 Q3 is 97 mm (3.8 inches) longer than the outgoing model from nose to tail, with a 77-mm (3.0-inch) longer wheelbase that now measures 2,680 mm (105.5 inches). It’s also gained 25 mm (an inch) in width, now spanning 1,856 mm (73.1 inches) from side-to-side, while the new model’s 1,585-mm (62.4-inch) height means that it’s shrunk by 5 mm (0.2 inches) compared to the old Q3.

Sidle the new Q3 next to the new Tiguan and you’ll find it’s almost identical in length and wheelbase, albeit only when compared against the short-wheelbase VW offered in Europe. The long-wheelbase version we get here is a significant 227 mm (8.9 inches) longer than the new Q3, with 111 mm (4.4 inches) more distance between the axles, but the Q3 is 17 mm (0.7 inches) wider and interestingly 88 mm (3.4 inches) lower overall. This should give the Q3 a sportier stance, thus leaving the Tiguan to more practical utility duties.

Of course, Q3 buyers wouldn’t normally be shopping the little Audi against the Tiguan or any other mainstream volume branded SUV, but instead other subcompact luxury SUVs, but how has its increased size placed it amongst its premium peers? The list of subcompact luxury SUVs is long and ever-increasing, with longstanding models like BMW’s X1, Mercedes-Benz’ GLA, Range Rover’s Evoque and Mini’s Countryman more recently joined by Infiniti’s QX30, Jaguar’s E-Pace and Volvo’s XC40, with Lexus’ new UX getting ready to enter the fray next year and Acura recently teasing North American buyers with its China-only CDX. Without going into too much detail, the new Q3 is currently the longest in its class, but will soon be outflanked by the new UX. Its right in the middle with respect to wheelbase length and width, however, while its roofline is lower than class average.

So Audi has taken one of the smaller utilities in the class and made it one of the largest, and therefore potentially opened the door to a future Q1. Rather than climb down that rabbit hole, more Canadians will be happier to know the new Q3 has grown as much inside as it has outwardly. For instance, the longer wheelbase translates into more rear legroom, while the rear seats are capable of moving a full 150 mm (5.9 inches) back and forth. What’s more, the rear bench is now fully split in the most convenient 40/20/40 configuration, instead of just 60/40 with a centre pass-through like the previous model. This means there’s more space down the middle to fit longer items like skis when the rear outboard seats are in use, and those rear backrests are even more comfortable thanks to a recline function that can be tilted in seven increments.

Back to those skis, you might be able to fit the kids’ boards diagonally in the back thanks to 57 more litres of cargo space behind the rear seatbacks, the new total amounting to 530 litres (18.7 cubic feet), while 160 additional litres of gear-toting room can be had when the rear seatbacks are laid flat for a new maximum of 1,525 litres (53.9 cubic feet). Aiding flexibility, a new removable loading floor can be repositioned in three levels, while the parcel shelf can be stowed beneath the floor when not in use. Lastly, a powered liftgate with “kicking motion” gesture control access is optional.

Audi hasn’t revealed standard and optional Canadian-specification information yet, but they have announced that a 10.25-inch version of their Audi Virtual Cockpit will be standard across the line in all markets, which will be a big bonus being that similar digital primary gauge clusters are normally pricey options if available from the competition at all—currently the Volvo XC40 is the only rival to offer one as standard kit. As per usual it operates via steering wheel controls, while when upgrading to a higher trim grade featuring optional MMI navigation plus the Virtual Cockpit comes in a larger 12.3-inch form that allows digital mapping, plus other functions, to appear larger in the more configurable multi-information portion of the display, between the speedometer and tachometer. The optional display also includes three different views, featuring new performance graphics that Audi promises to be “particularly sporty”.

An attractive high-gloss black MMI Touch display with a sophisticated glass-look surround can be found just to the right of the driver within the horizontally designed centre stack that, together with the climate controls just below, is tilted 10 degrees toward the driver. Audi claims its all-new MMI Touch Response infotainment system, which no longer uses a separate controller on the lower console and therefore is more tablet-like in operation, has an “intuitive operating concept” featuring a “flat menu structure” that’s “supplemented by natural-language voice control.”

In fact, the Q3’s new voice control is said to understand “freely structured wording,” which means it should respond to voice prompts like a modern-day smartphone. According to Audi, the dialog manager can even ask questions if required, plus it “allows corrections, offers choices and defers to the speaker when interrupted.” Now if Audi could only make the front seat passenger so cooperative.

Additionally, top-tier Q3 trims get an infotainment system with new LTE Advanced standard connectivity featuring a Wi-Fi hotspot, while the navigation interface remembers preferences from previous journeys and then provides possible route suggestions. Audi connect also uses real-time traffic information when guiding via navigation, while point-of-interest searches plus parking space and filling station info appears directly in the map.

Regarding the search for that illusive parking spot, the new Q3 actually uses swarm intelligence to forecast the availability of roadside parking spaces, plus it also provides info on road hazards and speed limits.

Additional options will include Google Earth and hybrid radio, which automatically switches between FM, DAB and online streaming to provide the best reception possible.

What’s more, the myAudi app lets you to connect your smartphone to the Q3, so you can transfer your schedule via a calendar app and any pre-organized navigation routes to the car’s MMI infotainment system, or even locate where your Q3 is parked.

Speaking of phone connectivity, the Audi phone box inductively charges the owner’s smartphone through the Q3’s antenna, while the Audi smartphone interface lets said smartphones link to the MMI display via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Of course, Bluetooth phone connectivity with audio streaming will come standard, but you’ll need to pay extra for the top-line Bang & Olufsen premium audio system that provides three-dimensional virtual sound via 15 speakers including a subwoofer.

Technologies that aid driving may be appreciated even more by Q3 owners, such as advanced forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, and available adaptive cruise assist that combines the functions of adaptive speed assist, low speed traffic jam assist and active lane assist together in one. Audi claims that adaptive cruise assist helps with longitudinal and lateral control to particularly improve “comfort on long journeys.”

What’s more, the Q3’s four 360-degree cameras, which display on the infotainment touchscreen, make it easier to manoeuver in tight surroundings like parking lots. Even better, when using the available park assist semi-autonomous parking system the Q3’s driver only needs to watch the proceedings on the screen while shifting into the correct gear, applying the throttle, and stepping on the brake when necessary, while the car automatically steers itself in and out of parking spaces. Audi also offers cross traffic assist to warn of oncoming vehicles when reversing out of a parking space, while lane change warning is also part of this suite of safety features.

Along with interior styling that’s much more dramatic, delivering a true sense of occasion even in this more price-sensitive entry-level luxury class, not to mention interior fit, finish and materials quality that should be a considerable upgrade over the previous Q3, especially if we receive the same two-tone suede-like Alcantara dash, armrest and seat trim being offered to Europeans, Audi also promises an ergonomically designed cabin, which is a claim that’s certainly consistent with its latest offerings. This means that “all displays, buttons and controls” are within easy reach and logically laid out for intuitive operation, while the steering wheel is “steeply angled” to coincide with the “sporty”, albeit “comfortable” driver’s seat.

The outgoing Q3’s driver’s seat delivered a nicely raised view to the road ahead with good visibility all-round, important being that the sense of control that comes as part of this commanding driving position is a key reason that SUVs have become so popular. The new model will continue with its similarly raised profile, while also providing some very real performance improvements to enhance the overall driving experience.

This will be critical to the new Q3’s success, being that a weakness of the outgoing model was its one-size-fits-all 2.0-litre turbocharged powertrain that made 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. Such output is quite reasonable for a base engine, yet when put up against some of its competitors’ upgraded powerplant options it was a tad underwhelming. Therefore, the Canadian-spec Q3 will be available with a new 2.0-litre turbocharged and direct injected four-cylinder making 190 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque in base trim, while a new 230 horsepower variant of the same four-cylinder engine with 258 lb-ft of torque will also be available.

Likewise, six-speed manual, “fast-shifting” seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic automated, and eight-speed automatic transmissions will be on offer, but likely only the latter, which adds two more gears over the outgoing Q3’s six-speed Tiptronic automatic, will make it here, with permanent Haldex-type Quattro all-wheel drive as standard equipment, a marked change from the outgoing Q3 that offered Quattro as an upgrade to a base FWD layout. Audi says the Q3’s new hill descent control will maintain a preset speed on steep downhill gradients by simply pushing a button, which should aid the model’s off-road capability.

Back on the street, the new Q3 will sport an upgraded Audi drive select with a total of six profiles, from “markedly comfortable, highly efficient through to out-and-out sporty.” Audi drive select can also enhance the suspension with adjustable damper control when equipped, which uses sensors to “measure the movements of all four wheels as well as the vehicle’s lateral and longitudinal acceleration,” before automatically making adjustments.

Alternatively, the S line exterior package includes a sport suspension that provides more progressive steering tuning with a more direct feel via increased steering angle, while it firms up the Q3’s springs and dampers too. Previously, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters were also added as part of the upgraded sport package, but we’ll need to wait and see what Audi has in store for our Canadian-spec model.

We also won’t know about the 2019 Q3’s fuel economy until closer to its arrival, but if it’s anywhere close to the current model’s 11.9 L/100km city, 8.4 highway and 10.3 combined AWD rating, it will be very competitive.

Lastly, the new model is arguably better looking too, with its most striking feature a new equiangular octagon grille, adding two more sides to Audi’s now trademark singleframe design. We first saw this with the new Q8 four-door crossover/coupe, and it’s also appeared in various Q2, Q4 and Q6 renderings and concepts, so we can feel pretty confident it’s the new face of Audi SUVs, at least. All of the new cars still feature versions of the now classic six-sided grille, albeit featuring sharper edging with each new model, but this new ovoid look is appealing within the brand’s crossover SUV lineup, giving the Q3 distinctive character.

The new grille gets divided up with vertical bars and large air inlets, the look made more dramatic when opting for the aforementioned S line exterior package that brightens the vertical strakes with aluminized highlights, or alternatively with available glossy black and dark grey trim. Moving up to the S line also enhances the lower front fascia with unique floating satin-silver detailing within deeper cut corner vents, and then pulls the brightwork inward with a horizontal metallic strip. There’s much more to the S line exterior package than that, making it a good choice for those who want their Q3 to stand out in the subcompact luxury SUV crowd.

Depending on trim, the Q3’s narrow headlamps can be fitted with one of three lighting sources, topped off with Matrix LED technology and adaptive high beams.

We’ll know more about all of these details when the 2019 Audi Q3 goes on sale next year, but until then enjoy our photo gallery above and video below.

Audi 2019 Q3 Defined: Design (3:04):

Not long ago the only way you could’ve purchased advanced driver assist systems would have been by upgrading to an expensive luxury brand, but future-think features like autonomous emergency braking,…

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Nissan to expand Safety Shield 360 technologies across majority of brand

Not long ago the only way you could’ve purchased advanced driver assist systems would have been by upgrading to an expensive luxury brand, but future-think features like autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, semi-autonomous self parking, and even self-driving capability are now the stuff of mainstream volume brands, with Nissan being at the forefront of the technology curve.

Rather than merely include them as new features, the Japanese brand has decided to combine six of the most important active safety and driver-assist technologies into a new suite dubbed Nissan Safety Shield 360, and what’s more they’ll provide the package as standard equipment with all of their top-selling models by 2021. This means that more than one million vehicles will be upgraded with new Nissan Safety Shield 360 annually.

The 2019 Nissan Altima will be one of the first vehicles to highlight Safety Shield 360 features. (Photo: Nissan)

Nissan Safety Shield 360, which earns its name by providing front, side and rear sensing technologies, will include Intelligent Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Rear Intelligent Emergency Braking, and High Beam Assist.

“Our philosophy is to bring Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies to market in our most popular and affordable vehicles,” said Denis Le Vot, chairman, Nissan North America. “Safety Shield 360 combines six advanced systems to give models like Altima and Rogue a class-leading package of technologies that can improve safety and the overall driving experience for Nissan owners.”

2019 Nissan Rogue — The 2018 Rogue was one of the first Nissans to offer ProPilot Assist self-driving capability, and will include many Safety Shield 360 features for 2019. (Photo: Nissan)

The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) claims that Rear Cross Traffic Alert reduces accidents by 22 percent, while the results improve to a 42 percent reduction in crashes when combined with a backup camera and parking sensors. Additionally, accidents are reduced by 78 percent when Rear Emergency Braking is added to the mix, so it’s clear that making these technologies available to more new car owners is of critical importance.

As the program rolls out, Nissan Safety Shield 360 technologies will be made available with the 2019 Rogue compact SUV as well as the entirely new 2019 Altima mid-size sedan, both available now. The 2019 Rogue starts at $26,798 plus freight and fees, while the 2019 Altima can be had for $27,998 (check CarCostCanada for all 2019 Rogue and 2019 Altima features, trims and prices, plus you can get dealer invoice pricing and rebate info that could save you thousands).

2018 Nissan Rogue ProPilot Assist — ProPilot Assist made its North American debut on the 2018 Rogue. (Photo: Nissan)

Of note, Nissan was one of the first automakers to offer semi-autonomous self-driving capability in its production cars. Introduced with the 2018 Rogue and the 2018 Leaf EV, ProPilot Assist takes over the majority of driving duties, including acceleration, steering and braking inputs when driving in a single lane on the highway. The driver is only required to regularly touch the steering wheel, yet it helps to reduce a driver’s workload by maintaining a set vehicle speed and distance to the vehicle ahead, keeping the car centered within a chosen lane, and easing stop-and-go traffic.

Nissan claims that ProPilot Assist is the foundation for a future of fully automated vehicles, and making the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced driver assist technologies available to key models within its lineup certainly furthers that goal.

Remember the Eclipse? It was a 2+2 sports coupe along the lines of the Honda Prelude, Nissan 240SX and Toyota Celica, and like those classics it’s no longer available, having been discontinued in 2012…

In Our Garage

2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross GT S-AWC

Remember the Eclipse? It was a 2+2 sports coupe along the lines of the Honda Prelude, Nissan 240SX and Toyota Celica, and like those classics it’s no longer available, having been discontinued in 2012 after four generations.

The list of sporty grand touring hatchback models was as numerous as there were mainstream automakers to build them back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and Mitsubishi not only offered the Eclipse, along with multiple badge-engineered models it coproduced with Chrysler group, but the larger and more powerful 3000GT that went up against pricier sports coupes like the Mazda RX-7, Nissan 300ZX and Toyota Supra. Those were the sports car glory days, and while we’ve seen a tepid renaissance in recent years, times ain’t what they used to be.

This is the crossover SUV era after all, so along with small sporty GTs that few are buying, sedans and wagons are yesterday’s news too. Enter the Eclipse Cross, Mitsubishi’s answer to a question no one was asking within the mainstream volume sport utility sector, or at least a question no one has asked for a few years.

The Eclipse Cross marries a crossover SUV with a sports car, or that’s the general idea. Most of us are well aware that such sloped-back five-door concoctions have been running around in the premium class for quite some time, having started with the BMW X6 and more recently followed by the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe and now the all-new Audi Q8 that shares underpinnings with Lamborghini’s new Urus, plus we should give a respectful shout out to the now discontinued Acura ZDX that I happen to still love, while that latter defunct model was based on the only five-door sport CUV to attempt such contortions amongst regular mainstream brands up until now, the somewhat ungainly Honda Crosstour. On the smaller side are the BMW X4 and new M-B GLC Coupe, these models closer in size to this new Eclipse Cross, but of course in another price, luxury and performance league altogether.

Premium rides aside, I must admit the new Eclipse Cross is much better looking than the ill-fated Crosstour, but instead of being backed by one of the strongest names in the industry it hails from one of Canada’s least popular brands. This means that its already very slim niche market will be skinnier still, proven by 2,140 sales from February 2018, when it went on sale, to the close of August, compared to 7,265 Outlanders sold during the same seven months. No doubt Mitsubishi didn’t expect it to rocket out of the showroom door in comparison to its most popular model, but it’s a sobering thought when factoring in that 34,055 Honda CR-Vs and 32,947 Toyota RAV4s were sold over the exact same seven months, not to mention the 28,218 Ford Escapes and 26,525 Nissan Rogues.

Just the same, Mitsubishi is trying to do something different and deserves our respect for a worthy effort, while the new model is quite good at what it needs to do for the most part. I’ll elaborate in my upcoming review, and like usual will only give you a few buyers’ guide-like details during this garage piece.

For starters, behind Mitsubishi’s dramatic new “Dynamic Shield” frontal design that I think works much better with this Eclipse Cross than with any other application it’s been used for, resides a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine good for 152 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. It combines with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that’s engineered to emulate an eight-speed automatic gearbox via some of the nicest magnesium column-mounted paddle shifters in the industry. All three Eclipse Cross trims come standard with Super All-Wheel Control in Canada, Mitsubishi-speak for all-wheel drive, an advanced torque-vectoring system honed from years of Lancer Evolution rally car breeding.

Yes, it’s hard to stomach the thought that this wannabe performance SUV is now the hottest model in Mitsubishi’s once proud lineup, which previously anted up the fabulous Evo X MR, an all-wheel drive super sedan that easily outmaneuvered the Subaru WRX STI and most every other compact of the era, but Mitsubishi now has its limited funds focused on practical SUVs that more people will potentially purchase, not to mention plug-in electrics that give it a good green name if not many actual buyers, at least when comparing the Outlander PHEV’s sales to the aforementioned conventionally powered compact SUVs.

We can lament the loss of the Evo, but should commend Mitsubishi for the Eclipse Cross’ fuel economy that’s rated at a cool 9.6 L/100km in the city, 8.9 on the highway and 8.3 combined, which is quite good in comparison to the aforementioned RAV4 that only manages 10.5 city, 8.3 highway and 9.5 combined, but not quite as thrifty as the CR-V’s 8.7 city, 7.2 highway and 8.0 combined rating.

Hidden behind a slick looking standard set of 18-inch alloy wheels on 225/55 all-season tires is a fully independent MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension setup featuring stabilizer bars at both ends, which I’ll report on in my upcoming review.

I mentioned earlier there were three trim levels, and as usual Mitsubishi supplied this Eclipse Cross tester in top-line GT guise for $35,998 plus freight and fees (go to CarCostCanada for all pricing details, including dealer invoice pricing and rebate info that could save you thousands), which meant came loaded up with LED headlamps, a head-up display, a multi-view backup camera with dynamic guidelines, 710-watt Rockford Fosgate Punch audio with nine speakers including 10-inch subwoofer, a heatable steering wheel, heated rear outboard seats, leather upholstery, a six-way powered driver’s seat, a dual-pane panoramic glass sunroof, and more, not to mention everything from the second-rung SE model’s optional Tech Package that includes automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation with pedestrian warning, lane departure warning, auto-dimming rearview mirror with an integrated Homelink garage door opener, roof rails, and a nice silver painted lower door garnish.

Standard SE items pulled up to GT trim include the previously noted paddle shifters, proximity-sensing keyless access and ignition, an electromechanical parking brake (the base model gets a regular handbrake), a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, auto on/off headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone automatic climate control, blindspot warning, and more for $29,998, while features from the $27,998 base ES model that are still used by the top-tier GT include LED DRLs, fog lamps, LED turn signals integrated within the side mirror caps, LED taillights, tilt and telescopic steering, a colour multi-information display within the gauge cluster, an “ECO” mode, micron filtered automatic climate control, heated front seats, a lower console-mounted touchpad controller for the standard 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a rearview camera, two USB charging/connectivity ports, Bluetooth phone connectivity with audio streaming, satellite radio, and more.

Last but hardly least in this practical class is passenger and cargo space, with the former needed to be expanded on experientially in my review and the latter measuring 640 litres (22.6 cu ft) behind the standard 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks and 1,385 litres (48.9 cu ft) behind the front row, making it more accommodating for cargo than the subcompact RVR and less so than the compact Outlander.

I’ve said more than enough for a garage story, so make sure to come back to read all of my notes reiterated into some sort of readable road test. I can tell you now the Eclipse Cross suffers from a few issues, or at least this specific tester certainly does, and therefore you won’t want to miss what I have to say. Until then, enjoy our shortened photo gallery (more will accompany the review)…

News & Reviews- Month: November 2018