This week I’m behind the wheel of the 2010 Toyota Corolla. According to some commercials I have been hearing on the radio, it’s all-new; this isn’t totally true, as it was all-new for 2009 and the 2010 model is a carry-forward with a few new features. These include the vehicle stability control system that was previously standard only on the XRS that is now also standard on the S and LE models, and can be added to the base CE model. Also added are two new packages that add leather and/or a sunroof, and a navigation package is available in selected trims. More…
No supercars for me this week; only one car, the 2009 Nissan cube. Perhaps you can’t even call it a car — more like box on wheels. I drove the cube when it was first launched in Canada and was impressed by it then, but living with a car for a week is quite a bit different than driving it for a few hours on a press trip, so this week should help me decide if I still like the quirky cube (cube is not capitalized, as per Nissan). More…
Last week we went backwards in time, to a world where things were lighter and smaller. This week, it’s back to the normal, larger-than-before mantra of car makers these days, with the all-new for 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited. According to Subaru, this is the roomiest Legacy ever and is more comfortable, quiet and refined than the previous generation. More…
I’ll tell you what is not my forte: fixing drum brakes is certainly not my forte. Wait, that’s the wrong new Kia model; I’m driving the Soul this week, not the Forte. In case you haven’t noticed, Kia is is trying to get your attention lately, with some new offerings and, of course, a five-year warranty and very attractive pricing. This week, Kia is getting my attention with the Kai Soul 4u Burner edition — a fully-loaded Soul 4 me. More…
The BMW 3 Series is one hot-selling luxury vehicle line-up. Even in these challenging times, BMW sales are only slightly down (9.3 per cent) for 2009 over 2008 for the 3 Series, and heck, BMW is only down 2.7 per cent overall, so they must be doing something right. More…
The alphabet soup continues this week with YALC (Yet Another Luxury Car) as I continue on the string of high rollers I’ve been riding for the past two months or so. This week, the car is the 2009 Acura TL, affectionately referred to as “The Grille,” referring to none other than the gigantic chrome schnoz on the redesigned-for-2009 TL. More…
I drove the Toyota Matrix XR back in January, so getting behind the wheel of the Pontiac Vibe so soon afterwards was a great opportunity to determine if there are really any differences between these models besides a few option packages and styling. My Vibe tester had the same 2.4-litre engine as my Matrix tester, but instead of powering only the front wheels the Vibe was an all-wheel drive version — perfect for some of the winter weather I had while testing. More…
From the small and economical to the large and luxurious, that is the way it goes sometimes; an advantage for the luxurious part, perhaps but a disadvantage on the size front. Generally, I have no use for a large car so they do not swoon me as they would some, but I will admit I like the ride and feel you generally get in a longer-wheelbase car. More…
Do you remember when the first-generation Honda Insight was released? I can’t say I exactly remember the hoopla behind it, but I remember seeing them about and thinking, “That’s a weird looking little car they have there.” The first-generation Insight was an oddball vehicle: a two-seater with wheel covers to make it even more fuel efficient, so it stood out. But it never really caught on, its two seats making it impractical in comparison to its hybrid competition, the Toyota Prius. More…
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