Journauto.com » Road test

Aiieee Canada!

journauto — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:29:05 +0000

Canada’s next car of the year will be Korean! And, my money is on this Kia.

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) today announced the top three finalists in its 2012 Canadian Car of the Year competition at the Montreal International Auto Show.

The finalists in the three categories are [drum roll]: for, 2012 Canadian Car of the Year, the Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Elantra and Kia Optima. For 2012 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year, the BMW X3, Dodge Journey and Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel. And, for 2012′s Best New Design, we have the Hyundai Veloster, Jaguar XKR-S and Range Rover Evoque.

The winner in each category will be announced at an early morning press conference at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto on Thursday, February 16th.

Eleven category winners were eligible for the top honours after being announced last October during the association’s annual “TestFest.” Hyundai Auto Canada won three of the 11 categories while BMW Group Canada, Kia Canada and Mercedes-Benz Canada each garnered double wins. Other category winners were Chrysler Canada and Volkswagen Canada.

Back in October, 70 of Canada’s top automotive journalists spent four days in Niagara-on-the-Lake conducting intensive back-to-back comparative testing of 170 “all new” or “significantly new” 2012 vehicles. This is no easy task!

Vote results were determined from more than 40,000 individual data points established during TestFest. That information includes not just specifications and features, but actual performance data and subjective ratings on up to 23 different vehicle characteristics – from interior roominess and comfort to ride quality and handling ability. The vote results were compiled on-site by the international accounting firm KPMG and kept confidential even from AJAC until the winners’ press conference.

KPMG will hand over four envelopes with names of the winners of this year’s competition at the CIAS in Toronto. The 2012 Canadian Car of the Year, Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year and Best New Design will be announced along with the winner of this year’s Best New Technology award, presented by Shell Canada, the official fuel supplier of the event.

The 70 journalists are all members of AJAC, whose purpose is to provide consumers with sound, objective, comparative data for use as a resource buying guide when considering the purchase of a new car, truck of SUV/CUV.

Consumers wanting to compare a Fiat 500 to Honda Civic Sedan or a Hyundai Accent; or, an Acura TL to a Mercedes-Benz C 350 need look no further than the AJAC web site: www.ajac.ca > Canadian Car of the Year Awards > Results. Looking to buy a 2011, 2010, or even an older vehicle? AJAC archives the comparative test data and vote results from previous years on its website. Visit www.ajac.ca > Vehicle Comparisons for more info.

Four wheel drive makes Outlander Super

journauto — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:00:52 +0000

Outlander sits between the RVR compact crossover and Mitsubishi’s Endeavor full-size SUV. With a choice of four- or six-cylinder power, it’s suitable for just about anyone’s daily needs whether it’s in the city or out in the Styx.

A 168-hp 2.4-litre inline-four and front-wheel drive come on the $25,498 base ES model. All-wheel drive adds roughly $2,500 to the sticker. A 230-hp 3.0-litre V6 AWD is standard on the LS and XLS trims, but if you want the closest thing you can get to the rally-bred Lancer Evolution in a SUV, the latter is your ticket. Continue reading my review of the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander V6 S-AWC on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

Fuel economy the new performance?

journauto — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:02:05 +0000

Russ Bond’s calling and he wants me to explain how the Veloster won best new sports performance car under $50,000 in AJAC’s 2012 Car of the Year competition. As if I had something to do with it.

It’s not that the Hyundai isn’t a good choice. It has a fuel efficient engine and six-speed manual transmission. For $22,499, it looks great, has a nice, functional interior and sports plenty of value. All nice qualities, none of which make it a sports car.

Following a particularly enthusiastic lapping session driving the fast and agile BMW 1M coupe on our airport runway test track during TestFest, it feels barely faster than a Prius out here on the autocross-style cone course.

Sure, it’s nicely balanced and turns well (slowly, of course) but, after a single lap, the 280 mm (11 in.) front brakes prove just how inferior they are compared to those on a real performance car such as the 1M. The Veloster can’t match the stopping power of the 360 mm (14.2 in.) front discs and four-piston calipers, and plows wide through the last turn, taking out a family of cones. One is so badly wedged into the undercarriage I’m forced to pull over so the PR rep sitting in the passenger seat can get out and extricate it for me.

The $54,000 BMW handily won the sports performance over 50 class and rightly so. It might even be the best car at TestFest. However, almost all 200 allotted for Canada are already spoken for, so buying one might be next to impossible since it’s only available in a single model year. It’s still in the running, though unlikely to be named car of the year.

Comparing the 138-hp Hyundai to a 335-hp 1M is like comparing a small handgun to an assault rifle, but you don’t need a PR rep to tell you the ECU is calibrated for fuel economy and not performance. It’s obvious.

It’s performance hasn’t been lost in translation, it was never there to begin with. Dynamic testing by AJAC reveals the Veloster is by far the slowest of the six cars it beat out in its car of the year category, sports performance under 50 grand. Zero-to-100 km/h takes 9.7 seconds (Prius V is 11.6) and seven seconds for 80-to-120.

Braking scores put it mid-pack – stopping just two metres shorter than more powerful and faster VW Jetta GLI and Kia Optima SX entries, which place second and third in this category, respectively – thanks to simple physics (slow-moving objects take less time and space to stop).

Fuel economy is the only objective score from TestFest the other contenders can’t match. Interestingly, the scores given for emissions are sevens across the board (Buick Regal GS being the black sheep with 7.5) despite the range of powerplants – from Hyundai’s puny four-cylinder to the hulking 6.4L Hemi V8 with 470 hp and torque in the Charger SRT8 – under review.

Also of interest, four of the five other entries in this category are turbocharged (the Si isn’t); and, looking at the overall interior scores, Veloster is a solid fifth.

First runner-up is the Jetta GLI. Sporting the same two-litre turbo engine as the GTI hot hatch, it makes 200 hp and 207 lb-ft and does zero-100 in 7.6 secs, and 80 to 120 in 5.1. The cockpit is superior and space for people and things more than adequate, though the aft cabin isn’t finished as nicely as the front. It has electronic limited slip technology but no way to turn off the traction control to really enjoy the superb chassis and suspension tuning. Left-foot braking helps, but the seats are slippery so it’s hard to pull off.

Kia Optima SX takes second runner-up. Its interior is even nicer than the VW’s. Its two-litre turbo four makes 274 hp and 269 torques and still gets decent mileage. It can hit 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds, makes the pass in 4.2 seconds and, on the test track, handles even better than expected with exceptional steering, stable chassis and defeatable traction controls. Despite having the second longest wheelbase, overall length and the second-heaviest curb weight (behind only the SRT8 in all three) it responds well to driver inputs and can be tossed into corners for more enjoyment.

By my tally, the RWD four-cylinder turbo-powered Mercedes-Benz C250 coupe blew away the category in every aspect with the optional $1,900 sport package. But there’s no AMG badge and no stick shift. The expensive premium options, metallic paint and media interface upgrades don’t really add anything (except for $4,275 to the as tested price). It’s relegated to fourth place.

Next, the Honda Civic Si is a performance bargain for $25,990 with its 201 hp/170 torque 2.4L four-cylinder engine with iVtec offering a near-perfect blend of performance, economy and reliability. A mechanical limited slip differential, superb steering, well-tuned suspension and on/off traction controls make this chassis the most responsive and fun to drive. The six-speed manual is crisp and the Si powerband robust enough to enjoy this car to its fullest on lapping days, and yet not too aggressive for the daily grind. Had Honda done more to improve the interior quality and materials (instead of just technology and ergonomics) on the ninth-gen Civic, it would’ve finished higher than fifth.

The Buick Regal GS is one point behind the Veloster (fourth and fifth respectively) by my scorecard, yet claims sixth place. Its got some balls, is surprisingly smooth on the track and is sporty enough for consideration. It just doesn’t look very sporty.

The SRT8 is a great car with tons of performance and character straight from the showroom. It even has updated SRT performance pages (accessible via the huge touchscreen monitor) to keep track of various acceleration and braking timers, as well as g-forces and steering angle. It reaches 100 in 5.3 seconds and the Hemi has a sport mode as well as cylinder deactivation, so it does the Jekyll and Hyde thing well. Despite placing last, the SRT8 has more performance mojo in its tiny computer brain than the Veloster has total.

The real kicker here is that it might very well be the next Canadian car of the year. Of the eight remaining finalists, three wear the Hyundai badge – other two are the $16,599 Accent and $22,699 Elantra – and I have no doubt one of them will win it all. If fuel economy really is the new performance, the Veloster is a shoe-in.

Hey Russ, can you hold the line? Hyundai’s calling – they’ve just announced a 204-hp 1.6L four-cylinder turbo will be available on the 2013 Veloster. Doh!

What should have won this category? If not the Mercedes, then the Honda Civic Si hands down.

2012 Hyundai Veloster

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Visit the gallery here to check out the other cars in the “Sports/Performance (under $50,000)” category and leave your comments at the bottom of this post.

On Prius V, the V stands for versatility

journauto — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:35:37 +0000

The 2012 Prius V is the latest version of Toyota’s mass-produced hybrid electric vehicle. It utilizes the latest Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which pairs a 1.8-litre four-cylinder gasoline engine with a 60 kW electric motor and 27 kW battery to send 134 hp through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Toyota engineers have reduced smog-forming emissions by 66% when compared to the average new vehicle.

Under optimal conditions, Toyota claims the Prius V attains a combined fuel economy of 4.6 L/100 km. Over 165 km of real world driving in urban and rural Quebec, I manage 5.95 L/100km. Continue reading my review of the 2012 Toyota Prius V on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

2012 Canadian Car of the Year Category Winners

journauto — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:35:52 +0000

Journauto recording his scores for the 2012 Kia Optima SX at TestFest.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON – More than 70 of Canada’s top automotive journalists spent last week in the Niagara-on-the-Lake to determine the “Best New” cars and SUV/CUVs in 11 different vehicle categories, as part of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s (AJAC) annual Canadian Car of the Year Awards program.

Journalist members spent four days intensively road and track testing the field of nearly 60 entries at “TestFest,” which has been held at the Niagara Drive Centre, located at the Niagara District Airport, for the past six years.

The results of the AJAC journalists’ rigorous test driving and evaluations throughout TestFest were revealed during a press conference wherein the category winners were announced.

Here is the list of Canada’s “Best New” cars and utility vehicles:
Small Car (under $21k) Hyundai Accent
Small Car (over $21k) Hyundai Elantra
Family Car (under $30k) Kia Optima
Family Car(over $30k) Kia Optima Hybrid
Luxury Car Mercedes-Benz C-Class C350 4MATIC Sedan
Prestige Car (over $75k) Mercedes-Benz S-Class S350 BlueTEC 4MATIC
Sports/Performance Car (under $50k) Hyundai Veloster
Sports/Performance Car (over $50k) BMW 1 Series M Coupé
SUV/CUV (under $35k) Dodge Journey
SUV/CUV ($35k-$60k) Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel
SUV/CUV (over $60k) BMW X3

The results were compiled by the international accounting firm KPMG and kept confidential even from AJAC until the press conference on Friday, October 29, 2011. They were determined from more than 40,000 individual data points established in the testing of 170 different vehicles.

The purpose of the AJAC Car of the Year awards is to provide consumers with a valuable resource they can use when researching the purchase of a new vehicle – one that includes a broad range of comparative information on vehicles that are new to the market. That information includes not just specifications and features but actual performance data and subjective ratings on up to 23 different characteristics – from interior roominess and comfort to ride quality and handling ability.

Our journalists’ vote results – including all of the comparative test data amassed throughout the week – is posted on the AJAC website for use as a consumer resource buying guide. Consumers that want to compare a Fiat 500 to Honda Civic Sedan or a Hyundai Accent, or an Acura TL to a Mercedes-Benz C-Class C350, need look no further than the AJAC website at www.ajac.ca > Canadian Car of the Year Awards > Results.

The 11 category winners listed above now go on to compete for the honour of becoming the 2012 Canadian Car of the Year or the 2012 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year. These overall winners will be announced February 16th, 2011, at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, ON. Award winners for Best New Design and Best New Technology, presented by Shell Canada, will also be announced.

Looking to buy a 2011, 2010, 2009, or even an older vehicle? AJAC archives the comparative test data and vote results from previous years here.

Diesel wagon an ultimate road-tripper

journauto — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 19:16:57 +0000

Packing a vehicle tightly with gear and suitcases, filling it with people, pets and sustenance, and heading out onto the open road for hours at a time is as Canadian as the Loonie or the CN Tower.

Upon picking a 2011 Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI, my wife and I jump on the 401 East and head straight for Montreal for four nights before heading on Quebec City to visit my sister. The suspension is tuned well for this kind of travel and soaks up the road well enough. Continue reading my review of the 2011 VW Golf Wagon TDI on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

New Sube offers more confidence

journauto — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:03:09 +0000

The second generation Impreza is still popular amongst enthusiasts – who laud the robust Subaru boxer engine, full-time symmetrical all-wheel drive and excellent year-round performance.

In 2008, the third generation Impreza launched with an emphasis on pleasing the North American mass market, watered down with a smaller engine and CVT. Were it not for the great-looking five-door model and the WRX and STI models, many Sube loyalists would’ve been lost on the regular Impreza’s vanilla-ized exterior and decreased performance. Continue reading my review of the still-to-come fourth-gen 2012 Subaru Impreza on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

Off-road talk is Jeep

journauto — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 01:23:39 +0000

“Whereas most ordinary vehicles would be able to reach the trail head only to have to turn back, with a few button presses the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is ready to boldly go wherever it’s pointed.”

Today, that’s climbing a very steep loose dirt trail 1.3 klicks long and strewn with massive North Oregon Coast Range boulders, cavernous ruts and decaying Douglas Fir stumps along with some man-made obstacles such as staggered holes, rock gardens, log bridges and, my favourite, the dirt hot tub (pictured). Continue reading my review of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

Mmm, good all-around

journauto — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:05:27 +0000

Mid luxury car buyers are tough to please – they want ‘this’ feature for ‘that’ price; exclusivity, without paying a full out luxury or prestige price tag; good looks, useful technologies, comfort, convenience; they want something in the driveway the neighbours think cost thousands more. This is where the 2011 Infiniti M comes in. The M has been around since 2003 in Canada and, for its third generation was totally overhauled in 2010… Continue reading my review of the 2011 Infiniti M37x on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

EcoBoost enhances Lincoln luxury

journauto — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:20:08 +0000

A 270 horsepower 3.7-litre V6 and front-wheel drive are standard on the $47,400 base 2011 Lincoln MKS. All-wheel drive runs a couple grand more and adds 68 kilograms, but if you want the twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 with direct injection for more performance and better fuel economy, you’ll need at least $53K. Continue reading my review of the 2011 Lincoln MKS AWD EcoBoost on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

Sunshine, lollipops and ragtops

journauto — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:33:26 +0000

If you’ve never driven a sporty convertible on a sunny day, put it on your bucket list. Simply opening the top to see a cloudless blue sky can be a sublime experience; but, it’s the feeling of wind tossing your hair and zipping past your eardrums, the sound of the engine as you kick down into a lower gear and stomp on the gas, and the smell of nature and hot rubber mixing together that’s considered driving nirvana to many. Continue reading my review of the 2011 Ford Mustang Convertible on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

Ram gets ‘er done

journauto — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:22:12 +0000

Moving into a new house means there’s no shortage of things to do. Of course, having the right tool means you can get jobs done better and quicker. That said, this 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 HD is just what I need for some heavy lifting. Specifically, it’s been enlisted to transport a heavy load of scrap wood (formerly a 10×10 tool shed base) to the local dump (at a cost of $50!). Continue reading my review of the 2011 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

Rocking down Electric Avenue

journauto — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:15:03 +0000

Nearly two dozen Chevrolet Volts (U.S. production models) are charged up and ready to go. My co-driver picks a black one, it looks the nicest because the black rear fascia blends in with the rest of the vehicle. I’m in town for the 2011 North American International Auto Show and GM Canada has arranged some seat time in the recently anointed 2011 North American Car of the Year. Continue reading my review of the 2012 Chevrolet Volt on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

Mini goes maxi with Countryman

journauto — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 22:15:01 +0000

Classic Minis fascinate me to this day, but, today, I’m driving the newest Mini Cooper. I’m not sure why it’s called the Countryman, or why Mini considers it a crossover SUV (because it is quite far removed from a SUV in the traditional sense), but it does have five doors (a first for Mini), a longer wheelbase, more interior space and better ground clearance compared to the second largest Mini, the Clubman. Continue reading my review of the 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

What, me Minis?

journauto — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:24:18 +0000

2011 Mini Cooper Countryman road test coming soon. For now, some photos from my semi-retired Canon Digital Rebel. Check out the gallery here.

As an added bonus (who doesn’t like a bonus?) I dug up some pics I took of a 2008 Clubman a while back. Mini fans enjoy!

Driving Darth Vader

journauto — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:56:13 +0000

Though it’s three in the afternoon, the sun appears for the first time, helping to warm the dark suede leather interior without the aid of climate control. The roar from the naturally-aspirated 3.8-litre flat-six playing behind me, I can’t help but wonder why anybody would even want a radio in a Porsche 911 GT3. Continue reading my review of the 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

Porsche Sport Driving School – USA

journauto — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:04:56 +0000

I was in Birmingham, Alabama last week to attend the Porsche Sport Driving School – USA at George Barber’s Barber Motorsport Park (no relation to Skip Barber). My schooling starts with a lead follow lapping session in a Carrera S 6MT with myself trying to stay with Hurley Haywood, a six-time 24 Hours of Daytona champion.

Following a southern-style lunch, it’s back to the big track for three more lapping sessions…

First, it’s back in the manual transmission Carrera S, which, besides getting up to speed, doesn’t require anything but third and fourth gear to get around here. I’d been lucky up until now to not have any other drivers in my session, but somebody had been thrown in with me this session. After a couple laps, however, it was clear that he just couldn’t (or didn’t want to) keep up with the instructor and I, and thankfully sat bowed out of the next sessions.

With Zippy the Wonder Slug back in the paddock, it was time to try out the PDK gearbox and do away with manual shifting. The PDK is so good that, if I’d been in max attack mode with both cars, this one would be three or four seconds faster than the manual tranny.

Next up is the 911 Turbo with PDK. This feels faster than the Carrera, however, has a bit of lag getting back on the throttle when too much speed is scrubbed in the trickier, tighter turns. It takes only a few laps to make the correction permanent though.

With my track sessions complete, I pair up with another writer from Brazil and take to the street in a 911 GT3. What better place is there for a racecar built for the road? I digress, but I enjoy the drive nonetheless.

An hour later I arrive back at the track. Though I’ve depleted my driver’s seat time credits, the fun isn’t quite over.

The day ends similar to how it begins. But, instead of chasing Haywood in a Porsche, I’m riding shotgun with him in one of the 500 911 GT2 RS models that exist, while he tries to shake the camera I’m holding out of my hands.

Fortunately, my grip was strong enough… And I’ve got this video as one killer souvenir. Watch it below!

Preview: 2011 Ford Explorer

journauto — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:43:41 +0000

On AutoNet.ca, I drive the 2011 Ford Explorer up, down, over, around and through some pretty tough country in San Diego County. And, after feeding some lions, a tiger and saying hello to a bear (no really!), I drove the newest Ford on what can only be described as an expert off-road course where it wore its stripes proudly. Click here to read my review of the sixth-gen Explorer.

Don’t forget to visit the photo gallery too!

Video: 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD

journauto — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:25:33 +0000

The 2011 Volvo S60 is perhaps the safety luxury sport sedan on the planet. In this quick video, I demonstrate Volvo’s City Safety (pedestrian avoidance) feature. More specifically, I show how the Auto Brake feature works. And, yes, it does work.

Video: 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S

journauto — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:46:23 +0000

This is me driving the 2011 Porsche Turbo S on the airport runway test track at AJAC’s annual TestFest event. It’s also where Automobile Journalists Association of Canada members spend a week driving and voting for the next Canadian Car of the Year.

I didn’t bring a video camera this year, but my pals at Wheels on Edge were there shooting all kinds of video. And, they just so happened to have a sticky camera rig to slap onto this prestigious sports car just before I took it out for a final track session…

… In the beginning you can hear us joke about whether the camera would stay put or not. It does for most of the five lap affair, but the last two are a bit out of frame. You can still see me through the rear quarter window though and the ending is kinda funny.

Just before the end, at about 140 km/h on the fast super giant slalom section, the car starts to understeer and nearly goes into a spin (you can hear the tires screech in protest). I managed to save it and just drove off the course where the track marshals didn’t seem to disapprove. One of them was waving his hand like it was on fire, blowing on it in approval.

When I’m at a track, I like to drive with the assists off and in Sport plus mode (the Porsche rep was like, “Don’t tell me that!” LOL! ) to get as visceral of an experience as possible out of dream machines like this. Who wants to putter around in a supercar? I, for one, do not.

Anyway, I’m going to look into updating my camera rig of my own for next year because there’s a lot of great video opportunities at TestFest. Hope you enjoy the vid as much as I did in making it. Of course, James and his father Rob were the ones with the neat idea to put the camera on the car in the first place, so don’t forget to check out their site WheelsOnEdge.com more cool automotive video.