The hatchback body configuration is just about as versatile as you can get in this market
Hyundai’s 2012 edition of the Elantra Touring was kind of an in-between vehicle. The hatchback entered the North American market for the first time in 2009 but received a complete overhaul in 2011. Hyundai was quick to point out that the Touring was not just the Elantra sedan with a different body configuration. It was…
The Sportage sits five adults in relative comfort. If you fold down the seat, you get a reasonably flat floor
The Kia Sportage was into its third overhaul in 2012, including a major facelift and a larger four-cylinder engine. The first generation of Sportage, introduced to North America in 1993, had a less than stellar reputation. Despite featuring body-on-frame construction, with significant engineering input from Mazda, its various shortcomings almost finished Kia’s foray into SUV…
Available with either a four-cylinder or V6 engine, this generation was offered in a variety of trim levels
There wasn’t much to separate the Toyota Camry between 2010 and 2012, aside from minor styling cues and options packages. These were all pretty good years for Toyota’s mid-size sedan, and it maintained its reputation as one of the more reliable cars on the road. Available with either a four-cylinder or V6 engine, with a…
A high-performance car for buyers who like to drive with enthusiasm and want everyone to know it
The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro offered a wide range of powertrain choices, including a convertible and the hell-raising ZL1. General Motors was banking heavily on baby-boomer nostalgia with this, the fifth-generation version of the Camaro. Aside from the fact that it delivered better fuel economy than its predecessors, had better handling and braking, and was more…
Standard equipment includes telescoping steering, split folding rear seat, anti-lock brakes and more
In 2012, the Toyota Corolla sedan accounted for 40 per cent of the company’s total Canadian sales. It had been at or near the top of the sales heap in the compact car category for the previous two decades. This generation of the Corolla received a re-do in 2009, apparently styled in part in Turin,…
“Best vehicle I ever had,” claimed one owner
In 2012, Subaru’s Forester was going into its 15th year. Based on the Impreza platform, and manufactured in Japan, it also received a bit of a redesign the year before, getting increased back seat elbow room and all-new rear suspension. Where the previous version featured strut suspension in back, this, the third-generation model, came with…
From a price of just under $22,000, the Ram 1500 has more than held its value
In 2012, the Dodge Ram 1500 was well into its fourth generation and offered plenty of choices. It had three engine choices: 3.7-litre V6, 4.7-litre V8, and 5.7-litre V8. You could get this full-size truck in two-wheel and four-wheel drive configurations, with a couple of automatic transmission choices and regular or extended cab body styles.…
Tasteful interior, available leather upholstery, heated seats, rearview camera, blind spot warning and more
In 2012, the Ford Fusion was two years into a mild makeover and a revised drivetrain. You could get it with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, plus a choice of two V6s and a hybrid. Ford also introduced a new six-speed transmission the year before and there was an all-wheel-drive version, so they were covering all…
What it lacks in beauty it makes up for with interior amenities and conveniences
There were few differences between the 2010 and 2012 Acura TL editions, aside from the addition of a six-speed automatic transmission, retuned suspension and a slight body refresh – mainly a new front-end treatment. Optional equipment includes Honda’s Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD), which gives the TL a leg up on much of the competition when…
An affordable, upscale driving experience without having to spend all your time at the pump
Nissan’s Infiniti G25 was meant to compete directly with Lexus’s IS 250 in its second – and, as it turned out, final – model year. The idea was to offer buyers an affordable and upscale driving experience without having to spend all their time at the pump and, hopefully, introduce them to the Infiniti lineup.…