Well into its second season the new Lexus NX continues to strike a fashionable pose, pulling eyeballs from its key competitors onto its large, gaping, spindle grille and sharply chiseled bodywork, a dramatic styling statement if there ever was one.
Lexus is no longer a wallflower brand, the NX proof positive that things have changed in Nagoya. It seems with each new model the Japanese luxury brand grows braver, this Nobuyuki Tomatsu-penned design bolder than the IS sport sedan that came before and RC sport coupe that arrived alongside, or maybe it just seems that way due to the normally conservative compact luxury SUV segment it sells into. Still, the experiment is working, the NX only arriving in November of 2014 yet already rising to the top three in its class after its first full year.
The NX found 6,127 Canadian buyers in calendar year 2015, only upstaged by Acura's RDX at 7,380 units and the perennial bestselling Audi Q5 at 8,203. On its way upward it passed by Read Full Story
News & Reviews- Month: February 2016
2016 BMW 340i xDrive Sedan Road Test Review
I've always liked the BMW 3 Series, a lot. Most driving enthusiasts do. I've even owned a couple, putting my money where my mouth is, so to speak. Therefore let me be the first to tell you that the new 2016 340i is easily the best non-M3 3 Series ever created. In fact, it'd be a toss-up as to whether I'd purchase this 340 or an M3. Don't get me wrong. The M3 is brilliant in almost every measure, but the 340i may very well be the perfect sport sedan, delivering ample power and exemplary handling capability in a more refined, sophisticated way.
It's certainly more understated from a styling perspective, albeit busier than a regular 3 Series. Its front lower fascia looks more aggressive thanks to the M Aerodynamics package that comes standard in 340i guise. Even the stunning machine-finished 19-inch twinned five-spoke alloys with grey-painted pockets are standard, although the M Sport brakes with blue-painted calipers poking out from within are upgraded via the optional M Performance Read Full Story
It's certainly more understated from a styling perspective, albeit busier than a regular 3 Series. Its front lower fascia looks more aggressive thanks to the M Aerodynamics package that comes standard in 340i guise. Even the stunning machine-finished 19-inch twinned five-spoke alloys with grey-painted pockets are standard, although the M Sport brakes with blue-painted calipers poking out from within are upgraded via the optional M Performance Read Full Story
2016 Mitsubishi Outlander ES AWC Touring Road Test Review
The Outlander is a compact crossover that most people don't think about when trade-in time comes around. It's sales prove this point. Of the 13 models available amongst mainstream volume brands it's dead last in both Canada and the U.S., with 2015 calendar year sales totaling 6,108 and 19,055 units respectively. It made up a sizable chunk of Mitsubishi's 21,384- and 95,342-unit Canadian and U.S. overall brand-wide auto sales last year, however, so while the Outlander's numbers might be small compared to direct competitors within the compact SUV segment it's still big business for the Japanese automaker.
Attracting buyers has been an uphill struggle since Mitsubishi arrived on the Canadian market in 2004, and it hasn't been much easier on the south side of the 49th where it's been purveying its wares much longer, with U.S. sales of 345,111 units in 2002 sinking to a low of 53,986 in 2007 and then slowly rising, falling and rising again to the aforementioned sum arrived at when Read Full Story
Attracting buyers has been an uphill struggle since Mitsubishi arrived on the Canadian market in 2004, and it hasn't been much easier on the south side of the 49th where it's been purveying its wares much longer, with U.S. sales of 345,111 units in 2002 sinking to a low of 53,986 in 2007 and then slowly rising, falling and rising again to the aforementioned sum arrived at when Read Full Story
2016 Cadillac Escalade Platinum Road Test Review
Luxury is a tough game, at least if you're one of the Tier 2 brands. You can probably guess the Tier 1 final four: Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Lexus. Depending on personal bias you can interchange the last two as far as premium status goes, the popular vote going with Audi as it outsells Lexus both globally and here in Canada, although your viewpoint may differ if reading this review from the U.S. where Lexus decimates Audi in annual sales. Of course, if we were to base Tier 1 rankings on sales alone then Buick would outrank Audi in the U.S. as well. Sales are merely one indicator of success, with status symbol strutting street cred taking decades to develop and sometimes even a century of doing it right.
Cadillac has earned its way into the century club, having sold luxury cars since 1902. This makes it the oldest luxury auto brand currently available, other than Buick, which was founded in 1899. For interest, Audi was founded in 1910, BMW in 1916, Lincoln in 1917, Jaguar in Read Full Story
Cadillac has earned its way into the century club, having sold luxury cars since 1902. This makes it the oldest luxury auto brand currently available, other than Buick, which was founded in 1899. For interest, Audi was founded in 1910, BMW in 1916, Lincoln in 1917, Jaguar in Read Full Story
2016 BMW 650i xDrive Gran Coupe Road Test Review
I love variety. Variety makes business sense too. After all, it's difficult enough for carmakers to get folks onto their websites and then down to their dealerships, so it would be best if they had the majority of bases covered when you arrive so as to fulfill your individual wants and needs. Such variety can be expensive, however, a much cheaper solution being to somehow coax everyone into a single model and therefore enhance economies of scale. It's worked so far for Tesla, albeit in limited numbers, with even that niche EV automaker needing to expand its product offerings in order to grow its numbers.
Tesla sold a record 1,556 cars in Canada last year, all from a single mid-size four-door model. Considering BMW sold just 1,996 5 Series into the same mid-size luxury space, and Audi could only pawn off 990 A6 sedans, that's pretty impressive. Then again the mid-size luxury sedan segment is one of the slower selling categories in the auto sector, a problem Tesla hopes to at least Read Full Story
Tesla sold a record 1,556 cars in Canada last year, all from a single mid-size four-door model. Considering BMW sold just 1,996 5 Series into the same mid-size luxury space, and Audi could only pawn off 990 A6 sedans, that's pretty impressive. Then again the mid-size luxury sedan segment is one of the slower selling categories in the auto sector, a problem Tesla hopes to at least Read Full Story
2016 Ford Mustang Ecoboost Fastback Road Test Review
Consider me a concerned Mustang citizen, but when Ford first revealed photos of this generation pony car I wasn't quite sure what to think. Had they gone too far in an attempt to modernize their classic muscle car?
Like most everyone I've now seen more than my fair share of sixth-gen Mustangs in coupe and convertible body styles, base to Shelby trims, not to mention aftermarket sport-tuned versions, and even spent a week with a GT Convertible and another seven days with this Ecoboost Fastback. I took the time to wash and dry both by hand, the best way to get a feel for a vehicle's design details, and viewed each at length from almost every possible angle (although I still haven't had one on a hoist), and can now say that I'm fully onboard as far as styling goes.
Even this morning I was caught off guard as a Magnetic Grey GT Fastback pulled up into my sideview mirror, its road presence as catch-your-breath intimidating as any premium-badged supercar. The grille still Read Full Story
Like most everyone I've now seen more than my fair share of sixth-gen Mustangs in coupe and convertible body styles, base to Shelby trims, not to mention aftermarket sport-tuned versions, and even spent a week with a GT Convertible and another seven days with this Ecoboost Fastback. I took the time to wash and dry both by hand, the best way to get a feel for a vehicle's design details, and viewed each at length from almost every possible angle (although I still haven't had one on a hoist), and can now say that I'm fully onboard as far as styling goes.
Even this morning I was caught off guard as a Magnetic Grey GT Fastback pulled up into my sideview mirror, its road presence as catch-your-breath intimidating as any premium-badged supercar. The grille still Read Full Story
2016 Toyota Prius Touring Road Test Review
I've long been a fan of the Toyota Prius. Now in its fourth generation, the popular Hybrid vehicle is offered in several trim levels, all with the mission of getting you around comfortably and safely with great fuel economy. But in what was typical for some Toyota products of the past, previous gen Prius models weren't exactly fun to drive.
Why is this important?, you ask. After all, I just want some serious fuel savings.
In case you haven't noticed, oil prices have plummeted and folks are back to their giant SUV and truck purchasing ways. Not to mention a major increase in sales of performance cars that now exceed 500-700 horsepower!
When the emotional "want" needle shifts towards vehicles people have on their "dream vehicle" lists, sales of small, fuel-efficient vehicles tend to tank. We've seen it before, and it does not portend a bright future for those working diligently on electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell technology to help preserve Mother Nature's Read Full Story
Why is this important?, you ask. After all, I just want some serious fuel savings.
In case you haven't noticed, oil prices have plummeted and folks are back to their giant SUV and truck purchasing ways. Not to mention a major increase in sales of performance cars that now exceed 500-700 horsepower!
When the emotional "want" needle shifts towards vehicles people have on their "dream vehicle" lists, sales of small, fuel-efficient vehicles tend to tank. We've seen it before, and it does not portend a bright future for those working diligently on electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell technology to help preserve Mother Nature's Read Full Story
2016 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn Road Test Review
In VW-speak the GTI gets the lion's share of attention, even more so than the hyperactive R or in this review's case, the GLI.
To be clear there have been at least 25 GTI-branded models from numerous manufacturers over the years, including Citroen, Dacia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Proton, Rover, Seat, Suzuki and of course Volkswagen, the name originally shortened from Gran Turismo Iniezione, Gran Turismo Injektion or Grand Tourer Injection, depending on where it was coined, fuel injection being new and worthy of emphasis in the '70s when the Golf/Rabbit-based GTI was introduced. Mention "GTI" in most parts of the world and the majority of car enthusiasts will think only of that legendary VeeDub. As for where the "L" in GLI came from nobody seems certain, VW needing a three-letter acronym for the sportiest version of its Jetta four-door and the middle letter likely derived from the German word limousine that directly translates into sedan. I'm guessing that VW fans won't likely Read Full Story
To be clear there have been at least 25 GTI-branded models from numerous manufacturers over the years, including Citroen, Dacia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Proton, Rover, Seat, Suzuki and of course Volkswagen, the name originally shortened from Gran Turismo Iniezione, Gran Turismo Injektion or Grand Tourer Injection, depending on where it was coined, fuel injection being new and worthy of emphasis in the '70s when the Golf/Rabbit-based GTI was introduced. Mention "GTI" in most parts of the world and the majority of car enthusiasts will think only of that legendary VeeDub. As for where the "L" in GLI came from nobody seems certain, VW needing a three-letter acronym for the sportiest version of its Jetta four-door and the middle letter likely derived from the German word limousine that directly translates into sedan. I'm guessing that VW fans won't likely Read Full Story