Review: 2021 Kia Seltos SX Turbo

Seltos offers one of the most pleasant surprises of the year

Normally, when a new model or a new generation of a model trickles out to dealers in Canada, it takes a while before you start to see them on the East Coast. For some models, even mainstream ones, it has been the better part of a year of them on the road in Toronto before I saw the first one in Halifax. Maybe we don’t like change, or maybe we just don’t do shiny and new? But with the Kia Seltos, I started seeing them from nearly day one. Dozens of them in just a few months, and that had me intrigued. Was it thanks to a good offer from the finance office, or was this little crossover the real deal?

With the Soul and Sportage already in the lineup, it might not seem like there’s room for a model that’s just 100 mm shorter than the Sportage, but Kia has found an interesting spot. They’ve made the Sportage somewhat obsolete since the slightly bigger, 300 kg heavier model has less interior room in most dimensions including maximum cargo space. It’s an impressive feat, packing up to 1,778L of cargo behind the front seats but offering significantly improved fuel economy compared with its sibling. In a part of the country where a doctor visit or a trip into town can be three hours each way and gas is expensive, that’s a big deal.

More than just size, the cabin is extremely well laid-out. It felt massive inside compared with almost anything in this size range without actually being larger outside. Positively palatial, even for back seat passengers. An easy to read and reach infotainment system is quick and responsive. A separate shelf for phone charging frees up even more cubby space, and the door trimming is nicer than the Lexus I tested before this Kia.

Review 2021 Kia Seltos SX Turbo

Less well executed are the headlights. That signature light bar of SX reaching over the tiger nose grille looks cool day or night; the LED headlights below it were far from a bright spot, even with the high beams on. Handier is the automatic defrost logic for the automatic climate control that’ll clear your front glass as needed. Extra handy if you’re on the coast and temperatures near freezing combined with 80 per cent humidity and rain are the default winter weather.

Heavy on value,if light on the scale, heated front seats come standard on even base front-drive Seltos modes. Want your hands warmed and you’ll need to step up to EX (EX Premium to add ventilated front seats). But what you won’t need to do to get the luxury bits is get the more powerful engine. An EX Premium with the 146 hp 2.0L has every goody but a head-up display, which isn’t really needed thanks to the excellent digital dash, without the extra $2,000 of the SX Turbo’s price. The SX Turbo tested has a 1.6-litre and 175 hp with a seven-speed dual-clutch in place of the lower engine’s CVT, and with acceleration that’s just above average-feeling for the class with the Turbo you might find the 2.0L four on the sluggish side. The DCT wins serious points for being smooth even at ultra-low speeds while hunting for the best lights in the area, a place where most DCTs (and many conventional autos) suffer.

Seltos is packed with driver assistance features including Highway Driving Assist, a feature that adds speed limit data and lane guidance to the adaptive cruise control so it’ll follow changing speed limits on certain controlled-access highways, and guide you into the center of the lane. Like with many modern navigation systems, speed limit data is sparse in this part of the country, limiting the feature’s usefulness. Likewise, the lane following assistance had trouble with our narrow lane secondary highways and would pinball side to side, sometimes confusing the drop-off to the shoulder with a white line. Even on major routes, it seemed to try too hard to keep you exactly in the center and that meant it got turned off in a hurry. Fortunately, turning it on and off is exceptionally easy thanks to dedicated buttons. Even LX Seltos gets rear cross-traffic and blind spot alerts, a nice perk in this segment, with EX adding more accident avoidance systems.

The wide 10.25-inch screen on EX Premium and SX lets Kia put three different windows on screen at once, with each one large enough to use. Map left, radio center, climate control right, for example. You can split it into two, or just one wide one, though Android Auto won’t go full-width and instead leaves a right-side window with several display options. Mood lighting for the dash and front speakers can be set to a few colours or pulse to the radio for a cool disco effect that paired wonderfully with Christmas light cruising. Lower trims get a smaller screen that has the added perk of being in the dash not on top, which is good if you don’t like the pop-up screen look.

Review 2021 Kia Seltos SX Turbo

Review 2021 Kia Seltos SX Turbo

Less adventurous styling than the Sportage while still more interesting than most of its segment, a ride packed with standard kit and must-have options that are tough to find in the class, the 2021 Kia Seltos is a heck of a compact crossover package.

Tons of room, excellent ergonomics, and an optional infotainment system that’s also top of class. It’s a Herculean effort from Kia, and seeing it grab the number two spot for Kia sales in its first year is no surprise. I expect to see a whole lot more of them on Maritime roads, though they might not see me after dark.

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 Mini Cooper SE

Electric cars certainly have their appeal. They produce no emissions, they’re quiet, efficient, and powerful. I especially like the ones that look and drive like their gasoline counterparts, the VW e-Golf for example.

Now, there’s a new EV from Mini—the Mini Cooper SE—and I can’t help but get excited about it. The tiny British-German hatchback is the perfect candidate for an electric drivetrain and as an urban runabout EVs make a lot of sense.

I’m no EV fanatic, let’s set the record straight. I love the rumble of a V8, the zing of a good straight-six, and the raucous rip of a high-revving 4-cylinder. Each provides a unique sensory feast no electric motor can ever match.

But even I cannot deny that an ICE motor with its complex valve assemblies and hundreds of moving parts feels instantly outdated the second you drive an electric vehicle and experience smooth and instant power from a motor the size of a toaster.

I’ve driven my fair share of EVs over the last few years but I’ve never taken one home for a week as I do with most other vehicles I test. For one, I live in a condo with underground parking and no access to a plug point. And in my busy, tightly scheduled life I wasn’t sure how I would squeeze in charging time for an EV. Not being able to charge at home overnight was by far the biggest barrier for me.

That’s all changed now as more and more EVs enter production and charging infrastructure continues to expand. Near where I live, a number of DC fast or Level 3 chargers have popped up. They charge your car in minutes instead of hours and are the closest equivalent an EV has to a gas station pump. The more of these that come up, the easier EV adoption is going to get.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this 2021 Mini Cooper SE but it ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the year for me.

It starts life as a normal 3-door Mini Cooper but under the hood an EV drive unit replaces the gasoline engine. A 32.6 kWh battery pack consisting of 12 modules in a T-shaped unit resides deep in the floor pan helping lower the centre of gravity, while not intruding on passenger or cargo volume.

The motor, swiped from the BMW i3, produces 181 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. As with all electric cars, it produces nearly all of its torque the second you set off, giving this little Mini the feeling of being much more powerful than it actually is. The maximum range from a fully charged battery is rated at 177 km, and it can charge at a rate of up to 50kW when hooked up to a Level 3 charging station.

Mini specifies a charge time of just 35 mins to get from 0 to 80 per cent, when using a fast charger. If you plug in to a standard 110V outlet, it will take 26 hours while most level 2 charging stations will do the deed in about 4.

2021 Mini Cooper SE

On the outside, it looks like every other Mini. Electric yellow accents, a few plug point symbols, and a smooth grille cover are your only clues that this is something a bit different. Inside, there’s more yellow trim, a semi-digital gauge cluster, and standard navigation.

Everything seems fairly normal, but after just a short stint behind the wheel it feels like a revelation. On start up, there’s no creep and you have to prod the e-pedal to get going. Once underway, torque is instantaneous and plentiful. Floor it and your upper body will get pushed back into the seat like your driving a high-powered sports car. Release the go pedal and the Mini will instantly start slowing down and feels like someone just pulled hard on the e-brake. With the proper technique, you need never use the actual brakes. This heavy amount of regen braking helps convert kinetic energy back into electricity to charge the battery. A toggle switch allows you to set the regen to a lower level if you prefer.

2021 Mini Cooper SE

When you approach a corner and turn the steering wheel you realize that you’re still driving a Mini. That means nimble handling, negligible body roll, and sharp electrically assisted steering packaged in a diminutive little hatchback. As an urban car or commuter it is just about perfect. You do feel the extra weight from the battery pack but this car is all smiles and might be the most fun I’ve had behind the wheel of an EV.

It’s super-efficient as well, registering around 18.7 kWh per 100 km after a week of spirited driving during sub-optimal winter-like conditions. That 177 km range is also fairly accurate, dropping to about 160 km with outside temps just below zero. It has a heat pump that helps conserve energy and the aggressive regenerative braking when used properly could even help that range climb closer to the 200 km mark.

I charged it using Level 3 chargers exclusively, never spending more than 20-30 minutes at a time plugged in.

The Cooper SE is not perfect. It could benefit from more range, the cargo area is tiny, and a starting price of $39,990 means it isn’t cheap either. But even at that price, it’s cheaper than just about every other EV out there, and whole lot more fun. When you factor in the federal rebate the Cooper SE becomes even more attractive.

Mini is not going to be making many of these, as it’s their first go at it. But as a proof-of-concept they nailed it. If I were in the market for a Mini, this would be my choice without a doubt.

 

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

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Kia Outlines New Brand Purpose and Drops ‘Motors’ from its Corporate Name

Kia executives are looking at 2021 as the year the global automaker takes a lead position in the future mobility business and refocusing all parts of its business.

In early January, Kia signaled that new direction by unveiling a new corporate logo to represent the new direction the company wants to take. The new logo leaves behind the familiar three-letter Kia logo known to many and reimagines it in the style of a handwritten signature. Along with the new corporate logo, Kia announced a new corporate slogan as well: ‘Movement that inspires’.

In a live-streamed YouTube presentation, Ho Sung Song, president and CEO of Kia Corporation said the global automaker did a lot of introspection amongst its executives, employees and Kia owners to get a better idea of what people thought about its products and customer experience.

Because of the challenges going forward, “we needed to reinvent ourselves, so are starting with a new brand approach, corporate mission, business direction and design philosophy, and creating a culture that puts the customer first,” he said.

The next major part of that reinvention – along with the logo that consumers will notice – is the fact that the automaker has dropped ‘Motors’ from its corporate name. The dropping of ‘Motors’ is a signal that the automaker is putting its focus on the future of mobility technologies and services, and thinking beyond the automobile.

The company aims to take a leadership position in a wide range of EV technologies and mobility services, as well as a major push to popularize battery electric vehicles. Key to that will be the launch of seven dedicated battery electric vehicles by 2027 that will cover passenger vehicles, SUVs and MPVs covering several segments. It looks to have global annual sales of 500,000 battery electric vehicles by 2026.

Artur Martins, senior vice-president, head of global brand and customer experience at Kia said part of the company’s new direction is also putting a focus on improving the customer experience with the Kia brand and its vehicles. He admitted that consumers today do not have a positive experience with vehicle buying and Kia looks to change that, by giving consumers a more “meaningful experience” when interacting with the company, its products, and it dealer and service network.

Kia will reveal more information about the new design direction of its future products and services in the weeks ahead, with a new design philosophy that reflects the brand’s transformation.

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After A Banner Year In 2020, Cadillac Looks To Keep The Momentum

Don’t look now, but while so many manufacturers took significant hits throughout COVID-stained 2020 (DesRosiers Automotive Consultants recently announced a 19.7 per cent decline in total automotive sales in Canada from 2019-2020), Cadillac managed to buck that trend by achieving a 12.2 per cent growth in retail sales over 2019, making 2020 its best retail sales year in its history in Canada.

Spearheaded by strong sales for the XT5 crossover (Cadillac’s biggest retail seller in Canada) and the release of four all-new models over the course of two years (the XT4 compact crossover, the XT6 three-row SUV and the CT4 and CT5 sedans) the brand has also been the busiest when it comes to new model releases. It’s led to them now doubling sales of Infiniti and Lincoln and nipping at the heels of Acura, according to Shane Peever, managing director of Cadillac Canada.

Peever also says that’s just one of the big reasons for the brand’s success.

“For me, it comes down to three things,” he says. “Product, people and strategy. From a product standpoint, we have the freshest model line-up in the luxury industry.”

He also points to the fact that at the beginning of 2019, Cadillac said at the Canadian International Auto Show they had an “overt goal” that 2020 was going to be their biggest year in their history in Canada. In order to stay on-target as the COVID crisis hit, they quickly offered payment deferral, zero per cent financing on new vehicles, no payments for 180 days and are continuing to offer four years of no-charge maintenance.

They also took extra care to ensure that the dealers – this is the “people” part – had as much knowledge as possible when it came to properly cleaning their stores, their cars and how to conduct business under the strict new regulations that were being imposed – and often changed on a weekly basis – as governments scrambled in March and April to get the pandemic under control.

Peever also credits the Cadillac Live online virtual dealership experience for the brand’s success last year. “It was a major component,” he adds. “We were open at Live right through the entire pandemic. It played a crucial role in our success and it was a critical component of how we connected to customers and did business on their terms throughout the lockdown.”

Peever says that growth at Cadillac had been steady from 2013-2017; things did level off in 2018 and ’19, but Peever maintains that a big reason for that was the fact that over the course of those years, Cadillac lost three models, all sedans and coupes – the XTS, CTS and ATS – with just the CT6 arriving to replace the three of them until the CT4/5 arrived. After the CT6’s departure after the 2020 model year, meanwhile, those two vehicles now represent Cadillac’s entire sedan line-up.

We’re also seeing come to roost Cadillac’s “Y” strategy, whereby each model starts at the base of the “Y”, then branches out one way to the Luxury trim level, and the other to the Sport trim level – blacked-out grilles, carbon fibre interior inserts and so on. Peever says that the Sport models brought them many of their “conquest” sales – that is, first-time Cadillac buyers — and represent 50 per cent of their overall sales volume.

Of course, it’s one thing to look back on the success a brand has had, but it’s quite another to continue to build on that momentum. With the Lyriq EV Crossover and the high-performance Blackwing models of the CT4 and CT5 on the horizon, Peever still has much to look forward to from the brand.

“We’re very excited (about the Lyriq) because it will give us an opportunity to connect with the emerging (EV) market and those consumers that perhaps haven’t considered us as a brand before,” he says. “We’re looking for growth, and Lyriq will represent significant volume for us as a brand because it competes in the largest segment in luxury, that compact SUV segment.”

Speaking of future Cadillacs: the Lyriq is one thing, but how will the new gas-powered high-performance Blackwing versions of the CT4 and CT5 fit into a Cadillac landscape that’s sprinting to a world of EV power, like so many of its competitors are having to do?

“If you think about the luxury market,” says Peever, “performance is part of it whether it’s internal combustion engines or whether it’s EVs. Cadillac and General Motors have committed to an all-electric future with our triple zero mission (zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion), but that doesn’t mean that we’re still not going to be recognized as a brand for performance technology and driving dynamics. I think the two worlds can live together.”

Regardless, we’re keeping our eye on Cadillac for 2021 and beyond.

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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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