Archive for August, 2010

2011 Ford Mustang V6 convertible

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Review and photos by
Greg Wilson, CanadianDriver.com

Restyled only last year (as 2010 models), the Ford Mustang Coupe and Convertible models have been given further upgrades for 2011, most of them under the hood. While the new lightweight aluminum supercharged 5.4-litre V8 in the Shelby GT500 and the new 5.0-litre V8 in the Mustang GT have been getting most of the media’s attention, the new 3.7-litre V6 in the base Mustang is equally newsworthy. Replacing the previous 4.0-litre V6, the smaller 3.7-litre V6 has 45 per cent more horsepower and approximately seven per cent better fuel economy. It features dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder instead of the 4.0 litre’s single overhead cams and two valves per cylinder, and a new variable valve timing system. The sportier 3.7-litre V6 makes 305 horsepower at 6,500 r.p.m. compared to 210 hp at 5,300 r.p.m. for the 4.0-litre V6. In addition, the new V6 engine has about 17 per cent more torque (from 240 lb.-ft. to 280 lb.-ft.)

2011 Ford Mustang V6 convertible

2011 Ford Mustang V6 convertible

As well, last year’s five-speed manual transmission has been replaced by a new six-speed manual, and the optional five-speed automatic has been replaced by a six-speed automatic. (more…)

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2010 Subaru Impreza 2.5i sedan

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

Review and photos by Haney Louka,
CanadianDriver.com

Subaru’s entry-level model was redesigned for the 2008 model year and soldiers on essentially unchanged. Even so, I was looking forward to taking this one for a week-long spin. The reason for my enthusiasm was that Subaru bravely decided to send through a bare-bones four-door sedan with a manual transmission and exactly zero options. Sending us a base model helps us focus on a particular model’s intrinsic properties without being distracted by more powerful engines or fancy sound systems. And sadly, press cars with manual transmissions are becoming a rare sight in our nation’s press fleets.

2010 Subaru Impreza 2.5i sedan

2010 Subaru Impreza 2.5i sedan

So here it is, the $20,995 Subaru Impreza 2.5i. You could shell out another $1,100 for the four-speed slushbox, but that would be like placing a sushi order with only cooked ingredients: what’s the point?

The Impreza is one of those rare cars that has actually become less expensive over the years: going back into my road test archives, I found that the 2002 Impreza TS started at $21,995. (more…)

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2004–2010 Audi A8

Friday, August 27th, 2010

By Chris Chase, CanadianDriver.com

The second generation of Audi’s flagship A8 sedan arrived in Canada in 2004, following its European introduction in late 2002. The lineup began as a single V8-powered model, the long-wheelbase A8L; a regular-wheelbase model and a second long-wheelbase variant powered by Audi’s W12 engine joined the range in 2005.

2006 Audi A8L

2006 Audi A8L

The A8 is notable for its aluminum construction and fully-pneumatic suspension, which can be raised and lowered by the driver, or set to lower automatically at highway speeds, for greater stability.

The base engine was a 4.2-litre V8 (335 hp/317 lb-ft of torque), while the W12 – essentially two Volkswagen VR6 engines “siamesed” at the crankshaft – displaced 6.0-litres and produced 450 horsepower and 428 lb-ft. (more…)

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1998-2010 Mazda B-Series pickup

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

By Chris Chase, CanadianDriver.com

Sometimes, all you need is a little truck. Mazda knows this, which is why its B-Series pickup has been in production since 1972. It’s had ties to Ford’s small trucks since the beginning, but became a twin to the Ranger in all but its name in 1994. That relationship carried over to the fifth generation model, introduced in 1998.

2003 Mazda B-Series

Mazda B-Series

It’s either a tribute to the design’s solidity or an admission by Ford that profits in this segment are as small as the trucks themselves that the current B-Series/Ranger has changed little in the 12 years since that 1998 redesign.

In that year, the B-Series was offered with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine (119 hp/146 lb.-ft. of torque), or a choice of 3.0-litre (150 hp/185 lb.-ft.) or 4.0-litre (160 hp/225 lb.-ft.) V6s; with the truck’s model names being based on engine displacement, the base version was the B2500, while the B3000 and B4000 were up-market options. (more…)

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2004-2009 Lexus GX

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

By Chris Chase; photos by Grant Yoxon,
CanadianDriver.com

While it can be argued that the last thing the world needed in 2004 was another SUV, Lexus needed a vehicle to fill a rather large gap between its car-based RX crossover and the big truckish LX SUV. Ideally, it needed to be able to compete with vehicles like the Land Rover Range Rover by offering V8 power, serious off-road cred and lots of luxury, but also trumping the Rover (at the time) with three rows of seating.

2004 Lexus GX470

2004 Lexus GX470

The Lexus GX 470 was that truck. Introduced in 2004, it borrowed its platform and running gear from the Toyota 4Runner. The sole engine choice, a 4.7-litre V8, was rated at 235 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque in 2004, but the addition of Toyota’s Variable Valve Timing-intelligent (VVT-i – Toyota/Lexus language for variable valve timing) boosted those figures to 275 hp/330 lb-ft in 2005. A five-speed automatic transmission was the only one offered. Other than the 2005 engine update, the only changes made through the first-generation GX’s run were a few minor exterior trim revisions in 2008. (more…)

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2010 Mazda MX-5 PRHT

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Review and photos by
Paul Williams, CanadianDriver.com

Standard on the $39,995 2010 Mazda MX-5 GT, and a $2,295 option on the $33,495 GS model (both models add $1,595 freight), the power retractable hardtop (PRHT) is a must-have item for some buyers, an appreciated but not required feature for others, and perhaps an unnecessary expense for the balance.

2010 Mazda MX-5 PRHT

2010 Mazda MX-5 PRHT

Without a doubt, Mazda’s PRHT is a clever piece of kit. The top raises or retracts in twelve seconds, and doesn’t require a separate cover when retracted. Operation involves the use of a single latch, and the press of a button.

In the “down” position, the PRHT doesn’t require more space than the cloth top, so the 150-litre trunk capacity remains the same regardless. Consequently, there is no cargo-space trade-off required when specifying the PRHT, although it does add 10-millimetres to the height of the car, and overall weight is increased by 27 kilograms. In everyday driving, its impact on handling is minimal, if evident at all. (more…)

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2011 Hyundai Sonata GL

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Review and photos by
Paul Williams, CanadianDriver.com

Although many Canadian consumers are moving to compact sport utility vehicles, the midsize family car is still the workhorse of choice for a large segment of the buying public.

Over the years, these vehicles have become bigger, better equipped, more fuel efficient and safer, but some might say they’ve also become a little bland.

2011 Hyundai Sonata GL

2011 Hyundai Sonata GL

Hyundai thinks it has the remedy for that with the 2011 Sonata sedan, available in GL, GLS, Limited and Limited with Navigation. Our $24,249 GL test car is the “base” Sonata model, and as such it excludes items like leather interior, alloy wheels and premium audio.

However, unlike many vehicles we test, this model has no options added to the standard specification. In other words, all GL models with automatic transmission are equipped like this one, with remote keyless entry, front side and front and rear curtain airbags, (more…)

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2010 Lexus GX 460

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Review and photos by
Chris Chase, CanadianDriver.com

Seven-seat luxury crossovers aren’t hard to come by, and there’s certainly no dearth of SUVs built for off-roading. What’s more difficult to find is a mid-sized truck that combines all three attributes: seating for seven, luxurious appointments and running gear suitable for tackling logs and rocks and things.

2010 Lexus GX 460

2010 Lexus GX 460

If those are your requirements for a new vehicle, you have exactly two choices: the Land Rover LR4 and this vehicle, the 2010 Lexus GX 460. That there aren’t more vehicles like these is evidence that vehicle manufacturers know that most high-end crossovers are mostly used for city duty. Lexus could have easily created an upsized version of its popular car-based RX crossover, but instead decided that the GX, which has been around since 2004, could be a more unique vehicle by using truck underpinnings and a more serious four-wheel drive system.

The GX has been redesigned for 2010, with new styling and a 4.6-litre V8 engine to replace the first-generation’s 4.7-litre motor. (more…)

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2011 Mazda2 GS, four-speed automatic

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Review and photos by
Paul Williams, CanadianDriver.com

Stepping into a subcompact 2011 Mazda2 after a week driving a plus-sized SUV is like putting on running shoes after wearing steel-toed construction boots. Your first thought is, “I should be wearing running shoes all the time!”

The Mazda2 is a nimble and versatile little runabout. Smaller than a compact Mazda3, its gas-sipping four-cylinder, 100-horsepower engine with 98 pound-feet of torque is plenty powerful for urban motoring and highway cruising, and its diminutive dimensions make manoeuvring a breeze.

2011 Mazda2 GS

2011 Mazda2 GS

This is just the type of cheap-to-run car you need for zipping to the store, commuting to work, or even picking up some large purchases at the big-box hardware retailer.

Starting at $13,995 for the GX model, Mazda2 is available in only one body style: a four-door hatchback. (more…)

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