All Passenger Articles

After 164,000 units sold, the MINI Convertible has reached the end of its life cycle. A successful run saw the popular model selling the most units in Great Britain and Ireland, followed by the USA, Germany, Italy and Japan. MINI says that twice as many people drive the convertible model in Scandinavia than in Greece- which is much warmer. Austria sees at least five times as many MINI convertible drivers as sunny Portugal as well.

Saving the planet is a good idea, as long as we're willing to make sacrifices or drastically change the way we live. The automobile has been targeted as a polluter, so we must either get rid of it or find new ways to get around without further hurting the environment. Hybrid vehicles are the craze right now, bridging the gap between gas-powered and electric vehicles.

We tested the Technology version, the model equipped with a whole range of goodies sure to please inveterate gadget lovers: navigation system, reverse camera, Bluetooth-enabled sound system and voice recognition. In these days of exorbitant gas prices, and seeing as the vehicle uses Super fuel, the Acura TSX's powerful 4-cylinder engine is appreciated.

Vehicles that pollute little or not at all are in the limelight right now. Hybrids like the Prius and electric cars like the Canadian Zenn are prized by newly eco-minded consumers. And that's perfectly commendable. But did you know that there's another type of "green" vehicle? Neither hybrid nor electric, they are going completely unnoticed. The Subaru Legacy PZEV is one of them.

New York City, New York - Well, I finally made it, and here I am in the Big Apple to bring you the complete rundown on the new Dodge Challenger lineup. However, before we get into all that, I simply have to make a statement, and that is..."I can't recall ever driving a vehicle which draws as much attention as the new Dodge Challenger".

Today, the exotic sports car is very much alive because there are still rich people on this planet that have nothing else to do but to spend money. New models are still coming along to please the wealthy, like the Audi R8, the Nissan GT-R, the Ferrari California and the Maserati GranTurismo. We're even witnessing supercars appearing in the most oddball shapes, like a 550-hp Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, for example.

When I first heard that yours truly was the chosen one to attend the Dodge Challenger launch in New York City I could hardly retain myself. After all, there has been so much hype about the new muscle car from Dodge, and the thought of driving it in the Big Apple, a city that I had not yet visited, just added to the excitement. I packed my bags several days earlier, as if that would make the days go faster, and although I was told to be at the airport 2 hours prior to the flight I was actually there 3 hours ahead of schedule.

Lexus has just enhanced their GS sedan range with the new GS 460 model, slightly out-powering the GS 450h hybrid to claim top rank in the lineup. The 4.6-litre LS-derived V8 engine brings a notable power increase with it--generating 342 horsepower. That's an increase of 52 ponies over the optional 4.3-litre unit it replaces, which, interestingly, made less horsepower than the smaller 3.5-litre V6.

Man has always been fascinated with speed. Even in this modern day and age of prohibitive fuel prices, every car enthusiast dreams about powerful, high-performance machines that handle like a charm. Exotic coupes and supercars are obviously very popular, as evidenced by the success of the Audi R8 or the hype around the all-new and almighty Nissan GT-R.

North America is now downsizing once again. Trucks are out, small cars are in, and a lot of manufacturers will start offering vehicles that follow the new trend. Ok, it's not really a trend, but more of a desperate measure to keep the cost of driving down. Luckily for BMW, and for most European carmakers, their vehicle lineup across the Atlantic already counts numerous small cars. The 1-Series is perfectly suited to North America, and especially in Canada, and were expecting it for quite a while now. But we weren't expecting what the 135i offers.

The Matrix has always been targeted towards a younger demographic, and of all the new 2009 Matrix models, this bare-bones base model is the easiest to buy into. The $16,845 (including delivery) price shockingly even undercuts the equivalent US model's price.

In my humble opinion, the 2008 Porsche Boxster, even at $59,070, is the ideal sports car for those who want to learn how to drive aggressively and enjoy a perfect blend of balance and performance on the road. Much like the base Mazda MX-5 or BMW Z4, not to mention the Honda S2000, you can get the most out of this car without relying on all sorts of gadgetry. What I'm saying is that you don't need to shell out the extra bucks for a Cayman S, a 911 or a BMW M3 to get the feel of a genuine sports car.

There are some cars I could write a book about. Others are distinctly less inspiring and trigger some serious writer's block. It's not that they're less lovely, efficient or versatile. They're simply less emotional, both in terms of driving dynamics and style. And unfortunately, this is the case of the all-new 2009 Acura TL.

First of all, I have to confess one thing: I never really liked family wagons, both in terms of styling and utility. Aside from a few rare exceptions, I always thought that the big lump in the back (also referred to as the cargo hold) significantly affected the vehicle's design. The rear wheels look and feel undersized, taking away any ounce of sportiness left.

When Nissan's X-Trail was released in 2001, it took a place as the automakers first crossover SUV. Designed to battle the Ford Escape, Honda CRV, Mitsubishi Outlander and Hyundai Santa Fe crowd, X-Trail featured a punchy 2.5 liter engine, four wheel drive and decent off-road capability. Despite being produced from 2001, X-Trail only came to Canada in 2005. It wasn't around long, either- just a mere 2 years before it was replaced by the Rogue.