Growing up, when we would host my mom’s side of the family for Christmas dinner, there were basically only two things we could all agree to have on the TV. The History Channel or The Barrett Jackson auctions. Except this year, I really don’t think I can take any more tales of tribulations throughout history […]
Performance SUVs are here to stay, and it’s time we car enthusiasts accept that for a few reasons. For one, like it or not, 80 per cent of vehicles sold in Canada today are light trucks and SUVs. While our northern climate leads us to trend more heavily in this direction, we’re certainly not the […]
Generally, at this time of year, I write a column based on the wonderful holiday song, Driving Home for Christmas, written and performed by Chris Rea. That is usually the only reference to cars or driving you will find. I’m driving home for Christmas I can’t wait to see those faces This started years ago […]
Let’s be honest. If one truly – truly – needs three rows of passenger accommodation, a minivan is the most logical option. A crossover or SUV with a triplicate of seating generally invites compromise, whether it’s in the form of hampered third-row access or legroom suitable only for those decidedly short of limb. A minivan […]
If you’re in the market for a full-size 4×4 pick-up, but for some reason don’t want a Ford F150 or a Chevrolet Silverado or a Ram 1500 — perhaps because of their popularity / ubiquity or perhaps because you’re just plain brand loyal to Toyota, you’ll probably find yourself eying a Tundra. Not much is […]
The time has come to say goodbye to the Volkswagen e-Golf, the all-electric hatchback that is ending its run as VW’s subtle EV entry, the last of which have landed in Canada as 2020 models. In the U.S., VW will instead offer the ID.4 compact crossover to replace it in early 2021, while in Canada […]
For years, automobile manufacturers have known that one of the best ways to move product is to win a car race. There was an expression in NASACAR that worked for years: “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.” But that meant having to beat other OEMs, which didn’t always happen. One day, years ago, some genius […]
The new Toyota Mirai is now on sale. But sadly, not here. Not yet. Toyota’s second-generation hydrogen fuel cell car, the Mirai, was unveiled at last fall’s Tokyo Motor Show. Seldom have I seen an unveiling that was more breathtaking, or which more accurately foretold the future of the automobile. We weren’t allowed to drive […]
Manual transmissions have pretty much gone the way of the dodo bird. They used to account for over half of all new car sales. That number has dropped to low single digits, as automatics not only offer more ease of driving, but with more ratios – up to 10 speeds – they now often deliver […]
History hasn’t been kind to Chrysler over their decision to use the goodwill earned by their most popular brand to dress up their most lowly. The execrable “mall-rated” Dodge Caliber-based Compass and Patriot represent a low point in Jeep’s storied history and one best consigned to the scrap heap. So you’d think Ford would have […]