Kia made a strong eco-friendly statement at the Chicago auto show, with a trio of show cars confirming the Korean automaker’s   commitment to hybrid and electric propulsion. In addition to…

Cool Kia Niro Concept makes North American debut

Kia made a strong eco-friendly statement at the Chicago auto show, with a trio of show cars confirming the Korean automaker's commitment to hybrid and electric propulsion. In addition to the refreshed 2014 Optima Hybrid and the new 2015 Soul EV, which will be launched in select markets in 2014, Kia also showed the edgy, urban-oriented Niro Concept in the windy city. It marked the Niro Concept's U.S. debut, following up its initial appearance in Frankfurt last September.

According to Kia, the Niro Concept "hints at a possible future B-segment contender ready to take on the city environment with style and fun-to-drive attitude." With compact dimensions and intriguing design elements, the Niro Concept looks ready to give Nissan's Juke a run for its money, but with a hybrid twist: the Niro Concept expands on Kia's alternative propulsion development with a hybrid electric powertrain working through an advanced four-wheel drive system.

The Niro Concept's dark "Nightfall" Read Full Story
I’ve been a fan of the QX70 since it was dubbed FX, came in a slightly smaller package and was powered by 200 cubic centimeters Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press less displacement. Infiniti…

2014 Infiniti QX70 AWD V6 Road Test Review

I've been a fan of the QX70 since it was dubbed FX, came in a slightly smaller package and was powered by 200 cubic centimeters less displacement. Infiniti launched its Bionic Cheetah in the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona back in February of 2003, and I was there to test it out in the city's suburban sprawl as well as a wonderfully serpentine stretch of tarmac that wound its way up to the top of South Mountain Park's lofty summit. Never before had I driven such a nimble SUV, my review comparing it head-on with BMW X5s and Porsche Cayennes I'd tested previously, the FX35 (no V8-powered FX was available to test on the initial launch) much more sports car-like.

The 2014 QX70's DNA continues to comprise cheetah genes, the new model a bit larger and heavier than the first-generation FX, yet the larger 3.7-litre engine capable of a lot more energy. The original 3.5-litre V6 put out 280 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque compared to the new model's 325 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque. Read Full Story
One of the big debuts at the Chicago Auto Show was Subaru’s next-generation Legacy sedan, and as promised by the teaser   images released last week and by the Legacy Concept displayed at the…

Subaru introduces 2015 Legacy in Chicago

One of the big debuts at the Chicago Auto Show was Subaru's next-generation Legacy sedan, and as promised by the teaser images released last week and by the Legacy Concept displayed at the 2013 Los Angles Auto Show, the new car features a sleek profile and a bold front fascia.

In addition to being modern looking, the new bodywork offers a 10-percent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency, aided by a standard active grille shutter system that further reduces wind resistance when closed.

Under the hood the 2015 Legacy continues to offer either a 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine or a 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer, but the manual transmission offering has been dropped from the lineup, with all cars now getting Subaru's Lineartronic CVT (continuously variable transmission).

Updates to the four-cylinder have improved power, refinement and efficiency, with a two-horsepower bump to 175 horsepower. Peak torque remains at 174 lb-ft but is spread over a broader rev Read Full Story
Between a growing charging infrastructure that’s making electric vehicle ownership easier, and strict new standards making zero-emissions   vehicle (ZEV) options increasingly necessary in California…

New Kia Soul EV hits Chicago auto show stage

Between a growing charging infrastructure that's making electric vehicle ownership easier, and strict new standards making zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) options increasingly necessary in California and a handful of other states, electric vehicles are really gaining traction these days.

The latest carmaker to plug in to the expanding EV market is Kia, which introduced its all-new 2015 Kia Soul EV at the Chicago Auto Show. Emphasizing the automaker's commitment to efficient, low emissions vehicles, Kia showed the Soul EV next to an updated version of the company's Optima Hybrid sedan and the funky crossover-style Niro Hybrid Concept. Unlike those hybrid models, however, the Soul EV is Kia's first completely battery-powered vehicle.

"The new Soul EV is at the forefront of Kia's 'Clean Mobility' program and will offer an even more environmentally friendly option to our customers when it goes on sale later this year," said Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning Read Full Story
Affordability can be measured in various ways, but what really matters to most long-term car owners are the overall costs of Lexus is one of the least expensive brands to own according to Kelly Blue Book.…

Least expensive ownership experience include Mazda and Lexus brands

Affordability can be measured in various ways, but what really matters to most long-term car owners are the overall costs of ownership beyond just the initial price, including depreciation, fuel costs, insurance, repairs, maintenance, and fees.

Every year Kelly Blue Book calculates the overall projected five-year ownership costs for a wide variety of vehicles, awarding Best in Class kudos to the least expensive to own in each segment. It recently announced the winners after tabulating the results for 2014, and coming out on top overall for the second consecutive year were Mazda and Lexus.

Mazda only got a single Best In Class result (the CX-9 in the full-size SUV category), but managed top-three results in a wide number of categories including compact car, midsize car, minivan/van, and sports car. Overall it won best brand thanks to Mazda vehicles' generally low insurance and fuel costs, as well as relatively modest depreciation.

Despite having higher initial Read Full Story
Diesels are becoming increasingly popular in Canada, and while European brands have led the way, the domestic marques are   starting to catch up. Chrysler, now known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles,…

Diesel powered Jeep Cherokee to debut at Geneva motor show

Diesels are becoming increasingly popular in Canada, and while European brands have led the way, the domestic marques are starting to catch up. Chrysler, now known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, has already launched diesel versions of its Ram 1500 pickup and Jeep Grand Cherokee, and now a new diesel-powered Jeep will be joining the lineup, sort of.

Unfortunately for Canadian diesel fans the 2014 Cherokee Diesel won't be debuting at the Chicago Auto Show for sale in North America, but will instead be debuting at Geneva Auto Show in March for sale - initially at least - only in Europe. It does, however, raise the possibility that a North American Cherokee Diesel might eventually be offered here to replace the old Liberty Diesel.

With the exception of a few minor tweaks to satisfy European regulatory requirements, the Cherokee offered across the Atlantic will be essentially identical to the version offered here.

Under the hood, however, overseas buyers will get Read Full Story
It seems that BMW is on a roll with new model introductions these days. Fresh from the Detroit auto show, where the German   marque introduced its new 2 Series Coupe, the latest-generation M3 sedan,…

BMW reveals new 4 Series Gran Coupe

It seems that BMW is on a roll with new model introductions these days. Fresh from the Detroit auto show, where the German marque introduced its new 2 Series Coupe, the latest-generation M3 sedan, and its new M4 Coupe sibling, BMW has now announced that yet another all-new model will be debuting at the Geneva Auto Show in March, and heading to North America for the New York International Auto Show in April.

For those who've been following BMW's new model lineup closely, the latest car is at once puzzling and inevitable: It's the 4 Series Gran Coupe, a swoopy-roofed four-door hatchback version of the 4 Series Coupe.

Now, this is puzzling because BMW just finished dividing the long-standing 3 Series lineup into four door sedan models (which remain 3 Series cars) and two-door coupe models (which become 4 Series cars). And now we have a 4 Series sedan, which logically you might expect to be called a 3 Series hatchback.

On the other hand, the new car was also inevitable Read Full Story
If you’ve already read my BMW X5 article from a few days ago, you should know when Land Rover introduced the Range Rover   Sport back in 2005 the market success of the BMW was one of the catalysts…

2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Road Test Review

If you've already read my BMW X5 article from a few days ago, you should know when Land Rover introduced the Range Rover Sport back in 2005 the market success of the BMW was one of the catalysts driving its development. The BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne had demonstrated one-percenters would go for a luxury SUV with outstanding power and handling on the street. Further, those models had demonstrated-for a certain segment of that demographic-off-road capability was truly secondary.

Of course, prodigious off-road capability is an integral aspect of Land Rover's DNA; no way the company was going to do a fast SUV that wouldn't hold its own on Telluride's Imogene trail or Moab's Poison Spider Mesa, let alone the 65,000 acres of unspoiled nature in the heart of Quebec's Laurentian Mountains that surround the Fairmont Le Château Montebello where Land Rover Canada houses its off-road driving school. Thus, the original Range Rover Sport was engineered to scream on the street just as Read Full Story