Christina McLachlan with the 2019 Jeep Cherokee she tested for a week.Al Charest/Postmedia CALGARY — Jeep has a long tradition with its Cherokee model dating back to 1974 when it first introduced what was then a sporty, two-door vehicle made to be taken off the beaten path. Fast-forward 45 years to the freshly facelifted 2019 Cherokee. The vehicle is now a unibody midsize utility vehicle competing in a rather crowded segment that includes models such as the Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. In North America, the Cherokee became the more compact Liberty for the 2002 model year, and that moniker lasted until 2013 – when the Cherokee label was re-applied to its redesigned four-door, midsize configuration. For 2019, Jeep has given the Cherokee an all-new front fascia and an aluminum hood. Also new are the bi-LED headlights. Inside, the Jeep features slightly increased carrying capability with a larger cargo bay, complete with the option of a power liftgate. In Canada, the Cherokee is available in eight trims. The base model is the Sport and moves all the way up to the well-equipped Overland. The Jeep can be had in front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, and there are now three different engines to choose from; a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder, a 2.4L normally aspirated 4-cylinder or a 3.2L V-6; all are backed up by a nine-speed automatic transmission. In Calgary, driver Christina McLachlan got to spend a week in the North 44 edition of the newest Cherokee, and with destination charge and options it rang in at $44,185. McLachlan learned to drive in St. Thomas, Ontario. Her dad was a ‘car guy’ who was always buying and selling interesting vehicles, and McLachlan got to drive an array of cars from DKWs to Jaguar MkVIIs. Her first car was a Simca, followed by a pair of Austins. After moving to Calgary in 1979 and over the years, she and her husband have owned a number of different vehicles, from Oldsmobiles to Subarus. The couple recently downsized, however, and McLachlan sold her all-wheel drive Hemi-powered 2010 Dodge Charger. They now rely on a 2008 Jeep Liberty for all their driving needs. “We’ve always had front wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicles,” McLachlan says of one of the most important features they look for when buying a car. “Comfort is always up there, too, as we’ve done a lot of driving across Canada and into the U.S. And, style plays a role, too.” The revised Cherokee ticked off all of those boxes. “I liked the looks of it right away,” McLachlan says of her first impression. “It had a sporty stance and appeared ready to take on whatever you threw at it. Always a favoured colour, the red (Velvet Red Pearl paint, $100) with the black trim appealed to me, and I did like the black wheels (part of an $895 package).” McLachlan has always appointed her vehicles with leather seating surfaces, but the Jeep Cherokee North was outfitted with cloth – regardless, she found it was easy to slide herself into position behind the steering wheel. And, once there, she found the driver’s seat effortless to position and was overall a comfortable place to be. McLachlan’s husband, Art, is 6 foot 1 and wears cowboy boots and a cowboy hat – that means he often tries on vehicles like others might test fit a shirt. For him, their Jeep Liberty accommodates his height and his clothing preferences – so too does the Cherokee North. McLachlan found many of the controls and gauges easy to identify and manipulate. However, when wanting to take a peek at the optional $2,590 turbocharged four-cylinder engine, it did take her a minute to locate the hood release latch. Performance of that turbocharged powerplant was appreciated. “I do tend to have a bit of a lead foot,” McLachlan admits, and adds, “I felt the Cherokee moved along quite nicely, and the turbo really gave it some extra gumption out on the highway. But it did feature stop-start technology, and I’m not a fan of that. When you stop, and the engine shuts off, I don’t like that momentary hiccup when you take your foot off the brake and press on the throttle again.” Depending on how far off-road a buyer wants to go, Jeep offers three versions of its four-wheel drive system for the Cherokee models – Jeep Active Drive I, Jeep Active Drive II and the aggressive Jeep Active Drive Lock. Drive I is a more basic system with a revised and lighter weight ‘rear drive module’ that disconnects the rear axle when the extra traction isn’t required – this is the system McLachlan had in her tester. “The Cherokee felt very well connected to the road,” she says, “and we thought the ride was pretty smooth. You still know it’s a four by four, but for us, it was a very smooth ride. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to take the Cherokee off-road to test its limits, I would have liked to experiment with the different modes in the Selec-Terrain system.” McLachlan remained impressed by the Cherokee, however, and that included her appreciation for the increased
Origin: Reader Review: 2019 Jeep Cherokee North 4’4
Review:
Car Review: 2019 Nissan Altima Platinum AWD
2019 Nissan Altima 2.5 Platinum AWDJil McIntosh OVERVIEW A great reason to consider a sedan PROSA great driver, plus AWD on every trim CONSOut-there front end looks vulnerable to dings VALUE FOR MONEYExcellent for all that you get WHAT TO CHANGE?Add an easy-to-find door lock override; they only pop open when the ignition’s turned off HOW TO SPEC IT?The $31,498 SV would do it for me Car sales are down, sport-ute sales are up. That’s the new auto market reality, as Canadians increasingly move out of sedans and into crossovers and SUVs. But the sedan market isn’t dead yet, and several automakers have a recently sent all-new models into it. Nissan’s entry is its all-new 2019 Altima, and what a lifeline it’s thrown into the segment. This is the best sedan, and possibly the best vehicle overall, that I’ve driven in a long time. This sixth-generation version rides on an all-new platform that’s equipped for all-wheel drive. American buyers can buy a front-wheel version, but with AWD so popular up here – one of the reasons why sport-utes and crossovers do so well – all-wheel is standard equipment on every Altima trim level in Canada. Pricing starts at $27,998 for the base S model, with the SV at $31,498 and my tester, the Platinum, topping out at $34,998. For an extra $1,000, you can turn the Platinum into the Edition One, a trim package that adds unique wheels and exterior lighting, rear spoiler, illuminated kick plates, and embroidered floor mats. The engine is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder as before, but it’s new and with a very slight bump in power, making 182 horses and 178 lb.-ft. of torque. American buyers can also select a turbocharged 2.0L that delivers 248 horsepower, but so far, there are no plans for Canadians to see it. It would make for a sportier model, but then again, I think this sedan’s main market is one where fuel economy and comfortable commuting outweigh go-fast – and I’m also a fan of non-turbo engines, especially if you plan to keep your vehicle for a long time, simply because they’re less complicated and have fewer moving parts. The automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) is equally new, and it’s impressive. These can sometimes be noisy and feel rubbery on acceleration, but this one’s a great fit to the engine, and acceleration is quick and smooth. The Altima feels light and nimble, and it’s very pleasant to drive; the steering response is quick, and it takes curves and corners with precision. The all-wheel system sends all of its power to the front wheels under most driving conditions, but diverts 50 per cent to the rear wheels when you’re taking off from a stop, for better acceleration. On curves, a split of 70 per cent to the front and 30 per cent to the rear improves the car’s cornering ability. It’s a little different from the Subaru Legacy, which maintains a 60/40 split, but the Altima racks up slightly better fuel consumption numbers. The Altima’s sharp-crease styling gives it a handsome profile, and the rear is smartly-styled with sleek taillights, and a trunk that has a reasonable lift-over so it’s easy to pack in groceries and cargo. I’m still not stuck on that front end, though. Not only do I like to see a bit of bumper (or at least bumper-like) space under the grille, but beyond that, all that chromed plastic and honeycomb so far in front seems like it would be rather vulnerable in parking lot encounters. I have no complaints about the interior, which is equally sleek and handsome, save for the tablet-style infotainment screen that’s stuck to the dash. That’s common practice these days, and I suppose the benefits outweigh the tacked-on look – your eyes are up toward the road when you’re looking at the screen, and the dash itself can be lower, which improves visibility. I also really like the simplicity of the climate control buttons and dials, and hard buttons for the heated seats and steering wheel. Nissan’s “zero-gravity” seats are the ticket here, and they’re as comfortable and as supportive as they sound. There’s lots of legroom in both the front and rear seats, and while they don’t fold entirely flat, you can drop the rear seatbacks for some extra cargo capacity. All trim levels come with automatic headlamps, emergency front braking, eight-way power driver’s seat, satellite radio, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the SV and up include blind spot monitoring, LED headlamps, sunroof, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming mirror, and ProPilot Assist. At the Platinum level, you also get a 360-degree camera, leather upholstery, navigation, and premium audio. ProPilot is the company’s name for a collection of high-tech safety aids, including adaptive cruise control and lane centering, which you can use separately, or hit a button on the steering wheel to activate them together. When you do, they’ll keep a preset distance from the vehicle in front and stay in the lane. It’s not meant for
Origin: Car Review: 2019 Nissan Altima Platinum AWD
SUV Review: 2019 Lexus RX 350L
2019 Lexus RX350LPeter Bleakney OVERVIEW Lexus’ popular RX crossover joins the three-row crowd PROSquiet, comfy, extra cargo space CONSthird row perches hard to access and suitable only for the most compact humans VALUE FOR MONEYfair WHAT TO CHANGE?Add Android Auto and Apple CarPlay HOW TO SPEC IT?Like this With the three-row crossover becoming the modern-day minivan, Lexus has jumped on board with the RX L — a stretched version of their popular RX luxury crossover. It comes in both gas and hybrid versions. Tested here is the gas only 2019 RX 350L that starts at $66,250 – and that represents a significant $11,900 jump in price over the base two-row RX, thought it does come with a higher level of equipment. So how much more are we getting for our money? The RXL does not get a longer wheelbase – its extra length comes from an additional 11 centimetres of rear overhang. As such, the advertised third row is a compromise at best. Adults in the back? Forget it. Even the act of crawling back there is for the small and agile only, and barely minimal legroom is only available when the second row bench is scooted forward. So instead of a seven-seater, I’d think of this more of a 5+2. Or in the case of this tester, a 4+2 with the optional $800 second row Captain’s Chairs. Nonetheless, these rear perches are powered, and gracefully glide into the floor, which opens up a whack of cargo space behind the second row. In all other aspects, the RX 350L displays all the attributes that make this crossover Lexus’ best-selling model. Its softly sprung chassis glides over the road, ironing out most imperfections, and the cabin is a high quality sybaritic respite from the outside world. The RX L is really a cruising champ, capable of gobbling up vast stretches of highway in serene comfort. There is a selectable Sport Mode that dials up more aggressive shift points for the transmission and firms up the steering, but if you really need some athleticism, look elsewhere, as the RX L’s handling is a bit mushy and the steering numb. Not that many buyers in this segment could (or should) give two hoots about tearing up a snaking back road in their three-row hauler. Here, comfort is king. The 2019 Lexus RX 350L comes comprehensively equipped with heated steering wheel, heated/ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats,12-speaker audio, sunroof, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, pre-collision system, 20-inch alloys, and more. Juicing up this tester is the $6,050 Executive Package that adds 10-way power front seats with premium leather, Mark Levinson surround sound, navigation, power-foldable and reclinable rear seats, rear seat climate controls, wireless smartphone charger, and hands-free power liftgate. The cabin is uniquely styled and rendered in top-shelf materials. The seats are supple and comfy and all controls work with silky precision. There are some surprisingly subtle touches too, like the power windows that operate with impressive speed but slow down just for the last few centimetres of travel, presumably to avoid any déclassé clunking. And the lower flip-out door pockets are sturdy, quality efforts — it’s usually down here where the flimsiest plastics are found. The 15-speaker Mark Levinson audio is spectacular, and even sports one of those good old-fashioned CD drives. Lexus is stubbornly sticking with its odd joystick controller for the infotainment interface that has the onscreen icon flying willy-nilly all over the 12.3-inch screen in search of the desired destination on which to click. To be fair, it gets easier with practice, and it’s better than poking away at a touchscreen — but not by much. The RX also lacks support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — something one expects in a vehicle like this. The RX 350L gets down the road courtesy of a smooth 3.5L naturally aspirated V6 that makes 290 hp and 263 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to an eight-speed auto that also operates with the expected Lexus-like refinement. While no speed demon, forward thrust is adequate. You surely can’t accuse the Lexus RX L of being a wallflower. Its body is a riot of creases and sharp angles, and Lexus’ trademark “spindle” grille, which gets bigger with every new model, looks ready to hoover up an unsuspecting herd of Corollas. This is a book you can’t judge by its cover — it comes across all aggressive and edgy but drives very conservatively. The 2019 Lexus RX 350L presents itself as a bit of a conundrum. It doesn’t function quite as a true seven-seater like many of its competitors, yet you do get some extra utility with the additional cargo space. Yes, there are a couple of vestigial seats back there, but they’re only really suitable for, oh, maybe two of the Seven Dwarfs. And even then they’ll both be
Origin: SUV Review: 2019 Lexus RX 350L
Car Review: 2019 Honda Civic Coupe
2019 Honda Civic Coupe SportJil McIntosh OVERVIEW An everyday commuter that doesnt feel like one PROSGreat ride and handling, lots of features CONSTwo doors cost more than four VALUE FOR MONEYExcellent for all that you get WHAT TO CHANGE?Add a power drivers seat HOW TO SPEC IT?Sport with my tester’s screamin’ Tonic Yellow paint There can be many reasons why people flock to a certain car. It might be the brand your family always bought, or once your outgoing car’s time was up, rather than cross-shop, it was easier to just trade it in for a new one. Or maybe it’s just a really good car; the Honda Civic is Canada’s best-selling car, but it had been a while since I’d been in one. Even a short drive confirms that it earns its spot honestly. This really is a great little car to drive. There are some minor changes for the 2019 model year, including some styling tweaks — and oh happy day, there’s finally an honest-to-goodness, physical volume knob for the stereo, instead of the previous, and maddeningly finicky, slider on the touchscreen. It may not seem major in the grand scheme of things, but something you use frequently use should be quick and easy to access — and if it isn’t, it just gets all the more annoying over time. There’s also a new trim level. My Sport tester, which slots between the base LX and upper-level Touring, includes such style tweaks as unique dark wheels, fog lights, a central exhaust tip and aluminum pedals, ut despite the name, it doesn’t carry the sportier engine. Instead, it comes with a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder that spins out 158 horsepower. It’s also used in the base LX, but the Touring gets a 1.5L turbo-four that makes 174 horsepower (and it’s also used in the Si, where it’s ramped up to 205). A six-speed manual is the default in the Sport, but I had the optional CVT. Coupe pricing begins at $21,290 for the LX, and at $24,690 for the Sport. Both are for the stick shift, and you add $1,300 if you want the CVT (as equipped, my tester was $25,990). The Touring comes only with the CVT, and it’s $28,490, while the stick-only Si rings in at $29,490. Oddly, though, the Sport coupe is $400 more than the Sport sedan, even though most of the features line up comparably on the two — save for a power driver’s seat on the sedan, which you don’t get when you opt for the two-door. Less is more, it seems. Even though the Sport lacks the turbo tempest of the 1.5, don’t turn up your nose at it. It’s still an impressive and peppy little performer, with smooth and linear acceleration, and with fewer moving parts and just a smidgen-higher combined fuel consumption rating than the turbo. The transmission is very well-done, too: it’s quiet and efficient, and only really reveals its belt-and-pulley nature when you put your foot down really hard — and even then, it’s not as noisy or rubbery-feeling as some. There are paddle shifters that switch between faux “gears” on it, too. The ride is bigger-car smooth, and handling is crisp and lively. Even without the more powerful engine, it’s a fun car to spin around. It’s beautifully balanced around tight curves, it’s well-planted on the highway, and it feels tight and rigid. The coupe’s racier looks do come at a price. It’s shorter than the sedan, with the difference lopped out of the rear-seat legroom. The roof is also lower, with a corresponding loss of headroom, and the trunk is also smaller. Naturally, it’s also tougher to get into the rear seats, although once you’re back there, they’re far more sculpted than most second-row seats and they’re still relatively roomy. The front chairs are quite comfortable, and offer up the same amount of legroom as the Civic sedan. I do wish the power seat had been carried over, though; the ratchet-style height adjuster has a lot of adjustment, and when I got my short little legs into the seat following a much taller driver, my arm got tired cranking it up far enough. Along with the aforementioned volume knob, most of the Civic’s controls are straightforward and simple, save for the climate control mode — the fan is a toggle, the temperature is adjusted with knobs, but to switch where the air comes out, you have to hit a button that brings up a page on the infotainment screen, and then touch the icons there. All trim levels include Honda Sensing, which bundles adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Sport and higher trims also add LaneWatch — hit your right-hand turn signal, and a camera broadcasts an image in the infotainment screen of what’s alongside your vehicle on the passenger side. I’m of two minds on it: along with showing you vehicles when you’re changing lanes, it displays cyclists or pedestrians coming up from behind when you’re turning. But if you sit higher up, as I do, you’re looking down at the dash, not sideways at the mirror, which I find a bit distracting.
Origin: Car Review: 2019 Honda Civic Coupe
SUV Review: 2019 Buick Enclave Avenir
2019 Buick Enclave AvenirDerek McNaughton / Driving OVERVIEW Large SUV with seating for seven PROSQuiet and comfortable ride, cargo space CONSExpensive, not very powerful, depreciation VALUE FOR MONEYPoor WHAT TO CHANGE?Drop the Avenir sub-brand altogether HOW TO SPEC IT?Premium trim The exodus of minivan buyers is all but complete. GM and Ford stopped building minivans so long ago, it’s hard to remember what the Venture or Windstar looked like. Toyota hasn’t significantly updated the Sienna since Wii became a thing, and the ink is almost dry on the eulogy for the Dodge Grand Caravan. Where did all those minivan buyers go? To the large SUV, of course — a segment that, much like the minivan era 15 years ago, is itself beginning to look as old as Clint Eastwood. As families grow smaller and fewer in number, and as the population in general ages, it’s hard not to wonder how much longer the sun will shine on the large SUV segment when so many small and compact utilities are filling the void of their bigger siblings. Never mind the rising price of fuel: people are just not moving that many people anymore. It’s into this sea that GM has set sail the seven-passenger 2019 Buick Enclave Avenir, a sub brand meant to demarcate this as Buick’s “highest expression of luxury.” Problem is, the Enclave Avenir is much more modest than a Mercedes, Infiniti, BMW or Audi with which it competes in the three-row, people-mover market. The Enclave Avenir feels and looks more like a finely-tailored GM — which is not to say the Enclave itself isn’t worthy of consideration, because this SUV has some genuine strengths. But at $62,100 to start for the Avenir, the value equation doesn’t square with a category filled with so many luxurious marque players. So, what do you get for all that money? For sure, there’s a long list of unique styling bits and plenty of standard features, including Evonik Acrylite exterior lighting technology, with bi-functional LED projector headlights and LED taillights and turn signals. A rear camera mirror (which can be disorientating) reveals a broad, clear view of anything behind the Buick. In-vehicle ionization is supposed to make cabin air cleaner and fresher, which could be especially useful on road trips after a dinner stop at Taco Bell. An exclusive chestnut and ebony interior comes with embossed leather seats, unique leather-and-polished steering wheel, and plenty of soft touch materials. Outside, a mesh grille, 20-inch polished wheels and Avenir badges further set the Buick apart. Buick’s “QuietTuning” incorporates so much sound-deadening, thicker glass and door sealing throughout the body that, with active noise cancelling on board, the quietness of the ride is not much louder than a sleeping baby. Buick suspensions use coil spring isolators, which also iron out ride imperfections, and the brand’s shock absorbers work to stabilize the ride over potholes craters in the road. Indeed, ride quality might be this Buick’s biggest draw next to handling that feels surprisingly good for something slightly larger than a Beluga. Body lean is minimal and steering is light but accurate, with a tight turning circle. Even though the Avenir is not terribly powerful, it feels fun to drive. Indeed, highway cruising is so silent the SUV almost feels electric. Some tire noise was evident because of the winter treads, but wind and engine noise is greatly contained. It’s easy to talk to a passenger in one of the two, middle row seats. (There is no middle bench seat in the Avenir). The engine, a 302-horsepower 3.6L V6 paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission, is largely free of vibration and coarseness, though it lacks the inherent smoothness of a V8 or straight six. The transmission is impressive, though, shifting cleanly and smartly and not hunting too long for downshifts, and there is a tow mode, although the optional tow package is required to raise max towing from 1,500 lbs to 5,000 lbs. Not everyone will like the electronic shift lever with a push button for Park, but it didn’t bother me. Considering its size, average fuel economy was respectable at 11.9 L/100 kilometres — most of that achieved in very cold weather. Heated and cooled front seats, heated second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel are standard on Avenir. The seats are wide and comfy. Middle row seats, which can slide fore and aft, also get auto-climate control. Third-row access is good with a passenger side seat that can, like Nissan’s Pathfinder, fold forward even with a child seat in place. As it was winter during the test, the Enclave was kept in AWD, but it might have sipped a little less fuel by uniquely becoming a front-wheel-drive vehicle via the push of a button on the dash. The button disconnects all but the rear half shafts from the transmission, effectively transforming it from AWD to FWD. In AWD, an active twin-clutch rear differential can also help in the snow. Equipped with winter
Origin: SUV Review: 2019 Buick Enclave Avenir
Car Review: 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback
2020 Toyota CorollaDerek McNaughton / Driving OVERVIEW Four-door hatchback with a desire to break from its staid personality PROSGood looks, reliability, value CONSEngine is a bit noisy, CVT still feels like a CVT VALUE FOR MONEYExcellent WHAT TO CHANGE?Add a turbo to the XSE and push output to over 220 horsepower HOW TO SPEC IT?Manual transmission XSE My 1977 Toyota Corolla liftback — a two-door, small wagon of sorts — got me through college. When the silver paint faded from so much Alberta sun, I repainted it navy blue. The little hatch with the manual transmission and desirable SR5 package carried my girlfriend and I across Canada in an epic, cross-country drive. The same Corolla became my daily commuter for work until it was finally supplanted by a company car. And during all those years, it never broke down or resulted in any major repairs. I don’t recall ever changing the oil. Today, the Corolla has come a long way since the first generation in 1966, and for 2019, a new hatchback replaces the former iM. The new hatch rides on an revised sport-tuned suspension built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform that will underpin the coming 2020 Corolla sedan and hybrid. A sport-tuned suspension does not, however, automatically equate to a sporty car, but the XSE hatch in Blue Flame (Far better than the dark beige Corolla hatch in our comparison test. —Ed.) brings Toyota as close as it as ever come to building a hot hatch. That does not mean it will subjugate buyers of GTIs, Veloster Ns or Mini Coopers — but it will broaden the Corolla’s appeal to those looking for a car with a sense of style mixed with historically excellent reliability, bundled with an agreeable price. At $21,000 to start and $28,000 all loaded up with an automatic transmission, the XSE hatch has a lot going for it, aside from that sassy exterior. The transmission, a continuously variable automatic, has what Toyota calls a launch gear for quicker jumps off the line. Indeed, mash the throttle, and the front tires will rotate a little as the 2.0L inline-four dumps its 168 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque through the gearbox. Acceleration feels plenty brisk, and the CVT tries hard to simulate a 10-speed, aided by paddle shifters that almost make it feel like driving an automated manual. Well, almost. There’s quite a bit of buzz and commotion as the engine and transmission team up to deliver full performance, but the CVT does a good job of not embarrassing itself, and paddle shifting does alleviate the otherwise mundane nature of the CVT. For those who want more intimacy in their ride, the six-speed manual will undoubtedly feel more engaging, and the manual is available on the XSE. Actually, the Corolla does offer intimacy — in the back seat, where legroom disappears unless the front seats are pulled forward. Cargo space, hampered somewhat by the angled slope of the hatch, improves from a meager 17.8 cubic feet behind the 60/40 split-folding rear seats to an acceptable 23.3 with the rear seats down. The normal utility of a hatch, however is mostly lost on the Toyota due to its design. Some of that can be forgiven, however, by a ride that is more sharp and more defined than any Corolla before, much of it thanks to a rear suspension that abandons the old torsion-beam setup for a more sophisticated multi-link configuration. Crappy roads do not send shudders into the driver’s seat; the car feels tighter, and handling is surprisingly stable up to the point where the tires begin to lose grip. Steering is sharp with moderate feedback, and braking comes with a firm pedal with minimal dive. It’s the point and shoot of compacts, even if it lacks turbo power. Available in S, SE or XSE trim levels, the Corolla hatch comes plenty well equipped in the XSE form, gaining a heated steering wheel, LED headlamps and fog lamps, LED turn signals (finally!), 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, an eight-inch colour touchscreen display, and push-button start with SmartKey access, along with an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. The seats, made of fabric and leatherette, are on the firm side but comfortable. The backup camera is clear, and wireless charging is a bonus. Entune 3.0 offers a large suite of apps, from weather to NPR radio. Instrumentation could be more interesting — it turns from blue to red in Sport mode — but behind the multi-function leather wrapped wheel nests a seven-inch TFT multi-information display in the instrument cluster that shows turn-by-turn navigation and various vehicle settings. Apple CarPlay is standard, but not Android Auto, meaning those with Samsung smartphones won’t be thrilled. An electronic parking brake is standard, as is contrasting stitching in the seats, dash and doors. A host of safety equipment as part of Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0 package, including automatic high beams, is included. Sadly, there won’t be any two-door manual
Origin: Car Review: 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback
SUV Review: 2019 Nissan Rogue
OVERVIEW A comfortable long-distance cruiser PROSRide comfort, overall quietness, stylish Reserve interior package CONSSo-so power, dated infotainment system VALUE FOR MONEYFair WHAT TO CHANGE?The SL Platinum with ProPilot Assist needs Nissan’s VC-Turbo 2.0L engine and its 268 horsepower! HOW TO SPEC IT?Rogue SV with the Moonroof and Technology Package With crossovers being such a hot commodity these days, standing out from a rapidly growing crowd is becoming increasingly more important. Aside from its imposing style the Nissan Rogue stakes its claim as one of the better highway cruisers. The insulation, isolation and aerodynamics produce one of the quietest rides around. Factor in the Reserve interior package ($500) with its eye-catching two-tone finish and two of the most comfortable seats in the segment — the zero gravity design delivers excellent support, which reduces rider fatigue — and the Rogue is a very good long-distance companion. The range-topping SL Platinum with ProPilot Assist (a clumsy name if there ever was one!) features all of the gear demanded of a modern crossover. Along with the leather-wrapped power seats with memory, power moonroof, heated everything and an upgraded nine-speaker Bose sound system comes an Around View Monitor (360-degree camera) and a full suite of connected apps. The infotainment system, with its seven-inch screen, supports the standard navigation system, camera and works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the system is functional, the layout and appearance make it feel dated — the current trend is to have a larger freestanding screen rather than one that looks kind of cramped stuffed into the centre stack. The Rogue’s list of safety equipment is impressive. All models come with blind spot monitoring with cross traffic alert. The top-of-the-line SL Platinum with ProPilot Assist includes intelligent cruise control, lane departure warning with lane-keep assist, forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection and rear intelligent emergency braking. The thrust of this lot is to keep the Rogue centred in the lane and to bring it to a halt if the driver takes no action to avoid a potential crunch. It is an advanced package that does bring peace of mind. The back half of the Rogue has a ton of space. The rear seat accommodates two adults comfortably and there’s 1,112 litres of cargo space in the trunk alone. Folding the 60/40 seats down bumps the capacity to 1,982 L. A plus is Nissan’s Divide-N-Hide cargo management system. It can be configured to suit just about any eventuality (18 ways according to Nissan), so it eases the chore of packing a family’s worth of luggage or dividing space between groceries and gear. Rogue is offered with a single engine — a 2.5-litre four-cylinder that pushes 170 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque through Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) and all four wheels. In this case the CVT works better than most, as it has predetermined shift points under normal-to-moderately hard acceleration. This does away with most of the prolonged drone so many hate. It also has sport and manual modes, although given the Rogue is far from sporty neither saw much use. The downside to the CVT proved to be the momentary lag between a deep stab at the gas and the delivery of power — this is commonly referred to as the “rubber-band” effect. It shows up in the acceleration times. It takes the Rogue 10.4 seconds to get to 100 kilometres an hour, which is marginal for the segment. In fairness, the performance does pick up through the mid-range with the 80-120 km/h passing move coming in at 7.1 seconds. However, what these times highlight is the need for a more powerful engine option. Dropping the Infiniti QX50’s 268-hp variable compression turbocharged (VC-Turbo) 2.0L four-cylinder under the hood of the Rogue’s top-line model would add to its appeal enormously. The SL Platinum with ProPilot Assist arrives with a solid all-wheel-drive system that’s proficient at getting the power to the wheels that can put it to the best use. It splits the power evenly when pulling away and uses the brakes to direct the power to the wheel with the greatest grip, which dispenses with unwanted wheelspin. Once up to speed it drives the front wheels to improve fuel efficiency. The system does have some limited off-road ability thanks to the lock mode that maintains a 50/50-front/rear power split and hill descent control. The system comes together to improve traction without driving the fuel consumption out of sight — when compared to the front-driver the all-wheel-drive model consumes just 0.5 L/100 km more gas. This is a small penalty given the ability it adds to the Rogue. The suspension is tuned to favour ride comfort over handling. As such it wafts along the highway as quietly and comfortably as many luxury cars, and this is in spite of the large P225/55R19 tires. On the flip side, the
Origin: SUV Review: 2019 Nissan Rogue
Supercar Review: 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista
MIAMI, FLA — Why does Ferrari even bother? Why would the automaker allow a handful of auto writers to drive its 488 Pista on a racetrack in Florida when every single one of these magnificent vehicles will easily be sold, even if the starting price is just shy of $400,000 CDN? Perhaps it’s vanity in being published — or perhaps there’s a deeper vein of purpose to expose the Pista for what it truly excels at: attacking corners with poise, storming straightaways like it was outrunning a hurricane, stopping like it was an F-35 landing on a USS Nimitz. Ferrari does not need publicity to sell this car. You can stop reading now. That much was revealed, over and over, after multiple laps in the 488 Pista (“track” in Italian) at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 488 Pista takes the already formidable Ferrari 488 GTB and adds components, design elements, and a whole lot of hot sauce from the 488 Challenge race car. The result is a Ferrari with the highest transfer of technology from a racing car to a production car in the company’s history. From the outside, the Pista is hands down the best looking 488 ever, achingly gorgeous from every angle. From the driver’s seat, the Pista will enrich the soul of anyone fortunate enough to drive something so quick. How quick? 200 km/h arrives in 7.6 seconds after decimating 100 km/h in 2.85. While the sound from the twin-turbo V8 — the most powerful V8 in the brand’s long history — comes off a touch more muted than the naturally aspirated Ferrari 458, the Pista’s 710 horsepower and 568 lb.-ft. of torque more than make up for any aural deficit. Not that this car is a church mouse. The exhaust manifolds – crafted from inconel, a nickel-chromium-based superalloy’ used on racing engines and aircraft – are thinner to allow for more sound and superior flow. An exhaust bypass increases the V8’s notes in all gears, resulting in a 8-db sound increase over the 488 GTB. There is no mistaking it for anything but a Ferrari, soothing as George Clooney’s voice at low speed, alluring as Adele’s at wide open throttle. Neighbours will always know when you’re home. At any stage of WOT, however, the thrust from the 3.9-litre engine delivering power through an F1, seven-speed dual clutch transmission is as immense as it is inspiring, arriving early at 3,000 rpm and arcing like an arrow to an 8,000-rpm redline. Never is there any moment of hesitation or turbo lag from the pair of twin scroll turbochargers that come with integrated rev sensors. Hammer the throttle, and the response is a lightning strike of instantaneous power, pulling the driver tight into the firmly bolstered sport seat as the rear, 305/30 ZR 20 Michelin Cup 2 tires translate all that force into searing velocity. The tires and carbon ceramic brakes, boosted by a brake servo off the Challenge car, can also halt the car in a jarring 29.5 metres from 100 km/h. Gaining this kind of performance puts the Pista on something of a pedestal, giving the car the lowest power-to-weight ratio of any production Ferrari ever. About 90 kilograms lighter than the GTB, the Pista gets a carbon-fibre hood, bumpers and rear spoiler, and clear lexan for the rear window to expose the artwork of the engine bay. The engine, some 18 kg lighter than GTB’s, gets a lighter crankshaft and flywheel, titanium connecting rods, hollow valve stems and thinner cylinder sleeves, as well as carbon-fibre intake plenums. Optional carbon-fibre wheels cut weight even more drastically — all of which can be felt in the corners as the Pista constantly lets the driver feel what’s going on. Yes, it will understeer if pushed too early into an apex, but the lightness makes any transgression totally detectable, allowing the driver to back off and try to be more patient with a car that is somewhat impatient itself, constantly tempting and taunting its pilot to go faster. Steering is outrageously good — clear, concise and deadly accurate — just a touch shy with feedback. The steering wheel, adorned with red lights to alert the driver to the approaching redline, is brilliant. (But I wish the turn signals were activated by a stalk instead of being integrated into the wheel.) Massive improvements in aerodynamics, a revised cooling system with technology borrowed from Formula 1 and the 488 GTE, combined with that weight reduction, allow the Pista to stay securely planted at high speed. At Turn 11 at Homestead, the car will, if the driver is not careful, pull right and cut some manicured lawns before ending up backwards into the track’s banked wall. Ferrari says the Pista has 20 per cent more downforce over the GTB, something we’re thankful for at this dangerous corner. Here, the pull of inertia is strong as the car veers left into the turn at close to 160 km/h; but the new and very shapely S-Duct nose on the Pista, the new rear diffuser and tidy rear spoiler keep the car from spinning into danger. It’s also cool that there’s no large rear
Origin: Supercar Review: 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista
SUV Review: 2019 Honda HR-V Touring
OVERVIEW All-wheel-drive, subcompact crossover PROSMoves easily through traffic, Honda LaneWatch a great feature CONSTight front-seat legroom, noisy when accelerating VALUE FOR MONEYReasonable WHAT TO CHANGE?Add more front-seat legroom HOW TO SPEC IT?HR-V Sport ($28,800) Introduced in 2015 for the 2016 model year, the subcompact HR-V proved a solid performer for Honda as the smaller sibling to the company’s ever-popular CR-V. A product born of its time, it joined a group of like-minded cute-utes — think Subaru Crosstrek, Mazda CX-3, Chevy Trax, Mitsubishi RVR, and others — as city- and wallet-friendly, soft-riding, all-wheel-drive runabouts. The only problem — and one that didn’t seem to have an overly detrimental effect on sales — was that it was vanilla, with mainstream styling and more focus on utility than fun. The 2019 model year sees a freshening for the HR-V, one that perks up its personality just a bit — revised bumpers, headlights, grille and taillights, but with no changes to the powertrain. More importantly, considering that since the junior Honda’s debut four years earlier, the small crossover segment has seen a further influx of competitive models — led by the bold, stylish and clearly youth-oriented Hyundai Kona — the HR-V gains two new trim levels, Sport and Touring. Blackout trim and 18-inch wheels visually distinguish the Sport, while the all-wheel-drive-only Touring, the version tested here, gets multi-element LED headlights, dark chrome trim, and LED fog lights. Clearly the HR-V Touring is the sophisticate of the model range, its $31,900 price tag — $8,600 more than the base LX-2WD — indicative, supposedly, of a fully loaded vehicle offering buyers a more refined driving experience. With just the paint alone — a new, bright and sunny shade called Orange Burst Metallic — the HR-V seems a friendly, happier crossover than previously. Oh, it’s still destined to appeal to a more mature audience than some of its rivals — the aforementioned Kona, plus the Kia Soul, Nissan Kicks, Toyota C-HR, Mini Countryman, for instance, but not all of these nameplates come with AWD. And it’s still powered by the same competent yet unexciting 1.8-litre SOHC four-cylinder hooked up to a continuously variable transmission. But it just doesn’t quite feel as utilitarian as before. Some credit has to go to the added content that comes with the Touring trim, notably double-stitched leather-trimmed seats, with eight-way power adjustment for the driver. Of a more pragmatic nature, all HR-Vs benefits from upgrades the CVT resulting in, at least according to Honda, “a more natural driving feel and quieter operation.” I really couldn’t discern much difference; the engine is still growly when accelerating. Other measures to reduce interior noise include additional sound deadening in the fenders and floor, plus the inclusion of Active Noise Cancelling on Sport and above grades. Furthermore, on HR-V EXs and above trims, the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive tech is standard. This includesmcollision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. Still, the best safety feature Honda offers, is its LaneWatch system. Simply, anytime a right turn is signaled before changing lanes, a small camera on the passenger-side mirror turns on and displays live video on the centre touchscreen. It’s standard on the Sport and Touring. So, it’s a fair assessment to say the HR-V has become a more complete vehicle in its middle years, the better to compete with the newer competition. On the whole, though, it still doesn’t provide the same driving experience as, say, either the Hyundai Kona or Mazda CX-3. Acceleration is leisurely, the HR-V taking about 10.5 seconds to get to from zero to 100 km/h — almost a second slower than the Mazda. It’s slower in passing power (80 to 120 km/h) as well. To be fair, the subcompact crossover category isn’t known for breeding sportsters, and the Honda’s lack of urge isn’t nearly as noticeable in city driving where its compacted dimensions make it ideal for moving through traffic as well as slipping into tight parking spots. As for fuel economy, I averaged 9.9 L/100 kilometres during my week with the Touring — reasonable enough, when considering almost all of my driving was done in the city. Overall, the HR-V’s interior accommodations make it surprisingly hospitable for family use — with one caveat; it would be far more comfortable for those occupying the front seats to not be tall. Seriously, I’m six-foot-two, and even with the driver’s seat as far back in its track as possible, it was as though I was sitting in an armchair — I have more legroom in my Miata. This is OK for shorter distances, but on longer drives, I would need more stretch-out room, which the HR-V lacks. Yet, it’s overly generous in the legroom department for those in the back seats, kind of bass-ackward to my way of thinking. But
Origin: SUV Review: 2019 Honda HR-V Touring
Car Review: 2020 Mercedes-Benz A 250 Hatchback
OVERVIEW Wonderful infotainment system that happens to be attached to a nice hatchback PROSSharp looks, dazzling tech, low price for a Mercedes CONSTransmission isnt the smoothest in traffic, seats on the small side VALUE FOR MONEYFair WHAT TO CHANGE?Not much HOW TO SPEC IT?As equipped, complete with that red paint The most exciting part of the new Mercedes-Benz A250 is the dashboard. Yes it’s an an all-new model, yes it’s a car that we’ll have and the Americans won’t, and yes it is now the most affordable Mercedes in the lineup. Ten years ago, the idea that we would spend the majority of a car review talking about a dashboard would be laughable but more and more buyers prioritize infotainment features over mechanical hardware and who are we not to deliver what people want? To be fair, it’s one hell of a dashboard. The centrepiece of the operation is the Mercedes-Benz User eXperience, abbreviated as MBUX. It is a consummate cloud-based infotainment system that can do everything from adjust the interior temperature to tell you the weight of a Caribou. Information readouts occupy twin 10.25 displays, one in front of the steering wheel and one over the centre console. The left screen contains things like the speedometer and tachometer with space between the two to show anything from fuel economy to song information while the right screen is multi-purpose and can display pretty much anything. The displays are so close together that they appear as one long continuous screen stretching across the dashboard. A 7 screen is standard but doesn’t include all the features that make the MBUX system so magical. Upgrading to the 10.25 screen and the MBUX system costs a full $2,950 but it’s bundled in a Premium Package that also includes blind spot assist, rear cross traffic alert, wireless phone charging, and 64-colour interior lighting. The display itself is dazzling. The menus and designs look modern and the look of the screens is deeply customizable. You can turn them yellow and angry, full of engine readouts for when you want to feel like a racecar driver. You can also select a relaxing minimalist layout that emphasizes the music you’re playing. The interior mood lighting has 64 different colours that you can change at will and together, this makes the A250 a car that can suit many different moods. One are that I feel sets the A250 and its MBUX system far above the rest is that there are four different ways you can control it. Let’s start on the steering wheel. With your hands at nine and three on the wheel, your thumbs are close to two mirrored sets of controls. The left controls control the left screen and vice versa for the right. Two of the buttons are conventional; a home button and a back button. The third is an interesting touch-sensitive button. It works like the centre button of a Blackberry. You can scroll or swipe across it with your finger or press down and use it like a regular button. It makes wiping through menus a breeze and you don’t have to take your hands off the wheel to use it. The second is track pad on the centre console that’s similar to what you’d find on a Lexus. Placing your wrist on the handy perch, the touch pad allows you to scroll and click through the menus. One handy benefit is that it vibrates to give haptic feedback when you have selected something on the screen. This is the control method I used the least as I found it difficult to do while driving and less intuitive than the touch screen. Oh yes, after years of rebelling against finger smudges, Mercedes has finally given in and given the smartphone crowd what they wanted all along: a proper touch screen. The menus are well laid out, concise and easy to use. Reaction time of the system is best in the business. If you are handy with a tablet or smart phone, the MBUX touch screen won’t be a stretch. But the most impressive mode of all to interface with the MBUX system is voice command. Simply say Mercedes or Hey Mercedes and a Siri-like assistant will ask how it can help. The system is so eager and perceptive that sometimes (like when recording a video review inside the car) that it will pick up Mercedes from your speech mid-sentence. You can give it the simple voice commands that pretty much every voice system can utilize like navigate me to 123 Cool St or call mom. But it can also respond to less straightforward and more complicated commands. For example you can ask it what is the age of the prime minister of the country of birth of Justin Bieber and it will calmly tell you that Justin Bieber was born in Canada, Canada’s prime minister is Justin Trudeau, and Justin Trudeau is 47 years old. And while that’s novel, you can also ask it for more practical things. For example if you simply say I’m hungry for soup it will display a list of restaurants near you that sell soup. You can also ask it to find you Italian restaurants that are not pizza restaurants or restaurants that are rated four stars
Origin: Car Review: 2020 Mercedes-Benz A 250 Hatchback
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