The idea behind Ford’s global "One Ford" strategy is to reduce costs and maximize development returns by eliminating regional 2014 Ford Everest Concept (Photo: Ford) products, instead…

Ford to produce Thai-built Everest Concept SUV

The idea behind Ford's global "One Ford" strategy is to reduce costs and maximize development returns by eliminating regional products, instead selling global vehicles across multiple markets. So when the company introduced its new Everest Concept at the Bangkok International Auto Show it quickly set tongues wagging that this might be the new Explorer.

Ford's own media statements only reinforced the notion: "The Everest Concept represents our vision of a global Ford vehicle with regional heritage that will allow customers to take on the world," the maker said. "(It is a) bold new direction that we envision for a midsize, seven-seat SUV."

The Everest Concept has already been cleared for production outside North America, and will be built in Thailand for sale in Asia and Australia as a 2016 model, replacing the existing Everest (also known as the Endeavour in India). The Explorer, meanwhile, was last updated in 2011 and has been sliding in the sales charts, making it Read Full Story
Plug-in hybrids simply make sense. After all, if you’re going to electrify a gasoline-powered car, why not give it the ability to run Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press as far as possible…

2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid Road Test Review

Plug-in hybrids simply make sense. After all, if you're going to electrify a gasoline-powered car, why not give it the ability to run as far as possible on cheaper battery power before the internal combustion engine is forced to kick in? The ability to get a $5,000, $8,000 or $8,500 government rebate from three of Canada's largest provinces (BC, ON and QC) just for having that socket under its bodywork is another reason for wanting to plug it in.

Before you get too excited about this 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid, mind you, it's not yet available for mass-market sale. The new 2014 Accord Hybrid is on dealer lots as we speak, a car that I just drove and came away from extremely pleased, but this plug-in model has only been made available within select U.S. markets since last summer, Canadians only getting a little test-marketing taste.

Of course, there are more important things for Honda Canada to consider than the hopes and dreams of BC Gulf Islands, Cambridge, Ontario Read Full Story
North Americans have already met Honda’s newest small crossover/SUV, if only briefly, and it now it appears that we know its name. Introduced 2014 Honda Vezel (Photo: Honda) at the 2013 Detroit…

Honda to launch new compact crossover in North American markets

North Americans have already met Honda's newest small crossover/SUV, if only briefly, and it now it appears that we know its name.

Introduced at the 2013 Detroit auto show as the Urban SUV Concept, the Fit-based compact SUV went on sale in Japan as the Vezel in December of that year. But if the industry buzz is correct, it'll be called the HR-V on these shores, slotting just below the CR-V.

The compact SUV market is currently one of the fastest-growing segments in North America, with entries including the Buick Encore, Chevrolet Trax, Mini Countryman, Mitsubishi RVR, Nissan Juke, and Subaru XV Crosstrek posting significant -and steadily increasing - sales numbers.

Honda's entry into the segment will be about 228 mm shorter, 25 mm narrower, and 25 mm lower than the company's popular CR-V, and weighs about 308 kg less.

In Japan the Vezel is available with either a 1.5-litre direct-injection four-cylinder engine hooked up to a CVT transmission, or a Read Full Story
I’ve owned six BMWs in my lifetime including two 5 Series, but none that comes anything close to this new 2014 535d xDrive. Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press My first was a 1982 528e with…

2014 BMW 535d xDrive Road Test Review

I've owned six BMWs in my lifetime including two 5 Series, but none that comes anything close to this new 2014 535d xDrive. My first was a 1982 528e with a five-speed manual that I bought from a repo lot for much less than it was worth, but all I could afford. To be clear it wasn't my first BMW, that being a '74 Bavaria 3.0S, which could be considered the predecessor to the 5 and 7 Series combined, but the 528e was probably the best car I've ever owned. After replacing the alloys with a set of 1984 "mags" and re-and-reing interior parts (including the Blaupunkt stereo complete with the updated rear shelf and Blaupunkt speakers) from that same 1984 wreck, I sold it to a friend at 418,000 km and heard it ran well over 500,000 km before a runaway parked car T-boned it and its life ended, a sad demise to a very faithful car. The 120 horsepower Eta engine was never fast, but it was torquey which made it feel quick off the line, and it was a dream on the highway and nirvana on a curving road. Read Full Story
Despite the proliferation of new models it has introduced lately, BMW seems unlikely to ever build a four-door convertible, so   it would appear that the legendary M3 Convertible is history. After…

BMW to introduce new 2015 M4 Convertible at New York auto show

Despite the proliferation of new models it has introduced lately, BMW seems unlikely to ever build a four-door convertible, so it would appear that the legendary M3 Convertible is history. After all, 3 Series cars are now all four-door models.

But that's okay, because two-door versions of 3 Series cars still exist as 4 Series cars, and that means an all-new M convertible: the 2015 M4 Convertible, which is scheduled to debut at the upcoming New York International Auto Show.

Like its M3 forebears, the M4 Convertible delivers all the performance features of the M4 Coupe, but with unlimited headroom. That means it gets the same 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged straight six engine cranking out 425-horsepower and 406-lb-ft of torque, and the same choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed M dual-clutch automated transmission delivering power to the wide rear wheels. According to BMW, it can run from 0-100 km/h in about 4.4 seconds with the automated manual, or a couple tenths Read Full Story
With just a couple of weeks to go until the New York International Auto Show, Kia is back on the teaser trail. Only this time it’s Kia is planning to introduce a new multi-purpose vehicle at the…

Kia to show new multi-purpose vehicle at New York auto show

With just a couple of weeks to go until the New York International Auto Show, Kia is back on the teaser trail. Only this time it's not a rear-wheel drive halo sports coupe concept the Korean manufacturer is tempting the auto-buying public with, but rather an all-new mid-size "multi-purpose vehicle."

For those who might not know exactly what a "multi-purpose vehicle" is, Kia offered some hints in the brief press release it issued to accompany a single teaser image of the new model. The vehicle, Kia says, will "offer the functionality to transport as many as eight passengers and their belongings while also serving as a purposeful offering for adventure seekers."

If this sounds like a minivan, that should come as no surprise: Kia is one of relatively few manufacturers still offering a minivan, but the company's current-generation Sedona hasn't been substantially updated since it was introduced in 2006, so it's long overdue for renewal.

Kia says that the new model Read Full Story
Last year, Honda surprised everyone by introducing an almost completely redesigned Civic Sedan after only one year of a complete Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press redesign, the 2012 model lambasted…

2014 Honda Civic Coupe EX Road Test Review

Last year, Honda surprised everyone by introducing an almost completely redesigned Civic Sedan after only one year of a complete redesign, the 2012 model lambasted by the press and public for not measuring up to the brand's usual high style, quality and handling performance. The Civic Coupe didn't come under as much criticism and therefore continued on unaffected for 2013, but Honda decided to give it a rather thorough update for 2014 just the same. We now have a very different looking two-door in Honda's compact lineup.

The styling changes are obvious, the new model getting a completely reworked front fascia including the replacement of the more traditional trapezoidal-shaped vented upper black mesh grille with a thick dark grey strikethrough featuring thin upper ventilation just above and two narrow vented grille openings underneath, bisected by a narrow chrome strikethrough. There's a new hood too, as well as new front fenders that meld into a new sharper headlight design, Read Full Story
BMW has been on a bit of a roll with new model introductions lately and shows no signs of slowing down. The German brand’s BMW confirms that a new seven-passenger X7 will join the many other models…

BMW to add new seven-occupant X7 to Spartanburg line

BMW has been on a bit of a roll with new model introductions lately and shows no signs of slowing down. The German brand's latest new model announcement is also one of its biggest, in more ways than one: BMW has confirmed that it will be introducing a larger sibling to its popular X5 "Sport Activity Vehicle": the full-size, three-row X7. The all-new X7 will be built exclusively at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, and the company will invest US$ 1 billion in the plant to provide the required additional capacity.

"We will expand the plant's annual production capacity by 50 percent up to 450,000 vehicles by the end of 2016," said Dr. Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the board of management at BMW. "Today's capacity is around 300,000 vehicles. This investment will also create an additional 800 jobs, increasing the total workforce to 8,800 on site."

The Spartanburg plant is celebrating 20 years of operation this year, and in addition to the upcoming X7, it produces Read Full Story