2020 Toyota Corolla HybridHandout / Toyota Electrification, thanks to Tesla and Toyota, has become mainstream. What was once futuristic and Jetsonian — i.e. the incredibly awkward Honda Insight of the 1999 — has now become commonplace — as in the goofy, bulbous profile of the Prius. Instead of being asked “Why did you buy a hybrid?” you’re now more likely to be pressed as to why you didn’t. In other words, what was once unique has become conventional.What hasn’t changed is that hybrids still command a premium. Oh, the price bump isn’t as big as it used to be, but with extra electric motors, batteries and gearboxes, it’s little wonder you have to pay more for their fuel-sipping ways.How much of a premium you need to pay then is the question. So Driving.ca investigated the most cost-effective electrified vehicles sold in Canada, taking into account everything from MSRP to long-term fuel cost savings to pricing compared with their non-electrified siblings. Here then are the most cost-effective hybrids (and I don’t think we need to post a spoiler alert regarding the fact that Toyota figures prominently).Overall best valueIt’s hard to go wrong with a Corolla, the world’s best selling car of all time, and it’s equally hard to find serious fault with Toyota hybrids, so the combination of the two would seem pretty hard to beat. At $24,790, the new Corolla Hybrid is the simple grafting of the Prius powertrain to compact Corolla, lending a mainstream look to a futuristic technology. As for a value comparison, conventional Corollas start at $18,990, but that’s hardly a fair contrast since base gas versions — powered by a 132 horsepower, 1.8-litre four — come with a manual transmission. Comparing apples to apples, the Hybrid is a $4,000 uptick from the Corolla L CVT. What one gets from that four grand is a combination of 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle four and an electric motor that’s good for 121-hp, a combined 4.5L/100 km in highway and urban cycles all of which will cost you, according to Transport Canada, $1,170 a year in fuel. Compare that with the aforementioned Corolla L — 7.1 L/100 km and $1,846 annual fuel costs — and you have a payback period of around six years. If that seems like a long time, it might help being reminded that the Hybrid is actually closer to the LE CVT in trim bits. Said gas-powered LE costs $21,790 and the Hybrid would require a four-and-a-half year payback if you opted for it over the mid-priced conventional version. One thing’s for sure, this electrified Corolla, like other Toyota hybrids, will last a lot longer than that.Quickest payback periodIn terms of smallest increase in price over its conventional gas-powered, or the shortest amount of time needed to payback the premium paid for hybridization, it’s tough to beat Toyota’s RAV4. A 2.5-litre LE AWD RAV4 will set you back some $30,690, for instance, while the Hybrid version of the same LE AWD package costs $32,090. That’s a paltry $1,400, which, considering all the hardware needed to convert from gas to hybrid propulsion, is a pittance. Meanwhile, Natural Resources Canada says you’ll spend $1,693 fueling the gas-powered version but only $1,224 for the hybrid. Do the math and that’s but a three-year payback period, an amazing bargain for any kind of electrification. The electrified RAV4 proves an even more impressive bargain when you consider that Hybrid is actually more powerful — 219 horses versus 203-hp — than the gas car. No wonder Toyota Canada says that they had sold 9,591 RAV4 Hybrids so far in 2019, fully 22 per cent of all its RAV4 sales being electrified. Most cost-effective family of electricsThe reason I like the Kia Niro is that, not only is the Kia’s cute little electrified crossover cheap but it’s offered in three flavours — traditional hybrid, plug-in PHEV and, at the top of the range, a fully battery-powered EV. The base hybrid starts at $25,495 and, for less than a grand more than the Corolla Hybrid, you get a larger cargo area and 139 horses while sipping just 4.8 litres of gas every 100 kilometres. Move up to the plug-in version and Natural resources Canada says the Niro’s annual fuel costs will be but a paltry $753, making it the most frugal of hybrid crossovers. That’s not necessarily a bargain, though, since it starts at $33,965, that’s an $8,500 jump for a $206 annual savings compared with the bare bones Niro Hybrid. However, considering what the competition charges for similar vehicles, that should not be considered so much a slag against the PHEV, but as a compliment to the base Hybrid. And if completely eliminating greenhouse gasses is your foal — and yes, I do remember that this is supposed to be a hybrid comparison — the Niro EV offer 385 kilometres of electric-only range for $44,495, still competitive amongst battery-powered offerings.The people’s choiceNow, considering its $43,498 base price, Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV may seem an odd choice for an “affordable” hybrid. But the electrified SUV is
Origin: The most affordable hybrids that will save you money
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The 2020 Dodge Charger Widebody will start at $59,945 in Canada
The 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody is the most powerful and fastest production sedan in the worldDodge The new 2020 Dodge Charger Widebody will start at $59,945 for the Scat Pack trim in Canada when it goes on sale this fall, a premium of $8,000 over the same car without the 3.5-inch-wide (total) fender flares and 20-inch-by-11-inch wheels.Both Scat Packs, wide-body or not, get a 392-cubic-inch 485-hp HEMI, capable of rocketing the Widebody to 96 km/h from a standstill in just 4.3 seconds, and of covering a quarter-mile in 12.4-seconds from a standing start.If thats not quite quick enough for you, you can opt for the 707-hp Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody, which does the 96-km/h run in 3.6 seconds and eclipses the quarter-mile before plowing on to a 315 km/h (196 mph) top speed. For 2020 it gets electric power steering for the first time, plus 305-mm-wide Pirellis and tuned suspension.While it will cost you a fairly steep $83,495, for your money youll be getting what Dodge says is the worlds fastest and most powerful mass-production four-door sedan.The only way youll spend more at a dealer for a new 2020 Charger is if you go for the Charger Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition, commemorating the big-winged Charger Daytona of 1969. While it gets a much more modest spoiler than its namesake, it also sees 717-hp, numbers that only the 69 Daytonas NASCAR-spec sibling could dream of.Just like in 69, Dodge is building just 501 of them, with 50 set aside for Canada. They come in B5 Blue, Pitch Black, Triple Nickel and White Knuckle and will set you back $88,490, or about twice the price of a 2020 Charger R/T.The bargain-basement entry-level Charger, the SXT RWD, starts at $37,345 this year. New colours this year include Frostbite, Hellraisin and Sinamon Stick. Order yours now in F8 Green, obviously and expect delivery in early
Origin: The 2020 Dodge Charger Widebody will start at $59,945 in Canada
Hyundai’s upcoming pickup will have a ladder frame, confirms exec
According to Hyundai, the Santa Cruz was not designed to be an alternative to a truck. The rumour mill continues to churn over Hyundais forthcoming pickup, a product that has seemingly been in gestation longer than a baby elephant.Recent scuttlebutt had the maybe-it-will, maybe-it-wont vehicle being built on a unibody platform think Santa Fe or Palisade with a bed instead of a cargo area and youd be on the right track.Now, however, it seems likely the Hyundai pickup will be built on a ladder-frame chassis. According to an interview with Aussie automotive site Which Car, development costs of a new separate frame will be shared with Kia, meaning theres every chance that brand will get a version of the truck as well.Whats clear to us is that if were going to bring a ute out, it had better be a ute, said John Kett, Hyundai Australia CEO, before setting off for the Outback to wrestle a gooly-gooly snake with his bare hands. Were going down that pathway and were working towards it. We just have to make sure that when it arrives, its a bloody ute.Clear as the water at Surfers Paradise, eh, mate? Kett went on to tell the Aussie gearheads the company is looking at a range of models, including two- and four-wheel-drive models and a possible array of cab configurations. Introducing anything other than a four-door Crew Cab would be a waste of time in this and many other countries, so, if a Hyundai pickup does materialize, expect it to launch in that body style.Another wrench in the works? Just because a company is selling a vehicle Down Under doesnt necessarily mean itll make it to this side of the pond. For proof of that in this very segment, one need look no further than Ford, a company which inexplicably refuses to sell the mighty Ranger Raptor in this country despite a favourable climate for doing so.Earlier this year, top brass at Hyundais U.S. unit spoke about the pickup truck in interviews, saying it would be very versatile and create a whole new class of buyers. Whatever form the truck takes, theres a good chance it will be manufactured in North America, thanks to the so-called Chicken Tax that levies stiff tariffs on imported pickup
Origin: Hyundai’s upcoming pickup will have a ladder frame, confirms exec
Newfoundland man who sold the first-ever Ford Mustang will finally see it again
The first preproduction Mustang, with serial number 1. FORD MOTOR COMPANYFord A retired car salesman in Newfoundland who accidentally sold the first Ford Mustang ever built will be reunited with it this coming weekend.As reported by CTV News, Harry Phillips will be a special guest at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan after his granddaughter started a Send Harry to Henry social media campaign.Prior to the Mustang actually going on sale, Ford sent pre-production models to its dealers, intended strictly for display.In order for all showrooms to have one for the official sales launch on April 17, 1964, the earliest cars built went to the dealerships that were farthest away. George G.R. Parsons Ford in St. Johns, where Phillips worked, got the very first one, a white convertible with serial number 5F08F100001.Captain Stanley Tucker, an airline pilot, saw it and immediately wanted it. He paid $4,300 for it, Phillips said, sealing the deal three days before the launch but agreeing to let the dealership display the car for a while.The whole thing was a mistake. The car, a pre-production model, wasnt meant for sale and was supposed to be returned to the automaker. When it didnt come back, Ford went looking for it.It took two years of negotiation before Tucker agreed to relinquish it, accepting in trade a fully-loaded 1966 Mustang that was the millionth one built. The car went on display at the Henry Ford Museum in 1984. Tucker died in 2008.Canada also got the second one built, a hardtop (pictured above) that went to a dealer in Yukon. That car sold at auction in January 2019 for US$192,500. Only one other pre-production model is known to exist. The first production Mustang intended for sale went to Gail Wise, a schoolteacher in Chicago, who still owns it.Phillips has never visited the Henry Ford Museum, and it will be the first time hes seen the car since he sold it 55 years ago. Museum officials have planned a VIP day for him, including a tour of the Rouge factory where the car was
Origin: Newfoundland man who sold the first-ever Ford Mustang will finally see it again
New Toyota program will help owners of white cars with peeling paint
2011 Toyota Rav4 Owners of Toyota vehicles with peeling paint may get some relief under a new program being implemented by Toyota Canada.According to a report from CBC News, Toyota Canada will offer a voluntary customer support program similar to action taken by Toyota USA for owners whose white vehicles are starting to peel.Exactly what Toyota will do to solve the problem still isnt clear, but a Toyota Canada spokesperson said when the program is ready, owners of affected vehicles will get a notice in the mail.In the U.S., Toyota responded to reports that certain vehicles painted in Blizzard Pearl or Super White were peeling. According to the notice sent to owners, these specific factory-applied colours could peel on exterior metal body parts when, over time, sunlight degrades the adhesion between the coating on the metal and the paint primer. According to CBC News, the notice to customers doesnt say what Toyota will do whether it will repaint the entire vehicle, or what years and models will be covered. The company said it will reimburse customers who previously paid to have their paint repaired, but didnt specify if it will pay the whole bill or just a portion.Those who own Toyota vehicles painted in these colours are advised to update their information with the manufacturer, if necessary, to ensure that they receive a notice in the
Origin: New Toyota program will help owners of white cars with peeling paint
Trump says he will strip California’s clean-car authority
President Donald Trump waves to the cheering crowd as he arrives for a rally, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes Barre, Pa.(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) President Donald Trump said he will revoke Californias authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from autos, confirming a widely-anticipated move that will escalate the ongoing dispute between his administration and California.Trump said on Twitter his administrations replacement efficiency standards, which are being finalized by federal agencies for cars after 2020, will lead to greater vehicle production by reducing the cost of new vehicles.Many more cars will be produced under the new and uniform standard, meaning significantly more JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! Automakers should seize this opportunity because without this alternative to California, you will be out of business, Trump said in a tweet.Under Trumps plan, the Environmental Protection Agency will revoke the so-called waiver underpinning the states ability to set tailpipe greenhouse-gas emissions standards that are more stringent, as well as the states electric vehicle sales mandate. The Transportation Department meanwhile will assert that the California rules are preempted by federal fuel-economy standards administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.EPA and Transportation department representatives didnt immediately respond to emails seeking comment.The Trump Administration is revoking California’s Federal Waiver on emissions in order to produce far less expensive cars for the consumer, while at the same time making the cars substantially SAFER. This will lead to more production because of this pricing and safety Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 18, 2019The move is the Trump administrations opening salvo in whats sure to be a contentious battle over states rights and environmental policy between officials in California and Washington, with automakers caught in the middle. Predictable emissions and fuel economy standards are vital for automakers because as they plan production and model offerings several years in the future.The presidents decision to end Californias authority to set higher vehicle emission standards is bad for California and its bad for the country, said California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein. Revoking Californias authority will lead not only to more pollution, it will cost consumers billions of dollars a year in increased fuel consumption.The move will shatter a nearly decade-long regulatory arrangement between NHTSA, EPA and the California Air Resources Board that has allowed automakers to satisfy fuel economy and efficiency standards administered by each agency with a single fleet of vehicles that can be sold nationwide. The Trump administration in August 2018 proposed stripping Californias authority as part of its broader plan to slash federal emissions and fuel-economy requirements enacted by the Obama administration.The plan initially recommended capping requirements after 2020 at a 37 mile-per-gallon fleet average, instead of rising each year to roughly 50 mpg. U.S. officials have since signaled that the final rule may require small annual improvements, but at levels far less than required under the current standards. Separating the attack on Californias authority allows that piece of the rule to proceed while federal agencies continue to finalize the new replacement requirements.CARB announced in July an accord with the Ford, Honda, BMW and Volkswagen on tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions regulations.The carmakers agreed with the states clean-air regulator to boost the fuel efficiency of autos sold in the U.S through 2026, defying the Trump administrations proposal to ease the Obama administrations standards. Earlier this month, Trumps Justice Department opened an antitrust probe into the
Origin: Trump says he will strip California’s clean-car authority
Motor Mouth: Will Porsche’s Taycan challenge Tesla’s EV hegemony?
It just debuted two days ago, but Porsche has already taken some 30,000 deposits for its new Taycan. Not exactly Tesla numbers, but impressive nonetheless. Closer to home, more than 1,000 Canadians have plunked down $2,500 hoping to secure one of the first electrified Porsche four-doors to hit the street. Again, neither number rivals the multitudes that offered up deposits on Teslas Model 3, but Taycan does play in an entirely different snack bracket.A more appropriate context, then, might be to note that said deposits are roughly equal to the number of 911s that Porsche Canada sells in its best of years. In other words, September 4s worldwide launch of the Taycan was a very good day at the office for Porsche Canadas president and CEO, Marc Ouayoun.Now, never mind that a few of those chomping at the bit may well be put off by the Taycans price the base Turbo starts at $173,900 and the Turbo S is a wallet-stretching $213,900. If that means Porsche has finally brought profitability to the electric vehicle segment, so much the better.More important is that the company is depending on the Taycan to be successful, Detlev von Platen, Porsches executive board member for sales and marketing, telling the launch event attendees the company will be investing over US$6 billion in battery power over the next few years and expects more than 50 per cent of the companys cars to be electrified within the next decade. In other words, Porsche needs the Taycan to be successful.And more important than that is that the automotive industry needs the Taycan to be successful. So far, the electric vehicle segment has been all Tesla, the Silicon Valley upstart the only truly successful purveyor of battery power. Yes, I know Nissans Leaf remains the best-selling EV of all time, but, while semi-plentiful, its actually selling well below barely 10 per cent of initial projections what was predicted when it was introduced ten years ago.What the Tesla faithful don’t realize is their devotion is counter-productive to the propagation of EVsTesla, meanwhile, has become the poster child for planet-friendly motoring, Elon Musks decision whether it was brilliant insight or bulls%^t luck really doesnt matter to focus on the luxury segment proving to be providential. Whither goes Tesla, it now seems, goes the entire electric vehicle industry.The problem is that Mr. Musks influence and the cult-like devotion it has engendered is not good for anyone except Tesla shareholders.Whether youre a fan of long-range plug-ins or prefer fuel cells, it is not so much that Tesla is winning, but that Mr. Musk so dominates the conversation surrounding EVs that it stifles discussion into what a truly multi-platform zero-emissions future might look like.Now, to be certain, the company and man for they are one and the same deserve all the accolades they have received for a) creating the luxury EV segment where none existed and b) legitimizing the concept of the battery-powered car in the eyes of a formerly skeptical audience. For that, Mr. Musk will undoubtedly be lauded in history books as the founder of a movement.Um @Porsche, this word Turbo does not mean what you think it does Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 5, 2019The problem is that said worship has gone too far, creating disciples for whom any dissent, any mention of competitive brands is seen as traitorous. In my 35 years in this biz, I have see nothing not the Ford-versus-Chevy wars, not Jeep Wrangler aficionados, not even one-per-centers devoted to their Hogs to match the cult-like allegiance Tesla enjoys amongst its minions.Unfortunately, that deference is stifling competition. Despite the deception that traditional automakers are dragging their heels on electrification, nothing could be further from the truth. The problem they all face is that, any time they introduce a (costly-to-develop) EV, they are met with the mildest of mehs.Initially, they were decried as too ugly (Chevys Bolt), too slow (the Kia Soul) or lacking in panache (pretty much everyone). But, then Jaguar came out with the I-Pace, offering both pedigree and panache. Yet they too were greeted with another giant yawn. Too slow, said the disciples, ignoring the fact theres more to a sporty automobile than Ludicrous acceleration. So I-Pace sales have crashed. Audis e-tron? Better, but hardly all-conquering, especially considering that the Model X with which it competes is the weakest model in Teslas lineup.And thats why the Taycan is so important. It meets every single objection even the most devoted of Teslarati could dream up. Brand image? None is stronger than Porsches. Build quality? Ditto. Beauty? The Taycan is the four-door 911 that Porsche always promised the Panamera would be. Ludicrously fast? My Lord, yes. Toss in handling that is all but a match for the best of supercars and you have a car that is markedly superior to the Tesla Model S it ostensibly competes with.Oh, the haters will no doubt point to its price
Origin: Motor Mouth: Will Porsche’s Taycan challenge Tesla’s EV hegemony?
Arrivederci: the Fiat 500 will no longer be sold in Canada
2019 Fiat 500 AbarthDerek McNaughton / Driving The writers at Driving regret to announce the death of Fiat 500, aged 108 months in this country. It is survived by cousins 500L and 500X, plus distant relative 124 Spider.Fans of the diminutive Fiat 500 hatchback will need to get themselves in gear if they want one before theyre gone for good. All signs point to the little 500, a car which served as the beachhead for Fiats return to this country, not returning to the Canadian market in 2020.Absent from Fiat Canadas lineup description for the upcoming model year it lists only the above-mentioned 500 variants and the 124 convertible customers will have to choose from remaining dealer stock once new copies of the car stop being shipped to Canada.The 500 lineup was consolidated greatly in recent years. For 2019, Pop and Lounge trims came equipped with the 1.4-litre MultiAir turbocharged engine, a 135-horsepower mill once reserved for the standalone Turbo model. The roary Abarth made 160 horsepower and gloriously naughty sounds while plastering a permanent grin on the face of its driver.This decision effectively chops the number of vehicles available in Fiat showrooms by 25 per cent. In June of this year, the brand sold just 31 cars in this country, 10 of which were 500s of various trims. Through the first half of 2019, Fiat has moved 209 cars, down from 368 cars during the same time-frame one year ago. The 500 reliably makes up about one-third of those numbers. Fiat dealers will be left hucking the Renegade-related 500X; the Mazda-related 124 Spider; and the weirdo-related 500L. The former, assembled in Italy and now the brands volume leader, is presently offered solely with a 1.3-litre turbo making 177 horsepower, by the way. All-wheel-drive remains an option. Serbian-built 500L models soldier on with the 1.4-litre mill.Will the 500 return to these shores? Fiat has left the door open by refusing to quash rumours that it may come back in a different shape as an electric vehicle. The company also marketed the all-electric 500e south of the border, a car which will also vanish after this model
Origin: Arrivederci: the Fiat 500 will no longer be sold in Canada
2021 Subaru WRX STI will arrive next fall with a 315-hp new engine: report
2020 Subaru WRX STI S209 The fourth-generation WRX has been kicking around since 2014, so it’s not too shocking to hear that Subaru is planning the next one for the not-so-distant future. According to reporting by Japan’s Best Car, the fifth-gen WRX will arrive next fall, riding on a new platform and using a new engine. The launch of the next-gen sedan comes alongside remakes of the WRX STI, Japan-only WRX S4 and Levorg wagon. The STI will apparently swap its current turbo flat-four EJ20 (EJ25 in North America) for a direct-injection FA20 four-cylinder good for 315 horsepower. This follows the trail blazed by WRX models in the U.S., which switched to the FA20 in 2014. To clarify, Japan’s WRX STI has a 2.0-litre engine, while North America’s WRX STI runs with a 2.5-litre good for 310 horsepower. The FA20 in the North American WRX, meanwhile, makes 268 horsepower. Whether North America will get the 2.0-litre engine like Japan, or a 2.4-litre FA variant similar to that in the Ascent SUV, is uncertain. The piece also suggests the STI will take aesthetic cues from the Viziv concept and will ride on the new global platform, which fits with Subaru’s previously stated intentions to use it as the base for all vehicles. No word on reveal dates for the WRX, but to paraphrase some TV show we used to know, Tokyo is
Origin: 2021 Subaru WRX STI will arrive next fall with a 315-hp new engine: report
Pagani CEO: “We will build V12 hypercars until 2026”
Horacio Pagani, the founder of Italy’s most extravagant hypercar maker, has confirmed that a fully electric hypercar is in the works – but the highly regarded V12 engine will stick around for some time. Pagani is a man who has always found it difficult to say no to his customers. His company’s first hypercar, the Zonda, had its retirement delayed for years because affluent buyers, including Lewis Hamilton, begged for the chance to buy one. Now we’re facing what is meant to be the last version of the Huayra, the BC Roadster, although Pagani himself admits that plan may slip. “It is scheduled to be the last production model,” he told Autocar. “But I am also listening to some private collectors who are asking maybe for a one-off or a limited edition, which will probably extend the lifespan a little more.” Pagani remains ultra-exclusive even by the standards of Italian hypercar makers, producing around 40 cars a year. But the company is profitable and has always taken a long-term approach to planning, with Pagani saying that work is well advanced on the Huayra’s replacement – known internally as the C10 – ahead of a launch scheduled for 2022. “This next model will have a similar philosophy. It will have a traditional combustion engine, a new-generation Mercedes-AMG V12 twin-turbo,” he said. “We have a very close relationship with Mercedes already and this new V12 engine will be homologated until 2026.” Pagani is also working on an EV that will be developed from the same core architecture as the conventional hypercar. “The C10 will have a regular V12 but, at the same time, there will be a full-electric vehicle,” he said. “It is not going to be exactly the same platform. It will be modified.” Horacio Pagani said the company’s changing customer base has been integral to the move to electrification, as well as environmental legislation. “At the beginning, our clients tended to be car collectors in Europe in their 50s or above,” he said. “Now the average age has dropped significantly and we have a lot of younger buyers in Asia Pacific and also in North America and Silicon Valley.” Beyond 2025, Horacio Pagani said, the brand may do something radically different and he even admitted that plans for an SUV have been considered. He said: “If I had to come up with a Pagani SUV, it would need to have a price tag of €3 million or above to be in line with our current strategy. We don’t know if there is any market for such a product, but there could not be any compromise. If there is a Pagani badge on a vehicle, it must be the highest quality. But it is something that has been discussed a number of times with collectors. “We would access the technology of Mercedes-Benz because they produce SUVs, and because of the close relationship we enjoy, we could maybe use the big SUV platform. It’s something that has been in the back of my mind, but the journey from concept to reality for anything like that is a long
Origin: Pagani CEO: “We will build V12 hypercars until 2026”
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