Car Reviews

For the fourth year in a row, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) has chosen a Japanese automaker as the Canadian Car of the Year winner.

For 2016, the highly popular Honda Civic sedan takes home top honours for the second time in its history over four worthy German competitors in the Volkswagen Golf Sportwagon, Volkswagen Golf R, Mercedes-AMG C63 S and the Mercedes-AMG GT S.

For Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year, it was the Mazda CX-3 winning the day. It was the third time Mazda won an overall AJAC award, but the first time in the Utility category. The CX-3 beat out the Volvo XC90, Kia Sorento and Chevrolet Silverado for the award.

The all-new 2016 Honda Civic, currently the Canadian car sales champ for 18 consecutive years was built from the ground up on a new platform for its tenth-generation. It's wider, longer and sits lower to the ground for a sportier, athletic stance. The cabin has added some premium touches and added technology, while the drive is more peaceful and quiet with minimal road noise.

Mazda's Kodo “Soul of Motion” works masterfully on the brand new CX-3 compact crossover. Under the hood, it receives a 146-hp 2.0-litre inline four engine that doesn't seem like much, but it handles like a champ in front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Its combination of looks and excellent fuel economy helped the CX-3 stand out from the crowd.

Voting for the award took place last fall in Bowmanville, Ontario as 71 AJAC journalists from across Canada came to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park to evaluate a total of 41 eligible vehicles. 22 of those vehicles would be slotted in car categories with the winner of each category becoming eligible for the grand car of the year prize, while 19 of them were slotted for Utility Vehicle of the Year.

The testing for each category is conducted via back-to-back car comparisons on regular roads with some of those more performance-based vehicles hitting the track for extra evaluation.

A detailed scoring system is utilized in order to calculate the vote. There are 21 separate evaluation parameters that include acceleration, braking, handling, styling and ride comfort in order to determine a category winner. Once those winners have been named, the accounting firm of KPMG look to the separate ballot scores that were marked for the Canadian Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year. These categories include: occupant environment, performance, vehicle dynamics, price/value, market significance and emotional appeal.

Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco is only a few days away, and now we have the complete schedule of automaker television spots that will be featured on American tubes. Yes, unfortunately Canadian commercial coverage continues for one more year before we get to see the million dollar American ads.

The lineup for 2016 includes nine automakers: Acura, Audi, Buick, FCA, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mini and Toyota. Most of them feature celebrities and athletes, so let's take a closer look at a few of them before you get to check them out on YouTube after the game. 

Acura will showcase its NSX supercar to the delight of many who've been waiting for years to get their hands on one. Sales start shortly and Acura will take the opportunity to present it to the world featuring Van Halen music.

Hyundai is the new automotive NFL sponsor, so you knew they would have a big spot when it came to the big game. Hyundai will actually have four commercials total throughout the game. Two of them will feature celebrities in Kevin Hart and Ryan Reynolds. Hart plays a meddlesome father that attempts to track his daughter on her first date, while Reynolds attempts to distract a woman driver in various guises.

Kia will utilize Christopher Walken's skills in a spot called “Walken Closet.” It will feature the 2016 Kia Optima and sock puppets performed by Walken.

A first-timer to the Super Bowl party will be Buick. Buick's ad will showcase the Cascada convertible and feature New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. And actress/model Emily Ratajkowski.

The Super Bowl between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos will begin its coverage this Sunday, February 7 at 6:30 ET on CBS.

Markham, ON – Now well into in its ninth-generation that began in 2012, the Honda Accord is still holding court as a family pleaser. The evidence is there with it being the No. 1 choice for Canadian consumers in the intermediate sedan segment, but with current advancements in technology and a strong competition presence, Honda felt that it was time for it to be upgraded.

New for 2016, the Honda Accord has been refreshed with some added styling and technology to take on that competition and according to Honda Canada, “set a benchmark for the intermediate segment.” That statement seems counter intuitive to the conservative styling nature of the brand, but the Japanese-company plans to set those marks by offering modern technology that focuses on connectivity, as well as safety technology not seen throughout the spectrum of trim lines.

The centrepiece of Honda's connectivity plan is Apple Car and Android Auto. It's not new to the automotive game, as I recently encountered this in the new Volkswagen Jetta, but it's a first for Honda. The practice of this system is to create familiarity for the passengers. All you need is your Smartphone plug-in chord and connect it to the Accord. From there, familiar apps pop up on the screen, similar to your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy. Therefore, you can use your favourite apps that might include Google Maps or Slacker Radio the same exact way you would use them on your phone in the comfort of your car.

After testing out both Apple Car and Android Auto, the best part about this system is that the functions work quickly without any lag. You don't have to wait for things to load up. Once the Accord detected the device and we went through the approval process, I was allowed to rifle through menu options, or talk via Siri to give navigational or text message instructions.

Honda's intuitive seven-inch infotainment system wasn't just about Apple Car and Android Auto. We tested out its on-board Garmin navigational system, and it was a relief compared to the other archaic and inferior base options around. Honda could better its touchscreen if it does away with the touch volume scrolling system, but that will have to be an argument for another day.

As seen on both the new HR-V and Pilot, the new Accord will come with the host of Honda Sensing safety technology in an aim to be the safest Accord ever. For its efforts, the 2016 iteration has already been awarded top-honours with a Top Safety Pick + from the IIHF. The suite of Honda Sensing technology that includes Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is available for all trims, but comes standard in the sedan from the EX-L trim and up.

Technological additions are not the only changes made to the new 2016 Honda Accord. Both the sedan and coupe have gone through front fascia alterations that come off more aggressive and sporty. I mentioned the conservative nature of Honda, and especially the Accord, but these changes even though not earth shattering, provide a glimpse of a subtle spark within the culture.

The sedan gets a lot of chrome as two horizontal bars sit underneath a larger silver chrome strip that stretches towards the “Jewel Eye” LED headlights. As for the coupe version, it differentiates itself with a copper brushed chrome strip that sits on top of a sporty mesh design. Both get standard LED taillights, as well as an aluminum hood that takes over from the heavier steel version.

Under the hood, the Accord 2.4-litre four-cylinder (185 hp and 181 lb.-ft. of torque) and 3.5-litre V6 (278 hp and 252 lb.-ft. of torque) are carry-overs, so there's not much new to report. However, Honda has improved fuel economy rating slightly with a revised 8.6 L/100 km in the city and 6.4 L/100 km on the highway split. All sedans and coupes can be paired with either a six-speed manual or continuously variable transmission (CVT).

On the drive around Markham into the community of Kettleby, situated in the northeastern King Township in Ontario, I was able to take out the automatic Touring sedan that sits on 19-inch aluminum wheels. It wasn't a long drive, but it allowed me to experience the comfort and driving capabilities of the new Accord.

Honda has made improvements in its ride and handling, but they were hardly noticed on this drive, perhaps more time might have played the trick. But for this mid-size sedan transporter, it does everything you want it to. Not only is it super quiet, it drives like a gazelle, smoothly accelerating and coasting on highways and city streets. We managed to achieve a 7.8L/100 km combined rating, which is right in there with the best of them.

The seats have ample legroom and headroom, and place you in a driving position that's upright and comfortable. The same can be said for the rear seats; while the trunk was spacious and had room for at least three-to-four sets of golf clubs.

What more can you want from this family sedan? If I had the choice, I was ready to sign this out for my next long road trip, and it had Sirius satellite radio to boot.

There are many great choices in the market without a clear-cut favourite that include the Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Altima. For a starting price of $24,150, and the Touring cost beginning at $31,090, the 2016 Honda Accord is the reliable and respectable choice of the group, and these refreshing changes certainly provide it a modern touch and a little bit of flair that could potentially separate itself from the rest of the pack.

Miami, FL – “Versatility, technology, fun-to-drive and stylish,” said Jean-Marc Leclerc, Vice President, Auto Sales and Marketing at Honda Canada. These were desires from consumers when asked about what they would like from a compact crossover.

Those four traits were what Honda focused on when creating the all-new 2016 Honda HR-V. The HR-V in its second go-around (it was built back in 1999 on a supermini platform, only to last until 2006), slots below the No. 1 selling import nameplate SUV, the CR-V, and aims to make significant strides in the fast-growing compact segment.

The HR-V looks nothing like its former self with use of the Honda Fit hatchback platform. It's an elevated version for those that enjoy a higher seating position coupled with a fun and youthful flair.

The first thing you will notice as you walk around the vehicle is a catchy rear door handle that can be found at the window level, eerily similar to the Hyundai Veloster. It's gimmicky and shows me that Honda is trying too hard to impress. If you want to be cool, create something that's hip and blows people's minds. Placing a door handle in an unusual spot won't instantly get you a ticket to the VIP area.

Luckily, the rest of the exterior does the job in making the HR-V an instant attraction. It has a lot of styling and motion in its build, which is not typically found in this segment. Honda has created a sloping coupe-like motion coming from the roof to the nose of the CUV, as well as to the rear. Up front, the HR-V has a bold grille that creates a powerful stance for its size. The HR-V utilizes some sporty and sharp cuts across the body emphasizing that youthful coolness it was hoping to achieve.

Inside, the HR-V shows off its versatility. First of all, it's longer, wider and taller than the Fit, but slightly shorter than the CR-V with maintaining its same amount of knee and legroom.

All of the great versatile features from the Fit are incorporated into the HR-V. There are five seat modes that include: Normal, Split, Tall, Utility and Long. To summarize this, you can adjust the seating from pulling just one seat down or up to having a complete flat floor with a max cargo of 1,665 litres of space. If you need to put a mountain bike or surfboard inside, no problem, the HR-V caters to your adventurous needs.

As great as the CUV looks from the outside, I have to scale that excitement down a notch when addressing the interior. The dashboard plastic comes off cheap, the seven-inch multimedia touchscreen is bland, but the worst of it has to be the horizontal vent that sits in front of the front passenger seat. I'm not sure what they were going for there? More is not all the time better.

The reason I come off harsh with Honda's design comes down to a belief that they needed to make the HR-V look like all-new creation, and not just bits and pieces that reflect other vehicles in the lineup. It's a growing segment and it might far surpass offerings like the Chevrolet Trax and Mitsubishi RVR, but it has to line-up against the upcoming Mazda CX-3, Kia Soul, Nissan Juke, Jeep Renegade and Subaru XV Crosstrek.

On the road, the HR-V powers its way smoothly with the use of the 1.8-litre four-cylinder that's found in the Civic rated at 138 horsepower and 127 lb.-ft. of torque. All of the vehicles on hand were all-wheel drive, so they all came with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Otherwise, you can opt for a front-wheel drive with a six-speed manual gear shifter. 

The ride was smooth, comfortable and relaxing. The aim of this compact crossover is not to be a speed burner, so don't get your hopes up, when you struggle to power your way into the left lane for an intersection turn. On a positive note, the CVT doesn't allow much engine noise to enter the cabin, so your smooth and quiet drive stays consistent.

The HR-V will get you from A to B with a reasonable amount of fuel usage. The all-wheel drive version on the press trip is rated at 8.8L/100 km in the city and 7.2L/100 km on the highway.

The combination of a impressive fuel efficiency and an inexpensive low price of $20,690 for the LX trim in front-wheel drive and with a six-speed manual tranny are the ingredients that Honda hopes will drive consumers to the dealership. Starting prices top out below $30K for the EX-L with navigation and all-wheel drive, so you can worry less about significantly going over budget while negotiating.

The 2016 Honda HR-V should appeal to younger families that are looking to either slightly upsize or downsize, depending on what they've previously owned. The HR-V has a youthful vibe with plenty of versatility and practicality, that would appeal to the more adventurous or constantly-travelling consumer.

The 2016 Honda HR-V will go on-sale during the summer season.