Used Car Ownership: 2001 Toyota Camry XLE V6

When looking at the second-hand car market, it’s easy to flock towards a Japanese car for its renowned reliability, typically higher than average resale value and low running costs. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll end up with a trouble-free automobile. You still need to make sure you’ve found the right deal. More importantly, you need to know what you’re buying, even if the car you’ve spotted has a reputation of being indestructible.

Just over a year ago, my spouse and I set out to buy a second-hand automobile in order to lower our monthly expenses. We had come to the conclusion that while our 2018 Hyundai Elantra was a great daily driver, we would be better off without its monthly payments and new car insurance premiums. When our lease came to term, we politely informed our Hyundai sales rep that we would not renew for a new car.

Because at the end of the day, it’s proven that if you can put your hands on a decent used car on which you owe no debt, you’re winning on all fronts, something I proved in my latest running cost comparison story about MINI Coopers. Here are a few tips on how to make a smart second-hand transaction.

Fits the Budget

In our case, we set out to find a Japanese second-hand car, with a decent amount of mileage and that could fit our maximum budget of $4,000. It wasn’t an easy task given how Japanese carmakers tend to hold a higher than average resale value. But reliability was at the top of our priorities, which is why we narrowed down our search to brands like Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota; carmakers that have presented steady dependability records over time.

Originally, we figured a Civic, a Mazda3 or even a Corolla could have done the trick, but most of the examples we spotted ended up having either a lot of mileage or important rust damage. Our search ended up being a lot more complicated than we had anticipated, until we spotted the Camry.

I admit having been rather lucky with this one as it really was a case of “they don’t know what they own.” Because midsize sedans are slowly losing traction from Canadian consumers, you can spot good second-hand examples at decent prices, something this owner undoubtedly realized after not receiving many phone calls for his dear old Camry.

He was asking $3,500 for it, a fair price for a 2001 XLE V6 example, which happens to be the highest available specification for a fourth-generation Camry. Most importantly, the body was immaculate, the paint was still shining strong and the car came with a fresh set of winter tires. The car also had its original XLE V6 wheels wrapped around a fair set of summer rubber.

What made the transaction ever-so tempting was the fact that the car’s maintenance history was immaculate, mostly due to the fact that it had only been owned by one person. The car had therefore been purchased new from a Toyota dealership in Longueil, Quebec in 2000 as a 2001 car, and all of its maintenance had been done at the dealership ever since, with a rust proof treatment applied each year. The car was also a clean title, meaning it had never been involved in any accidents. In other words, we had hit the jackpot.

After performing a full inspection, everything checked out mechanically, with no underbody surprises. Sitting at 195,000 km, the V6 engine still pulled strong, but did reveal some faulty valve cover seals, which led to oil dripping on the manifolds. This is a common issue on this model-year Camry V6 and it’s recommended to have them changed past 100,000 km.

Since the repair would cost us between $300 and $500, we negotiated the transaction price down to $3,000, which the owner accepted without hesitating.

Reliable, but Not “Bulletproof”

The Toyota Camry’s reliability record is kind of a double-edged sword for consumers. While yes, it’s true that an old Camry will mostly likely drive longer than its competitors, many owners take that “bulletproof” claim for granted and in turn don’t necessarily inject maintenance money in their cars. Like all second-hand automobiles, a careful maintenance program must still be performed on a Toyota, especially if it is powered by a V6 engine.

Because the V6, while smoother and generally more enjoyable to operate than a four-cylinder due to its increased power, typically requires more attention due to more moving parts. And because it’s in a V configuration, you’ll need to consider double the costs for anything related to the heads, like spark plugs, ignition cables and head gaskets. Make sure these components are in good shape before buying, as replacing them will generally cost you more than on a four-cylinder model.

The other important maintenance check on the V6 is the timing belt. It’s recommended to have it replaced anywhere between 100 and 115,000 km. Expect repair costs anywhere between $800 and $1,000, or a good $200 more than the alternative four-cylinder engine.

That said, in the last year that I have owned this old girl, it has indeed proven reliable overall, albeit a few odd problems, like the Traction Control/ABS light constantly flashing the moment I fire her up, an issue my mechanic is still trying to sort out. The 194-horsepower 3.0-litre engine is smooth and linear power, but really not all that powerful by today’s standards. The automatic transmission, on the other hand, hasn’t showed any signs of slippage.

Overall, this is a sturdy automobile that doesn’t seem to want to let us down, with little to no cabin rattles even with two decades in its body, proving to be just as, and in some case, better built than some modern automobiles.

With the cold season coming, we recently performed a thorough pre-winter inspection, where a worn-down link kit and a slight exhaust leak were detected, for a total repair cost of just under $200. We then applied its yearly and very recommended rust proof treatment ($115), put on its winter tires, and she’s good to go for her 20th Canadian winter.

Perhaps what needs to be learned from my experience buying an old Toyota instead of renewing my Hyundai lease is that I have saved a lot more money during the process. By adding up monthly payments and regular maintenance, our Elantra would cost us on average $4,000 a year, for a car we didn’t even own.

In exchange, our Toyota cost us about the same amount during its first year of ownership, and that’s including its initial purchase price. Add to that added bonuses like larger, more comfortable overall, more cargo space, leather seats, a power sunroof and enough cash in the bank left to finally buy our first house, and we consider this to being the best automotive decision we’ve taken in our lives.

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Carte Blanche – Seeing in the Dark

Of the literally thousands of press events I’ve covered over my career, a handful still stand out. One such was about 20 years ago, when General Motors showed off the Night Vision system that was available in their Cadillac Sedan de Ville.

The system, based on thermal imaging, used infrared cameras to detect differences in heat signatures beyond the range of human vision. The scene was Shannonville Motorsports Park, east of Belleville. A Caddy was parked facing south with its headlights on. We could see nothing beyond the range of those headlights.

Then they switched on the Night Vision system. An image of a man walking in front of the car – a set-up by GM – came into view on the screen. Yikes! This car could literally see in the dark.

But wait – there’s more.

Also on the screen we could see other images moving in the farther distance. What, could this system also pick up ghosts? It took a while for even the GM people to realize that these images were cows, grazing in a pasture across Highway 2. Must have been over a kilometre away.

Amazing.

Different technologies can accomplish similar results. At least on TV shows – a well-known source of accurate research – night vision cameras can spot lost children in the woods at night from airplanes hundreds of metres in the air.

With considerably more credibility, R.C.M.P. drug-sniffers can fly over a residential area and spot grow-ops simply from the heat signature generated by the heat used to help grow the plants. I used to wonder if my Mom’s house was ever spotted – she grew ferns from spores in her basement that was wall-to-wall with fluorescent light fixtures I had installed for her.

Several other vehicles – Audi, Acura and Infiniti come to mind – have offered similar systems over the years. Cadillac actually discontinued Night Vision after four years, but later brought it back. It was on a couple of recent Caddies I’ve tested, although frankly, I forgot to check out how well these newer systems worked.

Night Vision system

This all came back to mind when I was sent a device to test (despite the name of this section, we don’t only test items with four round things with black rubber around them).

It’s the “Lanmodo Vast – 1080P Automotive Night Vision” system. It can be installed in any car, truck, ATV, anything that moves and has a 12-volt plug available.

The unit appears to be well made, and is dead simple to install. A non-slip pad will stick to just about any dash surface, and the unit slides right into that. You plug it in to your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet, switch it on, and you’re set to go. An alternative power source is the OBD (On Board Diagnostics) plug, for which a fitting is also supplied.

Heck, they even include a small Phillips screwdriver to attach the various bits.

You can also hang the device upside down from your rear-view mirror or from a multi-adjustable fitting with a suction cup, if that fits your vehicle better. Fortunately, there is a switch that flips the image so you don’t have to stand on your head to view it. Why there is also the option of mirror-imaging the display is less clear…

“Vast” uses low-light imaging technology, which differs from the units the cops or other car night vision system use, which are typically laser- or infrared-based. The advantages appear to include brighter images, and lower cost. I fitted it first to my own Volkswagen Jetta TDI Wagon, and also to a Mitsubishi Outlander I had on test. It looked – well, OEM (“original equipment”).

I didn’t bother installing it permanently – this system will probably last longer than my poor VeeDub will, and I wasn’t about to start hacking away at the trim bits of a test car. But it wouldn’t take anyone well-versed in automotive interiors – a radio installer, for example – to do a factory-like install.

Or, you could leave it as a temporary add-on – one of the advantages of an after-market system like this over a factory set-up is it can fit any car. Factory systems are only available on certain vehicles that may not be on your list.

Also, you can move this one from car to car, and keep it for your next car when your trade in.

On the road, the Vast gives a clear, full-colour view of what’s ahead of you (or behind you, if you hook up the rear vision feature, which

I did not…).

I’m on record about a million times that I dislike head-up displays which clutter the field of vision in your windshield. Vast differs because you can mount the screen well off to your right; I found it minimally distracting.

Taking photos of this system is tricky – I did the best I could with my cell phone. Playing around with the contrast and brightness controls can help improve the image quality.

But I can tell you that the system gives you a clear view of what’s coming up ahead, in daylight, at dusk, even in near-complete darkness.

Night Vision system

Some of the videos on the company’s web site do a better job than I could anyway of showing what the images look like. These are clearly from customers, not from pro video shooters, so my apologies in advance for some of the editing and the language…

Also, not even my kids know what “minty” means – one of the words used on these videos – but apparently it is an adjective that means “good”. It wouldn’t be a Kenzie review without suggestions for improvement.

The device is made in China, and as is often the case in that scenario, the instruction manual is less than clearly written. Nor is it comprehensive. The buttons that govern its operation are tiny, not well marked, and I found them confusing. Familiarity helps. And because the buttons are on the device which may be more than an arm’s length away, a remote control might be a useful addition.

So, how much?

Therein hangs another tale.

On that Lanmodo web site, the current price is showing as $499 U.S., marked down from $599. You apparently can order direct from that website, or from Amazon. There’s also a banner on the website that says there is a “Super Early Bird Price of $199″. When you click on that link, it takes you to the”indiegogo.com” website, that to my eye, untrained in the vagaries of web purchasing, suggests the device is available for a mere $119,630 CDN. Geez, are they selling the entire company?

Turns out indiegogo.com is some kind of crowd funding site that appears to have nothing at all to do with selling car safety devices. I have no clue about any of that.

But if you would like to be a safer driver at night, you should look into the Lanmodo Night Vision camera.

The life you save, could be mine,

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

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Review: 2020 Volkswagen GTI

Our daughter Dr. Laura summed up the Volkswagen GTI succinctly: “I want to buy this car.”

She and her siblings learned how to drive in our VWs, so they have what I call a “post-judice” towards them.

That’s a word I made up, indicating judging after (“post”), not before (“pre”) the fact.

My tester was a 2020 car, the soon-to-be-replaced A7 body style (officially now “MK VII”, but most VW-philes stick with the old nomenclature).

Pricing for my tester started at $30,845. It had the “Autobahn” package, the seven-speed dual-clutch manumatic (DSG) gearbox, and the “Advanced Driver Assistance Package”. This brought the total to $39,895. I said “started” (past tense) above, because the 2021 edition will come in Autobahn trim with that package, making its list price of $35,995 look like a bargain.

Subtle red badging, a red line across the grille, and the lovely 18-inch wheels will be the only clues that yours is the GTI model. The interior in some ways reminded us of our 2003 Jetta Wagon. VW figured out long ago how to do things like mirror adjustment and window controls, so why change?

One thing that has changed is you can now turn the headlight switch full right when you buy the car, and never touch it again. As all cars should, its lights go off when you shut the car off, after a time delay to let you get to your front door. The dash displays looked familiar too, although there’s tons more information now. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both supported. There’s even a lap timer function if you’re taking the car onto the track, and no head-up display.

The SatNav screen is bright, but for whatever reason, I had to re-configure the map whenever I switched the screen to another function. As usual, it will take a while to figure out what all the buttons and controls do.

Interior trim quality, fit and finish may be a small step down from our car, but they’re still pretty good. Heated seats and steering wheel are included. The seats also fit both father and daughter perfectly, with just the right balance of comfort and support. The rear seat is a bit snug for adults, but the flat roofline and big rear doors make access easy. The hatchback body style means easier access to the sizable trunk.

One key feature my tester had that won’t be available in the 2021 car is the “delete leather seat” option. The almost-plaid upholstery may not be to everyone’s taste, but I liked it. Besides, you’re sitting on it, not staring at it.

The turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine develops 228 horsepower at a peak of 6,200 r.p.m. and a healthy 258 lb-ft of torque from 1,500 to 4,400 r.p.m. This provides strong performance, accompanied by a suitably sporting exhaust note. Shifting, as you would expect from the dual-clutch gearbox, is absolutely seamless. If you think you can shift better than it can (hint: you can’t…) you can either use the steering wheel paddles, or the gearshift lever.

Sadly, VW gets the latter backwards. This just has to be back to upshift and forward to downshift. How did this get by their test drivers? One behaviour I have not experienced before with VW DSGs, and one I only noticed on occasion here, was a slight hesitation when starting from rest. It felt like the engine revved up, then released its automatic clutch before slinging me down the road. Other times, response was immediate; not sure what was going on there.

The drive mode selection system lets you tailor the car’s behaviour to the circumstances, or your mood. The settings – Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport and Custom – are largely self-explanatory. The car’s brain chooses from a variety of things like throttle response and damper behaviour to suit.

Review 2020 VW GTI

I left it in Sport most of the time because that’s the kind of car this is.

Ride quality is on the firm side, but I found it fine, even on our winter-ravaged roads.

The tester had winter tires, so absolute grip levels weren’t high. But the crisp steering and well-sorted handling made the car a delight to drive. There was a hint of torque steer – a tugging on the wheel in quick corners – but corrections by both driver and the car’s Directional Stability Control system soon sorted that out.

And I always smile when VW’s clever back-up camera pops out from behind the VW logo on the tailgate to show the view behind. This means an always-clean screen.

I’m not sure to what extent this car impresses simply because we’re so familiar with VWs.

But there’s a singularity to this car, a wholeness, a sense that all of its functions work together in near-perfect harmony. This has been characteristic of GTIs in the past. It’s still here now.

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

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News Roundup: EV vans, Mercedes-EQ models, Augmented Reality Showroom and More

Electric vehicle maker Canoo revealed a pair of electric commercial van models that look to be coming to Canada shortly after their U.S. production start in 2022. The vans, called the MPDV1 and MPDV2 are all-electric, built on a chassis intended solely for EVs, and offer cargo-friendly features like a high roof, roll-up door, sliding ramps, and other accessories that would normally be aftermarket features. City-friendly steering is available thanks to a variable-ratio and steer-by-wire rack. More than 15,000 L of cargo space is available in the larger of the two vans, and with 40, 60, and 80 kWh battery packs available estimated range is as high as 420 kilometres. Though the smallest pack in the largest van still allows for 146 km of range, plenty for most parcel delivery routes, and boasts a higher payload capacity.

Mercedes-Benz says it will have four new electric vehicle launches wearing the EQ brand during 2021 and two more in 2022, built at factories across the globe including in the U.S. The biggest is likely the EQS full-size flagship sedan, sharing a platform with the conventional S-Class. An EQA compact electric crossover is set to debut next week, the first electric A-Class. An EQB will follow later in the year. Last for 2021 is an EQE, the electric E-Class. For 2022, U.S.-built EQE SUV and EQS SUVs will arrive, again sharing an assembly line with their gas counterparts.

Canoo

A settlement involving Hyundai and owners of certain 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre four-cylinder engines found in various 2011 through 2019 model- year vehicles has been reached, covering four class-action lawsuits in Canada. Owners of vehicles with the engines, called “Theta II,” and installed in 2011-2019 Sonata, 2013-2019 Santa Fe Sport and 2014, 2015, and 2019 Tucson models, can choose to submit claims, exclude themselves, or object to the settlement. The suit claims that the engines can suffer from seizure, stalling, failure, and/or fire, while Hyundai denies the allegations but agreed to the settlement to avoid further costs and risks. The settlement provides warranty extensions, a software update, compensation for repairs, and other compensations for owners. The settlement must be approved by the courts, which is expected to happen in February.

Canoo

Honda is recalling close to 100,000 vehicles in Canada, including some Acura models, for an issue with front axle shafts on 2007-2015 vehicles. Those cars, including 2007-2014 Honda Fit, 2012 Civic Hybrid, 2013-2015 Acura ILX and 2013-2015 Honda Accord vehicles have front axle shaft paint that could be damaged by road debris. Missing paint could lead to corrosion, which could eventually lead to the shafts breaking and a loss of power to the wheels or a vehicle rolling away while parked. Honda will notify customers by mail with instructions to head to a dealer for inspection and possible replacement of the axles.

Canoo

Volkswagen of America has just launched a cool augmented reality experience that lets you look at the electric ID.4 crossover as well as the upcoming Taos compact crossover from the comfort of your driveway. Using your smartphone, the mobile experience lets you look “around” the cars from your couch or driveway, or, really, anywhere. The browser-based system lets you change paint colours and wheels, and lets you see the interior of the vehicles as well. VW said that depending on feedback, they could expand the AR system that could include other vehicles and improvements to the product.

Canoo

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Wheels 2020 Newsmaker of the Year Jerry Dias

If Canadian automotive manufacturing is an orchestra of sorts, then Jerry Dias could be viewed as the conductor.

Dias has made a 40-plus year career of union work, from beginning as a shop steward to being elected National President of Unifor in 2013. But his watershed moment came this autumn when he successfully negotiated collective agreements with all three Detroit automakers to keep vehicle production in Canada, including crucial commitments for electric vehicle production thanks to investment from the federal and Ontario provincial governments.

For spearheading this achievement that has brought Canadian auto manufacturing back from the brink, Dias is the Toronto Star Wheels 2020 Newsmaker of the Year.

Earlier in 2020, calling the situation in Canadian auto manufacturing dire was no exaggeration. General Motors halted the lines at the Oshawa assembly plant in December 2019, ending more than a century of production. The Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Windsor Assembly Plant, which produces the automaker’s minivans, cut its third shift on July 10 when Dodge Grand Caravan production ended, eliminating 1,500 jobs. And rumours began to swirl in June that the Ford Edge was about to be discontinued, leaving the fate of the Blue Oval’s Oakville Assembly facility in the balance.

Meanwhile, negotiations were under way to activate the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a revised North American free trade agreement often referred to as the “new NAFTA.” Securing favourable terms for Canada in that agreement acted as a keystone for the automotive collective bargaining that followed soon after the USMCA came into force, Dias told Toronto Star Wheels.

“We were the only union that was really hands-on, and we never missed one round of bargaining,” Dias said. “So much of the final [USMCA] has our fingerprints all over it.”

Dias cited victories such as softening the Trump administration’s proposals around the percentage of a vehicle’s content that must originate in the United States, plus the added requirement that at least 45 percent of a vehicle built under USMCA must be at labour rates of at least USD$16 per hour. These examples of Unifor’s influence set the stage for the collective bargaining that was to follow, he said.

“[It] put some barriers around the industry that would protect workers in the United States and Canada, but also it was about elevating the standard of living for Mexican auto workers,” Dias said. “A Mexican auto worker should be able to afford the vehicle that they build.”

Less than a month before the USMCA was enacted, the other shoe dropped: Dias received a tip confirming that the Edge’s days were numbered and Oakville Assembly would need new product to survive. With that knowledge in hand, and with encouraging phone calls from Ford executives who were willing to collaborate on a solution, Unifor selected Ford as the first of its three collective bargaining targets in late September.

The result of that first round: a $1.8-billion investment in retooling Oakville to build five new battery electric vehicles beginning in 2025, products that had previously been earmarked for Mexico, plus a new derivative for the company’s engine plant in Windsor.

The second round of negotiations with FCA ended with the automaker committing $1.58 billion for the its Ontario-based plants. Windsor will be retooled for additional plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles with at least one new model headed to the plant, resulting in the third shift being recalled and up to 2,000 jobs created by 2024. In addition, Bramalea Assembly will build three new variants of the Dodge Charger and Challenger and will continue to produce the Chrysler 300 sedan, and the Etobicoke Casting Plant will see two new products and an investment of $14 million.

These commitments to Canadian EV production in particular were make-or-break for the industry, Dias said.

“There have been over $300 billion worth of global announcements on EVs, and not one nickel had been allocated to Canada,” he said. “Forecasters are saying that by 2040, 50 percent of the world market will be electric vehicles. … If you’re not in the game today, then you’re out.”

In the final round of negotiations with General Motors, the shock announcement was the resurrection of Oshawa. The line will start back up in 2022 building light and heavy-duty pick-ups, heralding a $1.3 billion investment and the return of 1,700 jobs to Oshawa alongside $109 million in upgrades to the engine plant in St. Catharines.

Dias said Oshawa can only restart because it was never fully decommissioned and dismantled. Instead, it was converted to produce aftermarket parts, a 10-year arrangement that was a direct result of Unifor’s negotiations with the automaker when vehicle production stopped in 2019.

Jerry Dias

“We basically got a stay of execution,” Dias said. “We bargained that GM would maintain the integrity of the plant, which [maintained] the ability to build vehicles in the future.”

After many months of careful strategizing – “the ultimate chess game,” as Dias called it – the end result was three home runs with three automakers investing profoundly in the future of Canadian automotive manufacturing.

The scope of this victory is enormous, from securing a future for Canadian parts suppliers to establishing a domestic supply chain for electric vehicle battery production that will inject millions more dollars into the Canadian economy.

But Dias said his rewards come through seeing first-hand the impact these deals will have on the people they’re designed to help most: Canada’s humble and hard-working auto workers.

“My father, two of my sisters, my nieces and nephews live in Oshawa,” he said. “Manufacturing shut down, including the entire auto industry, for a period of time. You lost your job, and then the pandemic hit and there was no chance of finding other employment. It was the deepest, darkest moments that people can live through.

“[With the news that Oshawa would resume production,] all of a sudden the whole community changed. The mood changed. Now, things are going to completely rebound. Their despair has changed. It’s replaced by hope.”

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Ford’s Stoneley thinks Ontario could be BEV Centre

Each year in December, Toronto Life magazine publishes a list called the 50 Most Influential Torontonians. Dean Stoneley, president of the Ford Motor Co. of Canada, which employs 7,000 people and is leading the electric vehicle and electric battery revolution in Ontario, came in at No. 42, 36 places behind Dan Levy, who created the TV show Schitt’s Creek.

Stoneley needn’t feel ashamed. Levy finished ahead of Mayor John Tory, too.

And despite $1.8 billion pledged to revolutionize the manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries at a revamped Oakville manufacturing facility that involved negotiations (and money) from the federal government (Navdeep Bains, minister of innovation, science and industry) and Queen’s Park (Vic Fedeli, minister of economic development, job creation and trade), not to forget the president of Unifor, Jerry Dias, Stoneley was the only one of them named to this year’s list.

I might be biased, but in keeping with the green revolution sought by so many of the people who read that magazine, the rescue of much of the automotive industry in this province – in fact, the rescuing of pretty much the entire Ontario economy – seems to me to be more important for inclusion on that list than half the Toronto Raptors, Drake and the ever-present Margaret Attwood and Chrystia Freeland.

In any event, in its mini profile of Stoneley, Toronto Life noted that Ford Canada had produced more than 2.75 million face shields to help in the fight against COVID-19. Naturally, when I had a chat with him the other day, I asked him about that, particularly whether they had managed to sneak a Ford promo onto the shields.

One thing I particularly like about Stoneley – we drove around in a Ford for a video in advance of the Canadian International Auto Show in February – is his sense of humour. “We’re just winding that down,” he said. “But yes, there was a little Ford logo on it. We took the premier (Doug Ford) down to Windsor and he enjoyed seeing that,” he added, laughing.

The young president – he began his career with Ford in 1992 and served in sales and marketing in Canada, the United States, South Africa, South Korea, Japan and China before taking over the top job in Canada two years ago come February – said that Ford Motor donated hundreds of thousands of the masks to their dealers around the province and had a contract with Ottawa, but it was just ending.

“We’re not doing that any more,” he said, adding that, “we still have the capability, though, if called upon again.”

One thing they are not ending, however, is the transition to electric car and battery production at Oakville that, if everything goes as planned, will see the first BEVs rolling off the line in 2024, or thereabouts.

“The whole team here is really energized with the plan for Oakville,” he said. “There’s no question, for us, that electricity is the future for all the right reasons, in terms of the environment and the planet. We’re really energized and Oakville is part of that really exciting automotive future with Ford being 100 per cent dedicated to Battery Electric Vehicles.”

I asked him if Ontario could become a centre for BEV production in North America – the go-to place for manufacturing and raw materials for battery production. He said he thought so and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ford, Bains and Fedeli share his company’s vision.

“The support they gave us is crucial to making all this happen,” he said. “And yes, I think there is a larger ambition there. We would want to continue to work with all levels of government on what that larger ambition could be. I think Oakville is Step One in that journey, which is anchoring an assembly plant here in Ontario where we’ll be assembling battery packs, a first for Canada.”

Stoneley said there have been very preliminary discussions held with government concerning what could be called the next step. But it would be a huge project, in any event.

“(From) the minerals in the ground to full batteries – there’s a really big undertaking there, he said. “I’m not an expert when it comes to mining but what I would focus on is scale. I would be very excited if other companies decide to electrify their vehicles in the province, which would provide more scale and that would benefit everybody.

“We’re always on the lookout for innovative and cost-effective supplies and while I think it might be premature to draw any conclusions around that, we would clearly like to be part of that discussion.”

Dean Stoneley

Stoneley said Canada has all the right ingredients. “We’ve got an incredible work force here but also in terms of academia and R&D and access to just amazing talent,” he said. “We’d love to be a part of that journey in terms of how big this could get.”

The president said he’s not too concerned – yet – about the lack of infrastructure across the country when it comes to powering electric vehicles. “We’re working at creating that charging network,” he said, adding that Ford has an app that gives its customers access to charging locations – 13,000 of them across North ‘America including 4,000 in Canada.

“I don’t think infrastructure is the primary constraint (to commercial success) at this point,” he said. “The value equation is there and as people start buying Battery Electric Vehicles, I believe the infrastructure will come along as a partnership between industry and government.”

Stoneley said that while the Edge will continue to be built at Oakville in the short term, “our plan is to phase out internal combustion engine-powered cars entirely and just go with the BEVs. It will be a dedicated BEV plant. There will be several products coming out of it, not just one. There will be a range of products but all will be dedicated BEVs.”

The president said he, personally, was enthusiastic about what was happening within Ford.

“We’re excited about electrifying our commercial fleet, for instance. It’s exciting to see that take shape. It’s going to transform the whole industry in terms of commercial worksites and just the capabilities that those vehicles are going to bring. It’s really an exciting time to be in this industry, to be right here during this transformation to electrification.”

If this transformation is as successful as he thinks it will be, and he keeps talking the way he has to this point, Toronto Life is going to have to include Stoneley on their list again next year.

They might even put him ahead of Dan Levy.

Norris McDonald Special to Wheels.ca

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2021 North American Car of the Year Finalists

The nine finalists for the North American Car of the Year (NACTOY) awards for 2021 have been announced. Here are this year’s finalists listed in alphabetical order within each category:

Car of the Year:

Genesis G80

Hyundai Elantra

2021 NACTOY

Nissan Sentra

2021 NACTOY

Truck of the Year:

Ford F-150

2021 NACTOY

Jeep Gladiator Mojave

2021 NACTOY

Ram 1500 TRX

2021 NACTOY

Utility Vehicle of the Year:

Ford Mustang Mach E

2021 NACTOY

Genesis GV80

2021 NACTOY

Land Rover Defender

2021 NACTOY

The final round of voting takes place in early January 2021, and the winners will be revealed on January 11.

“In this very challenging year, these nine vehicles emerged as our Finalists out of an unusually strong field of 27 Semifinalists,” said NACTOY president Gary Witzenburg. “Each one of them – especially the 15 in the ultra-competitive utility vehicle category – is excellent in nearly every way. Not to mention the automakers’ unusually difficult challenge of getting our 50 jurors from all over North America into their candidate vehicles for testing and evaluation prior to our later-than-usual voting deadline.”

“Just as individual car buyers have their own purchase criteria, each of our 50 expert jurors has his or her own individual process for evaluating candidate vehicles,” said NACTOY Vice President Jack R. Nerad, “which results in a robust and comprehensive competition that looks at the contenders from every possible angle. We are proud of the vast experience and diversity of our panel of jurors.”

Two of those 50 jurors, Lesley Wimbush and yours truly, are Wheels regulars.

2021 NACTOY

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Base Camp: 2021 Honda Passport Sport

Despite appearances, we haven’t gotten into the holiday cheer and written a headline with something of a stutter. Honda introduced the two-row Passport a couple of model years ago, seeking to nab a few customers looking for a machine roughly the size of its Pilot but with seating for five and a cargo area dedicated to, well, cargo.

So doing, they largely binned their traditional trim designations of LX and EX for this machine, instead applying the Sport moniker to the Passport’s entry-level model. Starting at $43,305, it is powered by Honda’s 3.5-litre V6 engine, making 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. This, and the nine-speed automatic transmission, are equipped at all trim levels. In other words, everyone gets the same amount of power no matter how much they spend on a Honda Passport. Driver aids like adaptive cruise control and LaneWatch are standard across the board.

Look for heated seats and steering wheel in the Sport, along with a remote engine starter and power moonroof. The powered driver’s seat adjusts 10 ways, but passengers will have to suffer the indignity of manual quad adjustments. Back seat passengers will enjoy seats that slide fore/aft for better legroom and the seatbacks split 60/40 if owners wish to ditch the kids and expand the cargo area. A handy front wiper de-icer helps unstick those rubber blades from the windshield in winter, while push button start makes digging for keys a thing of the past.

Infotainment is handled by a display audio system that can pair with Apple or Android phones to mirror their user interface. Seven speakers are capable of playing Baby Shark or CBC News with equal clarity. Infuriatingly, satellite radio capability is not included, continuing a trend at Honda of denying this feature to entry-level customers no matter if they’re buying a sub-$20,000 Civic or this mid-$40,000 Passport. The functionality is included in the leather-lined EX-L, a vehicle with an infotainment system that is broadly similar to the Sport’s. Perhaps an enterprising aftermarket shop can activate the satellite radio feature after you drive off the lot.

The neighbours will need a keen eye to spot the Sport, as its interior styling is very similar to that of the more expensive EX-L and Touring trims. All of them get colour-keyed door handles, twin exhaust outlets, and LEDs in the head-, tail-, and fog lights. Sport does have black wheels, different than the EX-L but similar to the Touring. The lack of colour choice on the Sport rankles but the thing looks good in a dark shade of paint so we’re willing to give it a pass. This time.

What We’d Choose

Spending an extra $3,600 on EX-L leather seats and a few other minor features doesn’t appeal to us, nor does making the $7000 walk to the Touring for items like a power hands-free liftgate and a return to black wheels. If not for the glaring omission of satellite radio, this decision would be simple. As it stands, we recommend sticking with the well-equipped Sport and topping up your Spotify subscription.

Find rest of the Base Camp series here

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Norris McDonald’s Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

As racing is finished for 2020 – and good riddance to this awful year, I say – here are the top 10 motor sport stories of 2020.

1. THERE WAS RACING:

The fact that there was racing at all, post-Rolex 24 at Daytona in January and the Daytona 500 in February, was a miracle in itself. Word of the coronavirus was around earlier than that but nobody got terribly excited about it, including the World Health Organization. When the pandemic was declared in mid-March, though, the world ground to a halt. Racing – all kinds, from Formula One to IndyCar, IMSA and NASCAR – was threatened. Pro racing drivers were playing video games, it was that bad. All sanctioning bodies were frantic to find a way to run because of television contracts and sponsorship money that depended on performance. NASCAR was the first to go, without spectators, and little by little the rest of the leagues followed suit. Spectators were allowed in at some venues but, for the most part, people got their racing fix via television. Even the Indy 500 was run without people present – in August, three months late. That’s the good news about racing in 2020. Here’s the bad news about 2021: it will probably be very much like 2020, even with the vaccine. Only when the numbers drift down to nearly zero will the doors of speedways and race tracks be thrown open and thousands of people let in. My crystal ball says, don’t hold your breath.

2. GROSJEAN’S GREAT ESCAPE:

Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

There have been big accidents in motor sport since racing began but the crash in the Grand Prix of Bahrain involving Romain Grosjean of Haas F1 was, without doubt, one of the worst. His car, out of control, hit an ARMCO barrier while traveling about 135 miles an hour. The car sliced through the barrier and separated, with the engine and gearbox going one way and the halo-protected cockpit another. A fuel line leading from the pump near the cockpit to the tank at the back was exposed and continued pumping fuel that immediately ignited, enveloping the cockpit. The medical car that chases the field on the first lap of any Grand Prix pulled up and Dr. Ian Roberts jumped out, stopping momentarily to turn on a fire extinguisher held by a momentarily confused corner worker before heading toward the fire and the cockpit where Grosjean was trapped. And then, out of the fire, came what appeared to be a ghost. It was Romain Grosjean, who jumped over the barrier and hobbled away with an injured foot, some banged-up ribs and slight burns to the backs of his hands. It was a miracle. There is no other word for it.

3. SOCIAL ACTION:

Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

When George Floyd died in police custody in June – a police officer knelt on his neck for 20 minutes – it set off a firestorm of rage felt around the world. Lewis Hamilton, the only black driver in Formula One, convinced the series and his fellow drivers to pause for a moment before each race to show respect. The series agreed to promote the slogan “We race as one,” while Hamilton himself wore a t-shirt that said, “Black lives matter.” Meantime, Bubba Wallace, who convinced NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag, was the target, apparently, of a noose left hanging in his NASCAR garage. Whether it was meant for him or not, it resulted in NASCAR, its owners, other drivers, engineers and mechanics walking behind Wallace as he and his crew pushed his car to the front of pit lane at the race in Talladega – an incredible sight. NASCAR star Kyle Larson, meantime, was overheard using a racial slur during an online racing game and was fired by his team and suspended by NASCAR for the 2020 season. And Roger Penske is mentoring a minority-owned Road to Indy entry in the USF2000 series with the aim of having a black driver qualify to race in the Indianapolis 500 in 2023. No other sport did as much.

4. SAUDI ARABIA:

Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

Formula One showed – or tried to show – that it had a social conscience in its dealings with racial intolerance during the 2020 season. And then, inexplicably, it announced it would race in 2021 in Saudi Arabia. Of all the Middle East countries, from Iran to Syria to Bahrain and the UAE, Saudi Arabia is the epitome of a country ruled by a ruthless dictatorship. Kidnappings, murder, false imprisonment and torture are a way of life in that par of the world. Never mind that part of the world: the news now is that the ruling prince sent a hit squad to Canada to try to rub out a critic. Of course, the royals running those places aren’t stupid. They hire the world’s best public-relations firms to improve their image. They get Tiger Woods over there to play golf and Roger Federer to play tennis. WWE rasslin’? You bet. The European LPGA Tour just held a tournament there in that liberal, tolerant country where women have equal rights (that’s sarcasm, folks). The prince sits down to be interviewed by retired but still-well-known TV personalities who lob the softball questions and that tyrant comes off sounding like he has nothing but love and affection for his fellow men and women (unless they’re members of his family and he has them all in jail). And people around the world go on social media and see this stuff and say, “Hey, those folks aren’t so bad after all.” Liberty Media, the company that owns F1, is so hungry for money that they ignore all this. They pretend they don’t know they’re being used for propaganda. But they are and they should be ashamed. Lewis Hamilton took the lead in making the series stand up and acknowledge racial injustice. Now he has to say, “I’m not going to race there until all political prisoners, including all the women, are set free.” Unless that happens, if F1 carries on and goes to Saudi Arabia, it will be a black mark that may never be erased.

5. HAMILTON WINS SEVENTH TITLE:

Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

Lewis Hamilton won his seventh world championship this season, tying Michael Schumacher. He will likely re-sign with Mercedes for at least a year and that will probably give him his eighth, making him the greatest of all time. Or does it? (Of course, he could retire, as some are suggesting, because of what happened to Romain Grosjean, and he would remain tied with Schumacher for all time. But I think that’s unlikely.) Now, there have been arguments since motorsport began as to who was the best driver: Vukovich, Fangio, Hawthorne, Nuvolari, Villeneuve, Clark, Stewart, Fittipaldi, Andretti, Gurney and on and on. I tend toward Schumacher because he, essentially, created the team that designed and engineered the car that he drove to five consecutive championships (of his seven in total). Others disagreed, as a Twitter debate showed. What I particularly admired about Schumacher was that when he won a race, he thanked each and Ferrari employee at the circuit individually. One year in Montreal, I watched as he emerged from the debriefing as the “roadies” were packing up for the flight back to Europe. He ran up to them, grinning and high-fiving with them all. He looked genuinely happy to be in their company. Schumacher never lost a championship to a teammate. Hamilton did. And George Russell proved just about anybody can drive that Mercedes. Despite what they might say about him going to the factory to visit, he’s a cold fish around the race track, not paying particular attention to anyone, never mind people on his team. Two years ago, in Montreal, people scattered as he bombed through the paddock on a scooter (the other drivers all walked). Seconds later, a big, overweight, man went running after him. It took a moment for the penny to drop: it was his bodyguard, struggling to keep up. Lewis might not see it, but Schumacher would never do that.

6. ELLIOTT NEW NASCAR CHAMP:

Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

Seven years ago, in 2013, Chase Elliott won his first NASCAR race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park right here in Canada. Now he’s won his first NASCAR Cup championship and let there be no doubt, there’s plenty more where that came from. The 25-year-old son of NASCAR favourite Bill Elliott (Awesome Bill from Dawsonville), Chase Elliott went from the trucks the following year to win the 2014 Nationwide stock car series, the first rookie to win a NASCAR national title and the youngest champion in that league. He was the 2016 Sprint Cup rookie-of-the-year and voted by the fans as the Cup series’ most popular driver. His first Cup win came on the road course at Watkins Glen in 2018, showing his versatility. He, of course, had a great tutor in his father. The late Dean McNulty told a story of that first trucks race at CTMP in 2013. “They were coming out of their trailer and Chase had his collar open. ‘Do it up,’ said his father. ‘There’s a sponsor logo there and you always have to promote your sponsors.’ The-then 18-year-old did it up. “The old man wasn’t leaving anything to chance,” Dean said. And the Dean of Speed was right: a credit to his sponsors and his sport, Chase Elliott is now a big-league champion at age 25, with a long career in front of him.

7. DIXON WINS SIXTH INDYCAR CHAMPIONSHIP:

Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

I was lucky enough, in 2001, to be in Nazareth, Pa., for a CART race that was won by Scott Dixon, who was driving for PacWest Racing at the time. Roger Penske was the Grand Marshal for that race – his Penske Logistics and Penske Truck Rental companies are headquartered in nearby Reading, Pa. and the grandstands at the now-demolished Nazareth Speedway were full of people wearing souvenir red-and-white Penske dress shirts – and he was asked to say, “Gentlemen, Start Your Engines.” But the microphone cut out after the word, “Gentlemen,” which was a bit of a letdown for everybody. That victory, by the way, was Dixon’s first in Indy car racing and in 2003 he moved to Chip Ganassi Racing, where he’s been ever since and where he’s won all his championships, starting that same year and continuing through 2008, ’13, ’15, ’18 and this year, 2020. Of course, in 2008, he also won the Indianapolis 500. Dixon is a regular participant in long-distance sports car races and has announced plans to run in next January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. He is one of the finest racing drivers and one of the finest family men in racing.

8. JOHN FORCE TAKES A YEAR OFF:

Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

The NHRA lost its biggest star and his entire Top Fuel and Funny Car teams in 2020 when John Force announced before the season started that he would not be competing. Neither did Funny Car champion Robert Height or former Top Fuel champion Brittany Force. Force kept his situation close to the vest but finally had to explain his decision. He simply didn’t feel he could give the value his sponsors expected with COVID-19 around. And there was something else that was unsaid: the 16-time drag-racing champion is 71-years-old. People over 65 are statistically more vulnerable and the last thing a senior needs is to come down with the virus. Good for John Force. It’s better to not race in order to race another day. Hopefully, we’ll see Force and his teams back on the straight line in 2021.

9: JIMMIE JOHNSON MAKES A MID-CAREER CORRECTION:

Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

I think Jimmie Johnson is having a mid-life crisis. I think he thinks he’s 21 again. The seven-time NASCAR Cup champion, including five in a row (and don’t kid yourself; he had a much tougher road to hoe than Michael Schumacher ever did) is no longer competitive in Cup, so has decided to go IndyCar racing. In his prime, nobody was better in NASCAR than Jimmie Johnson. Working with his legendary crew chief Chad Knauss, he was just about unbeatable. But that pairing hasn’t been together for a few years now and Johnson hasn’t been very competitive. At 44, he was close at times, but no cigar. He didn’t even make the playoffs this season and almost half the field qualifies for the playoffs. So rather than bow out gracefully, Johnson struck a deal with Chip Ganassi and he will race the IndyCar road and street courses next year with Tony Kanaan running the ovals. He will also race in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The 24 is a marathon and Johnson could conceivably do okay but the IndyCar Series is something else. As is the case with NASCAR, IndyCar is undergoing a changing of the guard and the new drivers are all young and hungry. I wish Johnson the best of luck but I hope he doesn’t get run over.

10: JASON HATHAWAY, ED HAKONSON WIN FIRST NASCAR CANADA CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Top 10 Motor Sport Stories for 2020

Now, I know there are going to be people who will say that there should be an asterisk, or something, beside the names of Hathaway and Hakonson but I don’t care if it was three races or six or two dozen: NASCAR Canada promoted a shortened Pinty’s Series season because of the coronavirus and when the races were over, Hathaway, the driver, and Hakonson, the owner, were the champs. And the really nice thing is that it was the first championship either has won. Hathaway came ciose to the title in 2015, finishing second. He decided to step back from running full-time in the series in 2016, starting select races in Ontario and the Maritimes. He returned full-time in 2019 and won three of six races to win the 2020 championship. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. His car owner, Ed Hakonson, was stricken with polio as a child but never considered it a handicap. He went snowmobile racing and was involved in motorcycle racing. He started sponsoring cars in the CASCAR Super Series in the 1980s and continued to this very day, finally winning a championship in 2020. Well done, Ed. You are a credit to the sport. Oh, and you’re a nice guy too.

Norris McDonald / Special to Wheels.ca

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Review: 2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Special Edition

To be all things to all people isn’t easy, but it’s a challenge that the Toyota Corolla has taken on year after year with great success.

The Corolla sold over 1.5 million copies globally in 2019, and is on track to hit 50-million all-time sales since it debuted back in 1966. It is to automobiles as Coke is to soft drinks and it’s one of the most familiar sights on the road no matter where you are on this planet.

Through a combination of inoffensive styling, bulletproof, efficient powertrains, and proven dependability in all types of climates and locales, this compact Toyota has effectively mobilized the modern world very much like the VW Beetle did before it.

But in order to stay relevant in the age of the crossover the Corolla needed to expand its portfolio and add some fun into the mix. The current generation might just be the best looking to have ever left the factory floor, especially in hatchback form. If their goal was to attract a younger buyer, it’s an excellent effort.

Walking up to the limited-edition hatchback had me checking to make sure I had the right key fob in my hand, and that it didn’t have a GR badge somewhere on it. It doesn’t

Dipped in a sweet new colour called Supersonic red with black 18-inch wheels, and an aggressive looking body kit complete with faux dive planes, winged rocker panels, and a large roof spoiler, it wouldn’t look out of place on the set of a Fast and the Furious movie.

Take all of it away and the Hatchback is still an attractive vehicle with its slim LED headlamps, oversized grille, and clean body lines. It has genuine presence, a term that would have never been associated with a Corolla before.

Because there are only 200 of these special edition hatchbacks coming to Canada, and because “factory specials” have a sort of unspoken appeal to them, these will probably get snapped up quickly. However, nearly $3000 for what amounts to be nothing more than a body kit and a small badge on the deck lid would be much better spent elsewhere. If it’s performance you’re looking for, a good set of summer tires will be a smarter use of your cash.

The Special Edition Hatchback is based on the SE upgrade trim and so it comes well equipped with heated seats and a heated steering wheel (perfect for winter!), blind spot monitors and rear cross traffic alert. All Corolla Hatchbacks get an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system compatible with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, as well as a native navigation system, a rarity at this price point.

Also standard on all Corollas is Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0, a comprehensive suite of active safety and driver assistance tech that will help prevent or mitigate collisions. It’s an exceptional value, especially at the base price of $22,000. If you’re big on these systems it might be the best reason to go with a Corolla over some of the other competition.

2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Special Edition

The special edition hatch uses the same powertrain as the rest of the Hatchback lineup, so that means a 2.0-L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder that produces 168 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to what Toyota calls a Direct Shift CVT that uses a traditional first gear to get you going before handing shifting duties over to the its system of chains and pulleys. It feels better than what Honda uses but put your foot down at speed and its still a bit of a let down over a traditional stepped automatic.

Toyota has gone to great lengths to market the Corolla Hatchback to a more youthful audience by using words like dynamic, spirited, and exhilarating to describe what it feels like to drive one. They say it will make drivers pine for windy roads but in reality, the experience behind the wheel isn’t quite as fun as they’d have you believe.

Is it one of the better driving Corollas? Probably. It’s certainly more capable than the last generation but the only thing I was pining for was a bit more driving character to go with the flashy styling. The 4-cylinder sounds rough and unrefined at higher revs and the steering is dull and disconnected. Press too hard in the corners and the front end washes out quickly. Some of this is amplified by the soft winter tires on my tester but this hatch is far from the leader when it comes to handling dynamics.

2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Special Edition

Now before I get people writing me angry emails, know that I approached this specific Corolla thinking (hoping) that the racy looks would translate to the driving experience but sadly that was not the case.

Temper those expectations, however, and the Corolla Hatchback is a comfortable and quiet cruiser that will get terrific fuel economy and likely outlive its owner.

It’s a good hatchback too with a bump in cargo capacity for 2021 made possible by getting rid of the spare tire. You may or not be a fan of that move but it does save weight and you get 100 litres of extra space.

The back seats are still on the smallish side. At 6-feet I can squeeze in, but just barely, and I wouldn’t want to sit there for long. It’s definitely something to look at, especially when you consider that the Civic hatch is downright cavernous in comparison.

The Corolla paints with a wider brush. It’s the best selling car in the world because it’s a generalist and offers something for everyone. It’s dependable, comfortable, well made, and boasts some of the best safety tech in its class. If, however, you’re looking for a sportier experience or are the type that pines for windy roads, you’ll be better off looking at the competition.

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