Auto Reviews Articles
2012 BMW S1000RR: Oh, Lord, is this bike ever FAST!
VALENCIA, Spain -- It wasn't supposed to go like this. To say BMW's 2009 announcement that it was building a 1,000-cubic-centimetre superbike was greeted with skepticism vastly understates the depth of the sneers that greeted their pleas for respect. BMW, after all, really was your dad's Buick. Even with its belated …
March 30, 2012
2012 MAZDA CX-5: On the right track
Mazda's CX-5 crossover with SkyActiv runs with the best
MONTEREY, Calif. -- Having soldiered on with the Tribute for way too long, Mazda finally ditched it in favour of a range of crossovers that are both attractive and athletic. The newbie is the CX-5. As with its larger siblings, the CX-7 and CX-9, it arrives with strong styling and plenty …
March 23, 2012
2012 RANGE ROVER EVOQUE: Evoque-ing smiles
SUV puts its classy form before function
It’s the classic form-versusfunction dichotomy, the same one that’s caused countless Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn arguments, Harley-Davidson versus Honda diatribes and, closer to home, the plain old sedan trumps SUV discourse. It's an ageless debate, pragmatists lined up against esthetes -- the former arguing rational, the latter pleading emotional -- …
March 23, 2012
2012 VW GOLF R: Frosty introduction to red-hot hatch
The very versatile Volkswagen Golf R
ARJEPLOG, Sweden -- Automakers typically convene their product launches for the media in warmer climes -- California, Arizona, southern Spain, for example. Volkswagen, however, opted to show off its 2012 Golf R in frigid northern Sweden, on a frozen lake about 50 kilometres from the Arctic Circle. Actually, the remote town of …
March 23, 2012
VOLKSWAGEN up!: Nowhere to go but up!
Funky Volky grocery-getter low on power, high on utility
NICE, France -- The up! is a funky urban runabout that's just hitting Volkswagen dealerships in Europe. At its launch, it will be offered as a three-door hatchback, but a five-door derivative was shown at the Geneva Motor Show this month. It's part utility vehicle and part passenger car, but it's …
March 23, 2012
2012 FORD FOCUS EV: Going the distance
EV works hard to extend its battery range
WAYNE, Mich. -- I don't know if it's a good thing or not -- or even much of a surprise -- but much of Ford's focus (pardon the bad pun) on its new electric vehicle is all about range. For instance, there's an app (these days, isn't there always?) for your …
March 23, 2012
2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V: Gas-sipping hybrid roomy, underpowered
QUEBEC CITY -- The Prius was the first viable hybrid to hit Canadian roads in 2000. Back then, it was a single-minded ride that keyed on economy. The downside was that it was slower than molasses on a frosty March morning. The second-generation Prius, which was launched in 2004, switched focus …
March 23, 2012
2012 MERCEDES SLS AMG ROADSTER: Wingless warrior
AMG Roadster's soundtrack stirs the soul
CAP-FERRAT, France -- It's the sound that gets you. With the top down, the SLS AMG Roadster becomes a wingless wonder with a very loud and wicked soundtrack that will stir your soul. The SLS AMG Coupe already introduced the notion that a German supercar could sound almost exactly like a …
March 23, 2012
2012 MERCEDES SLK55 AMG: Mercedes sport coupe fuel-friendly and fast
SAN FRANCISCO -- Parse through the overwhelmingly comprehensive technical data Mercedes-Benz supplies for the all-new SLK 55 AMG (as it does all its models) and here are the stats that stick out most: Although the 5.5-litre V8 (actually 5,461 cubic centimetres) puts out 62 horsepower more (422 versus 360) than …
March 23, 2012
2012 DODGE CHARGER R/T: Forward Charger
Dodge sport sedan just gets better
While the reworked Dodge Charger will be mistaken for nothing other than a Charger, the upgrades mark a big step forward. The look is sharper and has more substance, while the interior is so much better than before. It all comes together in a package that is both comfortable and formidable …
March 16, 2012