Wow, I bet if the new 7-series had a mother, not even she could love that thing. Must be styling by committee as no one designer would stand back after drawing that and say, "wow, that's awesome". More like, "I'll do better next time". Makes one wish for simpler times like the Bangle-butt era. If only we knew how good we had it. 😞 I'm glad the steering yoke on the Lexus is only an option and not mandatory. ... View more

Dad had company cars when I was a kid. His company offered a choice between a base 6000, base Taurus or base Celebrity - none of which were terribly exciting choices. He always went with the base 6000 just in a different colour combo every two years because it had more standard equipment than the others. I would have killed for even an SE, never mind the STE. An STE would have blown my 10-year old mind I'm sure. I always thought it was impressive back then what GM could do to differentiate the top trims from the base models. The same, but different enough that you could feel justified in the expense. ... View more

This still makes sense. The GR Corolla, while heavily modified, is still based on an existing vehicle with a powertrain shared with another vehicle in the lineup. Costs to develop this would still be much lower than a totally unique chassis and powertrain for the Supra. And at the end of the day, more good choices in the sports-car market is still a good thing! ... View more

I was at a car show a couple years back and saw a very clever Ontario vanity plate on an early 70's Lamborghini: "LIRAPIT" No doubt! ... View more

My brother recently sold a vehicle and was inundated with fraudulent offers to purchase. Here are a couple of my favorites: "I'm in the hospital right now but I'm buying it for my son who will love it! I'll pay full asking, sight unseen and will have a shipper pick it up. I will only pay via PayPal" The next one was interesting: "I insist on a vehicle history report from XYZ website (that nobody has ever heard of). Offered a Carfax report, but was refused - "had to be from XYZ site". Offered the VIN so they could run it themselves but was told that my brother "HAD to do it" since he was the owner. We suspect the site would steal any info he entered into it. Ended up selling it to someone who stopped to look at it while it was parked for sale at the end of his driveway....the old fashioned way! Worked out great. ... View more

While the fake manual EV transmission is exactly that, I give Toyota credit for at least trying to keep otherwise boring EV's somewhat engaging. Ford's offering of the CAD files is interesting. It will probably work really well for the Maverick as the awful interior plastics already look like they were 3D printed anyway. Seamless integration.... ... View more

The interior that looks like it's made from recycled cardboard kills it for me. I understand its all built to a price, but this is to the extreme. And at $19,000 it may be tolerable but at $30,000 with options many people will want it's unacceptable. I don't want a daily reminder of where Ford pinched every penny. For those in the pretend pickup market, the Hyundai Santa Cruz is equally as useless as a truck but offers a nicer interior. ... View more

Mr. Toyoda isn't wrong. Who cares how we reach a carbon-neutral future as long as we do. The head of Stellantis just made an interesting statement a few days ago as well "what is clear is that electrification is the technology chosen by politicians, not by industry". I couldn't agree more. ... View more

To stay true to the Avalanche concept, I hope the mid-gate rattles and leaks just like the old one did. ... View more

The author seems to color the review based on her own biases and not so much on fact. Styling is obviously subjective and I don't believe should play much of a role at all in any credible review. The "beepy" infotainment system is easily customized by turning the "beep" off if you cared to actually get to know the car and its systems. Another example is that the parking brake is fully automatic, setting and releasing itself when you put it in and out of park - no need to use the switch as the author says. I'll also chalk-up the tinny sound system with you not bothering to turn up the bass. I have to wonder if you even drove one??? You also often compare it to the RAV4 and the base RX as well. An AWD RAV4 hybrid Limited is pretty close in price and does offer more utility. But it also doesn't ride as well, nor is it as quiet or as well equipped as the Venza. The base RX example is ridiculous as you must realize to get the same features as a Venza Limited on an RX is well over 10-grand more, right? I know as we looked. The base RX would only appeal to badge snobs and a loaded Venza offers way more toys for the dollar. My wife bought a '21 Venza Limited early this year and absolutely loves it. Great power - the electric torque is impressive, smooth, quiet, uses half the fuel as her previous Murano and carries everything she needs it to as well. ... View more

I'm kind of torn on one point the article makes and am not sure what to do. I understand the desire to prevent moisture from coming up from the concrete floor by adding plastic under the car. However, I have a polyaspartic garage floor coating and am afraid that not allowing it to breathe and trapping moisture may result in it lifting from the concrete floor. Should I be concerned? ... View more

Truly a concept car that came to life. One of the most stunning designs ever created for an automobile with an absolute sweetheart of an engine and I WILL own one someday. We need to enjoy these kinds of rare treats now because in 10 years, nobody will be building anything like this anymore. ... View more

Lot's of strong opinions here. I like the look and feel of leather and have it in both of my vehicles. I also loved the velour that my dad's old Park Avenue had when I was young but that's no longer an option these days sadly. If I had my perfect car, it would be fully loaded but with a quality cloth seat but as mentioned, basically not an option anymore. FYI, you have an error in your article. Toyota's Softex isn't "vinyl" at all as vinyl is a petroleum based product and Softex isn't. It also breathes better than leather and lasts longer than vinyl as well. ... View more

I've been to Vancouver dozens of times and each time it's like visiting a mobile car-show. Exotics and classics abound and an "M" or "AMG" is as common as a Corolla in other cities. And yes, large pockets of the city seem almost exclusively Chinese, or at the very least, Asian. It's a very comfortable life for a car for the most part though. Very little salt is ever used and the usually mild temps keeps cars looking great for decades both inside and out. And if the weather is snowy, most people stay home because they're not used to driving in it. ... View more

Styling is subjective. I for one think that the styling on Toyota's - and Lexus for that matter - looks great. I like the character lines versus the bland, slab-sided European cars as it adds interest and catches the light at different angles. They can't be doing too badly as the top-selling automaker in the world. And please, save the comments of "people don't care", because everyone cares. While styling may not be the top priority everyone, NOBODY buys a car they can't stand the look of regardless of how practical it may be. The Aztec is proof of that as it was a sales flop - but surprisingly nice to drive and very practical. ... View more

A quick Google search tells us that as of 2017, the most current stat available, there are 34.5 million vehicles registered in Canada. So no, the US doesn't have more enthusiast cars than we do cars total. Close, but not quite. 🙂 ... View more

I wish this new Bronco well and am sure it will sell. When I had my '06 Wrangler I loved it - two days a week - but hated it the other five. When it was time for something new, I tried a 4Runner and I love it seven days a week! ... View more

An all-electric Jaguar...what could possibly go wrong? ... View more

In my eyes, Hyundai still is a brand that you buy because it has cheap financing or a good lease rate not because it's the best car you want to keep long-term. Yes, they may have improved the product (they could really only go up) but they still don't match segment leaders for long-term quality or resale value. Plus they seem to have a real problem making cars that don't spontaneously burst into flames or rain shattered glass down on passengers from randomly exploding sunroofs. Yes, Hyundai is better now than when they made the Excel, but they're certainly not class leaders. ... View more

I'm in my early 40's so maybe I missed the really bad early years of Japanese car rust.  But I'm old enough to remember putting my finger through the rust holes on the trunk lid my dad's 1987 Pontiac 6000 around 1990.  So I can't say american cars where much better in that era either.  Ford Taurus's of that era would also "dissolve" as you say. ... View more

I'll keep enjoying my '95 SC400 even if it didn't make this list. But it often gets a "thumbs up" when I'm driving it which holds it own kind of value. Supra in tux! 🙂 ... View more

The hybrid is clearly offered strictly for advertising purposes given that its $2000 more expensive than the gas version and loses AWD. I doubt many will think paying that much extra to NOT have AWD will be worth the extra fuel economy over the turbo-four. It does have a strong price-point but it looks like they saved all the money on the interior. Is it actually made from cardboard or does it just look like it? ... View more

The eventual "3800" this engine turned into was truly one of GM's best engines. Efficient, smooth, quiet and durable. My dad had them in both a Bonneville and a Park Avenue in the late 80's and early 90's. Great engine! ... View more

In retrospect, I'm actually shocked that a vehicle like this didn't actually happen. ... View more

The truck harkens back to a time when RAM's were decent trucks.....dated but decent. ... View more

It's possible the Tempo you saw that didn't have the motorized belts was (originally) a Canadian-spec car. Canada never had motorized belts on the Tempo (or almost any vehicle for that matter), just regular seatbelts. But the Tempo/Topaz had a driver's airbag from 1990 onwards. ... View more

I watched an interview at least 10 years ago and they were speaking with the curator of the Henry Ford museum (great place to go if you haven't been). Towards the end of the interview, they asked him what kinds of cars does the museum need. He joked that if he gets another call about Model T or Model A he'd scream but if anyone knew of a mint-condition Tempo, call him right away! He said that all the "disposable" cars of the '70's and '80's where nearly impossible to find in good shape. I say let people collect what they want to collect - whether it's Tempo's, Camry's or 911's. Who cares? Everyone can enjoy the hobby. And I sincerely hope Hagerty is willing insure these oddball collections too. ... View more

When I was about 6, my uncle had a silver '77 Trans Am with the screaming chicken on the hood and I thought it was awesome! Nearly forty years later, that Trans Am is long gone but I still think they're awesome! ... View more

It seems that Toyota, and to a lessor extent, Hyundai are the only automakers to have not been devastated by this chip shortage. Better planning often wins the day as I recently read an article on how Toyota learned lessons from the tsuami ten years ago that crippled their supply chain so they've been able to develop a supply system that helps guarantee supply of chips as well as having a safety stock of them at all times. Hyundai admits they made a strategic "guess" that demand would rebound and it paid off as they never cancelled orders for chips like many other manufacturers did. So while its unfortunate that some makers are suffering, others take advantage because of superior planning and fewer knee-jerk reactions. ... View more

God help us all if other manufacturers are trying to equal Audi's level of quality control! ... View more

I know a person with a Hyundai Sonata and one with a Kia Forte that have both burst into flames and both where less than 5 years old. Maybe once Hyundai and Kia can PROVE that they've stopped making vehicles that seem to regularly spontaneously burst into flames, I'll take them more seriously. But that might be a while as another friend just got a recall notice that their new '21 Kia Seltos has defective piston rings that will let oil blow by and potentially cause - you guessed it - an engine fire! Until they figure that out, I'll reward other manufacturers that put more money into long-term quality engineering rather than whiz-bang gadgetry that only impresses in the showroom. ... View more

In regards to the '92 STS being the first car to use LED lighting, I'm not sure that's actually true. An early adopter? Sure. But the 1990 Honda Accord EX had an optional rear spoiler that used LED's for the third brake light and the '92 Lexus SC400 which launched in mid-'91 had an LED third brake light as well. And there may be others that I'm missing. ... View more

A swing and a big miss with that styling IMO. The RAV4 looks better, get's better fuel economy in all configurations, will run forever and have better resale value. Although I suppose that's also why it outsells everything else too! ... View more

As you stated, separating your own emotion from the purchase can prove to be the hardest part. I know when I was looking for my car I had a few close calls and kind of had to shake my head and take a step back to regroup. One car was advertised with photos that looked good with the car parked in front of a nice house and appeared to be well represented and was described as "mint". It was a hard-to-find colour that I really wanted with my preferred wheels too. I drooled over the ad for a week before I was able to go and see it myself (a 2.5 hour drive each way). The reality when I went to see it was a dirt-lot used car dealer (or maybe mud-lot would be more accurate), a dead battery, a severely leaking trunk from previous, poorly-repaired crash damage, a shredded drivers seat and far from the "mint" the seller claimed. The pictures had been taken from very specific angles to avoid showing the many flaws it had. I was crushed as I thought this was going to be "the one" but it turned out to be far from it. I could have bought it and repaired the flaws but honestly, at that point I wasn't giving this guy a dime as I felt I had been misled already. I did eventually find what I was looking for though! ... View more

The issue I have with most FCA products is the long-term quality. My neighbor has a 2011 model and it has holes rusted through the rockers and surface rust over the rear wheels. The A/C hasn't worked the last two summers and he jokes that he'd be more concerned if the check-engine light wasn't on. He's also happy to tell anyone who will listen that it will be his last RAM truck. ... View more

Same with my '95 SC400! I didn't expect to see it on the list but was secretly hoping it might be. ... View more

Exactly!  I learned manual trans from watch and mimicking the actions of the school bus driver.  Dad was shocked when I drove his 5-speed F-150 across the yard when I was 11 with no issues. ... View more

Kindred spirits. Growing up before the internet I knew nobody else who liked cars like I did. My dad had a flailing interest but nothing like myself. Zero friends in elementary school had an interest in cars although high school was better. It wasn't until college that I really met others like me - although it did help that I took a program that was focused on the auto industry. This led to livelong friendships and not a bad career either. All because of a love of cars that started almost from the time I could walk. I hope your nephew keeps his interest because I know the wait can seem like forever at that age but makes it all the sweeter when the time comes. ... View more

Well, any of these are better than reading about the painful "joke" that VW tried playing on the public over this past week ("Voltswagen"). It may very well have been the most awkward and blundered "joke" any company has ever done. Worst. Joke. Ever. ... View more

Why not recreate the original tour? I'm sure lots of service people would love to see it in action today...especially with its history! ... View more

I feel the same way about my 2004 Tundra. 584,000 km currently (365,000 miles), its faithfully taken my family and our travel trailer on some simply amazing journeys. Across all 10 Canadian provinces and 37 US states including Alaska. It's made the round trip from Toronto to Los Angeles six times! It has never left us stranded once and I've watched my kids grow up in the back seat. I brought my son home from the hospital in it when he was born and it was new. He learned how to drive in it last year. The decision on what to do next wasn't too hard though. I recently placed an order for a '21 Tundra and my son is already planning on the "mods" he plans on doing to the 2004 when my new truck arrives in a few weeks. So the '04 stays in the family where it belongs but starts a new chapter in both it and my sons life. I have every faith that it will run for as long as he wants to keep it because family doesn't let family down. 🙂 ... View more

Unpopular opinion: Tesla's are ugly. The front-end style in particular looks like it was inspired by a Ken doll with no pants on (think about it for a moment, you'll see it). The model X, on whole, is particularly unattractive. But this doesn't stop any Tesla from being popular though because they're in vouge right now. And while I don't find the ID.4's styling to be particularly ground breaking, it isn't ugly....it's inoffensive. To your point, it doesn't do anything style-wise that a gas-powered car couldn't. But when automakers are risking, as you say, billions, it DOES matter. Because risk matters and they're trying to appeal to as many people as possible. Buyers can find enough reasons not to buy a BEV right now, VW doesn't need odd styling to pile on. I'm confident the cool EV designs will come...just a bit later. ... View more

I know there are so many school's of thought on the subject of how often to change the oil in an infrequently driven car. From early May to mid-October, my car gets about 2,000 km (about 1,300 miles) of use on average. I change the oil on the day that I put in into winter storage and then don't touch the car until the day that it comes out of storage. I use Mobile1 synthetic oil. I feel that one dry start in the spring is better than several cold starts over the winter with just idling that will pollute the oil with gasoline and condensation. I can't bring myself to let oil stay in my car for more than one year. Cheap insurance. ... View more

I remember one of my teachers in high-school had sort of a rust-coloured RX-7 that I'd say was about an '83 or '84 that was about 10 years old when I was in school. Nice car! She used to bring it to us to work on in the auto shop class for maintenance and such (gasp!). So I've changed the oil and spark plugs but never driven one more than about 50 feet. A shame for me, really. But I do remember the distinctive sound of that engine. ... View more

Years after the project it complete, it won't be the money you spent that you remember. It will be the memories you've made with the car that you will cherish. ... View more

My vote is CP. ... View more

I'm not a newer Cadillac fan generally but these are cool cars. Sadly, if you listen carefully you can hear the construction being completed on all the barns that these cars will be immediately rushed to after delivery. Oh well, it will someday make for interesting YouTube videos... "This Cadillac Blackwing has 6 miles on it and has been in storage for 40 years....will it run?" ... View more

Well said! I know I have been guilty of "gate keeping" for sure. I know I've said things at shows that I later reflected on and realized I shouldn't have. I read a post on Instagram once (I know, I can hear the eyes rolling now but stay with me) about a slammed 4WD truck which I just don't understand the purpose of. However, they said "don't be too quick to judge, it's the same passion with a different outlet". That statement really spoke to me and it made me realize exactly that. We all have different passions but that doesn't make one person's passion better or worse than mine or anyone else's. How does that saying go....can't we all just get along? 🙂 ... View more

I actually sold Saturn's for a while back in the late '90's. They were good cars, the plastic panels were novel and held up well and the dealer service (at least at my store) was very good for this price of car at the time (a full wash and vacuum with every service was not common back then). But yes, like everything GM does well, they eventually ruin it. The "2-series" were the ones to get with the DOHC as this was the way the engine was originally designed but then it was felt a cheaper version would be better for the base cars for a price point. So the SOHC was developed quickly before launch. The SOHC would eventually pop a head gasket or burn oil while the DOHC engine rarely ever suffered those issues. I really admire any young person that follows a passion (especially when its cars!) and strongly dislike anyone effectively saying "eww, why Saturn's?". We may all have our favorites but at the end of the day, it's the passion we all share for these "things" on four wheels. Same passion, different outlet. And anyway, it's not like she's into Dodge's or something foolish! Just kidding...or am I? 🙂 ... View more

What else can I say but simply awesome! ... View more