2018 Nissan Armada: the family bus with a fancy rearview camera

We came to call it the family bus, a seven-passenger SUV that – shockingly – was so stable and solid, a third-row passenger during one road trip was able to read an e-book for two hours without getting car sick. On the other hand, in today’s world of tight city parking spots and low underground …

Read more

GM tops the list of winners and losers of 2017: the stories behind the numbers

Whew! What a stunning year. Canadians snapped up a record 2,038,798 new SUVs, crossovers, pickups, light vans and pickups in 2017. As DesRosiers Automotive Consultants notes, for the first time in history, Canada’s new vehicle market broke through the 2.0 million sales mark. For eight years running, Canadians have been snapping up new rides in …

Read more

Want a wagon? Try this: 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4MATIC

A station wagon — known as an “Estate” in Europe and elsewhere — is the perfect landing point between an SUV (sport-utility vehicle) and a sedan/hatchback. But almost nobody cares. Every fifth Canadian turns a nose up to the few wagons for sale, and then opts for a compact SUV. Year-end SUV tally:  well north …

Read more

Buick? A player, and so is the 2018 Enclave

This Motley Fool headline speaks volumes about the utter and almost universal contempt so many have felt for General Motors over the years, even decades: “How Did General Motors’ Buick – Yes, Buick – Beat Toyota in Quality?” That headline is pregnant with astonishment. The headline assumes that everyone knows Toyota is the platinum standard …

Read more

Commentary, First on the Grid Comments (0) |

BMW has issues, but not a terminal illness

Folks often ask me what I would own if I could pick any “everyday” ride. Among cars, a BMW 5-Series. My SUV of choice would be the Porsche Cayenne. Yes, I admire German cars, despite the exorbitant pricing and the gouging of buyers who fail to tip-toe through the options list. German maintenance costs are …

Read more