Smart fans have been waiting a very long time for a second-generation Fortwo replacement, and finally a rendering of the new third-generation model, along with the brand’s first foray into a four-seater,…

Smart releases first rendering of next-gen Fortwo and Forfour

Daimler's Smart brand has carved out a unique niche with a loyal ownership following in the microcar segment, but no one including the German automaker itself would argue against the need for a second, larger model to help grow the brand. This need has become even more relevant now that arch rival BMW has created an eco-friendly sub-brand within its blue and white roundel division, with its first entry-level model, the plug-in electric i3, already enjoying significant attention and promising initial sales.

Along with a completely new Fortwo two-seater, Smart will be resurrecting the stillborn Forfour. The Forfour, as the name implies, will seat four and therefore be capable of battling it out with the i3 as well as other four-seat microcars such as the Chevrolet Spark, Fiat 500, Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Mirage, Nissan Micra, and Scion iQ.

The upcoming Fortwo replacement appears to be designed in a similar monobox body style as the last two generations, with a profile that Read Full Story
If you like things weird and wonderful, the Nissan Cube is either your personal ride or on your shortlist for an upcoming purchase.   If it’s the latter we hate to be the bearers of bad news,…

Nissan cancels Cube in US after dropping it here in Canada

If you like things weird and wonderful, the Nissan Cube is either your personal ride or on your shortlist for an upcoming purchase. If it's the latter we hate to be the bearers of bad news, but the Cube was canceled from Nissan Canada's upcoming 2015 lineup in May, which only left the option of buying one used or taking a trip across the US border to pick a new Cube up new from an American Nissan dealer.

It appears that soon you'll need to nix the second choice from your list too. The news isn't official, mind you, but there was no Cube listed on Nissan's 2015 lineup "Charting the Changes" announcement released on Tuesday, so expect it to be gone for the coming year.

As you can probably guess, the Cube was never a big seller for Nissan's US operations, sales exceeding 23,000 units in 2010. The automaker only sold 356 Cubes in April, mind you, which was a drop of 23.9 percent from the same month the year before. Its January to April sales were just 1,604 vehicles, which Read Full Story
True luxury resides in a conservative realm – quiet, smooth and comfortable; soft, serene and predictable. It’s likely no mistake Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press then that the Lexus…

2014 Lexus LS 460 AWD F-Sport Road Test Review

True luxury resides in a conservative realm - quiet, smooth and comfortable; soft, serene and predictable. It's likely no mistake then that the Lexus LS 460 is a conservative car. On the market since 1990, it is still only in its fourth generation 24 years later, with the current generation dating back to the 2007 model year.

Just because the LS 460 is conservative, however, doesn't mean it's unchanging: The current version of Lexus' flagship full-size luxury sedan was thoroughly facelifted for the 2013 model year, getting a new front fascia with the now-familiar Lexus spindle grille, together with a redesigned hood and reshaped front fenders, and redesigned taillights and trunk lid at the back. An F-Sport package was also added for 2013, for those who prefer a little bit of a sporting edge to their luxury.

For 2014 there are a couple of additional minor updates including Siri Eyes Free for the infotainment system (to allow compatibility with newer iPhones), and improved Read Full Story
The first time I took the keys to a Q60 Convertible was in San Francisco and it didn’t bear the new name, but rather a different Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press alphanumeric combination:…

2014 Infiniti Q60 Convertible Road Test Review

The first time I took the keys to a Q60 Convertible was in San Francisco and it didn't bear the new name, but rather a different alphanumeric combination: G37. That was in the spring of 2009, a car that Infiniti loaned me so that I could drive from the Bay Area to Monterey where I would take part in the annual Western Automotive Journalists Media Days program.

A better highway cruiser couldn't be had, especially with the retractable hardtop lowered and California's sunshine beaming down upon me, which is exactly how I felt when I took to the road this time around. Actually, despite the name change the six-year-old model hasn't changed all that much since its inception in 2008 as a 2009 model. For 2011 it received a subtly redesigned front fascia plus new 18- and 19-inch wheel designs; for 2012 it was given a wider rear track, modified rear suspension, rear pop-up roll bars plus available Bose front-seat speakers and climate-controlled front seats; and for 2013 the top-line IPL Read Full Story
Recently, BMW has expanded its model lineup in almost every direction possible, while seemingly filling niches within niches that 2015 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. (Photo: BMW) most other premium carmakers…
Recently, BMW has expanded its model lineup in almost every direction possible, while seemingly filling niches within niches that most other premium carmakers hadn't dared to venture into. Likewise, the brand's M division has created high-performance versions of some of these niche models, such as the X6 M and M6 Gran Coupe. It appears that the M expansion party is over, however, at least within the compact 3 and 4 Series lineups.

According to Australia's Cars Guide magazine in an interview with M GmbH head of sales Jörg Bartels, the new 4 Series Gran Coupe won't be getting the M treatment in the foreseeable future.

"It was definitely considered, but there is no plan to build an M4 Gran Coupe," said Bartels.

He added that an M4 Gran Coupe wouldn't make financial sense, especially due to the fact that the M3 and M4 models are already built in separate factories, and that adding another compact M car to the mix would only complicate production further. Read Full Story
For those wanting a true luxury SUV with off-road capability and a price significantly south of six figures, choice is limited. Try Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press and get that premium 4×4…

2014 Lexus GX 460 Premium Road Test Review

For those wanting a true luxury SUV with off-road capability and a price significantly south of six figures, choice is limited. Try and get that premium 4x4 in mid-size dimensions and the pickings are even slimmer. Fortunately such discriminating backcountry campers haven't been forgotten by Lexus, as the Japanese luxury brand's impressive GX 460 is as capable of trekking across rock strewn forest roads, slogging it out in mud bogs, and climbing sand dunes as it is at coddling its occupants in leather-lined, wood surfaced, feature-rich opulence.

It's really the best of two sport ute worlds. Underpinning the GX 460's revised body shell and beautifully detailed interior is nothing less than a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, one of the most respected 4x4s in the world. It's a traditional body-on-frame SUV, which means that it's just as useful for towing heavy loads as it is for wilderness expeditions. The extent of my exploring during my test drive was kept to pothole infested inner-city Read Full Story
While some concepts seem to go from prototype to production in a mere blink of an eye, others linger around for decades before   getting the official nod from on high. The latter is the case for…

VW to build production version of Beetle Dune Concept

While some concepts seem to go from prototype to production in a mere blink of an eye, others linger around for decades before getting the official nod from on high. The latter is the case for the Beetle Dune Concept, which has finally been given the green light for production.

But didn't the Beetle Dune Concept only just debut at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit last January, you say? You're right. This reality, of course, makes it seem as if the brass at VW hardly gave the car a moment's thought before signing off on production plans, but try to remember back to the Los Angeles auto show of 2000, when the New Beetle Dune Concept hit the stage wearing a not too dissimilar coat of yellow paint no less, and it's easy to see that the Beetle Dune is by no means a new idea. By the time the first street-ready Beetle Dune leaves the production line in 2016, the concept's incubation period will exceed 15 years.

Nevertheless, the folks heading up Volkswagen Read Full Story
There are those who follow the crowd while others buck against the status quo, and then there are those who don’t think about Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press either and just try to make…

2014 Honda Accord Sedan Touring Road Test Review

There are those who follow the crowd while others buck against the status quo, and then there are those who don't think about either and just try to make good decisions after researching trusted sources. I believe there are a lot of Honda Accord buyers in this latter camp.

I've driven every generation of Honda Accord since inception and have always come away impressed. Even the ultimately bland styling years (the boxy second-generation from 1981–1985, the instantly forgettable fourth-generation from 1989-1993, and the ovoid sixth-generation from 1997–2002 come immediately to mind) were great cars for their era that were quite entertaining to drive. My first Honda Accord press car came from this latter generation, and I remember looking at it in disdain when first acquiring the keys and then after a week behind the wheel bringing it back with an entirely new respect for the car, the people who buy Accords, and Honda in general. I still feel the same way, although my Read Full Story