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CAR REVIEWS

CAR REVIEWS

Initial Impressions: 2015 Porsche Macan

As much as some dyed-in-the-wool Porsche purist might deride the Cayenne SUV, it must be understood that if we want Porsche to keep making the manic 918s and GT3s of the world, they need volume sellers to keep everything copasetic.

It’s with that in mind that I sampled Porsche’s latest Porsche-for-the-masses, the Macan crossover.

How for-the-masses, you ask? Well, Porsche says they have the capacity to build 50,000 a year, if they see fit. 

Thing is, after sampling the Macan (Indonesian for “Tiger”), there’s a good chance said purists will relax their feathers a little; this is a Porsche, through and through.

Strange as it may seem, it’s not the styling that puts it on hallowed Porsche ground—there’s nothing wrong with the lines (many of which were inspired by said 918; the taillights, lower air dam, side rocker panels) but it’s the seating position that really gets the Porsche juices flowing.

It’s perfect; just upright enough without feeling like you’re driving a bus, while still having a commanding view out. The seats are supportive (almost to a fault if you select the Macan Turbo model, where they’re very snug) and the classic three-spoke Porsche steering wheel feels just right in your hands.

We sampled both the Macan V6 (340 hp, 339 lb.-ft.) and Macan Turbo (400 hp, 406 lb.-ft.—same as a Carrera S) models. Both come equipped with Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmissions. There is no manual option. 

Neither disappointed. You still get that classic Porsche burble from the tailpipes even though there are no flat-sixes here. Everything feels so put together, as if it was crafted from a single block of steel. 

It helps that weight was saved by building the hood, fenders and rear hatch out of aluminum, giving it a 4,112 lb. curb weight, the lightest in its class.

Yes, detractors will argue that Porsche lost some of its purity when it switched from hydraulic to electronic power steering, and while I tend to agree with them, it doesn’t seem as severe an issue in the Macan’s case as it would in a Boxster or 911. 

Not to mention that in a Boxster or 911, you don’t have features like 40/20/40 split folding rear seats and up to 53 cu. ft. of storage space. Add options like a 1000(!) watt Burmeister audio system, and the Macan starts to make a whole lot of sense.

These days, Porsche seems to be hitting nothing but home runs. I imagine the Macan will be more of the same.

2014 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid - What We Like and Dislike

While an increasing number of people are looking to buy fuel-efficient cars, they may not necessarily be opting for a traditional hybrid. The monthly sales data by autobloggreen suggests that traditional hybrid sales may actually be decreasing as people opt for other green alternatives such as a plug-in hybrid or an electric car. This is great news for Toyota, since they are one of the few automakers to offer a plug-in vehicle. I recently had a chance to test out the Prius Plug-in Hybrid – Toyota’s most fuel efficient production car. First, let’s go over the specs.

The base model comes equipped with the following features:

-1.8-litre four-cylinder engine
-Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
-134 hp
-6.1-inch Display Audio with Navigation
-Back-up camera
-Heated front seats
-Automatic climate Control
-Push button start
-$35,705
 

The model tested came with the Technology package, which includes:

-JBL Premium Audio system
-Premium navigation
-Softex seating surfaces
-Radar cruise control
-Pre-collision system
-LED headlamps
-$40,940

LIKES

Great ride quality

The Prius is a solid car to drive on both, streets and highways. On the streets at low speeds the car uses its electric motor to deliver a whisper quite ride. On the highways, the engine can get a bit noisy when accelerating. However, once it reaches a desired speed, engine use is minimal and the car returns to its typical quiet state. The Prius offers three driving modes – Normal, ECO, and Power. ECO mode is okay for city driving, but isn’t recommended for the highway. It’s almost impossible to accelerate hard as the engine tries to restrict your RPMs. For such maneuvers, switching to Normal or Power mode is recommended.

I recently did a review on the Lexus CT and was quite impressed with its brisk performance under Power mode (the CT has 3 modes as well). Sharing the same engine and components, I was expecting the Prius would deliver similar performance. While their performance is similar under ECO mode, The Prius Plug-in just seems a bit slow to accelerate in Power mode.

Decent fuel efficiency

Most of my driving was done in ECO mode, and the battery was charged up every night. In ECO mode I was able to achieve 4.5 L/100km with a mix of city and highway driving. On the highway, through a 10-kilometre stretch, fuel economy increased to 4.2 L/100km. In Normal mode, I was able to achieve a combined rating of 4.8 L/100km.

Switching to Power mode decreases the fuel efficiency between 0.5 – 1 L/100km, which isn’t that significant considering the power output gained.

Charging flexibility

From a charging standpoint, I liked that the Prius was able to charge using any standard 110V power source. Living in the suburbs, it was hard to find a charging station. Luckily, I was able to spot one in the parking lot of a local Whole Foods store. It wasn’t a typical 240V outlet, but rather a 110V – the kind you would find around the house. It takes approximately three hours to charge, whereas a 240V outlet would be able to do a full charge in only 90 minutes.

DISLIKES

Weak electric range

Toyota claims this Prius is capable of travelling in all-electric mode for up to 22 kilometres in the city. Unfortunately, I was only able to travel 15.9 kms during my city commute. Throughout the test, the car was driven conservatively in ECO mode in spring weather. In the winter, expect that range to drop a few more points.

Undifferentiated design

The Prius plug-in hybrid costs almost $10,000 more than a standard Prius. When you spend this much of a premium, you expect the car to pop out a bit more in a herd of Priuses. Unfortunately, the plug-in hybrid doesn’t have enough styling cues to accomplish this. Sure, there’s a metallic plate below the rear windshield, an extra fuel door, and emblems on either side that read “Plug-in Hybrid”. But aside from those minor details, there’s nothing else that determines that this in fact is the plug-in version. Not surprisingly, charging the car at my local Whole Foods store certainly seemed to draw a lot of eyes from fellow shoppers.

 

First Drive: 2015 Subaru Legacy

People tend to forget that before the WRX, or the XV Crosstrek, the Subaru Legacy was really the car that put the brand on the map. It was a proper mid-sized sedan with a 4WD (that’s 4WD, not AWD) option made right here in North America. It even raced (and won) rallies.

With that in mind, Subaru invited the media down to its Subaru of Indiana Automotive facility to put the next generation of the Legacy through its paces both on the road, and on track at the facility.

Similar in profile to last year’s model, but with a few choice details to help differentiate it, 2015 sees a larger, better equipped Legacy arrive in showrooms.

New LED taillights, wheel choices (17-inch steel, 17-inch alloy and a sharp new 18-inch two-tone alloy) and a lower roofline are on-hand to modernize the Legacy. It’s also longer and wider than the outgoing model, making for a roomier interior.

Inside, you’ll find niceties like 10-way power driver’s seat and back-up cam at base level, while higher trims get you EyeSight safety (distance-based cruise, emergency stopping, lane departure warning), leather seating and even a thumping 576-watt Harmon Kardon sound system. 

The main mechanical draw of the Legacy is its AWD powertrain that can be had even on its base 2.5i model, starting at a scarce $23,495 accompanied by a standard six-speed manual transmission. Otherwise, you can upgrade to a Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) that will cost you an additional $1,300.

The CVT is all new, and while some caveats remain, it’s decidedly un-CVT like when you want it to be. Column-mounted paddle shifters let you select from 6 or 8 “virtual” ratios depending on how you’re driving (six for slow around-town crawls, eight for when you tackle the open road), and you get a real sense that some cog-swapping is happening, even though it’s not. 

Power comes from either a 175 hp four-banger or 256 hp flat-six, both carryovers from last year. The four banger’s hp count may not sound like much, but it hustles the (now lighter, thanks to more high-tensile steel) Legacy around with gumption, as we found on the slalom course at the test facility.

What was less inspired, more so in the heavier flat-six powered 3.6R models, was how much body roll it exhibits. Granted, it’s more noticeable on the track, we did notice a little more bob and weave in everyday driving. Luckily, the Legacy’s roomy, comfortable interior complete with new, bigger seats both front and back make up for this.

That’s the little price to pay when you consider the security and confidence the Legacy projects, thanks in no small part to that three-diff AWD system. 

Production has begun and we should expect to see the 2015 Legacy in showrooms come July.

 

2014 Scion FR-S – What We Like and Dislike

Gone are the days where almost every car manufacturer had an affordable two-door sports car. The last few decades had some amazing specimen – including Acura’s Integra and Prelude, Mazda’s RX-7, and Nissan’s 240SX. Sure, some makers like Ford and Mitsubishi could sustain their coupes, while others would wait a decade or two to reintroduce the likes of the Camaro, the Challenger, and the FT-86. 

While some may have not heard of the FT-86, it’s a Toyota product introduced in North America as the Scion FR-S. Well, to be more specific, it is a joint project by Subaru and Toyota to bring a robust sports sedan to North America. The Subaru version, known as the BRZ, is an exact replica of the FR-S. Both Subaru and Toyota admit that the former was responsible for the chassis and powertrain and the latter was responsible for the design.

LIKES

Brisk performance

How do you make a Toyota sports car feel nothing like a Toyota? You have it engineered by your competition. The FR-S is very light and nimble, thanks to its small dimensions. Power is driven from the front mounted engine to the rear wheels, and acceleration is almost instantaneous. The 2.0L engine generates about 200 horsepower and is powerful enough to push the car from a standstill to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds in a manual and 7.9 seconds in an automatic. Torque is a bit lacking at only 151 lb-ft., compared to the Hyundai Genesis coupe’s 223 lb-ft. rating. Regardless, the Subaru-built Boxer engine makes the car feel quite powerful.

Sleek profile

This FR-S sits quite low to the ground – even more so than its Toyota-branded predecessor, the Celica. The low profile and standard 17-inch wheels make the car look wider than it actually is. The lower body is wrapped in an edgy body kit that gives the car an even sportier appearance. The headlights and taillights are small, and don’t have any LED elements within them – which is slightly disappointing for a car in this segment. The roof features two curvy accents that improve the styling and aerodynamics, and is only noticeable when you stand right beside the car.

DISLIKES

Disappointing Interiors

The interiors are severely lacking both in design and technology. The dash is laden in a faux carbon fibre pattern draped over hard plastics. The air conditioning knobs feel like they’ve been pulled out of a toaster oven. The gauges look decent with a crisp racing font used against a contrasting black or white background. Unfortunately, the digital multi-information gauge within it is terribly simplistic, and offers only a single piece of information at a time – be it the speed, fuel economy, or trip meter reading. The steering wheel has a nice pattern and although the steering is electric, it feels slightly stiff for a car of this size. It would be nice if the steering stiffness could be adjusted – especially for long drives.

Unusual jolts

On the automatic transmission at least, the car seems to jolt forward or backward slightly when shifting from Park (into either Drive or Reverse) and taking your foot off the brake. In most cars, when you shift into either gears, the car moves forward or backward gradually as you take your foot off the brake. On the FR-S, taking your foot off the brake after the shift pushes the speed to 5 km/h almost instantly. While this may not sound like a big deal, it could be a bit dangerous if you are in a parking spot and there is a car either in front or behind you. This issue can easily be averted by letting go of the brake pedal gradually, but it would take some getting used to.

 

First Drive – 2014 Ford Fiesta 1.0L EcoBoost: the new ‘Mighty Mouse’

The long-awaited arrival of the smallest engine produced by Ford has come to an end. The 1.0-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine has made its way to Canada and has been perfectly fitted to Ford’s smallest car – the Fiesta. 

The three-cylinder engine might be a joke to some, but in light of this fuel efficiency age, smaller seems better and it’s definitely small considering that the engine only weighs 215 pounds. What it lacks in mass, it makes up for with punchy and growly action thanks to the use of turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable camshaft timing. A lot of effort was put into making this perfect small engine that includes the use of aluminum for the cylinder head and iron for the engine block, resulting in smooth and quiet ride with limited vibration.

When it’s all set and done, the small and mighty German built-engine produces 123 horsepower and 125 lb.-ft. of torque that can go up to 148 with the use of an overboost at higher gears. Ford has set this new EcoBoost engine to produce 90 per cent of its torque from 1,350-5,375 RPM, which will reduce any acceleration lag. 

Ford set-up a daily event for us journalists to test out the Fiesta 1.0L. Lined in front of the meeting spot were six brand-new manual Fiestas, all in SE trim. Why is that? Because that’s the only trim that the 1.0L comes in. You do get the option of sedan or hatchback for the same price of $17,970. That comes with an EcoBoost badge for both the sedan and hatch, but the sedan will get an added Rear Decklid Spoiler.

It’s very curious that the smallest car is only available with a five-speed manual transmission, considering that 80 per cent of Fiesta sales are automatic, but Ford wouldn’t provide any information for why this is the case. Furthermore, Ford wants the 1.0L to be an alternative for buyers looking to buy diesels or hybrids, but how many of those purchases are manual transmissions? 

It’s just baffling, but I digress. Let’s talk about the drive. 

The drive included some highway driving, twisty roads and a man-made handling course. As I get onto the highway and upshift into third gear, I immediately notice the growl and fiery notes from the engine. The 1.0L backed up the Ford talk, showcasing its skills as an engine designed for better fuel economy without compromising on performance. The gears can be shifted easily and shows some spunk until you get into fifth gear, where it loses a lot of its momentum. It doesn’t huff and puff like other smaller cars in high gears, but let’s you know in a calm manner that’s in a small urban car and it ain’t gonna go much faster. 

The 1.0L weaved its way through traffic, as any small compact should that’s worth its weight. The drive itself was enjoyable, as it was composed, smooth and had very little road noise. 

The second component of the event was the handling course. A little surprising to set-up such a course more suited for a sports car, but it just shows how confident Ford is in their little subcompact. The Fiesta’s handling was able to make quick cuts at the start of the course and picked up speed instantly when needed. It cornered well through some more angled turns and was able to stop on a dime at the end of the course. 

As for fuel economy, Ford has rated the 1.0L at 6.2L/100 km in the city and 4.3L/100 km on the highway. These numbers place the 1.0L as best in class on the highway for a non-hybrid car that uses regular gasoline.

Overall, for a subcompact, the Fiesta 1.0L impressed. It stayed true to its small and mighty billing, forcing me to rename it ‘Mighty Mouse.’ There are still a few problems with it catching on and that is mainly due to it only being available with a five-speed manual. Considering the Fiesta’s market is catered to female drivers between the ages of 25-35, I’m not sure where the 1.0L slots in. Clearly the target market will shift more to the male side, but Ford will miss out on a lot of sales without an automatic transmission offering. However, it will might just come in due time. 

For someone who loves to drive stick, the Fiesta 1.0L has everything you want in a compact car. Its power stands up to any of its competitors, while simultaneously saving lots of money at the pumps. Add in its funky look and appeal, and Ford has put together a winner with some punch. 

 

Test Drive: 2014 Chevy Malibu 2LT

The Chevrolet Malibu is the midsize family sedan that usually gets overlooked. Perhaps, there isn’t anything that makes it stand out, maybe it’s the name and most would argue it’s the amount of competition. Whatever the reason and it will clearly vary between consumers, Chevrolet is poised to improve on it and has made some key changes during a refresh for the 2014 model. 

A lot of styling changes can be noticed both inside and out of the Malibu. Let’s start with the exterior that sees a redesigned grille that uses a chrome ring that surrounds a black honeycomb design. Above the Chevy bowtie, more chrome is found that jets out towards its sharp-looking HID projector headlamps. This increase of chrome creates a more luxurious touch allowing the bowtie to pop.  

I should point out my test car for the day was the Malibu 2LT. The highlights with this package are 18-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control and an eight-way powered driver seat.

For the interior, lots of soft-touch leather surrounds the cockpit. It goes well with the grey leather seats that remind me of a nicely-worked in cushiony sofa. The colour was a bit bland, so I would opt for the more eye-catching coffee colour. 

Extended armrests and a larger centre console make its way to the 2014 model. It’s nice to see that you can store more, but depending on the way you sit – your elbow can bang into that centre console fairly easily. If it could just be pushed back a touch, that would solve said problem. 

On the bright side, the Malibu has been designed to allow for two mobile phone slots right beside the duo cup holders. This is a nice practical touch that will put a smile to any travellers face. Furthermore, there’s the hidden storage compartment that can be accessed behind the Chevy MyLink Entertainment console. 

Going into this test drive, one thing I was curious about was what Chevrolet did to space out the back seats. Plenty of criticism fell their way, as a midsize sedan should rightfully have enough space for a family of four – that is their clientele? 

Before driving, I headed to the back seats – to see what reactionary steps they took. I noticed an improvement in headroom and legroom, but it wasn’t significant enough. It still seemed a bit crammed back there and not comfortable for long drives. It’s just baffling sometimes that more attention wasn’t paid to this area of concern. Competition is fierce in this segment and you don’t want to be having this glaring issue for families that put back seat space on the top of their checklist. 

Under the hood of the Malibu 2LT is an improved 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with direct injection and variable valve timing that cranks out a similar, but slightly lower 196 horsepower and 186 lb.-ft. of torque from the outgoing model. This new engine is part of Chevy’s new Eco engines and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The big eco effect is an auto stop-start system that reduces fuel economy in a big way. 

The Malibu will be the only vehicle in its class to offer such a system that can save you plenty of cash throughout the years. The start-stop system begins its work when you come to a full stop while in drive. When you’re ready to roll the engine will re-start just before you press down on the accelerator. Chevrolet claims a rating of 5.3L/100 km in the city and 8.0L/100 km on the highway for a combined 6.8. During my day of testing, I couldn’t match the combined 6.8, but managed an impressive 7.6.

While driving the Malibu 2LT the most noticeable thing was the silence of the ride.  This is most evident on the highway, where the Malibu moves smoothly through the paces and quietly gets you to where you need to go in a comfortable fashion. There’s very little vibration felt as Chevrolet has revamped its suspension for more body control on the road. 

In the city, the Malibu can get a tad noisy as you accelerate after each stop sign and stop light. It has a bit of lag when you attempt to floor it, but in the end you realize it’s only offering a courteous reminder that you’re in a Malibu after all. Once you got that reality check, you will approve of the Malibu’s electric power steering that’s responsive and direct in turns without the need for correction. 

There’s nothing awe-inspiring about the ride, but also nothing really bad about it either. It gets you from a-to-b without any handling issues and responsive steering, however, without much excitement as well. Thankfully, Chevrolet improved the look and fuel economy, to give you a feel of some comfort and savings in the wallet. 

After driving the Malibu, I felt the changes were for the better, but not good enough to effect a big change in where the Malibu sits in the segment. To me, it clearly sits where it belongs as a middle-of-the-pack type vehicle. 

The Malibu has some stiff competition with the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion as direct competitors. Throw in the likes of the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda6 and Kia Optima and you quickly see what challenges lie ahead for the Malibu. I would call it an instant headache for Chevrolet designers and engineers. The Malibu 2LT starts at a reasonable $28,495 and should at least be tested if you’re in the market for a midsize sedan. 

 

2014 Lexus CT – What We Like and Dislike

There are hybrid cars and then there are cars that are made into hybrids. The latter is generally less fuel efficient because they are simply hybrid variants of their gasoline counterparts. As a result, they are not as aerodynamic, fuel efficient, or offer sufficient interior or trunk space because of the added battery. 

The Lexus CT falls into the former category because it was designed to be the Prius-equivalent for the Lexus brand. It’s the second-best selling Lexus hybrid after the RX450h, and sports an attractive price point. After all, it’s nice to know that the cheapest Lexus you can buy is a hybrid. Add in the fuel savings and it just makes sense for most budget-conscious buyers.

The model we tested was the CT200H with the optional F Sport package. The base model CT200H comes with the following features:

-134 horsepower 4-cylinder engine

-Lexus Hybrid drive engine with Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)

-Dual-zone climate control

-Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control

-16-inch wheels

-8 airbags

-Starting price of $30,950

 

The optional F Sport package adds the following:

-17-inch F Sport wheels

-F Sport front grille and rear spoiler

-Xenon LED headlamps and foglamps

-Display audio system with back-up camera

-Leather seats

-Power moonroof

-All for an additional $7,450

 

LIKES

Sedan-inspired design

The CT is unique because although it is a hatchback, it doesn’t look like one. The boot is a bit bigger like the Mazda3 – to accommodate the battery system. From the front, it looks like a sporty sedan. The roof and hood are relatively flat, and the vehicle itself sits quite low. The crown element on the vehicle is its large F Sport grille that has a sabre-tooth appearance and spindle pattern – very reminiscent of the IS F Sport.

Spacious trunk space

We think the CT has come a long way compared to its outcast hybrid predecessor, the HS sedan. With its tall-but-small dimensions and funky interiors, the HS looked like a Corolla on steroids. Its tall stance was mainly due to the battery Lexus had to fit into the boot. With poor sales, Lexus got rid of the HS and chose a form factor that made sense – a hatchback that provided enough room in the rear to fit a battery. Hence the Creative Touring model, or CT, was created. 

Because of its form factor, the CT offers one of the largest trunk dimensions in the hybrid segment. That being said, the battery does take up almost half of the trunk space, but because it’s a hatchback-wagon, there’s still the other half to work with. All in all, the CT offers trunk space equivalent to the IS – which is pretty impressive for a hybrid vehicle.

Decent fuel economy

Lexus claims the CT can achieve a fuel economy of 4.8 city and 4.5 highway (liters per 100 kilometres). With all the gadgets and gizmos inside the tested CT model, we were doubtful whether it would be able to achieve anything under 7L/100km. The CT proved me wrong – achieving a combined fuel economy of 6.2L/100km. After some intense highway driving, I was able to bring it down to 5.9L/100km. To be fair, most of my driving was done in Eco mode without the use of the heater or air conditioner. Regardless, that probably makes this the most fuel efficient gasoline-hybrid car in North America.

 

DISLIKES

Whiny Transmission

To further improve its fuel economy, the CT has a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Being a luxury car, it’s hard to swallow the sound it makes when you put your foot down on the gas pedal. Under heavy acceleration, the engine makes a whining high-pitched sound as the revs try to meet the throttle’s demands.

Rear legroom

The leather seats that came with our F Sport model were pretty comfortable, but the rear legroom is quite poor. Lexus should have taken advantage of the boot space and pushed the rear seats a couple of inches further back. While it isn’t the best choice if you plan to transport four-to-five adults around on a daily basis, it will more than suffice for families with small children.

 

2014 Toyota Highlander – What We Like and Dislike

The Highlander has until now been one of Toyota’s most successful SUVs here in North America. But with its aging design and competition in full swing, Toyota headed to the drawing board to develop a new model.

Although the Highlander has continuously outsold competitors like the Pathfinder and Pilot, its conservative styling screamed soccer mom. So for 2014, Toyota took a different approach – making the Highlander bolder and more defined than its predecessor.

I had a chance to test drive the Highlander Limited, and came away quite surprised with how this family mover has evolved into a macho-looking miniature monster truck. The base model comes with the following features:

-3.5 litre V6 engine with direct injection

-270 hp and 248 lb.-ft. of torque

-six-speed automatic transmission

-Front wheel drive

-18-inch wheels

-6.1-inch touchscreen and 3.5-inch multi-information display

-Back-up camera

 

The Limited model we tested adds the following features, among others:

-19-inch wheels

-Leather seats

-8-inch touchscreen and 3.5-inch multi-information display

-3-zone climate control

-Parking sensors with cross-traffic alert

-Heated front and second row seats

 

REAL WORLD FUEL COSTS

Stated range of full tank: 413 km

Actual range of full tank: 393km

Conditions: 40% city/60% highway – Climate controls off, Radio on, Display on, Conservative acceleration

Fuel economy: 14.2 L/100km (combined)

Fill up costs: $78 at the rate of $1.30/liter (regular unleaded)

 

LIKES

Unique design

Although Toyota is known for making modest changes to their vehicles and touting them as completely redesigned (ahem, Camry), the Highlander has gone through a complete overhaul. With its bold and macho redesign, it looks like a sexier version of the bigger Sequoia. The headlights are narrow and stretch out generously across the front. Each headlight cluster is complemented with a projection beam lamp and a chrome eyelid. 

The big grill runs deep, accented with a chrome stripe and a big Toyota emblem. The wheel arches are wider and more defined, giving it a monstrous appearance. The base 17” wheels have been upgraded to 18” alloys. The interiors have been upgraded as well with hints of luxury from every seat. The front is abundant with soft touch materials throughout the dash and a standard touchscreen. 

Bigger dimensions

While its width stays the same, the new Highlander is almost three inches longer than the outgoing model. Buyers now have the ability to choose between a seven-seat and eight-seat configuration – each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The seven-seater model sports two captain chairs in the middle row and a bench seat in the third row. 

The eight-seater model features a bench seat in both the second and third rows. The added length is quite apparent in the interior space, and makes it more humane to sit in the third row – although it is still intended for small children.

Sharp performance and handling

The only engine choice offered in Canada is a 3.5-litre V6 engine, while Americans get a 2.7-litre four-cylinder base engine. The V6 engine provides 248 lb.-ft. of torque that’s on par with others in its segment with direct injection really helping it deliver brisk acceleration. It can reach 100 km/h from a standstill in less than 7.5 seconds. 

The bigger wheels coupled with a soft suspension provide a comfortable ride on the notoriously bumpy Gardiner Expressway during my weekly commute. The chunky steering feels very light for a vehicle of its size. Body roll is minimal when tested on a 90-degree bend at speeds of 110 km/h. Also notable is the 270-hp rating, which is more than the Pathfinder and Pilot, but less than the 290-hp Ford Explorer.

 

DISLIKES

Overstated fuel economy

Toyota claims the Highlander is capable of achieving 11.5 L/100km in the city and 8.2 10 L/100km on the highway – for a combined rating of 10 L/100km. While I wasn’t expecting to receive these numbers for obvious reasons, I came out not impressed with a 14.2L/100 km combined rating after a week comprised of approximately 50/50 city/highway driving. I’m not upset about the fuel economy, as most of its competitors achieve similar numbers. It’s just a bit disappointing to see the large gap between the stated numbers and the real world results.

Clicking intermittent wiper

Although I am nit-picking here, it should be noted that the intermittent wiper is rather unusual. When turned on, it makes two clicking sounds – once when it swipes across the windshield and once more when it returns back. With the radio off, this would be annoying enough to drive any obsessive compulsive person off the wall. The only workaround is to switch the wiper to the normal setting rather than the intermittent one.

 

2014 Infiniti Q50 – What We Like and Dislike

The compact luxury sedan market is a tough place to be these days. Relatively low margins and a focus on sales, every dealer will tell you their car is better than the competition. Sure BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz thrive in these environments, but what about the underdogs?  These are the underrated road warriors that refuse to share platforms and are truly designed to compete and perform.

Take out the badge-engineered “luxury” sedans – get rid of the Lexus ES, Lincoln MKZ, and Acura TL. What you’re left with are the big six. You already know the aforementioned three’s compact luxury offerings – now add the Lexus IS, Cadillac ATS, and Infiniti Q50 to the equation and you’ve got the perfect mix. If all these six cars showed up to a “meet”, I would hope they respect each other's car buying decisions. 

We had a chance to test drive one of the underdogs in this segment – the Q50. For 2014, the sedan was re-named from its previous G35/37 monikers. Also new for this year is the inclusion of a hybrid drivetrain, which is the one we were provided with. Here are the specs of the vehicle we were provided with:

-360-horsepower V6 engine
-All-wheel drive
-17-inch alloy wheels
-Direct Adaptive Steering
-SONAR technology
-Leather seats with heated front seats
-Moonroof
-Dual touch screens 
-14-speaker Bose sound system
-LED headlights
-Base price: $37,500, As-tested: $49,500

 

LIKES

Performance

It’s classic. It’s what one expects when they get behind the wheel of any of its G35/G37 predecessors. That powerful 3.7-litre engine coupled with the quick-shifting seven-speed transmission to deliver instant acceleration without much struggle. Try accelerating to a 100 kilometers an hour and enjoy those sharp G-forces as the engine pushes upwards of 7000 RPMs and gets you to the said speed in just over five seconds. 

Your soundtrack? That classic wailing sound that you hear every time a late 20-something year old West Indian kid revs past you in his 2006 G35 that he bought used off some guy on Kijiji. Some things don’t change – and they shouldn’t. That classic engine sound is raw, unfiltered, and naturally-aspirated.

Decent Space

What’s unique about the Q50 is it perfectly fits for the younger single buyer or small family unit. It’s slightly bigger than most compact luxury sedans, but isn’t big enough to be classified as a mid-size. The Q50 is eight inches longer than the C-Class and offers a combined five more inches of legroom for front and rear passengers. We took the car on a road trip from Toronto to Niagara Falls with four adult passengers and there was very little griping from the three relegated to the back seats. 

 

DISLIKES

Design

It’s very rare that we grill a redesigned car, but after a lot of thought, I couldn’t get past the fact that there’s nothing appealing about it. Its bland design makes one wonder whether it was originally intended to be a Nissan? The LEDs within the lights look tasteful, but there aren’t enough LEDs in the headlights to make a distinct impact. While the taillights look amazing in the dark, they aren’t that spectacular in the daytime.

The design from the rear looks too similar to non-luxury counterparts like the Mazda6 – which is usually an issue if you’re trying to sell a smaller car for a $13,000 premium. One thing I did like was that the large grille resembles that of the Infiniti Essence concept that we drooled over a few years ago. 

Exceptional Sound System, Average Interior Quality

The Q50S and Hybrid models come with one of the best sound systems in this segment – a 14-speaker Bose audio system. While the sound system is great, we found that the car’s interiors – especially the door panels – don’t deal too well with mid-to-heavy bass. The door panels tend to pulsate a bit more than usual, causing a soft vibration that can be heard as the audio plays. This would only be an issue if you listen to bass-rich audio like techno, electronic, rap or hip hop. If jazz or talk radio is your thing – then this shouldn’t be an issue. Additionally, the base model doesn’t have the Bose sound system, so it might deal a bit better with those interior tremors.

 

2014 Cadillac CTS – What We Like and Dislike

For 2014, we saw two luxury car manufacturers reinvent its high-volume cars. On one side of the world, Lexus repurposed its popular IS sedan to better compete in the compact luxury segment. Although the mechanical specs remain similar, the car is longer, more aggressive, and comes with a bigger price tag. On the other side of the world, Cadillac did something similar with the all-new CTS.

This CTS stopped sitting at the kiddie table with the A4, 3-series, and C-Class. Instead, it’s raw and unadulterated, technologically advanced and has a futuristic approach on design. 

Sitting in a Jaguar, one can already feel their grey hairs start to come in. Sure, Jaguars have really nice interiors, but they just feel a bit outdated – and the technology, although present, isn’t built for the smartphone generation. It’s simplistic, but not futuristic. The CTS isn’t game-changing, but it’s definitely much more evolved than the Jaguar and some of the other players. 

Our test model was the CTS Premium Collection, equipped with all-wheel-drive. Here are the mechanical specs of our test model:

-4-door mid-size luxury sedan
-3.6-litre V6 engine
-321hp and 275 lb.-ft. of torque
-six-speed transmission
-All for $71,690

On the base model, you can expect the following specs:

-2.0-litre turbo 4-cylinder engine
-272hp and 295 lb-ft of torque
-six-speed transmission
-Starting at $51,995

LIKES

Bold design

The CTS is one of a kind – it doesn’t need fancy badges or hood ornaments to stand out. It stands out simply because of the way it looks. It’s still boxy, but you wouldn’t recognize it any other way. 

The front of the car is just breathtaking with a long hood that cascades into the big embossed grille. The headlights are tucked in to emphasize that grille, while adding dimension to the car from the front quarters.

The headlight clusters are jeweled with LEDs just like most luxury cars, but what makes the CTS stand out is that the LEDs are vertically stacked – similar to a Ferrari 458. The LEDs don’t stop there. They continue into the bumper and turn into chrome stripes that outline the lower air ducts.

Decent performance

The 3.6-litre engine was able to deliver sufficient power and decent acceleration. There is a slight delay in response (measured in milliseconds) from the gas pedal, but the noise produced by the engine makes it all worth it. 

In manual mode, you can explore the true fun nature of the CTS with the use of paddle shifters. As you try to downshift during deceleration, the engine makes a beautiful purring sound as the transmission tries to adapt to the shift.

The base model comes with a 2.0-litre turbo engine, but we recommend testing this engine out to see if it’s a worthy performer. Sure the performance may be decent, but don’t expect to be blown away as the CTS is now a bigger, heavier car. Performance junkies can opt for the V-Sport model that has a 3.6-litre engine with twin turbos that generate around 420 horsepower.

DISLIKES

Trunk space

Although the CTS is now a bigger car, its trunk space remains fairly comparable to the outgoing model. The CTS offers 13.7 cubic feet of cargo room – just 0.1 cubic feet more than the outgoing 2013 model. In comparison, the Jaguar XF offers a generous 17.7 cubic feet while the BMW 550i offers 14 cubic feet. Although it’s not significantly less than the 550i, it would have been nice to see Cadillac add more junk to the trunk.

Sleek mirrors

The side-view mirrors look sleek from the outside and host the turn signals and the blind spot detection indicators (on higher trim levels). Unfortunately, its sleek design reduces the vertical field of view, making it hard to see the ground around your car. Fortunately, this isn’t an issue when parking as the base model comes with rear sensors to detect objects as you back into a parking spot. The rear vision camera is standard on all variants except the base model.

 

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