Archive for January, 2011

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2011 Jeep Wrangler

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Review and photos by
Peter Bleakney, CanadianDriver.com

Jackson Hole, Wyoming – While driving a 2011 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited over public roads at highway speeds, I was able to carry on a conversation with the other two passengers without having to yell. Or even raise my voice.

2011 Jeep Wrangler

2011 Jeep Wrangler

Blasphemy or progress?

The Wrangler is the most unabashed boonie-basher in the Jeep line-up, and has carried this brand’s image for decades. Being the icon that it is, Jeep is wisely cautious when making any major changes to the Wrangler. Like the Tread Lightly campaign that champions four-wheeling environmental awareness, Jeep engineers tread lightly with the Wrangler to ensure they stay true to its core audience. (more…)

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2011 Volvo S60

Monday, January 17th, 2011

Review and photos by
Jil McIntosh, CanadianDriver.com

Having spent my life as little sister to an advertising executive, I know a bit about that industry, including the importance of a catchphrase that will hopefully stick in the minds of consumers. The one a certain Swedish automaker has chosen for its new S60 is that it’s the “Naughty Volvo.” This is just plain silly, because if this all-new sedan belongs on any list, it definitely ends up on the side of “nice.”

2011 Volvo S60

2011 Volvo S60

The S60 was temporarily discontinued for 2010 pending this complete redesign, and it was definitely worth the wait. This is a lovely car, if a little too overbearing when it comes to protecting me from myself.

It comes in a single model, an all-wheel drive four-door sedan that starts at $45,450. Mine was further embellished with a $4,500 “Driver Support Package” of various electronic nannies, along with 18-inch wheels in place of the standard 17-inch rims and a gorgeous coat of Vibrant Copper paint that caught the eye and refused to give it back. (more…)

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Honda Civic – still going strong

Sunday, January 16th, 2011

Article and photos by
James Bergeron, CanadianDriver.com

Miami Beach, Florida – You may be asking yourself why CanadianDriver is doing a piece on a five-year-old design. Or perhaps, you’re asking yourself that other burning question: where is the new Honda Civic? You wouldn’t be the only one to ask these questions. The first person to ask me was a U.S. Customs official at the border, after ensuring I wasn’t carrying any fresh fruit with me.

2010 Honda Civic

2010 Honda Civic

Journalists who attended a Civic ride-and-drive event in Florida asked Honda representatives the same question: “Why are we here?” Their answer: Honda wants to keep the Civic front and centre in the minds of Canadians. They feel that despite it being a five-year-old design, it still is one of the best compact cars on the market. The Civic was Canada’s best selling car in February, and has been so for 12 consecutive years, so I’m not sure they have much to worry about. (more…)

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2008-2011 Ford Focus

Saturday, January 15th, 2011

Review and photos by
Chris Chase, CanadianDriver.com

The Ford Focus was something of a sensation when it first went on sale here in 1999. Bred in Europe, it was an instant hit for its edgy styling and sharp handling. The same enthusiasts who were so keen on the original were disappointed when a second-generation Focus was launched in Europe in 2004 , but never made it here.

2008 Ford Focus

2008 Ford Focus

We wouldn’t get a redesigned Focus until 2008, and even then, the car that arrived was a mostly a cosmetic update, with a revised suspension tuning but using the same platform and powertrains as the car it replaced. Perhaps the worst slap in the face, at least for those who had come to appreciate the Focus for its comprehensive availability of body styles, was the discontinuation of the hatchback and station wagon variants. For 2008, the Focus was offered as a sedan and in a new coupe bodystyle. Blame that decision, as our Buyer’s Guide entry for the 2008 Focus so succinctly puts it, on “the traditional U.S. buyer’s horror of liftgates.” Note that the coupe was discontinued after 2010. (more…)

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2012 Mazda5 GS

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

By Paul Williams; photos by
James Bergeron, CanadianDriver.com

Mazda has made something of a reputation for itself as a purveyor of sporty and sometimes unique vehicle types. The Mazda5 is no exception. Its sportiness is confined mainly to its nimble handling and six-speed shifter, but its uniqueness is thus-far unchallenged by being the only compact six-passenger vehicle with rear sliding doors on the market.

2012 Mazda5 GS

2012 Mazda5 GS

Introduced to Canada as a 2006 model, the Mazda5 quickly found its niche, finding over 50,000 buyers since its debut here. Key characteristics of the Mazda5 are those sliding rear side doors, the vehicle’s elevated height and overall compact dimensions, the spacious and versatile interior, and – because of its smaller size — an expectation of lower running costs when compared with an SUV or minivan. (more…)

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2011 Kia Sportage EX Luxury

Monday, January 10th, 2011

Review and photos by
Grant Yoxon, CanadianDriver.com

You might be surprised by the title of this article – 2011 Kia Sportage EX Luxury – and the moniker given to this top-of-the-line trim level for the all-new 2011 compact sport utility vehicle.

2011 Kia Sportage EX Luxury

2011 Kia Sportage EX Luxury

Luxury? Surely they jest. You might not think to use the words “luxury” and “Kia” in the same sentence, but Kia has with this compact SUV, and after a week with the car, I have to agree. The 2011 Kia Sportage EX Luxury is, well, pretty darned luxurious.

For a less-than-luxurious $33,145, my nearly-loaded 2011 Kia Sportage tester came with such luxury features as a power panoramic sun roof that fills the passenger compartment with light; 18-inch alloy wheels with P235/55R18 inch all-season tires; LED daytime running lights, fog lights and projector beam head lights; integrated turn signals in the side mirrors; chrome door handles; leather seating surfaces, heated up front and power adjustable for the driver; dual-zone automatic (more…)

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2004 – 2009 Mazda3

Saturday, January 8th, 2011

By Chris Chase, CanadianDriver.com

“Style on a budget.”

It could be a headline straight from the cover of some fashion magazine, but for small car shoppers, the same phrase defined the 2004 Mazda3 quite nicely. Finally, here was a terrific-looking car that was also practical, affordable and fun-to-drive.

2008 Mazda3

2008 Mazda3

The Mazda3 replaced the Protege as Mazda’s entry-level model in late 2003. The Protege was a fun little car, and the 3 carried on that tradition while adding healthy doses of slick styling and smooth refinement. Young, image-conscious drivers flocked to the 3: it was a car that just about everyone looked good in.

Not long after the car was introduced, it was so popular that you were in the minority if you didn’t know someone who owned one! (I know about a dozen people who own, or have owned one). (more…)

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2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder

Friday, January 7th, 2011

Review and photos by
Jil McIntosh, CanadianDriver.com

In some arid countries, there are people who perform rain dances in the hopes that the clouds will release some moisture. I do not understand why they go to all that trouble: all they need to do is give me a convertible to drive. Right on cue, sunny skies gave way to a week of rain when I picked up a 2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. Solely for the sake of our readers, I braved the sprinkles for the joy of driving with that fabric top down. (I hope you appreciate it.)

2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse

2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse

The Illinois-built Spyder disappeared temporarily for 2010, but it wasn’t for a makeover. Rather, as Mitsubishi Canada told me, the timing for the 2010 models would have seen them released here in the dead of winter – hardly prime-time for drop-tops – and so the company opted to wait for the next batch. There are a few minor changes from the 2009 versions, including a standard auxiliary input jack, and a suspension that’s 15 millimetres closer to the ground. The GS model receives trim packages that give it a more aggressive appearance, along with standard electronic stability control, while my model, the GT-P, now contains standard Bluetooth and a rear-view camera. The camera’s display shows up in the rear-view mirror when the car’s in Reverse, and it’s really appreciated on this vehicle, since the car’s tall rump tends to ruin the rearward view when backing up.

The GS uses a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, while my tester, the GT-P, carries a 3.8-litre V6. (more…)

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2011 BMW X5 xDrive50i

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

Review and photos by
Chris Chase, CanadianDriver.com

Before the BMW X5 came along, sport utility vehicles – despite the very word being in the designation – were not sporty. They were utilitarian, like the Jeep Cherokee, the granddaddy of all SUVs, or the Ford Explorer, which you can credit (or blame) for making this kind of vehicle so popular in the first place.

2011 BMW X5 xDrive50i

2011 BMW X5 xDrive50i

And then along came the X5, which proved that an SUV – or crossover, as these not-designed-for-off-roading SUVs came to be called – could be entertaining to drive, paving the way for other vehicles that so many enthusiasts love to hate, such as the Porsche Cayenne.

For 2011, this second-generation X5 (it was redesigned in 2007) gets a mid-cycle refresh that includes small styling changes to the front and rear fascias, and new colour choices inside and out. More significant, though, are a couple of new engines, and an eight-speed automatic transmission to go with them. (more…)

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2010 Jaguar XKR

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

Review and photos by
Jil McIntosh, CanadianDriver.com

I’m writing this review while sitting on an airplane. Working on the photos, I had several pictures of my 2010 Jaguar XKR Coupe test car up on my laptop screen. A flight attendant, catching a glimpse over my shoulder, stopped dead in his tracks. “Is that your car?” he said. “I need you to take me for a drive in it!” Such is the appeal of Jaguar’s sportiest cat that even a photo will pique interest.

2010 Jaguar XKR

2010 Jaguar XKR

Both the XK coupe and convertible are redesigned for 2010, with new engines, exterior styling, and several new interior features, including standard heated and cooled seats, a 525-watt speaker system and the now-famous rotary gear selector.

The XK line-up, previously equipped with 4.2-litre engines, now uses 5.0-litre V8 powerplants. My tester, the XKR, has its eight pistons force-fed their air by a supercharger, resulting in 510 racehorses, along with 461 lb-ft of torque that peaks at 2,500 rpm, sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. (more…)

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