By Chris Chase Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) published its 2020 Canadian vehicle residual value awards in January, naming Toyota and Porsche its top brands for this model year. These annual awards recognize the vehicles that ALG’s industry watchers predict will hold their value best as they age; the company calculates residual value (also known as
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All about Hatchback cars
Same Car Different Name
by Chris Chase Using one vehicle platform to underpin different models is not a new practice in the auto industry. It gives a car maker a common starting point for a variety of vehicles and reduces R&D costs. A single platform might be used by different brands owned by the same parent company. Sometimes, companies
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Cars that Pretend to be Crossovers
by Chris Chase By the mid-2000s, the crossover utility vehicle craze was well underway. Models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 were selling in big numbers to buyers who wanted a car-like driving feel in a rugged-looking vehicle with AWD traction. Those three models helped shape today’s crossover-centric marketplace. Fifteen years ago,
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2020 Lexus UX 250h Test Drive
by Chris Chase 3.8/5 stars The Lexus UX is a subcompact crossover made by Toyota’s luxury brand. Introduced for the 2019 model year, it’s the least-expensive Lexus model, and the only one with a price that dips under $40,000. Based on the same underpinnings as the Toyota C-HR, the UX boasts flashier styling and nicer
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2020 Honda Clarity Review
by Chris Chase 4.0/5 stars Introduced in 2018, the Clarity is Honda’s first standalone plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model. It’s the third member of Honda’s current electrified-vehicle lineup, which also includes the Accord and Insight hybrids. The Clarity borrows its name from a low-volume Honda hydrogen fuel cell car never sold in Canada. Conceptually, it succeeds
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Used European Luxury Hatchbacks
by Chris Chase At the beginning of the 2010s, luxury carmakers were moving away from station wagons as the market for upscale utility vehicles grew. However, not wanting to alienate buyers who appreciate a wagon’s practicality and car-like driving feel, German brands, in particular, began introducing mid-size hatchback models to replace them. In this used-vehicle
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Used Boxy Compacts
by Chris Chase While the 2000s was not an especially memorable decade for the auto industry, it did introduce a handful of short-lived vehicle segments we wish had stuck around. Among them is this set of practical but weird-looking vehicles: The Scion xB, Nissan Cube, Kia Soul, and Honda Element. The Scion, Nissan, and Kia
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Used Diesel Economy Cars
by Chris Chase Diesel engines looked poised for big things in the mid-2010s. Volkswagen was enjoying massive success with its TDI diesels, particularly in the compact Golf and Jetta models. And then the Volkswagen emissions scandal, known as Dieselgate, hit the fan. That killed diesel’s momentum here as increased regulatory scrutiny scared most other automakers
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2019 Mazda3 GT AWD Review
For 2019, Mazda has redesigned the Mazda3 into a fourth generation that it thinks will be desirable for a new reason: an available AWD system. The new option makes this car one of just a few compacts to offer all-wheel traction. Mazda hopes it can turn that distinction into more sales, especially to buyers who might be considering a small crossover or SUV.
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Review 2019 Toyota Prius AWD-e
In its 20 years in Canada, the Toyota Prius’s numerous updates have helped it become arguably the best-known hybrid on the market. This year, Toyota amps up the Prius’s appeal even more with the model’s first-ever all-wheel-drive option.
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