Let’s make one thing perfectly clear, there’s no bad Porsche 911, but there are some that are better than others. Enter the new-for-2015 911 GTS, tested here in C4 Cabriolet guise. Making 430-hp and…

2015 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet Road Test Review

I've long loved Porsche's legendary 911. As far back as I can remember my dad lauded this sports car of sports cars while driving around in his '76 VW Scirocco, the closest we could affordably get to owning one of Zuffenhausen's rear-engine super coupes. We (that would be me riding shotgun) road tested a 924 when it came out in 1976, the week after first seeing it at our local auto show no less, but despite trying to make the numbers work my dad traded the old '66 Beetle in for a classic metallic silver Scirocco complete with black "SCIROCCO" lettering along each rocker.

Graphics like that were all the rage back then, the lime green 924 with bold checkered seats we'd tested prior featuring something similar along its lower midsection, not to mention mirrored "PORSCHE" windshield tint stuck under the roofline. Today both German brands are much less expressive when it comes to branded decals, my most recent 911 tester making do with a subtle "GTS" stamped on the front portion of Read Full Story
Cadillac has hit the 2015 model year with the all-new ATS Coupe, a compact model that targets the heart of the premium two-door market. How does it measure up? Trevor Hofmann delivers a cutting and candid…

2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe 3.6 Road Test Review

When Cadillac first unveiled the ATS sedan at Detroit's College for Creative Studies as part of a soirée the evening before its full song and dance intro at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, it was a forgone conclusion that an ATS two-door would follow. The then-new ATS meant that the CTS would likely grow in size, which we now know occurred for the 2014 model year, a reality that we expected would more than likely eliminate the much-lauded CTS Coupe and, alas, the fabulous CTS Sport Wagon (RIP). All said the sleeker and sportier ATS Coupe was inevitable.

Where Cadillac dabbled unsuccessfully in compact four-door luxury in the early to mid-'80s, the 2015 ATS Coupe is altogether new territory for GM's topmost luxury division. Prior to either ATS body style, Cadillac's previous CTS appeared to be a winning solution for attracting premium D-segment buyers that were snapping up Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class models at record rates, offering Read Full Story
The subcompact SUV class is booming and Chevy’s little Trax is number 1 for good reason. At less than $20k it boasts a 138-hp turbo four, remote entry, tilt and telescopic multifunction steering, Bluetooth,…

2015 Chevrolet Trax 1.4 Turbo AWD LTZ Road Test Review

There aren't many domestic branded vehicles that get their first run in Canada before heading to the US, but launching the Trax north of the 49th a couple of years ahead of Chevy's largest and most important market allowed it to gain some traction in a safe environment.

Why safe? The move made sense due to Canada's greater acceptance of small rolling stock, and the Trax is certainly diminutive for a CUV, slotting into the subcompact SUV category. It's not like we don't have a history of such practices. We received Smart's ForTwo four years ahead of the US, and more recently Nissan launched its sub-$10k Micra here, although there are no plans to sell it south of the border despite Nissan USA hosting a journalist ride and drive program for it. There are many similar Canada-only and Canada-first small car stories such as the Acura EL and CSX (now the ILX which is available in the US), Mercedes-Benz B-Class (still a no go), Toyota Echo Hatchback (Yaris hatch predecessor) and first-generation Read Full Story
After more than 30 years on the road, FCA’s minivans are still totally dominant with 60% of their market in Canada, but it certainly can’t hurt to add a new S trim line for the luxury-equipped Town…

2015 Chrysler Town

Can you imagine what would have happened if Chrysler group had actually replaced the Grand Caravan with the Journey back in 2008 as was expected? They certainly would've sold a lot fewer vehicles, 333,800 since 2009 in Canada alone to be exact (and another 764,709 in the US, plus who knows how many more in the rest of the Americas and overseas?). The Journey does very well in its mid-size crossover SUV class, but it's nowhere near as successful as Dodge's trusty old family van north of the 49th. If we merely cherry pick calendar year 2014, which was hardly the Caravan's best 12 months, Dodge sold 51,759 Grand Caravans to Canadian customers compared to just 24,715 Journeys, that last number making the crossover utility one of the top sellers in its mid-size class, yet dwarfed by the humble minivan, the fifth best-selling vehicle in Canada overall, incidentally. As of September this year it's sold 34,762 units to the Journey's 19,156, so all-round it appears to have been a decision well Read Full Story
For a bit more than $31k you can get a gorgeous Audi A3 Sedan with turbo power, a dual-clutch gearbox, an electric parking brake, a leather-clad steering wheel, partial leather powered seats, dual-zone…

2016 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Quattro Technik Road Test Review

There's only one better compact sport sedan in the premium sector than Audi's A3, and that's the same brand's S3. Having already covered that sportier model in 2015 trim, I await a second turn at the wheel with eager anticipation, although another spin in the A3 2.0 TFSI Quattro is certainly a good way to wile away the time.

If you're a fan of Audi's big, bold grille, LED enhanced lighting elements and chiseled flanks, the new A3 sedan will certainly fit your preferred style. From the front and profile it looks just like most other Audi sedans, only smaller, while its blade-shaped taillights are uniquely elegant. My tester rode on a neat and clean set of simple silver 10-spoke alloys on 225/45R18 Continental ProContact all-seasons, while up top about two-thirds of the rooftop gets covered in black glass making it appear as if there's a panoramic moonscape from below, but in reality it's just a nice large sunroof shedding light on the front half of the passenger compartment.
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Could the iM be the mega-hit Scion has long needed? The FR-S has done well, but the iM targets a much larger compact hatchback demographic. Check out our coverage of a CVTi-S equipped version complete…

2016 Scion iM CVTi-S Road Test Review

Unlike other Scions, the iM isn't trying to hide its heritage. The Scion badge on its sweptback grille could just as easily be swapped out for an identically sized and shaped Toyota logo, as I'm sure many compact sport buyers will do. And why not? A slightly less aggressively kitted out version sells as the Toyota Corolla Auris Hatchback in European markets after all, so while there'll be some who'll want to differentiate themselves from their parent's Corollas and Camrys by driving a sport-tuned Scion, the rest of us can enjoy the fact that it's really nothing more or less than a tried and tested Corolla under its sleek and stylish skin. Well, at least nothing more than a Euro-spec Corolla… more on that in a moment.

It certainly looks good. My tester's bright yellowish Spring Green paintwork snapped necks and locked in eyeballs as I drove by, while its glossy black details added to its sporting edge. Premium touches enhanced the already stylish five-door, including LED-infused Read Full Story
Acura is making its compact ILX more competitive for 2016 with sharp new styling that includes cool LED headlights, while inside it gets new dual-screen infotainment with loads of features including a…

2016 Acura ILX A-Spec Road Test Review

Finally, Acura has endowed its most affordable compact ILX sedan with upscale styling that's easily in line with the rest of the Japanese luxury brand, giving it more than enough premium-level wow factor to make well-equipped Honda Civic owners spend the extra coin needed to partake, let alone lure luxury buyers away from rival brands.

First off, I love the changes made to Acura's imposing metal shield grille, its thinner, sculpted and opened design appearing more athletic, but really the sensational "Jewel Eye" LED headlights are the car's most eye-arresting focal points. Five square LEDs in chromed bezels, underscored by a long thin line of slimmer LEDs make a dazzling statement, and the twinned LED turn signals are truly magnificent when flashing at night. Following the sportier theme, a sculpted bumper with an air inlet at centre and brake cooling ducts to each side incorporate large circular fog lamps within the latter, enhancing the newfound aggressive stance this car now Read Full Story
While most of the talk about Ford’s new F-150 has been about its aluminum body, today on CarCostCanada we review the new direct-injection turbo 2.7-litre 4-cylinder with 325-hp and 375 lb-ft of torque…

2015 Ford F-150 XLT Sport SuperCrew 2.7 Ecoboost 4×4 Road Test Review

When it comes to rewriting the book on the truck industry, Ford has been leading the charge. The only thing more revolutionary than this new F-150 pickup truck is the Detroit plant it gets built in. Green is an understatement unless you're looking at the grass and shrubbery its roof is covered in, designed to give back part of what it takes away from the environment. The truck itself is the first of its kind to be produced almost entirely of aluminum, while the engine in the model being reviewed here is the first four-cylinder I can remember ever being offered in a modern-day full-size pickup truck.

While lighter than its predecessor, powered by a more efficient lineup of engines, and therefore easier on your pocketbook day-to-day, it's no less rugged looking or all-round capable than the truck that came before. Take a look at the front end and you'll see a grille that must be the largest in F-150 history, while unlike some in the industry this one's not trying to look like a Read Full Story