Review: 2020 Volkswagen Arteon

After spending two full weeks driving one over the holidays, I’ve come to really appreciate the many virtues of the Volkswagen Arteon.

But there are two problems with that statement. One, I’m not currently in the market for a new car and, secondly, most Canadians who are don’t have the Arteon on their shopping lists.

And that’s a shame, because the Arteon is a really fine car. But the lack of interest in passenger cars among new car buyers in North America isn’t just an existential threat facing the Arteon, it’s a reality that confronts all sedans these days, including those with nameplates such as Accord and Camry.

No, those two aren’t going away – yet. But the segment they occupy is shrinking at an alarming rate. Less than a quarter of new cars sold currently sold in Canada are passenger cars. When asked, automakers remaining in the sedan space have told me they’re staying (for now) because the segment is still big and their cars sell well enough, particularly in the U.S., to justify their existence. The question is for how long?

Which brings me back the Arteon, Volkwagen’s flagship sedan that was introduced as an all-new model in 2019 and is freshly face lifted for 2021. While the two aren’t related, the Arteon essentially replaced the CC in the lineup after it bit the dust in 2017. All units sold in Canada come in Execline form, which is Volkswagen-speak for fully loaded. The only powertrain on offer is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (268 hp / 258 lb-ft) paired with an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system.

Built in Emden, Germany on the company’s modular transverse matrix (MQB) platform that underpins just about every vehicle Volkswagen sells (except for the North American Passat, a car whose days really are numbered), the Arteon is long and wide with the lines of a coupe but with the interior space of a sedan.

The Arteon is about as close as a Volkswagen product can get to being an Audi without carrying the four interlocking rings badge. From its sleek proportions to its austere, but very well appointed, interior the Arteon is unlike any Volkswagen I’ve ever driven.

A sleek design that features full LED lighting at all four corners, along with standard 18-inch wheels is complimented by an interior with a long list of standard amenities including two-tone leather seating, configurable Volkswagen digital cockpit, eight-inch multimedia touchscreen, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, power liftback, moonroof and a lot more.

Review 2020 Volkswagen Arteon

The pre-facelift 2020 I drove is a Urano Grey press unit finished in Valencia Brown and Titan Black leather with no options and is one of few such vehicles I’ve driven with no extras. And, honestly, I couldn’t think of anything this car didn’t have that I would’ve added if I were building my own.

The Arteon’s cabin is spacious, comfortable and pleasingly straightforward to navigate. The digital instrument cluster takes some time to become fully familiar given its deep configurability, but everything else is in line with automotive convention, and I mean that in the best possible way. The wide array of mechanical knobs and buttons for stereo and climate controls are ideal for reducing distraction and I didn’t have to go searching for anything. Sadly, things on this front are changing for 2021. More on that shortly.

On the road, the Arteon’s 2.0-litre turbo four won’t give anyone whiplash, but it hustles the Arteon along well in city and commuter traffic. The transmission sport option and drive mode setting sharpen throttle response somewhat, but not to a great degree. Despite its looks, the Arteon is no stealth fighter. Instead, it offers good everyday performance, secure handling, a comfortable ride and relatively quiet cabin. As much as I love performance, most buyers in the segment aren’t buying a car like the Arteon for that reason.

Before wrapping up, I’ll touch on changes in store for the 2021 Arteon, which is available at Volkswagen dealers now. In addition to a revised grille and front and rear fascia updates, the ’21 also sports a redesigned centre stack. Gone is the analogue clock and physical buttons used for climate controls. In their place is a touchscreen, which resembles units used in newer Audis.

Review 2020 Volkswagen Arteon

Interestingly, Volkswagen Canada is also eliminating the Arteon’s two option packages for bigger wheels and R Line kit. For ’21, 20-inch wheels and R Line equipment (badging, steering wheel, etc.) come standard. As a result, the Arteon’s base MSRP has jumped to $52,995.

Having seen photos of it, I must say the 20-inch wheels and R Line goodies make the Arteon look even sexier, but an extra $3,000 is a big increase. Paring back options can sometimes foreshadow a car’s demise, and while Volkswagen hasn’t commented publicly on its future, if Arteon sales were higher there would likely be more choice on the table. A price tag north of $50K could hurt the car’s limited appeal significantly, but with only 456 sold in 2019, Volkswagen Canada doesn’t have much to lose.

And so it goes for the mid-size sedan in North America. Fewer trims and options, but better than nothing at all. The Arteon is a good car with a lot of utility and content that would make for a good family vehicle, but few appear willing to put their money down. A sign of the times perhaps, but a car as good as this one deserves a better fate.

Review 2020 Volkswagen Arteon

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

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Review: 2021 BMW M440i

Very few new automobiles that were released in 2020 have garnered as much controversy as the 2021 BMW 4 Series. If there’s an unwritten rule among the BMW faithful, is that fiddling with the kidney grille is a sacrilegious act; one BMW has taken the liberty of undertaking with little remorse about how its owners would react.

Personally, I’m only starting to be at peace with the new, vertically inclined and very large schnoz. It did however attract a lot of eyeballs wherever I drove the car. But perhaps what stayed with me the most after driving this second-generation 4-Series was the realization that it has more than ever distanced itself from the 3-Series sedan on which it’s based. For better or for worse.

While riding on the same modular, and frankly brilliant, CLAR architecture as the 3-Series and identical 2,849-mm wheelbase, the new 4-Series is a full 58 mm longer, 25 mm wider and 40 mm lower than its sedan twin. It’s also a considerably heavier machine, weighing in at a girthy 3,986 pounds (1,808 kg). This makes it a full 173 pounds heavier than a 3-Series.

And while that front end may look sort of weird, there’s no denying the resemblance to the larger 8-Series, especially from the side profile. Although this 4-Series doesn’t resemble a Ford Mustang as much as its big sister, which is good-news for 4-Series owners.

It’s fair to say, then, that BMW wants everyone to know that its new 4-Series is no longer just a two-door 3-Series. It’s a full-on grand tourer now, a car whose rear seat is finally usable thanks to vastly improved head and leg clearance.

The model you see here is the top-flight M440i, the most potent iteration of the model before entering M4 territory. While entry-level cars – which wear the 430i nomenclature – are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder good for 255 horsepower and 294 lb-ft of torque, this M440i gets BMW’s excellent turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six. It’s an engine that also powers the Toyota Supra, M340i and Z4 M40i, also known internally as the B58.

Power is rated at a class-competitive 382 horsepower and 364 lb-ft of torque. All of it is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission sourced by ZF in Germany, while BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system comes standard on all models sold in Canada.

What’s more, the M440i is equipped with a 48-volt mild hybrid system that contributes to adding 11 horsepower to the engine, as it’s building boost. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is therefore claimed by BMW in just under four seconds, which is downright mind-blowing for this category of cars. Remember, this isn’t even the M4 yet.

2021 BMW M440i

So yes, the M440i is blindingly quick off the line, and its impeccable automatic transmission quickly makes you forget a six-speed manual is no longer available. Unfortunately, the car’s driving dynamics don’t quite match the visceral delivery of power.

I’m not saying the M440i isn’t a great performer on a twisty road, because it is. It’ll provide grip for days and its ability to carry speed effortlessly as you bathe in a comfortable, highly functional and impeccably put together cabin remains a BMW strongpoint. What I’m all about is that the steering wheel simply doesn’t feel as connected to the car anymore. There’s an annoying rubberized feel here that you don’t get from an M340i. This means you can’t commit to an apex with the same kind of confidence as in the former car.

Perhaps the lack of tactility comes from BMW’s variable-ratio steering rack whose quick ratios amplify the artificial feel, but it sure as heck isn’t as precise as what I’ve sampled in other Bavarian-built sports coupes. Could this be BMW’s way of further enforcing the 4-Series’ grand tourer pretentions?

Not sure, but there’s no denying that this 4-Series now focuses on enveloping its passengers in a cocooning experience rather than connecting its driver to the road. And in typical BMW fashion, the 4-Series excels at providing a full array of customization options to its driver, from BMW’s fully digital gauge pod, to the always pleasant and intuitive iDrive infotainment interface. The M440i’s drivetrain is also immensely efficient, even with this much performance on tap. Activate its thriftiest EcoPro setting, and it’ll happily return fuel consumption averages that are below 10L/100 km.

That all being said, there’s no denying that the end product is very well executed, all while allowing the 4-Series to finally stand tall as its own bespoke model.

Back to that new grille: while I absolutely hated it when it was first released, I can’t help but admire BMW for taking such a risk. As the saying goes: regardless if you speak about it positively or negatively, what counts at the end of the day is that people are talking about your product. And folks love yapping away about how they feel about this new face. Perhaps this is the result of marketing genius from BMW? Only time will tell us if this new styling direction was a hit or a miss.

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Base Camp: 2021 Hyundai Elantra Essential

Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, wide swaths of Canadians still purchase or lease compact sedans. Their numbers are shrinking, to be sure, but there are more than a few automakers willing to re-up their offerings in this important segment.

Not the least of which is Hyundai. For the 2021 model year, its compact Elantra has been extensively refurbished, donning a new set of clothes and snazzy interior. A Korean designer once told us that people in his country like it when a newly introduced model looks completely different from the old one it is replacing. This helps to explain Elantra’s wild design changes heading into this year.

Under the hood is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine making a totally appropriate 147 horsepower. Only this entry-level Elantra is offered with a six-speed manual transmission as standard equipment, and the car is better off because of it. An automatic ‘box in the form of a continuously variable transmission is available at a $1,900 premium to the $17,899 base price.

Hyundai built its rep in this country on offering scads of standard features for reasonable prices. This does not change with the 2021 Elantra. Despite being at the bottom of the totem pole, the Essential trim included heated cloth front seats, remote keyless entry, and power windows with auto down for the driver. An 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system stands tall on the dashboard, ready to play ball with Bluetooth connectivity and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay.

Air conditioning is part of the deal, along with a tilt/telescope steering wheel and the heated side view mirrors are power adjustable. Spotting a base Elantra isn’t easy, since they incorporate alloy wheel (no steelies with hubcaps here) and colour-keyed trim. Sadly, anything other than the Polar White shown here will cost an extra $200.

What We’d Choose

It is tempting to bump oneself up to the Elantra Preferred, a machine which features several extra safety features like collision-avoidance assists for blind-spot and rear cross-traffic locations. There’s nothing wrong with a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, either. However, the $4,000 price walk does give us pause, though that delta shrinks to $2100 when one considers the automatic transmission.

Actually, it’s the latter that seals the Essential for us. Rowing your own gears isn’t for everyone (here’s a salute to all of you with a stop-and-go commute) but we’ll take our automotive fun where we can. Finding a well-equipped and uniquely styled car as part of the deal is simply icing on a particularly sweet cake.

Find rest of the Base Camp series here

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Welcome to Nissan Next

Nissan exported its Datsun small cars to become the automaker’s ambassador brand in North America 60 years ago, but not before replacing Joseph “the Prince of Darkness” Lucas’s electrical systems with reliable Japanese components.

Innovative engineering helped make the British Austin-inspired Bluebird a minor curiosity when it landed here. By 1971 Datsun was the top-selling import automaker in Canada, offering exceptional cars like the Datsun 510 and the 240Z sports car. In an alignment with its global brand, the Datsun nameplate was replaced with the Nissan badge in 1985.

The 1990s weren’t kind to Nissan. Financial difficulties prompted it to form an alliance with France’s Renault in 1999, which paved the way for Carlos Ghosn to bring his cost-cutting skills to Japan. He spearheaded an aggressive downsizing campaign that brought Nissan back from the brink of bankruptcy.

Ghosn stepped down as Nissan president in 2017, and was dismissed outright in 2018 following his arrest for allegedly underreporting his income to Japanese authorities. Ghosn’s fall from grace – he had been an executive rock star in Japan – seemed to cast a shadow in showrooms. Nissan’s global sales fell 10.6 per cent last year, although it may have had more to do with the automaker’s aging product line.

Enter Steve Milette, president of Nissan Canada, who joined the firm in 2017 as vice-president of sales operations. He acknowledges that Nissan needed a deep rethink, which formed the basis for the Nissan NEXT product plan, unveiled earlier in 2020. Glimpses of the next-generation Z sports car, the Ariya electric crossover SUV, and redesigned Kicks, Rogue and other models have piqued buyers’ interest.

“Nissan NEXT is our transformational plan. Not only does it signal a new business approach, it’s also about changing the culture of the company,” says Milette. Central to the plan is the launch of 10 all-new and redesigned models over 20 months – an ambitious timetable that promises to make up for lost time.

Canadians have already seen some of the new wheels gathering in Nissan’s showrooms. The official launch of the redesigned Rogue – Nissan’s biggest volume seller – got a rousing reception from Nissan dealers.

“The new Rogue goes head-to-head with the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, yet it’s a class above in terms of fit and finish, along with its luxury cues,” says Milette. “It’s generated a lot of excitement and positive media coverage for us.”

The redesigned Sentra arrived at the worst possible moment – just as the pandemic lockdown began in mid-March – yet sales of the compact sedan grew by 44 per cent right out of the gate, Milette points out. The 2021 Sentra has already received a boost in content, while the sporty SR variant features a manual transmission at a time when the stickshift may very become a museum piece.

Sometimes corporate plans require culling the field. The diminutive Micra subcompact has been unceremoniously dropped from Nissan’s lineup – production ended in Mexico in December 2019 – although dealers had enough stock to sell it through 2020.

Budget-minded buyers might lament the demise of the $10,000 Micra, but Milette says Nissan has resurrected the Versa sedan as the replacement entry-level model – although its starting price of $16,495 doesn’t have quite the same appeal.

Milette counters that the 2021 Versa is packed with value, including air conditioning and helpful driver-assist safety features such as lane departure warning and pedestrian detection. It’s also a considerably bigger sedan than the tiny Micra hatchback.

“The all-new Versa is part of our one-two punch in the sedan segment, offering the subcompact Versa and compact Sentra to buyers on a budget,” explains Milette. “Our dealers also saw an opportunity for fleet sales with the Versa.”

Milette notes that Canadians are a little more preoccupied with the “quest for value” than our American neighbours, which is why Nissan is keen to plumb the economy end of the market. The redesigned 2021 Kicks represents another entry-level product, this time in the hot-selling subcompact crossover segment.

Nissan Next

“One of the effects of the pandemic is the movement towards low-cost commuter vehicles,” says Milette. Having embraced the work-at-home trend, city dwellers are relocating to the countryside – a groundswell that has more Millennials taking up car ownership for the first time. Nissan wants to be their car company with affordable “gateway” models like the Versa and Kicks.

Nissan is more than just economy cars, of course. It’s revamping its entire lineup with an eye to sparking excitement in a brand that’s sometimes been overlooked by shoppers. To do that, Nissan revisited its legacy nameplates.

It may not have broken the Internet, but the Z Proto reveal in September certainly generated some buzz. Video of a pearlescent yellow sports coupe carving up a test track has been viewed 1.4 million times, representing more than a few driving enthusiasts pining for a sleek, twin-turbo sports car.

“They could have made another SUV. We are glad they didn’t,” reads one grateful post online. The retro-styled Z is expected to be released in the first half of 2022.

Just unveiled is the 2021 Armada luxury SUV, a true body-on-frame sport utility that’s more chiseled and hard-edged than the outgoing model. The Frontier mid-size pickup will be redesigned for the first time in 16 years, powered by a new 3.8-litre V-6 that debuted in the 2020 model. And slotting between the little Kicks and the compact Rogue is the Qashqai crossover, the 2022 version sporting the Rogue’s headlight treatment and a more tapered greenhouse.

Key to Nissan’s future – and that of every automaker – is electrification. But unlike many manufacturers, the Japanese company has a past in this segment. After all, it’s the maker of the world’s bestselling all-electric car, the Leaf.

“We just marked the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the Nissan Leaf, with one-half million sold around the world to date,” notes Milette. “As pioneers in the EV space, we’re committed to electrification.”

Leafs have accumulated 16 billion kilometres to date and kept an estimated 2.5 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, Milette adds. Nissan intends to build on its momentum by selling one million electrified vehicles by 2023, thanks to its upcoming model, the Ariya.

This all-electric crossover will feature a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive, and two battery choices: standard 65 kWh with an output of 160 kW (215 horsepower) and a battery range of 321 km, or a 90 kWh pack with 290 kW (389 hp) of output with a range of 482 km. Not to mention the Ariya looks very cool.

Beyond its revamped product line, Nissan is striving to change the customer experience.

Its new Nissan Studio provides consumers with an up-close look at the bestselling models on display in a futuristic “product salon.” Physical vehicles are surrounded with an array of technology and accessory feature displays. The interactive website lets visitors speak with experts in real-time, and participate in one-on-one sessions or live product group tours in either English or French.

“Our showrooms will be different,” says Milette. “The recipes of the past are not the recipes of the future.”

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Review: 2020 GMC Sierra AT4 1500 Diesel

Diesel power was dealt a blow by various companies playing fast and loose with emissions regulations.

But given that the biggest blow to the environment for any vehicle is the manufacture of it, the most environmentally friendly vehicle is the one that lasts the longest. Diesel engines win easily here, because they typically last twice as long as gasoline engines. So the smarter car companies are sticking with Rudolf Diesel’s invention. No arguments from me.

Case in point: the GMC Sierra AT4 full-size pick-up.

My tester was actually a 2020 model year truck, but the 2021’s that are just arriving are essentially identical. My truck started at $63,098 and loaded with options, listed at $75,918. That’s big bucks.

Now, being a Diesel, it gets great fuel economy. Why would anybody who can afford a seventy-five grand truck care about saving fuel? Well, nobody ever got rich throwing money away. The AT4 designation is GMC’s second “sub-brand”. The first, Denali, has been phenomenally successful, aiming at pure “luxury”.

AT4 is pitched at off-roaders, with a darker, more sinister appearance, bright red tow hooks front and rear, uprated suspension and more rugged tires, all aimed at superior go-anywhere capability.

Review 2020 GMC Sierra AT4

As noted, my tester had GM’s 3.0-litre turbo-Diesel engine. It’s an inline six, so is inherently balanced for smooth operation. It produces 277 horsepower at 3,750 r.p.m., and a healthy 460 lb-ft of torque at a low 1,500 r.p.m. By compression ignition standards, this engine starts quickly – a 0°C. cold start took less than three seconds, quicker than I could buckle my seat belt.

By those same standards, it’s impressively quiet, at least from inside. Outside, there is some of the characteristic Diesel rattle. People will know you’re coming, but compared to my old Diesel Suburban, it’s a library in there. That good low-end torque gets you off the line quickly, and the smooth-shifting ten-speed automatic transmission means you can generally keep the revs under three grand.

Once you’re up to speed, the blocky-treaded Goodyear DuraTrac off-road tires make more noise than the engine. The stiffer suspension also costs in ride quality, making the AT4 a bit harsh on our pock-marked roads. The electric power steering provides good feel with enough heft to know you’re actually in command.

A “Drive Mode” knob sits on the dash to the left of the steering wheel. Crank it to the right to successively select Normal, Sport, or Off-Road settings, which changes various system responses to suit.

Frankly, I didn’t detect much difference between the first two, although the transmission holds onto gears longer before upshifting in Sport. I didn’t run the AT4 off-road, but I know from previous experience that it will go places you would not believe. There is also a pair of gauges to show you how steep and how “leaned over” you are.

If you crank that Drive Mode knob to the left, you get “Tow/Haul”, which calibrates things for towing a heavy trailer. This also enables trailer brake control and hitch alignment assistance when hooking up. The interior of the AT4 looks pretty much like all big GM trucks, with good looking quality, readable gauges, easy to reach controls, and a head-display that I was able to shut off. In front of the driver is the tachometer to the left, the speedo to the right, and four smaller gauges between them, for oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel level, and battery voltage.

Review 2020 GMC Sierra AT4

Many functions can be operated via the bright clear central screen, but many are also replicated with proper knobs or buttons. My guess is that a lot of off-roaders wear gloves that might not work with touch screens.

AT4 has all the tech you could want, and probably more, including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa, Sirius XM radio with a three-month free trial, USB A and C plugs, 12- and 120-volt outlets in the dash, plus built-in WiFi. Oddment storage is handled by a couple of open bins in the centre console, a massive covered central bin, and two glove boxes. Two cup holders too, of course.

The seats were upholstered in perforated leather, dark grey with orange accents. Those colours were picked up on the dash and door trim panels. The rear seat has loads of legroom. The seat cushions can be folded up to create a massive indoor storage space; the jack and tools are also stored under there. Panels in the backs of the two outboard rear seats can be opened to create out-of-sight bins for valuables like wallets or house keys.

The front seats are heated and ventilated; the two rear outboard seats are heated. There is also a steering wheel heater (yay) but there are gaps in the coverage, notably at the “quarter to three” positions that is where your hands are supposed to be. Big grab bars are provided at all four corners to ease ingress and egress, and for passengers to hold onto if the driver is doing some particularly athletic off-roading.

Key among the options on my tester was the “Carbonpro” composite bed, which should stand up well to serious bashing. This may be the biggest single use of carbon fibre bits offered in any volume vehicle. Looks cool too. It better, since it costs nearly five grand extra. The tailgate is a multi-function affair. Its downward motion is damped, so it opens smoothly. Push another tab, and part of it can be folded down to make a step for access to the bed. Footholds moulded into the lower rear corners of the truck and a foldable handle on the side of the bed further assist getting up into the box. Tow hooks all over the place help secure your load.

Like all GM vehicles, this one fails the ignition off / headlights off test. But it passes the side-view mirror test; you can adjust them far enough out to eliminate the so-called blind spots. There’s a host of driver assistance features – like lane-keeping assist – which as usual I shut off. Emergency automatic braking I tend to leave on. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Review 2020 GMC Sierra AT4

And the back-up camera has a wide variety of views, including a wide angle for when you have a trailer hooked on. There are also forward views available under certain conditions that can be helpful especially in tricky off-road situations.

And I like GM’s reverse warning system that vibrates your seat cushion instead of beeping, so nobody else in the truck knows.

The truck industry could build an entire year’s worth of vehicles and never build exactly the same truck twice. So it’s impossible for a reviewer to drive just one example and tell you everything you need to know. What I can tell you about the Sierra AT4 is that it’s a pricey but handsome and capable full-size truck which will go any place you could imagine, and more that you probably couldn’t.

The Diesel engine offers excellent performance. And, fuel economy – the best recorded in my truck was 7.4 litres per 100 km, which is stunning.

There are always compromises and in this case, ride quality and interior noise.

If those are deal-breakers, there are lots of options at your GMC store.

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

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2021 North American Car/Truck/Utility of the Year winners, and Commentary

DETROIT Michigan – Ford was the big winner at the 2021 North American Car of the Year Awards.

On the Truck side, the refreshed F-150 pickup easily took the trophy with 340 points over the Ram 1500 TRX (130) and Jeep Gladiator Mojave (30). In Utility Vehicle, the Mustang Mach E won with an astonishing 265 points (see below) beating out the Genesis GV80 (136) and Land Rover Defender (99). The Hyundai Elantra took Car of the Year in the closest fight in the event, earning 176 points over Genesis G80 (173), and Nissan Sentra (151).

The awards were chosen by a panel of 50 automotive journalists from across North America. Each juror has ten points to distribute any way they please for each category. The awards have been conducted annually since 1994.

Yours truly has been a member of the judging panel since its inception. And as usual, my votes bore slim resemblance to the winners. I was closest in car, as the Elantra deserves credit for being an excellent car at an affordable price. So is Nissan’s Sentra; that was probably the toughest call of them all.

Genesis G80 will not be a big seller, and it plays in a pricier ball park. “Value” is one of the criteria upon which our votes are to be based. Still, the G80 shows that the big-name European, Japanese and domestic brands have a real fight on their hands in the luxury sedan segment.

In Truck, it’s hard to complain too much about the Ford F-150 winning here, because it wins in the market place year after year. Ford billed it as a “totally new” truck which seems a bit of a stretch, given much of it is carried over from the previous model.

Personally, I leaned towards the Ram 1500 TRX. What was most impressive about it was how well it rides on the highway, given it was set up to tackle the toughest off-road conditions.

The Gladiator Mojave, a new variant of the vehicle that took this honour last year, was also excellent at both ends of the trail.

The biggest surprise – nay, shock – came in the Utility category, a.k.a., SUV. My well-known distaste for this class of vehicle is based largely on the fact that they are way too big, way too heavy, and way too inefficient for today’s market. But customers can’t get enough of them. To me, the obvious winner here – the most obvious in any of the three categories – was the only real SUV in the field, the Land Rover Defender. The fact that it is brilliant in every aspect of the game is almost beside the point. Its predecessors practically invented this category, and the new one is beyond brilliant at just about everything.

How could it possibly lose? Let alone come in a distant third?

The Genesis GV80 is much less efficient than its G80 sedan cousin, but is impressive in every way, so grudging respect for it. I still can barely bring myself to mention the name of the least Sporty, least Utilitarian Vehicle in this field, because applying that name to this vehicle is a grave insult to the heritage of the nameplate’s antecedents.

An SUV that would have difficulty challenging my driveway, let alone an off-road trail? And one you’d have to recharge for hours every couple hundred klicks? Better not try any serious boonie bashing in this thing, or you’ll have to call for someone with a Land Rover Defender to tow you home. I gave the Ford zero points, and still cannot believe it won.

Another failure of democracy.

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Racer Tagliani to Open Multi-level Kart Track

There are two people in the world, and only two, who can talk more than me.

The first is my good friend Peter MacLaurin, who owns a tree farm near Morin Heights in the Quebec Laurentians. Peter never stops. One time, years ago, when my mother, the late Grace Dorothy McDonald, fell and broke her wrist at Expo 67, Peter decided to help her feel better by telling her his life’s story. She listened for a while, but then she got a headache and told him to leave her alone. The exact 10 words she used were: “Peter, if you don’t mind, will you please SHUT UP.”

The other is the racing driver, Alexandre Tagliani, better known as Alex, or Tag, who races in the Pinty’s NASCAR Canada stock car series following a lengthy career primarily in IndyCar racing. I can ask him a question and he can start answering and I can put down the phone and go outside, smoke a cigarette, and come back in 10 minutes and pick up the phone and he’ll still be talking.

Our most recent conversation, er, monologue, took place a few weeks ago when he called me to talk about his latest project, a unique family entertainment centre just off Highway 15 north of Montreal in the revamped Plaza Saint-Therese featuring the first multi-level electric karting track in Canada.

Tagliani and partners are spending $18-million on the TAG E-karting & Amusement Centre that will open in the spring and feature nine activities including a combination of three karting tracks, a laser tag game area, six axe-throwing lanes, six bowling lanes, a Triotech 7D interactive cinema, interactive trampolines, a multi-sensory virtual reality experience, numerous state-of-the-art arcades and a climbing wall — all under one roof.

E-karting

“We have created a monster,” Tagliani said, laughing, when I asked him how the project was going. “But we’re pretty excited.

Everything is on schedule and we should be able to start testing everything, have some soft launches in early April and be up and running by late April.”

Tagliani started his career in karting, which led to Formula Atlantic, the Champ Car World Series and finally Indy cars, and he’s hoping the 65.000-square-foot facility will eventually develop talents who will go on to be provincial karting champions and maybe even world champs.

There will be three tracks on three levels – one for adults, one for children and a super track combining the two with a length of 0.5 km—and they will feature a total of six course choices, each of which can be completed clockwise or counter-clockwise. Imported from Italy, the go-karts are 100 per cent electric, silent, non-polluting, and odourless (zero emissions), available in a wide range of sizes.

They are the world’s most sophisticated electric models and are available for the first time in North America. They will feature a digital steering wheel, bumper-integrated sensors for safety, and a Boost button for accelerated passing.

“The karts we’ll be using are among the most sophisticated in the world,” Tagliani said. “Using artificial intelligence, the system knows where each kart is on the circuit at all times. So if a kart driver spins in, say, Turn 9 and you are on it going through Turn 1, your kart will stay running at speed and when you get near the Turn 9 sector, if the kart that spun is still there, your kart will slow down and maybe even stop automatically. So it’s very safe.”

Tagliani said it should get your adrenaline running, however.

“We have an eight-and-a-half-foot drop at one corner and another eight-and-a-half-drop at another and that takes you down two stories to the ground level. That’s the first circuit in the world that has this concept.”

Tagliani told me that he’s had this dream for 20 years. “Nothing is worse for a kid who’s really into it and then here comes the winter and he has to stop. The kart goes in the garage and all you can do is sit in it and look at it. Karting was so big in my career and I had this dream and now it’s a reality.”

E-karting

Tag, who was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2015, has not sold his name to this project. He’s an investor along with five Quebec businesspeople including Richard Scofield, who’s president of the St-Hubert Group, one of Tag’s Pinty’s series sponsors.

When up and running the amusement centre will employ 75 to 100 people. Dedicated to becoming a destination of choice for family outings as well as for special and corporate events that foster team spirit, the TAG-E karting centre will have two dining areas, including a bar-restaurant.

And if this proves to be successful in Quebec, are there plans to build and operate similar facilities elsewhere in Canada?

“Of course,” said the non-stop talker. “Toronto would look pretty good, wouldn’t it?”

Norris McDonald / Special to Wheels.

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What is a Grand Cherokee L and Why Does it Matter?

We chat with Jeep about its seven-passenger Grand Cherokee strategy.

The new year may have brought with it American political uprising and more COVID-19-related lockdowns across Canada, but it also gave us a pleasant surprise from Jeep. It’s called the Grand Cherokee L. Not only does it entirely revamp the Grand Cherokee nameplate after almost a decade without any substantial change, it also adds seven-seater capability to an already successful SUV; something the Jeep brand hasn’t offered to its loyal customers since the days of the Commander in 2010.

We sat down with Jim Morrison, vice-president and head of Jeep in North America, as well as Christian Meunier, global president for the Jeep brand, for some insights on this new Grand Cherokee era.

Expanding the SUV offering

Before we dig deep into the Grand Cherokee’s new marketing strategy, allow me to give you a bit of crash course on where this L variant will fit in the Jeep lineup. This is not a replacement for the current, two-row Grand Cherokee, but an extension of the nameplate to secure more consumers inside a Jeep showroom. With full-size SUVs gaining an almost exponential amount of traction in North America, Jeep, who built its entire brand based on the principle of the sport utility vehicles, inevitably needs to hop on that bandwagon to compete.

At this point, you’re probably thinking: what about the Grand Wagoneer? Because yes, Jeep presented a concept last fall that confirmed the return of that iconic nameplate under a new, full-size three-row SUV format as well. So where does this Grand Cherokee stand?

See Jeep’s upcoming SUV strategy a bit like what Ford and GM are doing with vehicles like the Explorer and the Traverse. Above them sit a flock of body on frame SUVs like the Expedition, the Chevy Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon. These are not only larger than a conventional unibody three-row SUV, but they’re also essentially trucks, capable of towing more weight and enduring more demanding labor for extensive periods.

The Grand Wagoneer (and a shorter Wagoneer variant) will therefore compete directly against Ford and GM’s big guys, but also against Toyota’s Sequoia and Nissan’s Armada. Meanwhile, the Grand Cherokee L will take on popular offerings like the Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Traverse, but also the Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, Kia Telluride and Toyota Highlander, just to name a few.

As Christian Meunier so eloquently put it, “once you see the Grand Cherokee L and Grand Wagoneer parked next to each other, it’ll be clear what their mission will be.”

A standard Grand Cherokee, still offering two-row seating, will later integrate the market this year, along with a plug-in hybrid 4xe variant. Jeep preferred to not comment on the specifics of that model and didn’t even want to mention the possibility of a new Trackhawk specification, be we all know a Hellcat powered Jeep is coming.

Essentially, the “normal” Grand Cherokee will be repackaged to better compete against new and existing two-row entries like the Kia Sorento, Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Edge, Honda Passport, Nissan Murano and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

Off-roading, for your mind

Now that you’re all caught up, Jeep would like you to know that every Jeep owner plans to go off-roading with their Grand Cherokee. The Grand Cherokee L therefore promises to offer genuine “trail rated” off-road capability, an adjustable suspension (on Overland and Summit models) and three different four-wheel drive systems, ranging from Quatra-Trac, Quatra-Trac II and Quatra-Drive II.

Wait. Every Jeep owner goes off-roading?

Those were of course figurative words from Morrison. What he alluded to is that all Jeep owners would one day like to go off-roading. While he admits that most Grand Cherokees will spend most of their time sitting in mall parking lots or parked in front of the school waiting for the kids, he explains that those same owners adhered to the Jeep brand knowing that they’re buying a true off-roader. They also know that one day, they’ll bring their rig in the trails. In their dreams? Perhaps.

new Grand Cherokee L

Morrison explains that no matter what Grand Cherokee L owners plan on doing with their stretched and lifted minivan-inspired truck, Jeep is ready to deliver on its promise of offering a true 4×4 machine that will, and I quote, “climb over that pesky snow bank no sweat”.

“The Grand Cherokee was developed in Detroit, where there’s snow. It’ll be perfectly suited for Canadian climate. And while most consumers won’t know what’ll be happening underneath their seat as they drive confidently through a heavy snow fall or a rough trail in the woods, we’ll have delivered the vehicle they need to meet their wildest expectations”.

This all clearly links to Jeep being named one of the most appealing car brands in the world. People associate the nameplate with exploration and adventure, something the carmaker has managed to capitalize on in smaller, more carlike offerings like the Renegade and Compass. Meunier asserts that it’s this brand recognition and loyaly that will further allow the Grand Cherokee L to distinguish itself from the Durango, FCA’s other three-row SUV sold under the Dodge brand.

It’ll definitely be interesting to see how this new Grand Cherokee L will fare in a sea of heavy hitters from all corners of the industry. But with current Grand Cherokee sales averaging 220 000 units sold in the US and Canada in 2020, and a long history of faithful Jeep buyers already waiting at the door, it’s fair to assume that this next-generation Grand Cherokee is already a sales success.

new Grand Cherokee L

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News Roundup: New Logos, New Model Y, Massive Merc Screen, More

It’s a little change, but a big deal. For the first time since the 1960s, General Motors has completely redesigned its logo. Gone are the uppercase and underlined GM letters in a harsh square in favour of lowercase letters where only the m is underlined. The square gets rounded corners, and the blue is brighter than before. Why the change? It’s part of the automaker’s push toward electrification (and you’ll note the m looks a bit like a plug) and a new marketing campaign the automaker says will help make it more inclusive than before.

GM isn’t the only one with a new logo this week, as Kia announced a new logo and a new slogan. While the previous Kia logo may have been boring, it was clear and simple. This new one, adding more italic to the A, especially, is a bit tougher to read, but maybe shows that the automaker has evolved from its simple roots. The same goes for the slogan, updated from “The Power to Suprise” to “Movement that Inspires.” It’s hard to say that Kia is much of a surprise anymore, as the brand is now well established as an automaker that competes on not just value, but on quality and features.

New GM Logo

Mercedes-Benz is adding the biggest screen in the business with a new display it calls Hyperscreen. Using an all-new version of the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) software, the EQS electric sedan coming later this year will have a 141 cm panel that is curved and goes from pillar to pillar inside the car. Though it’s several screens behind the one large panel, it should still revolutionise the auto interior. The passenger gets their own display to help control audio and navigation, while a new interface uses AI and contextual learning to, Merc says, not leave you searching through submenus for the feature you want, nor forcing you to use voice controls. Mercedes-Benz calls it zero layer, because you don’t need to peel through it to do the things you need to do.

New GM Logo

The first country to see electric vehicles top half of total sales is Norway. It’s an impressive feat for the country, where EV sales hit 42.4 per cent of the total in 2019 and then 54.3 per cent last year. December by itself saw two-thirds of all new vehicles sales electric cars. Heavy subsidies for EVs and high taxes on ICE vehicles have helped the country make the switch. With most of the country’s electricity coming from hydroelectric sources, Norway is aiming to have every car sold there a ZEV by 2025.

On the EV front, Tesla has launched a new version of the Model Y crossover that offers a lower range but a significant cost saving. The Standard Range Model Y offers just a single electric motor, so is rear-drive not AWD, but comes with 393 km of range and cal still hit 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. This one will start from $54,900, well under the $68,600 of the Model Y Dual Motor Long Range. The lower price should help it qualify for the $8,000 EV incentive in Quebec as well as the $3,000 BC incentive, though the price is still too high to meet the Federal EV incentive. The model has the Premium Interior and can be ordered with the seven-seat interior option for $4,000. This new model is priced on par with the Ford Mustang Mach-E crossover, which is just beginning to arrive at dealers.

New GM Logo

The merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group is one step closer to completion after shareholders at both companies voted overwhelmingly in favour of the partnership. Combined, the automaker which will be called Stellantis, hopes to achieve similar production scale to Volkswagen or Toyota, allowing them to spread development costs, save on component costs through larger volumes, and find other ways to boost products while saving cash. The completion date for the merger is expected to be later this month, though it will likely take years before consumers see a difference.

New GM Logo

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New GM Logo Part of New Upcoming EV Push

A more laid back, lower case and redesigned GM logo will launch on Monday, as part of a company-wide multi-faceted marketing campaign to highlight GM’s push for bringing electric vehicles to the masses, even though the first of its newest generation of Ultium-battery-powered EVs are not scheduled to arrive in Canada until the first half of 2022.

The new logo will be featured on GM’s revamped gm.ca Canadian consumer website that launched this week, redesigned as part of the broad marketing campaign with the tagline “Everybody In,” which intends to highlight how the company intends to bring EVs to the masses, and features its Ultium battery platform, with families and spokespeople that include Canadian journalist Malcolm Gladwell standing on the platform’s skateboard chassis.

GM also says will unveil details on a new EV-related business on Monday morning as part of the company’s shift to becoming a more EV-focused company overall, but provided no other details on what the new initiative involved.

While the new marketing campaign launches in the US now, it will gradually roll out in Canada and other global markets throughout the year, said GM. It will only be the fifth time in GM’s 113-year history that it has revamped its corporate logo, said Deborah Wahl, global CMO at General Motors.

“It’s the most progressive logo change we’ve done since 1964,” she said in a media briefing on the campaign and logo change. “Our traditional logo is more severe – we needed to show the world a different aspect of what we’re doing, and how we’re changing all of our approach on how we design and move forward,” designing products quicker than ever before.

New GM Logo

She also said there was a push to distance themselves from main EV rival Tesla, which they planned to do by highlighting that EVs are not only luxury vehicles.

“Our message here is that we believe there should be an EV for everyone, and we need the scale to make that happen.”

The lower case ‘gm’ logo is part of that more inclusive, less formal effort, with a line underneath the ‘m’ that represents the skateboard chassis with batteries underneath that will underpin the vast majority of their next generation of EVs. Look carefully at that same letter, and the white space in it along with that above the line is meant to look like a subtly stylized plug.

GM’s next new EVs to launch later this year will be on the affordable side of their EV efforts, with an updated 2022 Chevrolet Bolt and an all-new Bolt EUV (Electric Utility Vehicle) available in the second half of 2021. The Bolt EUV will be a longer and more spacious version of the Bolt, and also offer Super Cruise technology, while the regular Bolt hatchback will receive an updated interior with much improved interior materials.

Ironically, these two EVs won’t use the advanced Ultium batteries that will be featured in the campaign, and will underpin the vast majority of the 30 EVs GM plans to launch globally by the end of 2025. Not all these vehicles will make it to Canada, but the company says it will spend US$27 billion on these EVs and autonomous vehicle development in those five years, underlining its commitment to EVs perhaps as much as the new logo – or more.

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