Ford has revised the Focus lineup in the UK, with the removal of the entry-level Style model, a new trim grade added and small price increases on certain models. The dropping of Style trim, a model often ignored by buyers in favour of better equipped trims, means that the Focus now starts from £20,645 for the Zetec grade – £2,100 more than before. That brings it to a similar pricing point as the new Puma, which is available to order in higher trim grades for the time being. A series of small price rises have also been implemented elsewhere in the range, according to the firm’s latest pricing lists which are in the process of being incorporated into the online configurator. All Zetec, Active and ST-Line grades see a bump up of £250, while estates rise by £100 and petrols rise by £500. Two new variants are now available to order, too. Joining the current two-strong lineup of ruggedly-styled Active models is a flagship Active Vignale, available from £27,045, which brings the extensive kit tally from the standard Vignale model onto the higher-riding car. The tweaks follow a more minor revision of the Focus which regards to one model, quietly implemented earlier this year. The 1.5-litre petrol engine has been switched from the multi-link rear suspension to a cheaper, simpler torsion beam setup, leaving only the 2.0-litre diesel models with the multi-link
Origin: Ford Focus prices increased as entry variant dropped
Ford revises Focus range with entry variant dropped
Ford has revised the Focus lineup in the UK, with the removal of the entry-level Style model, a new trim grade added and small price increases on certain models. The dropping of Style trim, a model often ignored by buyers in favour of better equipped trims, means that the Focus now starts from £20,645 for the Zetec grade – £2,100 more than before. That brings it to a similar pricing point as the new Puma, which is available to order in higher trim grades for the time being. A series of small price rises have also been implemented elsewhere in the range. All Zetec, Active and ST-Line grades see a bump up of £250, while estates rise by £100 and petrols rise by £500. Two new variants are now available to order, too. Joining the current two-strong lineup of ruggedly-styled Active models is a flagship Active Vignale, available from £27,045, which brings the extensive kit tally from the standard Vignale model onto the higher-riding car. The tweaks follow a more minor revision of the Focus which regards to one model, quietly implemented earlier this year. The 1.5-litre petrol engine has been switched from the multi-link rear suspension to a cheaper, simpler torsion beam setup, leaving only the 2.0-litre diesel models with the multi-link
Origin: Ford revises Focus range with entry variant dropped
James Ruppert: 4×4 Japanese hybrids are niche but they work
When it comes to what is and isn’t dependable, I do rely on you, dear reader, for feedback about your experiences out in the real world. I rather liked the Volkswagen Lupo and have driven loads, but apparently the gearboxes used to fail quite often under warranty. As the little thing is quite obsolete now, I presume the ones in circulation are okay. Anyway, I got a thumbs up from Gordon, a reader, when it comes to Toyota hybrids. He steers a 12-year-old Prius with almost 100,000 miles. There is nothing wrong with those. The trouble seems to be the state of the roads in the UK. So mechanically no issues, but structurally it is suspension parts that need to be replaced. By that level of reasoning, the perfect used vehicle is going to be a Japanese hybrid 4×4. Let’s buy one. I almost did. I looked in the metal at a whole bunch of Lexus RX 400h hybrids. They look a bit odd. I thought a reversing camera would be fun, but then I saw an RX with a £2000 bill for electronic repairs and went off the idea. The RX will do a solid six-figure mileage and there are plenty around with reassuring bills for cambelt replacement. So a 2005 one with full service history and in tidy condition will be around £3500. For a comfortable car with lots of kit, that should be worth buying. A 2008 SE model with a fraction of the miles and just as together would be £8995. Lexus owner Toyota also makes the RAV4 hybrid, of course, and a 2016 one with 70,000 miles and in Business Edition specification is around £15,995. Then there is a partly electric SUV in the shape of the Porsche Cayenne. Okay, it’s not Japanese but it’s very well engineered and a 2010 3.0 V6 Tiptronic S hybrid will cost £18,995 with 70,000-plus miles. It will do a reasonable 34mpg, officially anyway. Then if you go plug-in hybrid, there are other exciting possibilities. It brings into view Mitsubishi Outlanders, which, with gigantic mileages, are rather cheap. With £10,000 to spend, you should be able to get a private example with history from 2015 with just over 100,000 miles. If you want the reassurance of a dealer, then you will pay closer to £11,000. Owners seem to like these and there aren’t any issues. It simply gets on with the business of working in a very unflashy way. Here is a brand that just stands for doing off-road stuff and there is that small matter of 140mpg. Sort of. This could well be the best used car ever, based on our latest buying parameters. Until we all go and make up some more. What we almost bought this week It’s hard to think of a better and more reliable winter hack than an old Toyota Yaris. We found a 1999/T-reg with 115,000 miles and a year’s MOT for £550. The three-owner car has never missed a service, too, as the 20 stamps in the book testify. Twelve months’ motoring for the price of a month’s PCP. Tales from Ruppert’s garage You may not remember that the adorable Italian car would spontaneously wee out some coolant after a run. Rather worryingly, it sounded like a kettle. All I did was top up the coolant to the lowest level in the expansion tank. I stopped doing that and – you know what? – it packed up spilling coolant. I do worry that there isn’t enough in the system, but the temperature stays normal, which is 90 on the gauge. I should attend to a bit of ‘dieseling’. It isn’t the new spark plugs and it could be all sorts of tired A-Series engine issues. Reader’s ride Al Horsman pops onto these pages occasionally and here is his revived Puma: “It was a real find, but the paintwork on it was a bit tired looking. I’ve finally got round to bringing it back to its former glory. I think you’ll agree it was worth the effort and a little expense! “The roof had deteriorated the most – it was parked under a tree – and the rest of the car was detailed to match the roof as best as possible. I had the headlights refurbished, too. They’re much clearer now and safer for the coming dark evenings. Also, given the 1.7 engine is really quite a modern powerplant, I tried using Shell super-unleaded, particularly before a long journey, and that has really made the car quieter on motorways. (I think the engine needed a proper clean out.) That’s welcome because the car is really too highly geared for motorway driving.” Readers’ questions Question: I think I’ve just been ‘zapped’ by a policeman with a speed gun when I was driving at 33mph in a 30mph zone. Will he let it pass because of the 10% rule? Josh Brown, via email Answer: What 10% rule? It’s true that police chiefs suggest that a 10% allowance above the speed limit for speedo error is okay but it’s only a suggestion and not a rule, much less a law. You’re at the mercy of the traffic officer, I’m afraid. John Evans Question: Now it’s autumn and getting colder and wetter, what’s the point of a car’s air conditioning system and can I just leave it switched off? David Wright, Belfast Answer: An air-con system works by passing the air in your car’s cabin over cold
Origin: James Ruppert: 4×4 Japanese hybrids are niche but they work
Trucking Awesome: The best pickup innovations of the past decade
2020 Ram 2500 Power WagonDerek McNaughton / Driving The sheer number of cubic dollars shovelled into the marketing of pickup trucks is said to rival that of the GDP of a small nation. All of the Detroit Three, plus the two Japan-based brands in the fight, want you to know their trucks are over-powered, over-built and over-testosteroned.Listening to them, itd be easy to believe no one even considers buying a pickup truck without eight-wheel-drive and the capability to tow a house not to mention that failing to own a truck at all is virtually unpatriotic.Your author is a lifelong patron at the Store of Truck, a place where experienced shoppers are adept at sussing out features they want versus the dross simply forced upon the market for the sake of innovation.We cast our gaze around the modern pickup truck marketplace and selected a payload of features we feel best represent the useful end of the innovation spectrum.Tailgate StepsWhen engineers at Ford introduced the tailgate step about ten years ago, other manufacturers were caught flat-footed by its popularity. Instead of innovating their way into the game, some chose to sling mud in the form of derisive commercials, sarcastically labeling the things man steps. Their enduring popularity, and the introduction of similar steps from other brands, proved that tack didnt work.Ford gave its tailgate step a rethink a couple of years ago, tucking the telescopic grab handle inside the gate and reducing the effort required to unfold the thing in bad weather. GM saw fit to carve toeholds into the corners of its truck bumpers, a feature which first appeared in the early 2000s on its Avalanche quasi-truck. Its GMC brand now incorporates a swing-out grab handle to use with its MultiPro tailgate this after years of poking fun at Ford. Hey, if you cant beat em, join em.Wild New TailgatesFor the better part of a century, pickup truck innovation focused on raw power and creature comforts. Lately, companies have been investing time and money not to reinvent the wheel, but to reinvent the tailgate.GMC kicked off the this-aint-your-fathers-tailgate movement with the aforementioned MultiPro Tailgate. With six different ways to be deployed, this origami wonder can even be outfitted with waterproof speakers to amp up your next tailgate party. At the Ram brand, a barn-door style tailgate has been engineered, allowing drivers to drop the gate in a traditional fashion or open it up like barn doors in a 60/40 split. This allows one to step closer to the truck box itself, improving access when trying to reach that item which has rolled juuust out of reach up near the cab.RamBoxSpeaking of Ram, the next innovation is very brand-specific. The aptly named RamBoxes are a pair of lockable storage units residing in the flanks of a Ram pickup bed. Accessible from curbside, they are big enough to store a rifle or collapsed fishing pole, proving that truck-makers do occasionally pay attention to the types of activities in which their typical customer takes part.In their current iteration, RamBoxes can be locked and unlocked with the trucks key fob; are illuminated for easy night access; and have a drain plug in the bottom for evacuating water after using the Rambox to store beverages.Other brands have made attempts to replicate this success, with varying results. Nissan offers a storage solution of similar ilk, albeit one that is removable and only accessible from inside the box. This is good in terms of it not being easily accessed by nefarious passersby, but renders it useless if the owner fits a tonneau cover.Towing CamerasYour author is not ashamed to admit it took him the better part of a summer to get comfortable towing the family camper, one which spans nearly 40 feet in length. That time frame would probably have been significantly shortened if towing cameras were the norm, rather than the exception, back in 2010.All brands have some form of backup camera, allowing easier solo hookup of truck and trailer. GM has recently been crowing about its phalanx of coverage, from cameras under the sideview mirrors looking down the truck flanks; to a trailer-mounted cam that keeps an eye on whats astern.Ram incorporates its optional air suspension into the mix, permitting low-speed reversing in its lowest setting so when the ball and pintle are aligned, the truck can raise and two can be married without having to exit and crank a handle on the trailers tongue jack.Backup Assists Ford, with the help of a QR-style sticker and a bit of programming, has figured out how to relieve the ignominy of getting all crossed up when reversing a trailer. Instead of sitting in the drivers seat and trying to remember which way to turn the wheel in order to fit your 40-ft camper into a tight spot, the Pro Trailer Backup Assist uses maths and the trucks electronic steering to help avoid an aneurysm.Armed with the length of the trailer and the distance of the axles from the tongue, a computer figures
Origin: Trucking Awesome: The best pickup innovations of the past decade
Watch: This guy rebuilt a Dodge Challenger Hellcat that’d burnt to the ground
What do you do when youre hankering for a Hellcat but only have half the cash? Wed actually recommend against the labour-intensive route taken by YouTube channel D.I.Y GANG, which bought up a 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat that had been written off after being in a fire and restored it back to better-than-new condition.This isnt the first time the YouTube channel has done a massive re-build like this; their other videos chronicle them putting back together a McLaren 570S, a Jeep Cherokee Trackhawk and an Infiniti G37. The Hellcat, however, is their most ambitious restoration yet.The channels latest video, done time-lapse-style, shows the incredible work involved re-assembling a new car after removing all the ruined parts of the crispy Challenger which was pretty much every part except the floor pan.During the rebuild process, a few upgrades were installed, including an upgraded engine turning out Challenger Demon-esque horsepower numbers; a performance clutch; a custom paint job; and custom wheels.The entire build apparently took about nine months to complete. Even though most of the free labour came from the hands of the YouTubers own family, the build still cost US$39,492.16. Once you factor in all the parts costs and the time it took to do, theres no doubt this build cost more than just buying a brand-new Hellcat.Even though the car was totally rebuilt and painted, we still question the structural properties of the burnt steel. The Hellcat was subjected to the high, high heat of the fire for an extended period of time, which means the mechanical properties of the metals have changed. A loss of strength and stiffness could have very well occurred.At the end of the day, thats why wed not recommend considering this A-for-effort method of Hellcat ownership yourself: when youre building a burnt car, its going to cost more money than a new one, and it will never be as
Origin: Watch: This guy rebuilt a Dodge Challenger Hellcat that’d burnt to the ground
Subaru recalls almost 35,000 Foresters because airbags may not go off
2017 Subaru Forester XT Touring Subaru has issued a recall for its Forester for a sensor in the passenger seat that can cause the airbags to deactivate. The recall affects 35,806 Subaru Forester vehicles from model years 2015 to 2018.Some Subaru vehicles are fitted with occupant detection, which works by sensing if a person is sitting in the passenger seat and readying affiliated systems, like the airbag, if it needed to deploy.The recall states the electrical connection for the occupant detection system (ODS) could become loose over time and become disconnected. If the part becomes disconnected, it could leave the airbag for that passenger turned off in a crash, potentially causing serious injury.While the recall affects a relatively small number of vehicles here in Canada, in the United States, 366,282 Forester SUVs could experience the issue.Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards require the use of an ODS to determine if the occupant sitting in the passenger seat is of adequate size to be protected by the airbag in a crash. Many of the newer systems do not use weight to measure if there is a person sitting in the seat, but rather an Electrostatic Capacitance Sensor that changes based on the electrical charge in a persons body. This way, the airbag will not be activated if a box or bag is placed on the seat.Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail and instructed to take the vehicle to a dealer to inspect the ODS sensor mat harness. If the part is found to be faulty, it will be replaced.To see if your vehicle is affected, visit Subaru.ca and type in the VIN of your Subaru, or call
Origin: Subaru recalls almost 35,000 Foresters because airbags may not go off
After far too long, Nissan’s updated Frontier pickup is coming soon
2019 Nissan FrontierHandout / Nissan There are few sureties in life: death, taxes and the stale styling of the Nissan Frontier. Thanks to the companys glacier-like design cycle, the looks of the current Frontier are very nearly old enough to get a licence and drive themselves.Thats about to change, according to the gearheads at Automobile.In an interview with the mag at this weeks Tokyo Auto Show, Ivan Espinosa, corporate vice-president of global and Japan product planning, said a new Frontier is a priority for the company and will probably appear within the next calendar year.In a vacuum, those words arent much to go on. However, when asked about the new trucks styling, Alfonso Albaisa, global vice-president of design, went on to say it will have a spirituality of adventure and be bolder than the overall design direction of other Nissan products thanks to it being, yknow, a truck. Albaisa described the look as strong, and the expectation is itll be more than just an evolution of the current trucks styling. Your author, for what its worth, thinks the next Frontier will share design cues with the 2020 Titan.In addition to new duds, theres an excellent chance the next Frontier will also have new modes of motivation, even if it rides on the same old platform. The current truck allows customers to choose between an inline-four making 152 horsepower and a 4.0-litre V6 making 261 ponies. Neither are exactly cutting-edge technology, so any upgrade here will be a marked improvement.Despite its age, theres a solid argument to be made that Nissan doesnt need to rush in bringing a new Frontier to market. The current model is posting robust sales numbers, thanks in no small part to its price-leader status. Canadian customers can get into a King Cab 42 for less than $25,000. Absent of large changes since the mid-2000s, parts availability is vast and cheap.In the meantime, Nissan is busying itself with introducing the refreshed Titan truck. If the above timeline holds, itll be good practice for when they roll out a new Frontier next
Origin: After far too long, Nissan’s updated Frontier pickup is coming soon
Infiniti is killing off its Q70 sedan
For 2019, all Q70 3.7 LUXE content from the previously complimentary Essential package is now standard. The new standard features include valuable technology such as: INFINITI InTouch™ Navigation with InTouch™ Services, Bose® Premium Audio System with 10-speakers, Around View® Monitor with Moving Object Detection, front and rear sonar system, leather appointed seats, climate-controlled front seats and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel.Infiniti Infiniti is ditching the Q70 sedan from its lineup to make room for more SUV sales.The large luxury sedan will not return for the 2020 model year, according to Motor Authority. The hybrid version of the Q70 was already dumped for the 2019 model year.The Q70 can trace its roots as a luxury sedan back to the first Infiniti, the Q45.Introduced in 1989, the Q45 was a rear-wheel-drive V8-powered sedan that was built to take on the luxury cars of the day, mostly the brand-new Lexus LS400. It would go on to morph into the M37, M45 and then the M56 before it was renamed the Q70.The Q70 was Infinitis attempt to compete with the German Big Three of Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. It was available in a few configurations, including rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive. Engine options included a 5.6-litre V8 or 3.0-litre V-6, and trims included short- or long-wheelbase sizes. Unfortunately, the model was mostly left out of most conversations. Sales of the Q70 were dropping as buyers shifted their attention away from sedans and toward larger SUVs like the full-size Infiniti QX80, which boasted a hefty sales increase in 2019 over 2018.For reference, both vehicles are powered by the same 5.6-litre V8, and both are available with all-wheel-drive, so the sedan didnt offer too many benefits over the SUV.A replacement for the vehicle has not been made public, but the brand has teased electrified vehicles that could take its
Origin: Infiniti is killing off its Q70 sedan
News Roundup: An EV crate engine, brands skipping Montreal’s auto show, a luxury car tax and more
Welcome to our weekly round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.Here’s what you missed while you were away.Upcoming electric crate engines promise plug-and-play installationIt’s been some time coming, but it seems automotive DIY-ers may finally be getting some viable options for electric crate engines. The V8-shaped single- and dual-motor EV conversion kits on the way from the California-based startup Electric GT (EGT) will make 140 horsepower and 240 lb.-ft., and 240 horsepower and 340 lb.-ft., respectively. Swindon Powertrain in the U.K., meanwhile, is putting out another electric crate option that makes 110 horsepower and is small enough to fit in a Mini. You just have to find someplace to put the batteries. Volvo, Audi and Mercedes-Benz won’t be attending the Montreal auto showEven with the Detroit auto show officially moving its time slot from January to June, Montreal’s appeal is not strong enough for some European automakers to justify the winter journey to the City of Saints.Following the lead of Mercedes-Benz – which is abstaining from all North American auto shows this year – Volvo and Audi are also pulling out of appearances at 2020’s LeSalon International de Montréal. Volvo is also allegedly pulling the chute for Toronto’s CIAS 2020. Tesla’s hideaway handles blamed in fiery fatal crash“Inaccessible door handles” and “no other ways to open the doors” are what’s being blamed in the death of a Florida resident and Tesla Model S owner. The 48-year-old man allegedly died of smoke inhalation when his vehicle caught fire following an accident, leaving him trapped inside. According to Consumer Reports, door handles are among the most commonly reported issues from Model S owners. Liberal’s proposed luxury car tax stresses B.C. dealersThe recently re-elected Liberal government is proposing a new 10-per-cent luxury tax on vehicles, boats and aircraft priced over $100,000. The little-on-the-top will add yet another line to the price tag of luxury vehicles in British Columbia, which are already subject to a 15-per-cent provincial sales tax on vehicles from $125,000 to $149,999; and a 20-per-cent tax on those over $150,000. Blair Qualey, head of the New Car Dealers Association of B.C., told Automotive News Canada the luxury tax is “very concerning” and the burden on buyers getting “pretty difficult.” Mazda’s first EV gets a touch of RX-8 throwbackThe first electric mass-production Mazda, the MX-30, has arrived, with a smaller battery than most (likely good for about 200 km of range) and a gasoline-powered rotary range-extender – similar to that last found in the RX-8 – for trips beyond city limits. Inside, it’s some of Mazda’s best work yet, with a clean dash and touchscreens for everything that could possibly use one. Look for the Mazda MX-30 in the second half of 2020, and look for the other hot debuts from this year’s Tokyo auto show right
Origin: News Roundup: An EV crate engine, brands skipping Montreal’s auto show, a luxury car tax and more
GM union ends 40-day strike with ratification of new deal
Striking United Auto Workers members picket at the General Motors Lansing Parts and Warehouse for the fifth week of the strike on October 16, 2019 in Lansing, Michigan.Bill Pugliano / Getty Striking General Motors factory workers will put down their picket signs after approving a new contract that will end a 40-day strike that paralyzed the company’s U.S. production. The United Auto Workers union said in a statement Friday that workers had approved the new four-year deal. But no vote totals were given. The union shortly after announced it plans to next negotiate with Ford, and then Fiat Chrysler. Picket lines were to come down immediately, and skilled trades workers will begin restarting factories that were shuttered when 49,000 workers walked out on September 16. Some production workers could return as early as Friday night. The deal includes a mix of wage increases and lump-sum payments and an US$11,000 signing bonus. But GM will close three U.S. factories that make slow-selling cars and transmissions. Analysts estimate the strike cost GM more than US$2 billion. Trades workers such as machinists and electricians likely will enter the plants quickly, restarting boilers and preparing paint shops, robots and other equipment to restart production. Although GM dealers had stocked up on vehicles before the strike and many still have decent supplies, analysts say GM won’t be able to make up for the lost production. Had the strike been shorter, GM could have increased assembly line speeds and worked the plants on overtime to catch up and refill its stock. But many of the plants that make popular SUVs and pickup trucks already were working around the clock to keep up with demand before the strike began. Also, companies that supply parts to the factories and halted production during the strike will need time to restart, although GM has some parts in stock. Jeff Schuster, senior vice-president of the consulting firm LMC Automotive, estimates that GM has lost production of 300,000 vehicles, and he said maybe only a quarter of it can be made up. “You can’t add days to the week and you can’t add hours to the day,” he said. Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) who are employed at the General Motors Co. Flint Assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, slow down salary employees entering the plant as they strike early on September 16, 2019. Jeff Kowalsky / AFP via Getty Some production losses will help thin inventory, especially of cars, Schuster said. But in late October and early November, GM will likely run short of colours and models of trucks and SUVs that are in high demand until stocks are replenished, he said. Although truck and SUV buyers generally are loyal to a brand, customers in a hurry for a new vehicle could go elsewhere, Schuster said. “There are definitely going to be some limitations on choice, and that is a risk,” Schuster said. “Consumers can opt to wait, or they can go down the street to their competitor.” Now the union will move on to bargain with Ford, using the GM deal as a template. It’s not clear yet if there will be another strike, but Ford will not be happy about being stuck with the GM terms.
Origin: GM union ends 40-day strike with ratification of new deal
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