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 taken note of this when bestowing the iconic Mustang badge upon their four-door, electric powered crossover.

If you ascribe to the theory that “no publicity is bad publicity” well then, the new Mustang Mach-E’s launch certainly didn’t go unnoticed. Marketing minions aren’t known for subtlety when it comes to capitalizing on past successes, but surely “Mach-E” was a pretty cool name on its own. Was it really necessary to saddle a new vehicle with 55+ years of history and the collective anger of generations of fans?

Nevertheless, the very first Ford designed on an electric-only platform has generated a lot of interest among prospective buyers looking for a Tesla alternative. There’s a lot of pressure on the Mach-E to succeed, as it will test the waters for an eventual all-electric F-150 debut. Brand loyalty may make it difficult to accept such a radical departure from traditional gasoline power–particularly when it comes to trucks–or it may just make the transition easier for the die-hard faithful.

Ford’s serious enough about the Mach-E that it’s available in five models and nine different trims. There are two battery options; a standard 75.7 kW hour, or an extended-range 98.8 kWh. The Mach-E has an official maximum range of 475 kilometres if configured with extended range battery and rear wheel drive. Spec the same vehicle with the smaller battery, and the range drops to 355 km. Adding all-wheel drive reduces range to 340 km or 425 km with the extended range battery. However, testing conducted by the U.S. Environmental Act proves those numbers are actually on the conservative side by about 15 km per model. A 459 hp GT model will arrive later, whose 0-100 km time of 3.5 seconds makes it the second fastest Mustang next to the GT500.

Aside from a similar topline and Mustang-inspired taillamps, the Mach-E shares absolutely nothing with its namesake. A rounded, compact crossover, the Mach-E has the arched, swooping roofline that would have a German car company insisting it’s a coupé. I have to admit that the alien “grill-delete” look is starting to grow on me.

My tester is an AWD model with 346 hp and 417 lb-ft of torque. I’m reminded that it’s a pre-production model when I ask about the range readout of 347 km at 100 per cent charge and that the software calculations aren’t entirely accurate.

The interior is comfortable and pared down. Two freestanding screens interrupt the stacked planes of the dash, a horizontal one behind the wheel replacing traditional gauges, and an enormous 15.5-inch vertical infotainment screen dominates the centre stack. Embedded in the bottom of the massive touchscreen is an honest-to-goodness rotary volume knob. Ford’s revised SYNC 4 connectivity interface can apparently learn each driver’s preferences, and allow them to create a unique profile instead of having to navigate menus to launch apps or functions. It also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Mach-E comes with Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0, a suite of active safety features, including intelligent adaptive cruise control, blind spot information, and pre-collision assist.

Like most of its ilk, the Mach-E moves forward effortlessly, gathering momentum in a linear whoosh. The suspension feels firm, but not rigid and absorbs bumps and road imperfections.

The cabin is quiet and feels well insulated, if not the same level of refinement as the Germans, it’s at least on par with competitors Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Kona, or Kia Niro EV. There’s ample head and legroom, and backseat legroom is near the top of its class. The battery pack’s placement under the vehicle’s floor leaves cargo space uncompromised: trunk space is 821 litres, increasing to 1688 litres with rear seats folded. The front trunk, or “frunk” is a useful 136 litres.

Steering feels on-centre and well-weighted, but delivers little feedback. There are three driving modes: Whisper, Engage, and Unbridled, accessed through the touchscreen, and these alter steering feel, accelerator response and ambient lighting. “Engage” is the Normal, everyday mode, infusing the cabin with serene blue lighting and encouraging efficient driving via the dynamic cluster’s EcoMode display.

“Unbridled” takes the place of Sports Mode, with sharper steering, a boosted performance sound, orange lighting, and enhanced throttle response with G-force and acceleration in the driver’s display.

“Whisper” is akin to Comfort Mode, with light steering, smooth throttle response, brake traction control on wet or slippery road surfaces, and a low gear for easier deceleration on downward inclines without overusing the brakes. A One Pedal Drive toggle is available in all three modes, lifting at the lights to come to a stop while conserving the brakes.

The Mach-E’s base price of $50,495 makes it a pretty compelling choice, priced thousands lower than Jaguar I-Pace or Audi E-Tron, while offering more range. The similarly priced Tesla Model Y will probably be its closest competitor and has the advantage of an established charging network. Ford’s promise of an Auto-Pilot like hands-free system to be available soon via download, takes aim squarely at Tesla’s “self-driving” claims.

Unfortunately, the Mach-E’s base price is greater than the $45,000 required to qualify for the federal green incentive, however, it’s still eligible for a $3,000 rebate in British Columbia, and $8,000 in Quebec.

The Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro are both smaller and slower, however, their inclusion of a lower priced gasoline model in the lineup qualifies them for the federal incentives.

Still, for long-time fans of the Blue Oval, the Mach-E just might be the vehicle that finally nudges them to take the plunge into EV ownership.

The vehicle was provided to the writer by the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.

The post First Drive: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E appeared first on WHEELS.ca.

It makes you wonder where the brains are in Formula One. Actually, now that I’ve looked at that line in print, I have come to the conclusion that there are no brains in F1.

In just about every major league sport in the world, the league has medical staff on duty to determine if athletes are well enough and strong enough to play. As we’re Canadians, we are particularly familiar with the NHL’s rule that if a player appears woozy, they have to spend time in a “quiet room” and then are questioned and tested by doctors before being allowed to return to play. They don’t have to be checked into the boards, either. Guys with the ‘flu have been checked out.

So here we have the case of Lewis Hamilton, who finished third in Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix behind the winner, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, and second-place finisher Valtteri Bottas, his teammate at Mercedes. In an interview he gave a reporter on Saturday, Lewis talked openly about his bout with COVID-19 and how he’d lost a lot of weight in the two weeks since he tested positive and that he felt very tired.

And yet the very next day, they let him strap into a Formula One car and drive 200 miles an hour (in places) around a tight and twisty circuit for about two hours. Did it not dawn on anyone that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea? What if he became so fatigued or dehydrated that he couldn’t drive the car properly and inadvertently caused a crash? What if he’d hurt himself? I could go on.

Hamilton said he was feeling the respiratory effects of the virus (COVID attacks the lungs) and that he felt drained. “So I’ve been trying to sleep as much as I can but recharging is not as easy as it has been in the past,” he said Saturday. “I lost a good amount of weight so I’m not 100 per cent the same as I was the last time I raced.”

Hamilton, of course, went on to say that he would give it his best shot Sunday anyway. Most drivers will talk through walls of fire to race. But what was the point? He’d already won the world championship and led the team to its usual constructors’ championship so it didn’t matter if he was out there or not. By sitting out, Lewis would have helped his body to recover, George Russell would have gotten another shot in a good car and Jack Aitken could have had another drive filling in for Russell at Williams.

But no. His ego, frankly, wouldn’t let him sit out. He’s Lewis Hamilton and he’s the best and he’s Superman, don’tcha know? By insisting on going out there, Hamilton treated COVID like it was a bad cold. But it’s more than that. People look to him because he’s world champion. They are influenced by what he says and does.

That’s why other sports take those sorts of decisions out of the hands of the athletes.

Toto Wolff, his employer, should have taken the initiative and kept him out of the car. If Hamilton had refused to listen, Wolff should have called in the FIA medical delegates who are always on the scene. They are there, primarily, to treat drivers in case of an emergency but they could have declared his state of health an emergency and ordered him to bed.

Prof. Sid Watkins, the pioneer of motorsport medicine who died a few years ago, would have done that.

Why? Because this is what Hamilton said after the race: “I’m destroyed. I didn’t feel good in the car, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so blown. I’m just thankful it’s over.”

Does that sound like somebody who should have been out there?

Nope.

Talking of no brains, the F1 drivers took their usual two or three minutes before the race Sunday to kneel (some of them) and pay tribute to minorities, stressing that everyone in the world must be treated with respect. I wonder if they knew the gulag wasn’t far off, where the UAE political prisoners are kept.

The UAE (United Arab Emirates, of which there are seven), the most liberal of the Middle East dictatorships, is still an autocracy. The Royal families make the rules and woe be anyone who speaks out against them. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press is almost non-existent. If you keep your nose clean, you can lead a fairly normal life. But if you do or say anything out of line, you can be thrown in jail where solitary confinement and torture is the norm and you are not allowed legal counsel and your family can be threatened.

Saudi Arabia is the worst, of course, and is where F1 is scheduled to race in 2021. Will the drivers hold their pre-race ceremony there? And if they do, what really will they be saying? Thank goodness the W Series, the all-woman single-seat series launched two years ago with the aim of getting a female driver into F1, took a pass on Saudi Arabia. The W. Series will race in support of eight F1 events next season and were invited to Riyadh but said no. That might be because the woman who petitioned the dictators in Saudi Arabia two years ago to allow women to drive there has been in prison ever since.

Verstappen won the pole Saturday, with Bottas second and Hamilton third. That is how the race started on Sunday and how it ended. Our Lance Stroll of Montreal was 10^th while Toronto’s Nicholas Latifi was 17^th. More about Latifi in a moment.

Meantime, for a complete story on the race, please click here

NOTEBOOK JOTTINGS

This will be my final online auto racing column of 2020. I traditionally take a break at this time of year but will be back in late January for the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Daytona 500 before easing off in anticipation of March, when all the series will have their seasons up and running. My Top Ten auto racing stories of 2020 will be published in Toronto Star Wheels on Sat., Dec. 26. Another motorsport reporter is also taking some time off. My old friend Erik Tomas of Raceline Radio fame wound up his live broadcasts for the year this weekend and now has four programs lined up with Year-in-Review-type reports, including some of his best interviews. You can hear them on Dec. 20, Dec. 27, Jan. 3 and Jan. 10. Raceline is heard across Canada, so listen to those special shows on your favourite radio stations at the usual times.

At Abu Dhabi, Charles Leclerc wore a helmet with a sign on it that thanked Sebastian Vettel, who left for Aston Martin (formerly Racing Point) after the GP. Why? . . . . . The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked the final race for Chase Carey as CEO of Formula 1. He will remain chairman of the company but hands over his CEO role to Stefano Domenicali. . . . It was the last race in F1 for Kevin Magnussen, who was dropped by Haas and has signed to go sports car racing in the United States. Romain Grosjean is also finished, as are Sergio Perez/Alex Albon (one will drive for Red Bull next year, but which one?) and Daniel Kvyat (again). Oh, and if Bottas hadn’t performed well, after being shown up by Russell last week, he might have been out on his ear too . . . . . Perez, who won the GP at week ago, lasted about a lap Sunday before a gearbox issue eliminated him. . . . . . Silverstone in England is naming its front straight after Lewis Hamilton . . . . . Helio Castroneves has been inducted into the Penske Racing Hall of Fame. . . . . McLaren is selling off another part of the team, this time to American investors. McLaren finished third in the constructors’ championship Sunday, which means money but not as much as other years. But that team needs an audit and then an independent accounting firm to handle the cash flow. They’re spending way too much money. . . . . I know that I am a glass half-full kind of guy (which is what 55-plus years in the newspaper business will do to you) but last week Audi dropped out of Formula Electric and this week it’s BMW. The rest will be soon be following and Formula E will be finis. . . . . . The Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals will go ahead in Tulsa, Okla., Jan. 11-16. Eight million midgets and drivers turn up and it takes them four nights and most of Saturday to cut the field down to 24 for the A-Main Saturday night. NASCAR drivers, one or two IndyCar drivers, drag racers – everybody shows up. The Chili Bowl can be seen in Canada on any cable system that carries REV-TV . . . . . The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy motorcycle races set for May 29-June 12, 2021, have been cancelled. Guess why? . . . . . Donald Davidson, historian at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will retire on Dec. 31. . . . . . Quebec’s Mario Gosselin, who’s been an owner in NASCAR for years, will move back behind the wheel next February at Daytona when he straps in for the Xfinity race there . . . . . . Colton Herta will drive the Gainbridge-sponsored IndyCar for Andretti Autosport next season. This is the car that our James Hinchcliffe raced in the last three events of the 2020 season . . . . . The Auto Club Speedway round of the NASCAR Cup season won’t be held in California in 2021. That track is being reconfigured into a short oval so their race will be moved to the Daytona Speedway road course for one year only. . . . . Juan Montoya will drive in the Indianapolis 500 for Arrow McLaren SP. It will be a one-off. . . . . .

The Hoosier Hundred is back on the USAC Silver Crown (Dirt Champ Cars) schedule again. It will be held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds May 27, three days before the 500. Two years ago, the series got the bum’s rush when the Indiana State Fair Board decided to turn the mile track into a course for horse racing only. Because of this problem and that, the race has been extended twice now. Hopefully, we can get across the border by then. I’d like to take it in one more time. . . . . . Speaking of the border, the NASCAR modified tour will visit New York’s Oswego Speedway twice in 2021, on June 12 and again on Labour Day weekend. It would be nice to take in at least one of those shows. . . . . Tony Stewart’s Superstar Racing Experience, a six-race series that will be seen on the CBS Sports Channel, will race at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis and Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in Ohio next summer and feature Stewart, Tony Kanaan, Paul Tracy, Helio Castroneves, Bobby Labonte, Willy T. Ribbs, Mark Webber and Bill Elliott. Four tracks remain to be named. Stewart is running the series in partnership with Ray Evernham.

A household name in both Ontario and Maritimes racing circles, Jim Hallahan, a member of the Maritime and Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame, has died. He was 90. Hallahan started racing jalopies in the 1960s and was two-time modified champion at Pinecrest Speedway near Toronto in 1958 and ’59. He went late-model racing in a Studebaker but when it wouldn’t run, he chopped off the front end and welded on a Chevrolet’s. He then won the Pinecrest late-model championship in his ”Studelet.” Ivan Forbes, who owned Forbes Chev-Olds in Dartmouth, offered Jim a job selling cars during the week and a stock car to race on the weekends. Forbes would pay the expenses and Hallahan could keep his winnings, so Jim moved the family to Nova Scotia. He raced for years, helped his children launch their careers and was instrumental in the creation of the MASCAR touring series and the Carquest Pro stock tour. He was also a tireless worker for charity. R.I.P., Jim.

Jim Bray of Brantford, named to the Motorsport Hall for induction in 2021 – he was the second Canadian to make the field for the Daytona 500 and continues to field cars for others to race in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series – called to complain about my Toronto Star Wheels column a week ago in which I suggested that everybody 80 and over should have to take a driver’s test every two years. Jim said he had to take a driver’s test five years ago, when he was 83, after he had the “audacity to pass a cop on the 403. He gave me a speeding ticket, which meant I had to take a test. I got in the car with the examiner and I drove two blocks and the guy said, ‘What are you doing here? Turn around and go back. You’re fine to drive.’” Jim was also proud to point out that a year ago, when he was only 87, he passed the in-air test needed to renew his pilot’s licence. Way to go, Jimbo.

LATIFI GIVES HIMSELF AN 8 (OUT OF 10)

Williams F1 made Latifi available before and after each Grand Prix this year via Zoom. Post-race on Sunday was the last session of the season. The F1 rookie said that he won’t be coming home to Canada but would be heading to the Caribbean with his family for some R & R. Asked about the race, in which he finished 17th, ahead of the Haas duo and Perez, he said:

“It was a very difficult Grand Prix. As a team we didn’t have the pace today and we weren’t as competitive as we have been in other races. I was struggling a lot with the balance in the opening stints, but as the race went on it settled down. The last stint was fun, putting on a fresh set of medium tires on lap 35 and pushing flat out to the end. It is a shame as it’s not how we wanted to end this season but coming into this weekend we knew that this track didn’t suit our car. That is my first full season in Formula One done and it’s been a big learning year; I can’t wait to get started next year.

Asked to rate his season, in which he failed to score a point, Latifi broke it into two – racing, which he thought was worth an eight and qualifying, with would be, in his mind, a five.

He essentially said the car wasn’t very good (he was right about that), that he’d driven well but had some learning to do.

“Over all, it’s been a good year,” he said in an interview Thursday. “It wasn’t what I expected in certain regards, obviously everything going on with COVID and how it affected how the season has been. All of the stuff alongside the actual driving of the racing car, the travelling. I learned a lot about how careful we’ve had to be – all the extra stuff that you wouldn’t normally have to worry about or deal with.

“From the actual driving side of things, I learned a lot this year but it highlighted some areas that I definitely need to improve, We’ve spoken a lot about the Saturdays (qualifying), about how we have to put everything together in that qualifying session. That has to be the focus next year.

“Some things were good – race pace, the handling of the tires, tire degradation, managing that. It was a big learning year. I’m really excited about gong into 2021 and building on foundations I’ve built this year to make another step forward.”

He said he thought his best race was the first one held at Silverstone in England but that his worst was the first race of the year in Austria.

“It was one of my weaker ones. I was just driving around. I think the best thing I did in that race was staying on the track.”

By Norris McDonald / Special to wheels.ca

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2021 sees the third-generation of the Lexus IS receive yet another facelift, having also received one for the 2016 model year. This facelift, though, is much more comprehensive than previous.

We’ll get to that in a minute but first, it’s nut n’ bolts time.

The 2021 Lexus IS starts at $42,950 for the rear-wheel-drive IS 300 model, which is the only way to get turbo power and RWD; the IS 300 AWD models ($43,400-$49,500) and the IS 350 F Sport ($53,300; $58,000 as tested) come with naturally-aspirated V6 power and all-wheel-drive.

Every IS gets wider fenders and comes with unique detailing such as a full-width light bar ‘round back, newly-styled and much more aggressive headlamp lenses and a lower, wider version of Lexus’ signature hourglass grille. When seen from head-on, those fenders coupled with that grille serve to lower and widen the car quite noticeably. It’s undeniably “Lexus” but it fits well within the line-up and that’s a big achievement since so many of the IS’ siblings – ES, LS, RX – have had full redesigns more recently than the IS has. This is a good-looking exterior, especially when finished in the gorgeous Matador Red Mica that my tester was.

The interior is also notable in the styling-sense not because it’s changed so much, but because it’s hardly changed at all; you still have the same drive mode selector, the same climate controls, the same shift lever and the same gauge cluster.

Indeed, when I first picked up my tester I had to get out and double-check to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, that I was actually in the 2021 car. Back inside, I eventually did notice the addition of an optional new 10.3-inch infotainment display (an 8-inch is standard) with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, new wood finish sprinkled on various cabin bits and the addition of a touchpad infotainment controller as opposed to the joystick we used to have. The system is still somewhat janky and could be more intuitive, though; much of the competition does a better job in this regard.

I am, however, a fan of how the dash rises up around the driver and how the seats are super supportive and comfortable; the seat design remains one of the best in the segment, right up there with the Zero Gravity Seats found in the Infiniti Q50 and ultra-supportive examples you get in the BMW M340i. The view out is also spot-on and seeing those widened fenders extending ahead of you looks great and makes the IS that much easier to place on the road and during parking manoeuvres.

Like the interior, the powertrain hasn’t changed much past the “Lexus Intake” that brings a little more engine noise into the cabin (it does sound quite good at higher revs, almost Toyota GR Supra-like). The V6 in the IS 350 is rated at 280 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque – same as before – fed to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic box that comes with paddle shifters. Four-cylinder models, meanwhile, get an eight-speed.

The engine isn’t super-keen to rev, but the power delivery is smooth and devoid of the peakiness you might get from a turbocharged ‘plant. It makes forward progress brisk but its attitude is a little more “grand tourer” than “all-out sports sedan”; indeed, with just six gears, the gearing is long so there’s a little more time spent between shifts than you’d get in the likes of the BMW or Genesis G70. Once at speed, though, the IS rides a nice wave of torque so you do get the power you need for highway passing and so forth. You’ll never get the hair-on-fire thrills you would get from other, more focused sports sedans, though.

While the powertrain returns mostly unchanged from 2020, the chassis has been given a proper once-over in an effort to give the IS that much more athleticism, especially in IS 350 F Sport Series 3 spec seen here.

They’ve stiffened up the chassis with better welding, lightened a number of components including the springs and anti-roll bars and that’s not all; they’ve also added the Dynamic Handling Package which adds adaptive dampers, special 19-inch BBS alloys, carbon fibre spoiler and mirror caps, Torsen limited-slip differential and to top it all off, a Sport + drive mode that sharpens steering, throttle and transmission response. And gives the tach a cool white bezel.

This is all thanks to the development of a new test facility in Japan that Lexus says has been designed to reflect certain portions of the Nurburgring Nordschleife. So while this hasn’t been tested at the ‘Ring, Lexus will say that it has done at the next best thing.

They aren’t just whistling dixie, either. I always found the older IS to feel just a little heavy through the bends and they’ve done well to sharpen things up. You can’t feel a whole lot through the wheel but you can through the seat of your pants, and that’s a fine compromise, far as I’m concerned.

Even thought the front end is wider, it responds well to steering inputs and provides reduced body roll all at the same time. Of course, the dampers also have something to do with that but to me, the bigger add from those adaptive dampers is just how well they kept each individual wheel in check. On one of my favourite test routes, ruts and tarmac sags that are jarring in many cars were almost completely neutralized by the IS, making for some incredibly confidence-inspiring progress. Lexus is a brand that creates impeccably riding luxury cars, and you can tell that was not lost on those that designed and engineered this latest IS evolution.

Which is what it is, really: an evolution. They’ve done a number on the chassis, but leaving the powertrain untouched (and the interior, but that doesn’t bother me so much) as they have does deaden the impact of that. A new engine and maybe a faster-shifting transmission would to a whole lot, here, but it looks like we’re going to have to wait for an all-new IS for that.

The vehicle was provided to the writer by the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.

The post First Drive: 2021 Lexus IS appeared first on WHEELS.ca.

Toyota’s goal of having an electrified variant of every model they produce by 2025 is well underway. The brand new Toyota Venza and Sienna minivan only come in hybrid guise now, and it will only take an extra $2000 (in most cases) to transform your Camry or RAV4 into a hybrid. They’re making it difficult for you not to buy one.

But hybrid tech isn’t exactly cutting-edge anymore. Toyota has long perfected it since first offering it on the Prius over 20 years ago. Then in 2012, they introduced the Prius Prime, a plug-in hybrid that had a bigger battery, an electric-only drive mode, and could travel nearly 900 km on a tank of gas. That was Toyota’s first plug-in hybrid and now there’s another—the 2021 RAV4 Prime.

Using Toyota’s best-selling model to launch another plug-in makes complete sense and with the successful Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the newly launched Ford Escape plug-in hybrid, the timing is right.

The good news is that I can easily tell you that the RAV4 Prime is an excellent vehicle. The bad news is you might not be able to get your hands on one just yet. Limited availability will see most of the first batch going to Quebec and then B.C., due to higher demand there.

If you have to have one you’ll likely be waiting till next year and it will qualify for the $5000 federal EV incentive with the Prime SE ringing in at $44,990. It’s still decent value for what you’re getting even though Ontario doesn’t offer any provincial incentives like they do in Quebec and B.C.

The Prime XSE ($51,950 before incentives) adds unique 19-inch wheels, a 9-inch touchscreen, a black roof, a power tailgate, and a black interior with sporty red stitching.

A premium technology package can be added to the XSE, equipping it with a panoramic moonroof, an excellent JBL audio system, adaptive front lighting, and heated and ventilated front seats. You also get a head-up display, and a bird’s eye view camera system.

My XSE tester with the tech pack rang in at a lofty $59,215 after freight and fees, a lot for a RAV4. The upcoming Escape plug-in and the current Outlander PHEV are both cheaper to start. Although, it should be noted that both of them are down nearly 100 hp to the Toyota, which has nearly double the electric range of the Mitsubishi.

The Prime’s powertrain starts with the familiar 2.5-L 4-cylinder found in the RAV4 Hybrid but tuned for higher output. The front motor is larger at 134kW while the one on the rear axle remains the same size. Total power output is 302 hp—83 more than a standard RAV4 hybrid.

A much larger 18.1 kWh battery pack, cooled with refrigerant from the A/C, supplies power to the EV motors and also gives the RAV4 68 km of electric, emission-free range—the most in its class. Combine that with the gasoline in the tank and the RAV4 can travel nearly 1000 km between fill-ups.

Charging via a typical 110V household plug point will take 12 hours. If using a more powerful 240V charger that drops to around 4 ½ hours while the Prime XSE can charge fully in 2 ½ hours using its 6.6 kW onboard charger.

From behind the wheel, the experience is nearly identical to the regular RAV4 Hybrid with a few notable differences: it stays in EV mode much longer and there’s a glut of power that’s unexpected in this class of vehicle.

If you start your day with a fully charged battery and only have a short commute that falls within the 68-km threshold you could theoretically get away without ever using a drop of fuel.

On electric power alone the RAV4 prime is hushed and remarkably smooth with ample torque off the line and a top speed that’s limited to 135 km/h. Kick down hard on the throttle pedal, however, and the 2.5-L 4-cylinder will spring to life and help punt this compact crossover down the road with enough force to push you back into your seat. In one instance a quick stab of throttle actually chirped the tires.

You can also force the Prime into EV mode and it will not ignite the gas engine no matter how hard you hit the throttle; you can run it exclusively in hybrid mode, much like the regular RAV4 hybrid, or you can leave it in Auto and let the computers decide on the best blend of gas and electric power for your trip. Like other plug-in hybrids there’s also a mode that will charge the battery pack using the engine if you don’t have access to a plug point and still want to run in EV mode. Without the opportunity to plug in every day I still achieved a remarkable average of 5 L per 100 km over the course of a week.

Toyota states that with a 0-100 km/h time of just 6 seconds, the Prime is the second quickest vehicle in their lineup beaten only by the Supra. But unlike that dedicated sports car, the RAV4 Prime is anything but sporty. Dull, lifeless steering and a general disconnect between the road and driver isn’t going to inspire anyone to look for twisty roads. Brakes are initially soft but then quite grabby as you push the pedal further down and take a bit of getting used to.

The Prime is a pleasant drive with excellent seats and a spacious, thoughtfully designed cabin. Big rubberized knobs, quality materials, and ample storage make this a great place to spend time. The extra batteries and hybrid components don’t take away any space from passengers but the cargo area suffers a small hit. With the exception of a few ergonomic niggles like the tuning knob that’s a bit of a reach, the RAV4’s interior space is one the best in this segment.

The biggest hits against the Prime are its lack of availability and the fact the regular hybrid is also an excellent choice. But one thing is for sure, in the super-competitive compact crossover space, the RAV4 Prime is one of the most impressive entries and is sure to be a hit—if you can get your hands on one.

The post Review: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime appeared first on WHEELS.ca.

November Canadian auto sales are in, and as COVID-19 closures crept back in across the country, auto sales began to fall as well. Though a far cry from April, this time the market was estimated to be down by 10.4 per cent over November 2019. Still, some automakers continued to set sales records and other automakers posted strong results.

The total estimate for November was 128,351 vehicles sold, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, down 10.4 per cent from November 2019. But, also important to remember is that November 2020 had three fewer selling days than 2019, and that’s before looking at any possible closures. So here’s a look at what automakers are reporting.

Subaru set its best November ever for November, following up an October that was the company’s second-best month ever. A 7.5 per cent year over year increase to 5,552 showed in the strong growth of Crosstrek sales as the new 2.5-litre flat-four begins to arrive at dealers. The WRX STI, though long in years by now, posted 435 sales for an increase of 130 percent. The BRZ performed strongly as well. Subaru is now down 10 per cent for the year, but up 9.9 per cent for the quarter.

Volvo posted 1,004 sales, up 13 per cent from last year. That’s just one shy of its performance in October, which is traditionally a stronger selling month, and marks six consecutive months of retail sales growth for the brand.

Mazda’s total sales were up five per cent, though ignore car sales and the brand was up 17.8 percent with the CX-30 now firmly the brand’s third-best seller hitting 825 for the month. That nearly matches the CX-3 last year, which is still selling more than 300 units monthly. CX-9 sales climbed 22.4 per cent and the CX-5 saw a sales increase. Year to date Mazda’s total is down 14.6 per cent, but crossover sales are the equal of last year.

Toyota reported 15,878 units sold, down 16.8 per cent, though Highlander set a new November record as did the Lexus UX. 21.7 of Toyota and Lexus vehicles sold were electrified, a new record for the automaker.

Kia saw sales up 8.1 per cent, hitting 6,220 for November with the new Seltos taking the top sales sport for the brand at an impressive 1,781.

Hyundai saw sales climb as well, with Kona, Tucson, and Palisade all setting records for the month. The new Sonata saw sales climb 171 per cent compared with the same month a year before, showing that the large sedan market is still alive, if not entirely well. Not all was well, though, as sales of the Elantra fell by 61 per cent to 1,428 and the Santa Fe dropped 32 per cent. The Elantra is in the middle of a new model changeover, and that could explain some of the slowdown.

Next month comes the full-year results where every automaker will reveal their 2020 sales and we’ll have a full look at the year in auto sales along with what automakers are anticipating for 2021.

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