This is as comfortable a truck as you’ll find and little touches make everything that much more civilized
Introduced in 2005, the Ridgeline was Honda’s first attempt to penetrate the pickup truck market in North America. How did that work out? Famously. The Ridgeline was an almost instant success. In 2010, it was propelled by a transversely-mounted 3.5-litre V6 engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission and a full-time all-wheel-drive system. Fuel economy…
Unlike other hybrid cars, the Volt is designed to run on battery power alone for 60 km before the auxiliary gas engine cuts in
Hybrid cars have exploded in popularity over the past few years. It’s to the point where you can’t always get one right away from a dealer and have to place your order and wait. But what about used? Hybrids with a few kilometres on them are making their way onto the used car market and…
This sport utility is arguably one of the safest vehicles on the road and it’s loaded with luxury features
One of the things that cemented Volvo’s presence in Canada was the company’s reputation for building cars that seem to run forever. For example, despite being out of production for some 25 years, the 240 is still a fairly common sight on city streets, at least where I live. The same seems to be true…
With seating for seven, this edition of the Quest also featured a lower step-in height and improved fuel economy
Looking for a decent used minivan? I am and one of the models I’ve had a look at is the Nissan Quest, 2011 edition. This is the fourth generation of Nissan’s people-carrier. The previous generation was, by the company’s admission, a bit of a disappointment. So they went back to the drawing board and redid…
Designed for work, not play, the Forestry Service models weren’t built in large numbers. There might be a dozen of them left
During the 1950s and early ’60s, before anyone had heard of Honda, Nissan, Toyota or Hyundai, the bestselling import brand in Canada was Austin. Models like the Devon, Somerset, Cambridge, Westminster and, eventually, Mini, dominated the small-car market. Like a lot of other Canadian families, we usually had an Austin of one type or another…
Buying used: Definitely not a conventional sedan but not quite a fully-fledged SUV either
According to Consumer Reports, the average life expectancy of a new vehicle these days is around eight years or 250,000 km. Some can even go 15 years and up to 500,000 km, if properly maintained. With that in mind: the 2010 Toyota Venza. Available with front or all-wheel drive, the Venza was introduced to the…
The 2010 version offers plenty of refinements and is, in general, a pleasure to drive
Ten years on, let’s look at Lexus’s first self-parking car: the 2010 LS 460. Available in two wheelbase sizes, with optional all-wheel-drive, it featured two versions of Lexus’s 4.6-litre V8 engine, and the transmission was an eight-speed automatic with manual shift mode. Whatever you chose, you were getting one of the smoothest and most usable…
It has a kind of muscularity about it, but not clumsy or overdone, and features a visual presence few others can match
Here’s another in my series of ones that got away – cars that I’ve encountered over the years and wish I’d kept. But in this case, I couldn’t have afforded it in the first place. When it was introduced in 2010, the Porsche Panamera was priced in the $120,000 neighbourhood – before taxes. Hard to…
Infiniti Q60 Coupe, Hyundai Tucson, Subaru Crosstrek and Jaguar F-Type Coupe all make the grade
Once again, some used car picks for your consideration, this time from 2016. Infiniti Q60 Coupe I include this model or one big reason: styling. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but many of Infiniti’s models seem to look like mechanical weightlifters on steroids and there are some, shall we say,…
BMW 3 Series, Kia Optima Hybrid, Scion xB, Toyota Prius V all offer good value and quality
Looking for a used car around five years old? Here are some models from 2015 that I happen to like, from four manufacturers. BMW 3 Series BMW makes some outstanding automobiles, no question. But for driving pleasure, value, and accessibility, the 3 Series takes some beating. The base version was actually less expensive than the…
Introduced in 2005, the Ridgeline was Honda’s first attempt to penetrate the pickup truck market in North America. How did that work out? Famously. The Ridgeline was an almost instant success. In 2010, it was propelled by a transversely-mounted 3.5-litre V6 engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission and a full-time all-wheel-drive system. Fuel economy…
