The RX 450 is roomy, cheap to run and very comfortable. For most folks in this market, that’s more than enough
Although hybrid vehicles have been around for decades (Ferdinand Porsche developed a gas/electric vehicle in 1899), Toyota/Lexus really got the ball rolling when they introduced the Prius in 1997. The Prius has been phenomenally successful, selling over a million units worldwide, and remains the benchmark by which all other hybrids are judged. So successful has…
The SUV may have eclipsed the minivan in popularity but, most of the time, they do the same thing
While SUVs of all shapes and sizes have exploded in popularity, the equally usable minivan has quietly languished. General Motors and Ford don’t make minivans anymore, and while some other manufacturers have taken up the slack, they don’t sell in huge numbers. That’s kind of a shame because, for most applications, a minivan can do…
Consumer Reports gave the V6 version an average used car prediction, while the four-cylinder models are worse than average
The Chevrolet Equinox was the first model out of the gate after General Motors’ corporate shuffle in 2009. Made in Ingersoll, Ont., it replaced the Suzuki-built Tracker and was essentially a carryover for GM in 2011. It could be had with two engine choices: GM’s ubiquitous 2.4-litre Ecotec four-cylinder or a 3.0-litre V6. A six-speed…
The 2021 version of this SUV is comfortable, driveable, reasonably roomy, thrifty and, with Toyota’s proven hybrid system, reliable
Back when they were first conceived some 70 years ago, the idea behind sport utility vehicles was to provide practical, usable transportation that could move things and people around with a modicum of comfort. Clearly it was a good idea on the part of car manufacturers. SUVs have almost replaced the conventional four-door sedan as…
For the past four decades or so, the two top-selling sedans in Canada have been the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, not necessarily in that order. Not hard to see why. They’re both comfortable, competitively priced and – most importantly – reliable people carriers. They may not always get the blood pumping, but they do…
The engine is one of the most responsive yet well-behaved power plants in this market. Remarkably powerful, yet docile in the city
If I was a traffic cop and I wanted to make city roads safer and fulfil my ticket quota, one of the first things I’d do is pull over every full-size pickup truck that crosses my path. That would be especially true of the jacked-up, fat-tired, lift-kit behemoths that seem to be piloted by testosterone-addled…
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…
As you would expect from any Toyota, the 2020 RAV4 Hybrid is very driver-accessible and immensely driveable
Hybrid engineering, once thought to be bridge technology, is stronger than ever. Sometimes it seems every other vehicle on the road is a hybrid of some kind. And this includes SUVS – virtually all the major carmakers have something on offer. Volvo XC90, Mitsubishi Outlander, Hyundai Kona, Ford Escape, Subaru Crosstrek and others are available…
This car is all about practicality and common sense. Toyota is on top of its game when it comes to hybrid technology
Toyoto Prius is the world’s best-selling hybrid vehicle – by a long shot. This is the hybrid against which all others are judged. Its hybrid drive system is used by Toyota and Lexus throughout their lineups, as well as used under licence by other manufacturers worldwide. Well over six million Toyota Prius units have gone…
Part motorcycle and part automobile, the three-wheeled vehicle is innovative and provocative. But will it ever be allowed in Canada?
There’s no shortage of alternate forms of personal transportation these days. Manufacturers from every corner of the industrial sector are on a never-ending quest to come up with a workable alternative to the automobile as we know it. They come in all shapes and sizes, from battery-powered skateboards, to hover boards, to the remarkable but…
Although hybrid vehicles have been around for decades (Ferdinand Porsche developed a gas/electric vehicle in 1899), Toyota/Lexus really got the ball rolling when they introduced the Prius in 1997. The Prius has been phenomenally successful, selling over a million units worldwide, and remains the benchmark by which all other hybrids are judged. So successful has…
