Category: New Cars

2018 Chevrolet Volt – An Owner’s Perspective – Part 3

2018 Chevrolet Volt – Part 1 2018 Chevrolet Volt – Part 2 Images courtesy of GM Canada except lead image of 2018 Volt Premier Edition First things first: after ten months of Volt ownership I continue to be pleased with my purchase. No buyer’s remorse, no major complaints, no operational issues, car runs like a …

Continue reading

Betta Getta Jetta! – 2019 Volkswagen Jetta

Betta getta Jetta! Hey, I didn’t make that up; saw it on an American VW dealer’s website. Come on down! Getta Jetta! Okay, enough of that. With significant improvements the Volkswagen Jetta compact sedan acquires new exterior styling for 2019 and is now built on the modern MQB platform shared with Golf, Tiguan and some …

Continue reading

2018 Mazda6 Signature: Looking good! Still zooming along.

Back in 2008 I had the pleasure of attending the media launch of Mazda’s all-new 2009 Mazda6 in Los Angeles. I liked this midsize four-door sedan for several reasons, notably its price, design, power, handling, comfort and available equipment. So when I got home and a friend asked me to suggest a replacement for her …

Continue reading

2018 Chevrolet Volt: An Owner’s Perspective – Part 2

2018 Chevrolet Volt: An Owner’s Perspective – Part 1 With just over 5,000 kilometers on the odometer, I’ve owned my Satin Steel Metallic 2018 Chevrolet Volt for five months. And for four of those five months it has been cold. Very cold. So I will have relevant comments for those driving an electrified vehicle in …

Continue reading

2018 Kia Rio 5-door — heating up the segment

Used car dealers must be having a tough time these days. Why? New car dealers, that’s why. What with their competitive pricing, easy financing, and long, comprehensive warranties, new car deals are more attractive than ever. But the kicker, I think, is the availability of sexy new features — like heated steering wheels and advanced …

Continue reading

2018 Chevrolet Volt: An Owner’s Perspective – Part 1

After many years of test-driving cars and writing review articles for various Canadian media outlets, I’ve finally bought a new car. It’s a 2018 Chevrolet Volt, a model that’s interested me since its introduction in 2011, and even before that, actually, as a concept shown at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007. Then it was …

Continue reading

2018 Mazda CX-3: Big fun in a small package

You get a lot standard in the 2018 Mazda CX-3. Large seven-inch display, wide-angle rearview camera, push-button start, air conditioning, internet capable radio, cruise control, and get this… a six-speed manual transmission! You don’t see many of those anymore. And you get Mazda’s new “G Vectoring Control” system. More on that later. The “base” GX …

Continue reading

2018 Nissan Qashqai: Another Jumbo Shrimp from Nissan

It’s called a Qashqai. I know, another weird car name. Sorry, but nobody I met could remember it even after hearing the name a few times. Repeat after me… cash-kye! In the US they didn’t even bother. There it’s called the Nissan Rogue Sport. Ha! Okay, Nissan’s latest introduction to the Canadian marketplace, the Qashqai …

Continue reading

2018 Volkswagen Tiguan: It’s new; it’s here; it’s changed!

Just spent a pleasant week in the all-new 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. And when I say all-new, I mean it! There’s nothing that carries over from the first-generation Tiguan beyond the name (see below), much to the initial disappointment of my partner who drives one and was considering the new model as a replacement. No, the …

Continue reading

2017 Mazda CX5

Stylish, roomy and very well equipped, the 2017 Mazda CX-5 GT is arguably the best compact SUV in its segment. Not that it’s so compact anymore, as the entire segment has seen vehicle dimensions increase over the past few years. I’m not complaining, though. The size of the CX-5 is, as the nursery rhyme goes, …

Continue reading