tech meets refinement - globelink · 2018-09-28 · compact-car sedans,...

The Canadian International AutoShow is Canada’s biggestforum for four wheels, with more than 1,000 cars, trucks andSUVs on display. So whether your taste leans toward the VolvoXC40, top, Jaguar F-Type, Lamborghini Urus or anything else,the annual show in Toronto has it covered.

PROVING THE BARCAN ALWAYSBE RAISED.

THEALL-NEW

LS500

LOCATION

The Metro Toronto ConventionCentre, 222 Bremner Blvd,Toronto.

HOURS

Feb. 16: Noon-10 p.m.Feb. 17-24: 10:30-10 p.m.Feb. 25: 10:30-6 p.m.

ADMISSION

Adults: $24Youth (13-17): $16Kids (7-12): $7Family (2+2): $47Seniors (60+): $15, weeekdays,excl. Family DayOnline: 10% discount(autoshow.ca/tickets)GO+Show: $33 adult/$76 family

DAYCARE

VW PlayCare Centre,South Bldg.: Free

COAT CHECK

203D, North Bldg.;near VW Centre, South Bldg: $3

IF YOU GO

Venetian and Nappa leather. Alcantara fabric. Richwoods. Aluminized fibreglass silver mesh. Powerthigh adjusters. Massaging, heated and ventilated

seats. Ambient air packages with a variety of fragrances.Voice control. Motion control. High-definition colour moni-tors. Sunroofs open to the back seat. Customized HarmanKardon optimum sound systems. Night vision with pedes-trian detection. Active blind-spot detection. Automaticbraking. Adaptive cruise control. Electronic stability con-trol. Lane-departure warning.If this reads like a spec sheet exclusive to a Rolls-Royce

Phantom, you’d be right. And wrong.Insiders say the auto industry is in the midst of unprece-

dented transition. After years of burbling stock marketsand rising real-estate prices, consumers have the financialclout to seek and receive German-style luxury and technol-ogy in their new vehicles, whether in their hatchbacks,sedans, pickup trucks or SUVs.The luxury category represented a stunning 12 per cent

of all new vehicles sold in Canada in 2017, according toGlobe Drive contributor Andrew Tai, president of Unhag-gle.com.Inside are segment-by-segment snapshots of the auto-

mobiles to be seen at the Canadian International Auto-Show, being held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centrefrom Feb. 16 to 25.Check out the burgeoning competition in each category.

By way of example, recently joining the stalwart BMW3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 in the comp-act sports-sedan category are the Alfa Romeo Giulia,named 2018 Motor Trend Car of the Year, the Genesis G70compact sports sedan, and the Jaguar XE, introduced lastyear. You’ll see the segment stretched, such as with theAudi “Sportback” versions of the 5 and 7, providing hatch-back sensibility in a sporty car.There’s a huge range of choice these days. Some pickup

trucks have broached the $100,000 mark. So, lots to gawkat inside the Convention Centre through to next weekend.

Auto-show fans will findplenty to gawk at this yearas the industry goesdecidedly upscale

TECHMEETSREFINEMENT

Sales of full-size SUVs are on the rise as drivers seek more power, room. PAGE 8-9

Big haul, big footprint, big performance

PERFORMANCE VEHICLES

Canadians love their fast cars. PAGE 4

SEDANS

Europe’s offerings grow more diverse. PAGE 12SpecialFeatures

THEEBOLG

ANDMAIL

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL AUTOSHOW

Product: TGAM PubDate: 02-17-2018 Zone: GTA Edition: 1 Page: E1 ( SPReport_2156112) User: cci Time: 02-07-2018 11:18 Colour: CMYK

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E2 G THE GLOBE AND MAIL | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2018COMPACTS

2018 AUDI A5 SPORTBACK

The hatchback impresses with aturbo-four that punches out 252horsepower. If that’s notenough, an S5 Sportback raisesthe ante with 354 horsepowerfrom its twin-turbo V-6.

2019 KIA FORTE

Kia’s redesigned compact sedan(a five-door will follow) isupsized inside and out and has astandard eight-inch touchscreen.The 147-horsepower 2.0-litre Nuengine can be paired with Kia’sfirst continuously-variable auto-matic transmission.

2019 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

The Jetta finally migrates toVW’s jack-of-all-trades MQBarchitecture and gets a sizeuptick in the process. It willlaunch this spring with a 147-horsepower 1.4-litre turboengine hitched to a six-speedmanual or eight-speed automat-ic transmission.

2018 CHEVROLET CRUZEHATCHBACK DIESEL

Chevy added a diesel option tothe Cruze sedan last summerand now you can have the 137-horsepower, 1.6-litre gas-sipperin a hatch, too. Either way,choose a six-speed manual ornine-speed automatic.

2018 HYUNDAI IONIQ

Ioniq isn’t just an electrified car– it’s an electrified-car franchise.It launched last spring in im-pressive conventional-hybridand full-electric versions and isnow joined by a plug-in hybrid.

2018 MINI COOPER HARDTOP

The Mini Cooper is a throwbackthat stands out for its uniqueretro features. It comes withthree- or five-door configura-tions in a fun-to-drive environ-ment with plenty of circulardesign cues on the inside. Optfor the six-speed manual forample enjoyment.

2018 NISSAN LEAF

The original mass-producedmodern electric car is into itssecond generation. Nissan is tak-ing orders for the $35,999 modelthat claims a 242-kilometrerange. A faster, longer-range ver-sion will come later.

2018 SUBARU WRX STITYPE RA

Subaru will make 500 copies ofthe RA to celebrate the modifiedSTI that set a four-door record atthe Nurburgring. The productionRA has an upgraded chassis,more power and is lighter thanthe stock STI. Canada will get 75of them.

AT THE SHOW:COMPACTS

The auto industry narrativeof late has been the sup-posed stampede from cars

to compact crossovers.While it’s true that Cana-

dians buy more compact CUVsthan compact cars, there’s lifestill in the Civic/Corolla seg-ment. These are cars that areconsidered compacts, thoughmany are much more thanthat.The bigger losers in car sales

have actually been subcompactcars (down 19 per cent in 2017)and intermediates (down 14 percent).The subcompact decline in

2017 was a continuation of atrend in which the smallestcars’ sales have plunged 40 percent since 2014 – despite theadvent that same year of the$9,998 deal with the NissanMicra, a challenge that forcedMitsubishi and Chevrolet toprice-match with their smallestcars. However, most Canadiansstill want to drive a more sub-stantial car, a role that can beplayed by today’s compacts.Compact car sales grew 2.9

per cent in 2017, trailing theoverall market’s 4.6-per centgain, but suggesting the slumphas bottomed out. If Canadianscome back to their first love,they will find a selection ofcompact-car sedans, hatch-backs, coupes and wagons thatcan provide all the car mostdrivers ever really need.Driving the rebound last year

were new hatchback versions ofthe Honda Civic, Toyota Corollaand Chevrolet Cruze. Sales ofthe Civic and Corolla grew 7and 10 per cent respectively in2017 while the Cruze, whichonly added the hatchback mid-way through the year, was up 3per cent. The Volkswagen Golf,a compact hatchback, advanced27 per cent (not including theGTI) while its Jetta sedan sistervehicle retreated 17 per cent.The Golf is also available as awagon.Perhaps buyers seeking the

versatility of a tailgate are real-izing that for about the sameprice as a base-model sub-compact CUV – which in most

cases means a CUV that’s front-wheel drive, not all-wheel drive– can get a larger, better-equipped hatchback car withbetter fuel economy, power andcargo space.On the subject of space, manyso-called compacts fit that defi-nition in terms of their pricepositioning – namely, startingMSRPs around $16,000, withmanual transmission and noair – a price point that haschanged little over the yearsdespite advances in safety, so-phistication and roominess.According to the definitions

used by the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency, a number oftoday’s compacts qualify asmid-size cars with combinedpassenger/trunk volumes totall-ing 110 cubic feet or more.These little big cars include thesedan versions of the HondaCivic, Hyundai Elantra, KiaForte, Nissan Sentra, SubaruImpreza and Toyota Corolla;and the VW Jetta only missesbeing upgraded by 0.4 cubicfeet.Several compact hatchbacks

also meet the EPA’s definitionof mid-size, though that can bemisleading as cargo volumesare measured by more gener-ous criteria than the criteria forsedans.For example, the Ford Focus

hatch makes the cut while theFocus sedan doesn’t, eventhough both have the samepassenger volume.Safety features punch above

their weight. Even the baseToyota Corolla ($16,790) in-cludes standard pre-collisionwarning and braking, adaptivecruise control and lane-keepingassist. Similar technology is

available, albeit not usuallystandard, on other compacts.One reason the market is

swinging to crossover SUVs isthe availability of all-wheeldrive. But you can also getAWD in a couple of compactcars – in the case of the SubaruImpreza, at a starting price($19,995), far below all-wheel-drive CUVs. The $34,345 VWGolf Alltrack is an AWD versionof the Golf wagon.Subaru and VW also exem-

plify the stunning 300-ish-hor-sepower pocket-rockets foundin this segment – the SubaruWRX STI and Golf R. The FordFocus RS and Honda Civic TypeR feed the same need forspeed. Not forgetting a level ofless-extreme, 200-250-horse-power sport-compacts like theFord Focus ST, Honda Civic Si,Hyundai Elantra Sport, NissanSentra Turbo, Subaru WRX andVW Golf GTI.At the other extreme, green

or lean options in this categoryinclude the Chevy Cruze diesel,full-electric versions of the FordFocus and VW Golf, the NissanLeaf, Hyundai’s electrified Ioniqthreesome, the Chevrolet VoltPlug-in and the Toyota Prius.Luxury features available in-

clude old-hat dress-up stuff likeleather and a sunroof and alsomulti-way power seats, heatedsteering wheels, heated-and-ventilated front seats, heatedrear seats, satellite navigationand connectivity.As well, the best modern

compacts have smooth refinedengines, and increasingly auto-matic transmission is standardon all but the basest trims.

Special to The Globe and Mail

Little big carsWhat’s not to love in acompact? They’re wellequipped and featuregood fuel economy,power and cargo space

JEREMY SINEK

The Volkswagen Jettaalmost qualifies as amid-size, according topassenger/trunk-volumedefinitions used by theU.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency.VOLKSWAGEN

The Subaru WRX, a 200-250-horsepower sport-compact, exemplifies the value buyers can find in the compact segment. SUBURU


THE FIRST STEP IS CONSIDERINGEVERY LAST DETAIL .

THEALL-NEW

LS500The LS 500 is the pinnacle of exquisite craftsmanship and luxury. With an all-newtwin-turbo engine that delivers 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, the striking LS sedan hasthe profile of a performance coupe, an elegant interior, and unparalleled aesthetics.Proving the bar can always be raised.


E4 G THE GLOBE AND MAIL | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2018

70 years of PorscheIn 1948, the Porsche 356, above, became the first road car to be built by the German company. The Canadian International

AutoShow marks the anniversary with a special ‘70 Years of Porsche’ display featuring that original 356 model, and aPorsche 550 Spyder racing car from the 1950s. The display is located at Level 100 of the North Building.

PORSCHE AG

PERFORMANCE CARS

AUDI RS 3

Audi is offering its entry-level RSmodel in Canada for the firsttime. The new inline five-cylin-der is 26 kilograms lighter thanbefore, which makes a big differ-ence in a small front-engine carlike this. The turbochargedmotor makes 400 horsepowerand 354 lb-ft of torque. Can wejust take a moment to appre-ciate that fact? Porsche's entry-level 911 makes “only” 370.

BMW M5

It’s a “practical family sedan”that rips a hole in space-time,throttling up to 200 km/h – dou-ble our usual speed limit – in 11seconds. The 4.4-litre V-8 hasnew turbos, new intercoolers,new intake systems, a lighterexhaust and new 350-bar high-pressure fuel injectors. Despiteits intimidating specs, the M5 iseasy to drive at the limit but willscratch any speed freak’s itch.

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R

Honda claims the new Type R isthe fastest front-wheel drive cararound Germany’s Nurburgring.The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine is unique to theType R, producing 306 horse-power at 6,500 rpm. There’s anangry-looking grille, gaping airintakes, vortex generator spikesabove the rear window, threeexhaust pipes and that wing,which belongs on a Star Warsset.

LEXUS LC 500

At the heart of this flagship per-former is a big 5.0-litre V-8. Noturbochargers, just old-fash-ioned cubic inches breathingthrough a single throttle body.The 471-horsepower V-8 rips abuzzsaw hole in the air as itshreds to more than 7,000 rpm.Speed comes in a crescendo,building until, in the final sweepof the digital rev needle, it’s all-encompassing. Sound – pipedthrough a tube from the enginebay – fills the cabin.

MERCEDES-AMG CLS 53

The 53 combines a turbocharged3.0-litre straight-six engine witha beefed-up starter/alternatormotor placed between theengine and transmission. It pro-vides an electric boost (21 horse-power and 184 lb-ft of torque) atlow engine speeds to eliminateturbo lag. The result is 435 horse-power and 0-100 km/h in 4.5seconds.

AT THE SHOW:PERFORMANCE CARS

Canadians have an inexplicable needfor speed, and buy performance carsat a rate that belies this country’s

relatively small population.Despitemonths of snow, slush and free-

zing temperatures, despite Canada’s lackof speed-limitless autobahns and anabundance of potholes waiting to destroylightweight alloy wheels, it seems we can’thelp ourselves: We love fast cars. Thesheer volume and variety of high-per-formance machinery premiering at theCanadian International AutoShow inToronto this year is only further proof.Indeed, most of the finalists for World

Performance Car of the Year are in attend-ance. The shortlist includes the AlfaRomeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, Audi RS 3,BMW M5, Honda Civic Type R and LexusLC 500.BMW’s M Division has always done well

in Canada; at one point, this country wasNo. 1 in per-capita sales, although we’veslipped down the list in recent years. “Westill are in the top five in M sales, as a per-centage of overall sales,” said Kevin Mar-cotte, national manager of BMW M.“When we look at M and M Performanceautomobiles, they continue to grow inCanada, and expect that trend to main-tain itself.”The new 600-horsepower M5 sedan,

which will make its Toronto debut at theauto show, should give M sales a boost.“As you can imagine, the first M5 with all-wheel drive is the perfect vehicle for theCanadian marketplace,” said Marcotte. Itshould hit showrooms in March, pricedfrom $113,300.The limited-edition M4 CS coupe will

make its Canadian debut at the show, al-though the M3 CS sedan will not be in at-tendance. They’re one model-year only,

with just 100 coupes and 50 sedans allo-cated to Canada, according toMarcotte.The Toronto show will also be your first

chance to get a good look at Audi’s M4 ri-val, the all-new RS 5. Powered by a 2.9-litretwin-turbo V-6 making 450 horsepower,the RS 5’s all-wheel drive system makes ita viable year-round performance vehicle.It’s available now, priced from $72,500.Mercedes-Benz’s in-house hot-rodders,

AMG, are doing a roaring trade in Canada.Only in the U.S., Germany and China doesAMG sell more vehicles than it does here.In 2017, Mercedes sold more than 10,000AMGs in Canada for the first time, a 50-per-cent increase over the previous year.Much of AMG’s success in Canada last yearcan be chalked up to the new 43 series oflower-priced performancemodels.“Three years ago, Canada was nowhere,

not even in the top 10,” said Tobias Moers,global head of Mercedes-AMG. What’sgoing on here? “I don’t know,” Moers said.“We see an increase in performance SUVs,because SUVs are the dominant segmentin almost every country.”AMG’s future though, and the future of

performance cars in general, will be elec-trified. The groundbreaking CLS 53, whichwill make its Canadian premiere at theToronto show, is AMG’s first hybrid.

Consider it a more practical, affordablealternative to the Mercedes Project ONEhybrid supercar, which will be stealing theshow this year. Despite its $3.5-millionprice, 13 are coming to Canada. Sorry,though, it’s sold out.If that’s too rich for you, the Canadian

debut of Hyundai’s Veloster N conceptwill be of interest. It’s the first model fromHyundai’s N performance brand. Thehatchback concept has a six-speed manu-al transmission, 275 horsepower andfront-wheel drive, making it a rival toVolkswagen’s Golf GTI. A Kia spokesper-son said the Veloster N will arrive towardthe end of 2018.The Kia Stinger GT Limited will also be

on the show floor this year. Unlike lastyear’s Toronto show, the GT on displaywill be a proper production vehicle, soshow-goers will be able to get up close andsit inside. Initial reviews have been prom-ising, but it remains to be seen how theCanadian market will respond to a$50,000 compact car fromKia.The most unusual performance car

making a debut in Toronto will be Porsch-e’s Panamera Sport Turismo. Don’t let thefancy name fool you; it’s a station wagon.


The Lexus LC 500, a finalist for World Performance Car of the Year, will be on display at this year’s show. LEXUS

Rides to set your heart racingGot a need for speed?Satisfy it at the CanadianInternational AutoShow

MATT BUBBERS

The Kia Stinger GT Limited on display this year will be a proper production vehicle, soshow-goers will be able to get up close and sit inside. KIA

[ PIONEERS ]


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TOYOTA SIENNA

Comes with a 296-horsepowerV-6 and an eight-speed trans-mission. Despite a curb weightof around 2,000 kilograms, itcan sprint to 100 km/h in lessthan seven seconds – goodenough to outrun Magnum P.I.’sFerrari in a theoretical drag race,and certainly enough to scootsafely past semi-trailers onmountain passes. The Sienna isavailable with all-wheel drive,and once equipped with propertires, snow is no issue.

CHRYSLER PACIFICA

The sleek Pacifica is the firstplug-in hybrid electric van. Ifyou’re the type of outdoorsyfamily keeping a close eye onyour overall environmentalimpact, the Pacifica’s ability topull off the short-range schoolrun on electrons only makesweekend drives out to cottagecountry relatively guilt-free.

KIA SEDONA

The Sedona is a lot of car for lessthan $30,000. The list of stan-dard features is impressive:third-row seats, V-6 engine,Bluetooth, backup camera and afive-star U.S. NHTSA safety rat-ing. The Sedona comes in seventrims (L, LX, LX+, SX, SX+, SXL,SXL+).

AT THE SHOW:MINIVANS

MINIVANS

We’ve all seen the bro-chures: rock-climbermom, mountain-biker

dad, two wiry kids who look likethey would straight up murderthe competition in any HungerGames type scenario, and a Ber-nese mountain dog. Everyone’sclad in brightly coloured outdoorgear (except the dog), andthey’re toasting marshmallowsin front of a crossover after a fullday spent kite-surfing/snow-boarding/BASE-jumping. Themessage: Our company’s cute-ute is the authentic choice, thereal deal for the truly adventur-ous.Meanwhile, in minivanland,

it’s Cheerios on the floor, anonboard vacuum cleaner, and acamera system that lets you spyon rear seat passengers for amore targeted yelling experi-ence. If the crossover marketingpromises the possibilities of fam-ily living, the minivan is aimed atits realities. We know you’ve hadto put your life on hold, manu-facturers seem to be saying, sohere’s the automotive version ofpants with an elasticized waist-band.Fiddlesticks. Never mind the

pretty pictures trying to sell youon an idea, a minivan is the per-fect vehicle for an adventurousfamily. Whether it’s camping,road-tripping or loading up tohead into the mountains andshred some powder, a minivan isa far better tool for the adventur-ous nine times out of 10.Consider, first, the appropri-

ately named Honda Odyssey. Yes,you can get one with that afore-mentioned vacuum cleaner onboard, but that doesn’t mean it

sucks. Instead, check out the 929litres worth of space for campinggear behind the third row. A Pilothas to make do with only a littlebetter than half that amount.That’s more cargo room for

your merry crew as you threadthe roads between the Scylla ofchain restaurants and the Char-ybdis of food poisoning. Speak-ing of which, if your adventuresinclude stopping for a roadsidefeast at some hole-in-the-wall,the cushy ride of a minivanencourages a slower-paced drive,yet has less body roll to make lit-tle sailors seasick.That’s not to say your average

minivan is slow. Whether hittingthe Trans-Canada to go coast-to-coast, or jumping on the U.S. in-

terstates on the way to the rockywonders of Moab, mostminivanshave the kind of power you usedto get when checking the V-8option on some big Americanland yacht.The market seems to have

decided that the time of mini-vans is passed, and is embracingcrossovers in ever greater num-bers.Yet it’s a mistake to dismiss

these versatile, useful, practicalmachines without a closer look.A proper explorer’s vehicle is allabout opening doors to newadventures. What better waythan if the doors in question aresliding?


The ideal adventure vehicleForget SUVs, minivansare better equipped forcamping, road trips –or wherever life’sexperiences take you

BRENDAN McALEER

The Chrysler Pacifica,above; Kia Sedona, right.Whether you’re goingcamping or road-tripping,a minivan is a far bettertool for the adventurousnine times out of10. ABOVE: FCA US LLC;RIGHT: KIA


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They’re the most popular cars on themarket, and they’re not even cars.

SUVs and crossovers have takenover from sedans and coupes becausethey’re more practical, more capable, andlet their drivers sit up higher. Every manu-facturer now offers a compact SUV andthere seems no end of choice.

Front-wheel-drive models start in pricein the mid-$20,000s and all-wheel-driveusually around $30,000, but which are theones to look out for?

TOYOTA RAV4

The most popular SUV in Canada last year,the RAV4 – which means recreational ac-tivity vehicle, four-wheel drive – was alsoToyota Canada’s best-selling vehicle, edg-ing out the Corolla sedan by selling almost51,000 units. All versions except the hybridare made in Ontario; the hybrid is unusualamong compact SUVs because it is alreadyfuel-conscious, and the extra electrics

make it a costly alternative.Like most of its competition, the RAV4

actually offers optional all-wheel drive,switching power automatically to all fourwheels when the going gets slippery whilenormally cruising in front-wheel drive on adry road. This saves fuel, with little disad-vantage in traction, if any.

The Toyota is so popular because it’s af-fordable and economical, but it’s alsoproved its reliability. It’s grown in size overthe years and adapted to popular trends:the rear door now hinges more conven-iently from the top, not the side, and thespare wheel is contained inside the vehi-cle, not hung off the back.

HONDA CR-V

A close second to the Toyota in sales,there’s little now to distinguish Honda’spopular SUV in abilities or features. It real-ly comes down to style and how much youlike your local dealer. Both have similarengines and power, though the CR-V uses acontinuously variable transmission (CVT)while the conventional RAV4 uses a tradi-tional six-speed automatic transmission.

Honda and Toyota use different pricingstructures for their individual models, so ifthere’s a particular feature you value, suchas a heated steering wheel or powered seatwith lumbar support, you really need tocross-shop between the trim levels of the

The clear winner in Canada’s vehicle-sales popularity conte

Honda’s CR-V, second in sales to the most popular SUV in Canada last year, Toyota’s RAV4, uses a contin

Compact SUVs offerpracticality, versatility and affordability

MARK RICHARDSON

Unapologetically huge, they are, atthe very least, indispensable work-horses for people who have lots of

stuff and need to haul it. Stick luxurynameplates on their tailgates, however,and they become the 21st-century postervehicles for status, success and conspicu-ous consumption.

Either way, they’re not going away.Those who love them, love them a lot;buyers in this category are “extremely” loy-al, says John Bardwell of Bond Brand Loy-alty. And their sales are growing.

Full-size SUVs are still a small slice of theoverall Canadian market, but last year theygrew their sales by about 7 per cent. Pars-ing the numbers more precisely, main-stream-brand full-size SUVs like the Chev-rolet Tahoe and Ford Expedi-tion matched the overall mar-ket with a 4.5-per cent gain,while those wearing luxury-brand badges grew 11 percent.

A tiny part of that growthcame from a new entry – theBentley Bentayga found 116Canadian buyers in its firstfull year here. And moregrowth may be fuelled thisyear by another newbie, theupcoming BMW X7, as well asrecent full redesigns of seg-ment stalwarts, the LincolnNavigator and its commonercousin, the Ford Expedition.

Even the mainstream models can beconsidered luxury purchases, given thattheir MSRPs typically start around $60,000(though you could save about $5,000 ifyou opted for 2WD on a Chevrolet Tahoe orGMC Yukon.) Luxury icons like the Cadil-lac Escalade start at more than $85,000;Lincoln says the average selling MSRP of aNavigator is $93,750, excluding freight, tax-es and fees.

Despite the high prices, purchasers inthis segment are more likely to pay cashthan those in almost any other vehicle cat-egory, says Bardwell. And, he adds, no sig-nificant incentives are required. “Just goodtargeted marketing.”

Radek Garbowski, president of automo-tive data and technology provider MotoInsight, told Globe Drive that, as of thiswriting, the only cash incentive listed for alarge luxury SUV was $1,000 off the InfinitiQX80 – a near-$80,000 vehicle. Of course,that’s not to say individual buyers don’tnegotiate discounts on their own. MotoInsight’s consumer web site, unhaggle-.com shows the average customer pays

about $5,000 below MSRP on a $100,000Escalade.

In this era of car-based crossovers, this isa corner of the automotive landscapewhere traditional SUVs still roam. That isto say, basically trucks, with body-on-frame construction and longitudinalengines primarily powering the rearwheels.

For all their external size, most of thesefive-metre-plus behemoths are not pro-portionally spacious inside, in partbecause the need to accommodate a driveaxle in the rear enforces a high floor. Per-haps that’s why there always seems to be adisproportionate number of the biggestSUVs on the road equipped with roof-topcargo boxes.

Where they do tend to excel is in theweight they can tote or tow. Max tow rat-ings range from about 3,175 kg to morethan 4,082. “More than 50 per cent of cus-tomers in the non-premium segment val-ue towing, and 15 per cent tow weekly ormonthly,” says Bardwell.

“In addition, family sizes are larger,especially in the extended wheelbasearea,” he says. But both those numbers

drop a bit when you get intothe premium category,where “full-size utilitybuyers more often have onlyone to two children at home,and buyers are more focusedon a statement vehicle.”

So, if many of them arebuilt like traditional SUVs,does that make them legitoff-roaders? Yes and no.Sheer size is a deterrent insome off-road situations.Not to mention the inadvis-ability of subjecting any$60,000-plus vehicle to theabuse of rough terrain. Still,

many have the hardware for extreme off-roading: dual-range transfer cases, lockingdifferentials, hill-descent control and vari-able-height suspension.

Fuel economy tends not to be a priorityfor buyers in this market. For those who docare, the Range Rover offers a diesel engine(as does its slightly smaller Land RoverDiscovery sibling); two other optionsworth a mention, though they also justmiss our 5-metre-long definition of large-ness, are hybrid versions of the Acura MDXand the Volvo XC90 (the latter a plug-in).Not forgetting, of course, the all-electric5.04-metre Tesla Model X.

But what if you’d rather flaunt the larg-est possible literal footprint than minimizeyour figurative carbon footprint? In thatcase, point yourself toward the nearestCadillac showroom, where the CadillacEscalade ESV awaits. The 5.7-metre stretchversion of the Escalade is still the luxurySUV that occupies the greatest share of theroad or parking lot.


The limited edition Range Rover SV Coupe is among the rare vehicle whose interrior is as impressive as

While Infiniti was offering $1,000 off the QX80 – a near-$80,000 vehicle – at publication time, generallyneeded to move vehicles. Full-size SUV sales grew by about 7 per cent last year in Canada. INFINITI

The bigger the better,when it comes to hauling powerMax tow ratings range from about 3,175 kg to more than 4,082 on thesefive-metre-plus behemoths

JEREMY SINEK

Full-size utilitybuyers more oftenhave only one totwo children at

home, and buyersare more focused ona statement vehicle.

JOHN BARDWELLBOND BRAND LOYALTY

SUVS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2018 | THE GLOBE AND MAIL G E9

AUDI Q7

Audi’s largest offering is morecrossover than SUV but has greatgenes – its architecture is sharedwith the 2019 Porsche Cayenne.Powered by a 333-hp supercharg-ed V-6, it’s rich in high tech, withavailable four-wheel steering andadaptive air suspension.

RANGE ROVER

Arguably the original luxury SUV,the Rover still combines luxury(especially in the long-wheelbaseAutobiography flagship), on-road performance and – yes, still –hard-core off-road ability like noother. Engines range from a 254-hp V-6 diesel to a 557-hp super-charged V-8. It is a nominee forWorld Car of the Year.

LEXUS LX570

It may be lavishly larded withLexus luxury but the brand’s flag-ship SUV is no soft-roader. It hasrugged ladder-frame construc-tion, a solid rear axle, dual-rangetransfer case with locking centredifferential and variable-heightsuspension. Not that you would,but you could …

LINCOLN NAVIGATOR

Redone from scratch for the firsttime in 20 years, the Lincoln Navi-gator is superficially an old-school body-on-frame truck likeits Cadillac Escalade nemesis.However its ride and handlingbenefit from independent rearsuspension and its twin-turboV-6 promises better fuel econo-my than the Cadillac’s big V-8.

SUBARU ASCENT

With seat configurations forseven or eight passengers, thethree-row, all-wheel-drive Ascentarrives this summer. It will bepowered by a 2.4-litre turbo-charged four-cylinder generating260 horsepower, and be equippedwith the brand’s EyeSight driver-assist technology.

VW ATLAS

The Atlas embraces the boxydesign, its front fascia appearingstrong and chiselled, comple-mented by standard LED head-lights. Third-row access is gainedby using a strap to push the sec-ond row forward close to the firstrow. The SUV is powered by a 3.6-litre V-6 that makes 276 horse-power, mated to an eight-speedautomatic transmission.

AT THE SHOW:FULL-SIZED SUVS

two brands to find which offers your bestdeal.

MAZDA CX-5

Redesigned for last year, the CX-5 is one ofthe most fuel-frugal compact SUVs on themarket and its new-for-2018 2.5-litre Skyac-tiv-G engine is even more so. It’s the onlyfour-cylinder engine in North Americathat offers cylinder deactivation, shuttingoff the two outside cylinders when theirpower isn’t really needed. Mazda claims animprovement of 5 per cent when cruisingat 80 km/h, and up to 20 per cent whendriving at 40 km/h.

The CX-5 is also one of the most refinedcompact SUVs available. It’s not an excit-ing vehicle to drive, but it’s extremely quietand comfortable and spacious.

FORD ESCAPE

Ford’s popular compact SUV is by far thebrand’s top-selling vehicle in Canada –except for pickup trucks, of course. Fordsells more than twice as many Escapes as itdoes the larger Explorer, and more thanfour times as many as the Focus sedan. Andwhy not? It sits higher, fits more cargo, andoffers all-wheel drive.

In fact, Ford claims the Escape offers

more driver’s assistance features than anyof its competition: it will park itself, steeritself within a lane, and hold its speed incruise control to the speed of the vehicle infront, among many others.

CHEVROLET EQUINOX

Comfortable, capable, cutting-edge andall-new for 2018, the Equinox has perhapsthe widest range of options among itscompetition. There’s a turbocharged 1.5-litre engine and a 1.6-litre turbo dieselengine, but also a 2.0-litre turbo enginethat creates 252 hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque,which is especially capable for towing.

The Equinox is very well-fitted for itsprice, and comes with some unique fea-tures, such as its Teen Driver technologythat displays a report card showing suchinformation as how many times the for-ward collision alert warning was activated,or how often the throttle was pressed tothe floor.

NISSAN ROGUE

The comparatively new Nissan Rogue isthe Japanese maker’s best-selling vehiclein Canada, and for good reason. It feelssporty – probably the sportiest of thecompact SUVs – and is really more of a

crossover, with more focus on style thanoff-road ability.

It’s also very practical: the rear cargoarea includes an optional luggage manage-ment system that’s truly ingenious, sepa-rating clean from dirty and wet from dry, aswell as making sure nothing falls out whenyou open the tailgate.

Recently, Nissan tied in with the StarWars franchise after the release of 2016’sStar Wars: Rogue One movie, and the con-nection has done the vehicle no harmwhatsoever. It helps distinguish the Rogue,with its fuel-saving CVT and affordabletrim levels, from the many others on com-peting dealer lots.

HYUNDAI TUCSON

A new generation of the Tucson was intro-duced in 2016 and it helped Hyundai’scompact SUV catch up to the rest of itscompetition. It’s a stylish vehicle thatdoesn’t really pretend to be an off-roader,and it offers good performance and fullconnectivity with excellent value for mon-ey. It’s difficult for it to stand out in such acompetitive market, but if you like its goodlooks, it’s worth a closer look.


est

nuously variable transmission. WES ALLISON/HONDA

its exterior. LAND ROVER

y this segment finds no significant incentives are

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator is the result of a recent redesign, with improved ride, handlingand fuel economy. BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS


This is a good year to buy apickup truck. Both Chev-rolet and Ram are intro-

ducing new versions of theirfull-size trucks later this sum-mer, and the competition is hotfor business.The big deal for trucks this

year is steel versus aluminum,and their strength versus light-ness. When Ford introduced thelatest generation of its top-sell-ing F-150 a couple of years ago,it saved more than 300 kilo-grams of weight by using light-weight aluminum in the truck’sconstruction; both Chevroletand Ram are now also usingaluminum to save weight, butnot so much, saying they usestronger steel where it counts,such as in the frame and cargobed.

CHEVROLET SILVERADO

The Silverado, which made itsdebut at the Detroit auto showin January, is up to 204 kilo-grams lighter but its body is 10per cent stronger. It comes ineight different trim levels, frombasic work to high luxury. Thereare three new engines, includ-ing a diesel, and they will all beequipped with a “dynamic fuelmanagement” system that canshut off up to all but one cylin-der when extra power isn’tneeded.General Motors believes this

choice will ensure the Silveradoappeals to all potential pickuptruck buyers, from fleets tourban cowboys, and drivers willbe drawn to the slightly largerdimensions as well as the im-proved abilities. There will be acouple of off-road versions, too,as well as kits to make the truckmore capable in the dirt. A newgeneration of its sibling, theGMC Sierra, will be introducedlater this year.

RAM 1500

Also debuted at Detroit, theRam 1500 has only two gasolineengines available, a V-6 and V-8,but both come with an “eTor-

que” mild hybrid system. It usesa 48-volt battery to booststrength when needed, whilealso improving fuel efficiency.They can also shut off up tohalf the cylinders, as well asstop and start the engine auto-matically when parked to saveeven more fuel.The new Ram is a little larger

all around, with additionalspace in the bed and extra legroom in the cab. It’s big enoughnow that the rear seats of thecrew cab version will evenrecline. Like the other Detroittrucks, it uses more lightweightmaterials to save more than 100kilograms, but 98 per cent of itsframe is constructed from high-strength steel to ensure stiffnessand durability.

FORD F-150

The best-selling vehicle in NorthAmerica forever, the F-150 isintroducing an all-new dieselengine this spring, which will bea sixth engine choice for thetruck. The 3.0-litre V-6 PowerStroke will create 440 lb-ft oftorque, which allows the Ford totow up to 5,170 kilograms.This generation of the F-150 –

its 13th since the original in1948 – was introduced in 2015 soit’s not yet time for an overhaul,except for strengthening theaxles. Instead, the competitionhas been playing catch-up withits impressive fuel consumptionand cutting-edge features,which include back-up assist for

use with a trailer, and full con-nectivity with Ford’s Sync3 soft-ware.

NISSAN TITAN

Nissan’s full-size pickup truckearned accolades when its sec-ond generation was introducedin 2015, and again in each sub-sequent year when it was madeavailable with a single cab andthen a King cab. It’s rugged andcapable, and its platform isshared with the Nissan Armadaand Infiniti QX80.Like the trucks from the

Detroit Three, there’s a heavy-duty version available with adiesel engine; it’s built in Mis-sissippi, which helps it appealto North American patriotism.There’s nothing new to see yetfor 2018, though Nissan willhave a blacked-out MidnightEdition Titan at the Torontoauto show.

TOYOTA TUNDRA

The basic Tundra hasn’tchanged in a dozen years. It’sstrong and reliable and valuefor money, but recently its mostinteresting versions have beenwith TRD Sport off-road edi-tions. Toyota says it will shownew Double Cab and CrewMaxCab TRD Sport Tundras at theToronto auto show. They fea-ture suspension and appearancepackages that include tuned Bil-stein shocks, a sport-tuned sus-pension with TRD front andrear sway bars, 20-inch alloywheels, a hood scoop, and LEDheadlamps and fog lamps.


Lighter, but still heavy-dutyAluminum saves weight,but stronger steel is usedwhere it counts – in theframe and cargo bed

MARK RICHARDSON

This spring, Ford is offering a new choice for its popular F-150 – a diesel engine. This generation of F-150 willalso feature back-up assist for use with a trailer and full connectivity with Sync3 software. JAMES LIPMAN

PICKUPS

FORD RANGER

The 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine ismated to the only 10-speed auto-matic transmission in the seg-ment. The engine delivers thepower of a V-6 with the fuel-effi-ciency of a 4-banger.

HONDA RIDGELINE

A car-like ride and fuel efficiencyare primary characteristics ofthe Ridgeline, which shares anindependent suspension withthe Pilot SUV. A 280-horsepowerV-6 is mated to a six-speed auto-matic transmission.

NISSAN FRONTIER

A standard 152-hp inline-fourpairs with a five-speed manualor a five-speed automatic; a 261-hp V-6 makes 281 lb-ft of torqueand mates to the same automat-ic or a six-speed manual.

TOYOTA TACOMA

Available with either a 159-hor-sepower, 2.7-litre four-cylinder,or a 278-hp, 3.5-litre V-6 engine,six-speed manual or automatictransmission.

AT THE SHOW:MID-SIZED PICKUPS

The numbers speak vol-umes. Light truck sales, in-cluding SUVs and pickups,

jumped to another record-breaking high of 9.1 per centfrom the previous month,accounting for 73.2 per cent ofthe market share in January,according to DesRosiers Auto-motive Consultants.No wonder manufacturers are

banking on trucks these days,bringing more to the market likethe all-new 2019 Ford Rangerpickup. Following an eight-yearabsence, Ford reintroduced thelegendary nameplate at theNorth American InternationalAuto Show in Detroit lastmonth.“We’ve been the truck leader

with F-Series for 52 straight yearsin Canada and we just thoughtthe timing was right,” said MarkBuzzell, CEO, Ford Motor Com-pany of Canada. “We’re seeingmore and more people go fromcars into SUVs and trucks, so itwas the perfect time to bringback the Ranger.”There’s already stiff competi-

tion in the mid-size truck seg-ment from the Toyota Tacoma,Nissan Frontier, Chevrolet Colo-rado and GMC Canyon.“We welcome competitors,”

said Steve Carlisle, president,General Motors of Canada. “Asmore entries come into the mar-

ket it’ll help repopularize thesegment and should result ingrowth for all of us. It’s a win-win. … We’re launching the[Colorado] ZR2 now – the off-road vehicle with the multimaticshocks in the back. It’s been wellreceived, so we’re going to con-tinue to build on that franchise.”Mid-size trucks make sense

for people living in congesteddowntown city cores where afull-size pickup truck can beawkward. A smaller truck givescity dwellers better manoeuver-ability, fuel consumption andprice.“That’s what drove us to bring

back the Colorado and Canyon,and we’ve been very encouragedby the response we’ve receivedwith those vehicles,” said Carlis-le.Where mid-size trucks differ

is in the powertrain – manufac-

turers are focusing on differentengines to sway consumers totheir brand.“We have diesels in the Colo-

rado as well as the Silverado. Webelieve diesel has a big role toplay and people are respondingaccordingly. It sounds a littlecounterintuitive, but the fastestway to improve CO2 emissions isto improve performance of allthe vehicles on the road, anddiesel can be a big part of that,”adds Carlisle.But these mid-size trucks

share some common traits –most are loaded with driversafety technologies and connec-tivity features, from Apple Car-Play and Android Autocompatibility to roaming WiFithat offers access to multiple de-vices in the vehicle.


Smaller trucks amp up the volumeAll-new Ford Rangerjoins already stiffcompetition in themid-sized market

PETRINA GENTILE

The 2018 ChevroletColorado ZR2, equippedfor off-roading, is availablewith a turbo-diesel orgasoline-powered V-6.GENERAL MOTORS


Mercedes-Benz Toronto Retail Group | 1.877.366.8888 | mbtoronto.ca Mississauga | Maple | Markham | Midtown | Thornhill | Downtown | Etobicoke



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E12 G THE GLOBE AND MAIL | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2018SEDANS

AUDI A7

All-new, and making its Cana-dian debut at the Toronto show,the fastback features a 3.0-litreV-6 mated to a mild-hybrid 48-volt system and all-wheel drive,pushing it from 0-100 km/h in5.3 seconds. Expect even moreperformance from the inevitableS and RS variants surely to fol-low.

BMW 530E

The plug-in hybrid 5 is an inter-esting option from BMWbecause of how it’s priced. Des-pite the added complexity ofhaving both a four-cylinder gasengine and an electric motor, it’sonly $1,500 more than theequivalent non-hybrid 5 Series.Add in the Ontario provincialrebate of $8,460, and the hybridends up being the cheaper of thetwo, coming in under $60,000.

MERCEDES-AMG E43

If the fire-breathing AMG E63mid-size sedan is a little toomuch for you, in terms of priceor performance, the E43 mightbe just right. With a twin-turboV-6 good for 396 horsepower itstill has plenty of grunt, and it’llbe better on fuel and more com-fortable over rough roads. It’sonly 1.2 seconds slower from0-100 km/h, but you save$35,100.

PORSCHE PANAMERA

The Panamera Turbo S E Hybrid,which will be on Porsche’s standat CIAS this year, tops Porsche’srapidly expanding range ofPanamera models. The sedan isavailable in regular and extend-ed wheelbase versions, with rearor all-wheel drive. They range inpower from 330-680 horses andin price from $97,300 to$221,700.

JAGUAR XE

Jaguar’s entry-level compactsedan often gets overlooked infavour of more obvious alterna-tives from the German brands.But, that’s a shame. Even thebase XE — which starts at$43,900 and includes all-wheel-drive and a 247 horsepowerengine — is an exceptionallyfun-to-drive luxury machine.

AT THE SHOW:EURO SEDANS

Changes are coming. The luxurysedan is going through somethinglike a mid-life crisis at the

moment. Once the mainstay of the Eur-opean automobile industry, with con-sumers leaning to SUVs, premium automakers are finding new ways to addappeal and play to the sedan’sstrengths: design, handling and efficien-cy. As a result, we have the most di-verse and interesting crop of newluxury four-doors we’ve seen in years.The shift to SUVs is happening in the

luxury segment as well, said Brian Ful-ton, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada. “Last year we were 50/50;we sold just over 100 more passengercars than SUVs. But the reality is if wehad another 500 SUVs, we’d have soldthem. This isn’t just in Canada and theU.S. It’s global.”At BMW, it’s much the same story.“Fifty per cent of our BMW-brand

volume is SUVs,” said Kevin Marcotte,national manager of BMW M, BMW i,and luxury class vehicles. “Having saidthat, the 3 Series [sedan] is still our No.1-selling vehicle in Canada, and 5 Series[sedan] was up 34 per cent.”Luxury auto makers use their biggest

sedans as halo vehicles, showcases forthe latest technology and design. By of-fering even more fuel-efficient options,auto makers are doubling down on oneof the sedan’s key strengths.Despite improvements in SUVs,

sedans are generally more efficientbecause of weight and aerodynamic

advantages.The plug-in hybrid BMW 530e sedan

is a taste of what’s to come. You won’thave to plug in this plug-in hybrid; justpark on top of an inductive pad. Audiwill offer a similar wireless chargingsolution for its upcoming plug-inmodels.Even more extreme is the all-electric

Jaguar I-Pace. Can it even be called asedan? It doesn’t look like one, butthen again it doesn’t look like an SUV,or anything else. The specifications lookpromising: 90 kWh battery, 386-kmrange, and 0-100 km/h in 4.0 seconds. Itlooks spectacular, too.Aside from fuel economy, luxury

sedans can play the design card. All theGerman luxury auto makers, includingPorsche with the Panamera and Audiwith the A5 and all-new A7, offer four-door sedans with rakish, fastback roo-flines. It’s a brilliant piece of rebranding.Many of these cars are essentially fancy

hatchbacks, but ‘four-door coupe’sounds so much more exotic.The more traditional of the two

debuts from Audi at the CIAS is the A8,the brand’s flagship model. Take a goodlook at its cabin. This next-generationinterior and infotainment system willtrickle into the Audi lineup over thecoming years.For its part, Mercedes has its own

new fastback, the CLS, making a Cana-dian debut at the Toronto show. Thenon-AMG version features a newly de-veloped 362-horsepower straight-sixengine with a 21-hp mild-hybrid boostsystem.Volkswagen is pushing upmarket

with its all-new fastback Arteon sedan,replacing the CC in VW’s lineup.SUVs grab sales records but sedans

remain the prestige product for Euro-pean premium auto makers.


Volkswagen pushes upmarket with its all-new Arteon Gran Turismo sedan, replacing the CC in VW’s lineup. VOLKSWAGEN

Crisis, what crisis?Prestige sedansstaying relevantin the face of the SUV surge

MATT BUBBERS

Audi A8, the brand’s more traditional flagship model. AUDI

Is there really such a thing as“affordable luxury”?While many consumers

covet a German nameplate, pre-mium marques such as Lincoln,Buick, Acura, Infiniti, Volvo andGenesis are also competing forthe growing market.Automotive sales increased in

Canada last year by about 6 percent, but sales of premium vehi-cles jumped by about 9 per cent.And it’s not slowing down.“To be very frank, we don’t

look at the Germans as our truecompetitors,” says Jim Rideout,product marketing manager forLincoln Canada.Lincoln’s flagship sedan is the

new Continental, which standsout in the market by offeringmany of the comforts and abili-ties of the big German cars, witha starting price of about $58,000.Top it right out with the 3.0-litretwin-turbo V-6 engine, all-wheeldrive, 30-way adjustable frontseats and heated rear seats andthe MSRP will still be less than$80,000. The Mercedes S-Classstarts at $106,000, the BMW 7Series at $116,500.Technology is so far ahead of

where it was just five years agothat it doesn’t have to be expen-sive to include acoustic glass andsound-muffling foam for a su-per-quiet ride, or software-man-

aged independent suspensionfor a smooth glide on poorroads. Mercedes, BMW and Audiare improving on already-excep-tional technology, but howmuch do you really need?Buyers get more access to

content today than previously,says Adam Paterson, managingdirector of Infiniti Canada.The Infiniti Q50 sedan, for

example, competes against theBMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mer-cedes-Benz C-Class, but its start-ing MSRP of just less than$40,000 includes all-wheel drive.It’s much less powerful at thatprice than the Germans, buteven upgrading to an equivalentengine still brings it in at severalthousand dollars below theirprice. The leather is no lessthick, nor less heated, and itsfeatures are cutting edge, withelectronic power steering, voicerecognition and full connectivi-ty.Cars have become so compli-

cated and capable that it cantake a couple of hours for a

salesperson to guide a customerthrough all their features. Infini-ti, however, has a delivery sys-tem in which a customer can seeall the features on a tablet andgo straight to what they want toknow more about. The salesper-son is there for additional expla-nation and a demonstration.Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury

brand, has finessed the systemeven further.It is selling through store-

fronts at high-end shoppingmalls, and a consumer canarrange to buy one online infewer than 10 minutes. If yourGenesis needs servicing or fix-ing, an “agent” will come to yourhome or office, leave you with acar and take your vehicle to aHyundai dealership for thework. The idea is that a Genesisdriver will never visit a dealer-ship – especially not a Hyundaidealership – which saves moneythat can be taken directly fromthe cost of the car.This also allows Genesis to

sell at a fixed, non-negotiableprice online, which is only possi-ble with an agency system,where consumers buy directlyfrom Genesis, rather thanthrough Hyundai’s franchise sys-tem.Thanks partly to this

approach, the Genesis G80 is analternative to an Audi A6 orBMW 5 Series or Mercedes-BenzE-Class with a price that starts atleast $5,000 less for its equiva-lent featuresMaybe there is such a thing as

affordable luxury after all.


Affordable luxury: more for lessYes, you can have it all –a growing auto segmentwelcomes more brands

MARK RICHARDSON

Infiniti’s premium sportssedan, the Q50, offersall-wheel drive for theprice of its 2WD Germancompetition. There are fourengines available, includinga hybrid and a 400 hp3.0-litre V6.INFINITI

LINCOLN CONTINENTAL

A full-size sedan that promisesquiet luxury. The front seats areavailable with as many as 30 dif-ferent configurations.

GENESIS G80

The middle of the pack in theGenesis fleet, which is Hyundai’snew premium brand, the G80 of-fers cutting-edge technologywith style and comfort.

ACURA TLX

More than just a Honda Accordwith thicker leather, Acura’s per-formance sedan has every levelof technology possible.

BUICK REGAL

A new “sportback” shape to thelatest generation of Buick’s mid-size sedan gives the Regal con-siderably more practicality forcarrying luggage, with a sportystyle and attitude.

AT THE SHOW:NON-EURO SEDANS


OFFER ENDS FEBRUARY24, 2018.

European model shown. Features and equipment may vary in Canada. Selling price of a 2018 BMW430i xDrive Gran Coupé/2018 BMWX3 xDrive30i starts at $52,152.20/$51,002.20, which includes MSRP ($52,150/$48,000), freight and PDI (up to$2,480.00), OMVIC ($10.00), A/C levy ($100.00), tire stewardship fee ($13.20), and retailer administration fees (up to $399.00), less $3,000/$0 cash purchase credit. Licensing, registration, and applicable taxes are extra. Retailers are free to set theirown prices. *Lease offers of 1.9% APR for 48 months available only through BMW Financial Services Canada on approved credit (OAC). Lease example based on a 2018 BMW 430i xDrive Gran Coupé base model: $51,630.00 (MSRP $52,150.00)plus Freight & PDI ($2,480.00) less $3,000.00 delivery credit) at 1.9% APR for 48 months. Monthly payment is $447.73 with down payment or trade equivalent of $6,750.00. Retailer administration fee ($399.00), OMVIC ($10.00), A/C levy ($100.00),tire stewardship fee ($13.20) and fees associated with PPSA ($53.73) are due on signing. Licensing, registration, and applicable taxes are extra and due on signing. First month’s lease payment and security deposit of one month’s payment aredue at lease inception. Total obligation for the lease is: $22,067.12. The residual value of the vehicle at the end of the term is $26,075.00. Annual kilometres limited to 16,000; $0.15 per excess kilometre. Excess wear and tear charges may apply.*Finance offers of 0.9% for up to 60 months available only through BMW Financial Services Canada on approved credit (OAC). Finance example based on a 2018 BMW 430i xDrive Gran Coupé: $49,150.00 financed at 0.9% APR for 60 monthswith $3,500 down payment less $3,000 credit equals a monthly payment of $589.09. Cost of borrowing is $589.09, which includes the fees associated with PPSA registration ($53.73). Total obligation is $52,739.09. License, insurance, vehicleregistration, options and sales taxes are extra. ** $3,000/$0 credit on new in-stock 2018 BMW 430i xDrive Gran Coupé/2018 BMW X3 xDrive30i applies to cash purchases and lease and finance purchases made through BMW Financial ServicesCanada. ***$1,000 Ultimate BMW Auto Show Event credit on select in-stock 2018 BMW models (excluding X2 and M5 models) applies to cash purchases and lease and finance purchases made through BMW Financial Services Canada fromFebruary 15-24, 2018 only. Offer expires February 24, 2018. Delivery must be taken by February 28, 2018. Offer is subject to availability and may be cancelled or changed without notice. Certain conditions apply. See your local BMW Retailer or bmw.ca for full details. ©2018 BMW Canada Inc. “BMW”, the BMW logo, BMW model designations and all other BMW related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and/or trademarks of BMW AG, used under licence.

SELECT 2018 BMW MODELS

UP TO 60 MONTHS

RATES AS LOW AS DELIVERY CREDITS UP TORECEIVE AN ADDITIONALAUTO SHOW CREDIT OF

$3,000** $1,000***0.9%APR

*+

THE ULTIMATE BMWAUTO SHOW EVENT.LIMITED TIME ONLY, FROM FEB 15-24, 2018.

BOOK YOUR TEST DRIVE TODAYBMW-GTA.CA


��

E14 G THE GLOBE AND MAIL | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2018ELECTRICS AND HYBRIDS

Plugged in

How does it feel to drive an electrically powered car? Ten manufacturers of EVs – Nissan, BMW, above, Fiat-Chrysler, Ford,GM, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Volvo will offer test drives in special sections of the convention centre’s

North and South Buildings. Available will be the Nissan Leaf, BMW i3, Chevrolet Volt and Bolt, the Outlander PHEV, theHonda Clarity, the Volvo XC40, the Hyundai Ioniq and the Ford Focus Electric. As well, the Leaf and i3 will be displayed inthe EVolution Zone, along with a two-wheel Segway and a Vespa electric motor scooter. The test drives are sponsored inpart by The Globe and Mail and administered by the North York Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre’s Plug ’n Drive program.

BMW

BMW I3 REX

Constructed from sustainableand recycled materials, thehatch has a full electric rangearound the 180-kilometre mark,and with the generator on boardthat jumps up to more than 220kilometres.

LEXUS LS 500H

The sleek luxury sedan, whichdebuted at the Geneva MotorShow last year, uses a new mul-ti-stage hybrid system that com-bines a V-6 engine with twoelectric motor/generators, for acombined 354 hp.

MERCEDES-AMG PROJECT ONE

Budget no object? AMG willmake only 275 units of the su-percar crafted in conjunctionwith Petronas Motorsport. A tur-bocharged combustion engineand four independent electricmotors generate 1,000 horse-power and top speed over 350km/h.

MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV

With two electric motors and a2.0-litre gasoline engine, the all-wheel drive SUV offers 35 kilo-metres of full-electric range atspeeds under 120 km/h. A stan-dard home outlet charges thebattery in eight hours.

AT THE SHOW:HYBRIDS

If crossovers are the cool newkids on the block, thenhybrids are the popular ones

everyone wants to emulate. Withmore and more emerging acrossthe market, from econoboxmodels right up to the prestigeperformance level, hybrids aren’tjust a futuristic fad, they are a vi-able option for those in the mar-ket for a new car.It seems like only yesterday

that the only available hybrid onthe market was the Toyota Prius;however, now there are upwardof 20 hybrids available.The global market is changing

in that consumers are becomingmore conscientious about theenvironment. Not only do buyerswant to save dollars at thepumps, they want to save theplanet, and so the auto industrypaid attention and started offer-ing more hybrid versions of theiralready well-known gas-poweredmodels.But is it worth the premium

auto makers charge to drive“green”?Here’s the thing about

hybrids: They don’t require asmuch of a driving-style overhaulas full electric vehicles, but theystill offer the benefits and long-term effects. No need to plan out-ings around charge stations orexperience range anxiety. How-ever, it’s important to note thatheavy highway travellers won’tsee a huge fuel-saving advantagewith hybrid over gas.“Hybrids are ideal for those

with the right lifestyle, and atti-tude,” explained BMW i division

head, Robert Irlinger. With fivehybrid models available (includ-ing the high-performing i8),along with the fully electric i3,and now even a hybrid MINICountryman, BMW hasembraced the hybrid market andunderstands what it takes toentice someone from a gas ver-sion to a hybrid.“The drive feel is essentially

identical, but consider the differ-ence in fuel savings and theimpact on the environmentwhen you can spend your time intraffic without your engine run-ning at all,” said Irlinger.The increase in charging sta-

tions across North America, withmore than 39,000 now online(7,000 of which were activatedbetween 2015 and 2016 alone),makes the argument for hybridseven stronger. Of course, acharge isn’t always necessarywhen a gas-powered engine isthere as well, but the idea thatyou could potentially survive onbattery power alone is compel-ling.Then there’s the ease in com-

mutes. In Canada, the addition ofa green licence plate on your ve-hicle means you have the right touse the taxi/carpool lane. Thatcan save time on a daily com-mute where those lanes areavailable, and they are across thecountry. A green plate is awardedto all hybrid (PHEV – plug-inhybrid electric vehicle – or not)and fully electric vehicles, and acomprehensive list can be foundon provincial transportationwebsites.“The increase in gas prices

alone is enough of an incentiveto make the switch,” Irlingermused.With a national average that

sits around $1.20/L, it is becom-ing increasingly more expensiveto fill up. Hybrids offer a rangeextension with the addition of abattery. Even with only a 20kmfull-battery range, that’s enoughto get to and from work dailywithout ever touching your fuelreserve. Imagine if you only usedgas on the weekends.


Case for hybrids grows strongerThe green benefitsof electric with thesecurity blanket of gas

MIRANDA LIGHTSTONE

Toyota started themainstreaming trend withthe Prius, however, nowthere are upward of 20hybrids available. TOYOTA

[ TEST DRIVE ]


A support person necessary for the attendanceof a person with disability is admitted free.

Please report to the Accessibility Ticket booth

Fjords, glaciers, volcanoes and untamed wilderness—the adventure of a lifetime awaits! Stop by CAA’s booth at the Canadian International AutoShow from February 16 to 25 and enter for a chance towin a 15-day trip for two on Alaska – Off the Beaten Path.* No purchase necessary. To learn more, visit the CAA booth on Level 300 of the North Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.*Alaska – Off the Beaten Path is part of CAA’s Extraordinary Explorations PLUS Collection and departs on July 14, 2018. Prize valued at $14,620. For contest terms and conditions, speak to arepresentative at the CAA booth.

Vehicle may not be exactly as shown.

Official Tire of the AutoShow

SPONSORED BY

AutoShow.ca

AUTO EXOTICA

T H E W O R L D ’ S F I N E S T

IT’S ON!

FEB 19

BUY TICKETS ONLINE AT AutoShow.ca

FEB 16 - 25, 2018 METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRENORTH & SOUTH BUILDINGS

THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL AUTOSHOW

IT S ON!

2018 BUGATTI CHIRON


Take advantageof exclusiveAutoShow offers.

Limited-time lease and finance offers available through Audi Finance, on approved credit, on select new and unregistered 2018 Audi models. *Lease a 2018 Audi S4 3.0 TFSI quattro Progressiv with a base MSRP of $60,095(including $2,095 freight and PDI) at 2.9% for 48 months, with monthly payments of $612 per month. Air conditioning tax ($100), EHF for tires ($17), PPSA ($58), OMVIC ($10), dealer admin fee ($395), $4,988 down paymentor equivalent trade-in, security deposit of approximately one month’s payment (waived until Feb. 28), and first monthly payment due at lease inception. License, insurance, registration, options, and applicable taxes are extra. Thetotal lease obligation is $34,335 (excluding taxes). 12,000 per year kilometre allowance; charge of $0.30 km for excess kilometres. *Lease a 2018 A5 Coupe 2.0 TFSI quattro Komfortmanual with a baseMSRP of $48,445 (including$2,095 freight and PDI) at 2.9% for 36 months, with monthly payments of $520 per month. Air conditioning tax ($100), EHF for tires ($22), PPSA ($58), OMVIC ($10), Dealer Admin Fee ($395), $4,988 down payment orequivalent trade-in, security deposit of approximately one month’s payment (waived until Feb. 28) and first monthly payment due at lease inception. License, insurance, registration, options, and applicable taxes are extra. Thetotal lease obligation is $23,736 (excluding taxes). 12,000 per year kilometre allowance; charge of $0.35 km for excess kilometres. ‡Complimentary Audi Care Maintenance or $1,000/$2,000 available to be applied as a discountto the MSRP before taxes on purchase or lease of select 2018 Audi A4 & S4 sedan/A5 Coupe models. Dealer participation is required. Audi Care is a comprehensive service and maintenance plan covering scheduled maintenance at25,000 km, 40,000 km, 55,000 km, and 70,000 km, available on all new and unregistered 2018 Audi models. Model shown: 2018 Audi S4 3.0 TFSI quattro Technik tiptronic with base MSRP of $62,085 and 2018 Audi A5 2.0 TFSIquattro Technik tiptronic with base MSRP of $49,335. Offer ends February 28, 2018, and is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Dealer order/trade may be necessary. Dealer may sell or lease for less. See dealer fordetails. AUDI AG trademarks are used under license. © 2018 Audi Canada.

Uncover the unknown with the dynamic and superior

handling of quattro – the legendary all-wheel-drive system

that distributes power effectively across all four wheels.

Audi quattro – power you can feel, traction you can trust,

and performance that’s unparalleled.

Find our curated collection of 2018 models at audi.ca/GTA

Visit audi.ca/GTA for details.

Offer ends February 28, 2018. Audi Vorsprung durch Technik

2018 Audi A4, S4 & A5 CoupeLease from

2.9%*

for up to48/36months

SECURITYDEPOSITWAIVED

COMPLIMENTARY5 YEAR/80,000 kmPREPAID MAINTENANCE‡

Owasco Audi2100 Champlain Ave.Whitby905.428.2834

Audi DowntownToronto328 Bayview Ave.Toronto416.961.2834

Audi Uptown4080 Highway 7 E.Markham1.888.804.2168

Audi ofMississauga787 Bancroft Dr.Mississauga905.593.6040

Audi MidtownToronto175 Yorkland Blvd.Toronto1.877.423.9419

Audi Oakville1425 North Service Rd.W.Oakville905.844.2834

Audi Queensway1310 The QueenswayToronto416.259.7128

H.J. PfaffMotors Inc.16775 Leslie St.Newmarket905.836.2834

Pfaff Audi9088 Jane St.Vaughan905.907.2834

Audi Brampton25 Coachworks Cres.Brampton905.487.2834

plus plus


tech meets refinement - globelink · 2018-09-28 · compact-car sedans,...

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