AJAC TEST FEST 2005: Sport Utility Vehicle

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy CNW Group

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Every year, the automotive orgy that is Test Fest takes place at Shannonville Motorsport Park, two hours east of Toronto.

By putting category nominees through back-to-back on-road and on-track testing, Test Fest gives voting members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) the opportunity to drive new and heavily revised models in a controlled setting. The purpose of this four-day high-octane extravaganza? To find segment winners across 11 categories, and to determine the annual AJAC Car and Truck of the Year awards.

As in the past few years, both Russ Bond and I were present and accounted for. Bond-o was assigned the very difficult task of picking the best in the Sports/Performance and new-for-2006 Modern Muscle groups. Lucky dog… At any rate, you can read about his experiences – both good and bad – in another post.

As for me, I had the opportunity to do double-duty as well, taking on the Sport Utility Vehicle and Sport Sedan classes.



First off, the SUV category had nine contenders, certainly the largest of this year’s crop, which made for a long day of testing. The nine were all 2006 versions of the Ford Explorer, Hummer H3, Jeep Commander, Kia Sportage, Mercedes-Benz ML350, Nissan Xterra, Range Rover Sport, Saab 9-7X and Suzuki Grand Vitara. Phew!

This was perhaps the most difficult category to judge, simply because of the wide range of prices and target audiences. What makes SUV different from, say, Multi-Purpose Vehicle, is that the SUV criteria includes off-road testing, while the MPV’s hit the low-speed Nelson track.

On-road testing proved one thing: the Range Rover Sport Supercharged is one bad-ass piece of machinery, as it should be for a price of $97,250! That supercharged 390-horsepower V8 pushed the 5,600-pound behemoth down the road with vigor, but the taught performance-biased suspension and 20-inch wheels with low-profile gumball tires certainly looked like they’d be a hindrance off-road.



Who were we to doubt Land Rover when it came to mud-loving vehicles, though. Despite the nasty conditions, the RRS/S handled everything with aplomb thanks to its very tasty and trick Terrain Response Control System. It’s basically a set-it-and-forget-it knob that allows you to dial in what conditions you’re driving in (or over) and the computer sets the ride height, brake bias, ABS sensitivity, traction control, etc., to get you where you need to be. Amazing.

And how did the others stack up? The ML350 is quiet and sophisticated inside, with definite improvements in construction and drivability, even though the exterior is simply an evolution of the previous model.

Coming down a notch or two, the mid-priced offerings were slightly more prosaic. The facelifted Ford Explorer is slightly less than breathtaking, and despite a homerun for the interior design, the materials inside are just too hard and brittle to really impress. It drives, well, just like you’d expect an Explorer to drive. The Saab has a very pretty face, but shows too much of its body-on-frame Chevrolet Trailblazer roots. While the V8 engine sounded great and had plenty of shove down low, it quickly runs out of breath and is hamstrung by the sloppy four-speed automatic. It also suffered the embarrassing disappointment of being the only SUV contender to not complete the off-road portion of the testing, mainly because of ground clearance issues.



While is looks like it can tackle the Rubicon Trail straight out of the box, the Jeep Commander was actually the best all-rounder of the bunch. Its HEMI V8 and five-speed automatic are very refined and the ratios well matched. The interior – while not top-shelf – is tasteful and comfortable. As a result, the Commander is a great highway vehicle, tracking straight and true with great damping. While the looks might drive some away, spending some more time with it will see the design mature, like day-old mud on the rocker panels.

The two hardcore off-roaders of the bunch, the H3 and the Xterra were completely different animals. While the H3’s looks are typically shocking Hummer outside, they’re combined with probably the best GM interior in, well, forever. The Xterra is very much an evolution of the old model, including the theater-style roof and tube-frame roof rails.



Interestingly, the Xterra was the only one of the bunch that (as equipped) could be put into two-wheel-drive for extra fun on gravel roads. The rest were all given some sort of full-time all- or four-wheel-drive, some with lockable differentials, and others with electronic traction/brake control to keep the tires from spinning.

The Xterra also ranked highest in the fun-to-drive category, thanks to its grunty V6 engine, sharp throttle and rear-wheel-drive configuration. The interior isn’t really anything to be proud of, but Nissan advertises that as an asset, and it’s functional, if a little dour. The H3’s main complaint comes from its engine, or lack of it. Even with the five-speed manual, the Hummer is underpowered and unrefined.

The ‘bargain’ entries in this group, the Kia Sportage and Suzuki Grand Vitara may look similar on paper, but were very different in execution. The Kia is a great effort by the Korean hotshot, with good equipment, decent driving dynamics, and genuine off-road ability, despite a road-biased all-wheel-drive system.



The Suzuki, however, was a revelation. The truck looks wonderful, inside and out, and truly handles well. Turn-in for an SUV was amazing, especially given its obvious off-road capabilities, and body lean was kept to a minimum. The only complaint is the lack of power; the small V6 engine doesn’t produce enough poke to satisfy, making for a momentum-focused driving experience. Think of it as the Miata of SUV’s…

Conclusions? Well, to be honest, the RRS/S truly is an exceptional vehicle, but the AJAC voting system takes price into account, meaning that expensive vehicles usually don’t fare as well in the end. Chances are it’ll be either the Suzuki Grand Vitara or the Jeep Commander.

AJAC TEST FEST 2005: Sport Sedan

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy respective manufacturers

On the complete opposite spectrum from the SUV category, the Sport Sedan group was tight and fairly singular in its purpose. The four contenders were the 2006 Audi A4 3.0, BMW 330i, Lexus IS350, and Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan.

While three quarters of the group were clearly aimed at the same crowd, the black sheep of the family – the Impreza – was quite shockingly different. The facelift and bigger engine ensured its entry into the class, but despite five years of tweaking, the same basic shapes and interior materials remain.



That’s not to say that the WRX is outclassed – far from it. In fact, while more than capable on road or on track, the Scooby delivered its performance loud and ‘in your face’, unlike the other contenders. And really, that’s the WRX’s appeal as a rally car for the road.

On track, the bigger brakes and revised suspension inspire confidence and are able to cover up for ham-fisted mistakes. But for some reason Subaru insists on equipping most of its models in horrible Bridgestone all-season tires, which are neither sporty nor sticky. They’re most likely cheap, which helps explain their appeal, I suppose.



Moving up the ladder, the Audi A4 was similar to the Subaru in a couple of aspects – all-wheel-drive and a facelift over an older body. Other than that, where the Subaru was loud, the Audi was quiet. Where the Subaru was agile, the Audi was slightly ponderous. You get the idea… On track, the Audi really felt out of its element. The S4 proves that Audi can do sporty, but this regular A4 just didn’t quite cut it.

From my perspective, it was quite obvious who the two real contenders were: the Bimmer and the wanna-be Bimmer. Erm, the Lexus. While that might sound a tad harsh, no one at Lexus would deny who their bulls-eye rests on. The original IS300 was a direct Japanese clone of BMW’s 3-series, right down to the straight-six engine.



Now into its second generation, the IS350 takes the fight straight to the Germans, even out-powering them with over 300 horsepower from a 3.5-liter V6. Unfortunately, that engine is not available with a manual transmission, which automatically drops them down a notch in my book… On the high-speed Fabi track, the IS was a good performer, but not perfect. The brakes were a little spongy and the steering a shade light, but the car’s computer allowed a surprising amount of rude behaviour before reeling the driver in.

The 330i is what you’d expect from BMW: stiff chassis, direct steering, wonderful balance and good brakes. I’ve driven the less powerful 325i for a week, and its higher-octane brother just adds more good stuff to the pile. The same criticisms about a not-quite-there exterior and so-so interior remain, but as a driving tool, the BMW is unmatched.

The Lexus comes so close that it’s scary, and remains the better looking of the two, both inside and out. The materials used are also of a better grade, but the radio and HVAC controls do look a little Corolla-ish. No matter…



It really came down to the nitty gritty with the BMW and Lexus, even to such things as which had fold-down rear seats (BMW) to which had more rear legroom (Lexus). Really nit-picky stuff. If you’re interested in one, you’d do yourself a disservice by ignoring the other. And that’s as close as I can call it.

Keep your ears perked during early December as the category winners will be announced. From there, the Car and Truck of the Year will be voted on and revealed during the Canadian auto show season in 2006.

So that wraps up another year at Test Fest, which both Bond and I were very grateful to be a part of again. Hopefully, we didn’t cause enough damage to have our invitations lost in the mail come next October. It’s just a good excuse to get out of the office… but don’t tell my boss that!

AJAC TEST FEST 2005: Sports Performance / Modern Muscle

Story by Russ Bond
Photos Courtesy CNW Group

Each year, selected members from AJAC (Automotive Journalists Association of Canada) descend on Shannonville for a week-long test session of all the new and significantly revised cars and trucks, with the idea of determining the AJAC Car and Truck of the Year.

For the past four years, I have been attending, and I have been lucky to have been part of what I think are the best groups to evaluate. This year I had ‘Sports Performance’ and Modern Muscle.

In the Sports Performance group, it was kind of like that game on Sesame Street. You know the one: ‘One of these things, is not like the other…’ (you can sing that part if you want). The contenders were the Mazda MX-5, Mitsubishi Eclipse GT, Chevy Cobalt SS Supercharged, Pontiac Solstice, Honda Civic Si, Pontiac G6 Coupe and the Corvette. Not just any Corvette, mind you, but the ALMS-car-with-run-flat-tires-version, the Z06.

By any stretch of the imagination, this grouping – I thought – could have no clear winner, as in my opinion, the Z06 should never have been in this group. It is nearly double the price of any of the others – and often double the performance as well. The judging does take that into account; AJAC has a formula they apply after the scores are submitted to equal out the pricing issues, so we will see just how it turns out.



Putting that issue aside for a moment, I’ll start by saying the Z06 is exceptional value for the money. It is stunning on the road and on the track. Very drivable on the highway, and will murder just about anything on any track.

As for the rest of that group, I thought it was pretty close. I could see a sports-minded buyer looking at the rest in that group – they seem to be in the same market.

Things that impressed me in that group were the MX-5 (Miata) – it is much more refined and drivable compared to the last Mazdaspeed Miata, which I thought was a little peaky. The new look, and the fit and finish is why the MX-5 is still going to be one of the most popular convertible sports cars on the market.



The G6 was actually quite good on the track, and the new Si definitely was the rocket of the bunch. The Cobalt SS was the easiest to drive fast without working up a sweat – that one is a sure winner for Chevrolet. The Solstice, while looking great, could stand a little more development, and the Eclipse, though overweight and pushy, is miles ahead of the last one.

I don’t know which will come out on top, but like I said, it probably should have two winners. The Corvette, and what ever is judged the best of the rest.

My second group had a similar sort of issue I thought to begin with. Modern Muscle featured the Chevy Trailblazer SS, Dodge Magnum SRT8, and the Mazdaspeed6. Two other entries, the Cadillac STS-V and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, were withdrawn just before Test Fest by their respective manufacturers because they couldn’t guarantee enough customer deliveries in 2006 to satisfy AJAC’s rules.



At any rate, at first glance, the Mazdaspeed6 seems a little out of place, but I found out very quickly, muscle doesn’t necessarily mean V8. The Speed6 is clearly the best Mazda to come along in some time for performance enthusiasts: all-wheel drive, great power from the turbocharged 2.3-liter, direct injection, and a very well-developed suspension package. A quick note to Targa Newfoundland racers – look into a Mazdaspeed6 for ‘06.

The most impressive of the traditional muscle, was clearly the SRT8. What a blast on the track! I did a few laps with four people in it, and managed 140 km/h through turn 1 on Nelson track – this from a station wagon. Kudos to the performance folks at Dodge; the SRT8 is just fantastic to drive.



The Trailblazer is all motor, and sound. The LS2 V8 is great to listen to, the suspension is better, and the SS package looks great. They could fix the seats though… Right turns were fine, but lefts would find you sprawled over the center console.

Again, I am not sure which one will win, but Modern Muscle will prove to be much closer than Sports/Performance.

We’ll find out which vehicles win in all 11 categories by early December, and AJAC Car and Truck of the Year will be announced during the Canadian auto show rounds early next year.

DRIVEN: 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

By Russ Bond
Photos courtesy Russ Bond and GM Canada

Ever heard the saying, “Couldn’t drive a nail in a snowbank,” or “can’t fight your way out of a wet paper bag?”

This is how I feel right now – I am in car guy hell! And I’m not exaggerating!

Picture this if you will. A nice little place in the country, a quaint circular gravel driveway, a Le Mans blue Corvette – not just any Corvette, but a Z06, the monster of monsters – and... wait for it... three inches of snow. Yes, friggin’ snow, for the last flippin’ four days.

Yes, there is a 505hp dream machine stuck in my driveway. What are the odds? It is just killing me to see it sitting there. I want to use all six gears; I want to feel the monster brakes like I did at Shannonville a few weeks ago. I want to get looks as I rumble through town. I want to feel like the king of the world. But right now, I am a hostage in my own house.



I have driven the ‘regular’ Corvette C6, and from my brief taste of the Z06 at Test Fest, I can tell you it is a vastly different machine, which to me is the best thing about the Z06. It will never be confused with a C6. A C6.R maybe, but not a C6.

Often manufacturers will make sport or performance models that, on a good day, might beat the base model. The Z06 will make a mess out of what is already a great car: the C6. The horsepower difference alone tells you GM was serious. Going from the 400hp LS2 in the C6, to the 505-hp 7.0 Liter LS7 aluminum block engine with a dry sump system in the Z06 is a serious jump.

GM has also taken the time to make the rest of the Z06 blend in with that jump in horsepower. Just about everything is upgraded to give more performance, and GM makes good use of extensive racecar technology and lightweight components – such as carbon-fibre front fenders, wheelhouses, and floorboards (with balsa core).That makes it actually 22 kg lighter than the C6; 1421kg total. It also features massive six-piston front and four-piston rear disc brakes – stopping is not an issue, unless of course it’s snowing!



Chevrolet did all this without taking away from the daily drivability – a huge plus. The Z06 is as refined as the C6 on daily commutes or just tooling around the countryside. Inside the differences are minor, other than the speed at which that the world passes the windshield.

The gearbox seems much better, especially in feel compared to previous models. The torque is brute force in action and yet on the highway at 130 km/h, it is running at about 1,200 rpm. So, if you want to cruise, it is perfect. If you want to race, track day, or do spirited driving, it is perfect. If you want to look good doing both, it’s perfect. Are you seeing a trend here?

Before it started to snow, I went for a brief shopping trip in it. No problem, pop the hatch and there is a good amount of space. Heater works great, the satellite radio – which has great comedy channels by the way – is a good traveling companion, and the Z06 is fairly easy to park. Watch the splitter on the front, though, as it won’t clear the cement stops, and the nose is longer than you think.

But sadly, all I can see is it covered in snow out the front window of my house as I sit here and type this.



With a price tag under $100,000, the Z06 is like stealing candy from a baby. There is no way that if you buy one you would have to feel that you’ve taken GM to the cleaners. This performance of a true supercar with these looks at this price – something doesn’t add up here. Seriously – the Z06 could easily be priced at $150,000 and they’d sell just as many.

There is no competition for it at that price. Nothing even remotely compares, and for the minor jump in price from the C6, you should seriously consider ‘upgrading’ – if you can find one.

Speaking of which, availability might be the Z06’s biggest problem. It might well be a case of ‘who you know’ in order to get one. [I do happen to know Peter Klutt at Legendary Motorcar has a red one in stock, www.legendarymotorcar.com]

Never, ever, would I say that I thought a Corvette Z06 would be an eyesore, but, sadly, it is just that. It’s killing me that it is so close, and yet so far away. Why me? I have the key, I am allowed to drive it. I didn’t know my mother was Mother Nature, and apparently she is a little pissed at me.

DRIVEN: 2006 Dodge Magnum RT

Story and Photos by Mike Galipeau

The family vacation – a drive halfway across the country in the middle of the summer, with two children. For this story, I’ll be Clark Griswold, my wife will play Ellen, my son is Rusty, and my daughter will be Audrey.

The old family wagon has 270,000 km on the odometer. It’s a Volvo, so I know it will make the 5,000 km trip to Wally World. Alright, so we weren’t going to Wally World, but we were heading to the East coast, to visit cousin Eddie (My brother). Ellen was a bit concerned about the reliability of the trusty wagon.

Off to the dealership I go to find a new family car. There it was, the 1983 Family Truckster in Metallic Pea, with wood paneling and eight headlights. I wish…



Truthfully though, DaimlerChrysler Canada, hooked us up with a 2006 Dodge Magnum R/T, almost as cool as the Truckster. Instead of Metallic Pea, we got Cool Vanilla and no wood paneling. It was the first time I had seen a Magnum in that colour, and it really brought out its muscular look. Well that, and the HEMI badges, the dual exhaust, and the 18-inch wheels and tires.

Gas was $1.04 a litre in Eastern Canada, so Ellen was not impressed to see a 5.7-liter 345-hp, 395-ft-lb powered car show up in the driveway. More about that later!

Wally World, er, sorry Halifax, was waiting so it was a 5:30 a.m. departure for 10 days of family bliss. However, the night before was spent loading the car.



My initial thought when I popped the trunk on the Magnum was “this is smaller than our Volvo back here.” However, the Magnum’s cargo space is deceiving. The sloped roofline and tiny rear windows make it seem small. The rear floor has a removable system that provides added cargo space, but I found this out after we had returned from our trip.

Even without the floor panels removed the Magnum swallowed a full-size stroller, two huge (and heavy) suitcases, a playpen, two diaper bags, a massive bag of toys, and various other items that we never looked at again.

Audrey and Rusty were ecstatic about the optional DVD system in the back – I got to listen to the Wiggles and Bob the Builder the entire trip, as Rusty didn’t want to wear the supplied headphones. I was excited to use the DVD based navigation system, though.



Our departure time felt very, very early, and we were off. Ellen was expecting to have to fill up every hour, but I secretly kept my eye on the mileage as we went. The number finally settled on 10.5 L/100km while on the highway – I was amazed. I had not seen the old 5-cylinder turbo Volvo do that. I had really hoped that the MDS (Multiple Displacement System) would prove Ellen wrong.

And yet, when you wanted to pass, the five-speed auto downshifted smoothly. It didn’t matter that we had a full trunk, two adults and two children in the car going up a 50 per cent grade with a headwind and the A/C on – this car moves!

My 2 1/2-year-old son “Rusty” put it best. “Dad, when you pass someone, I hear the HEMI, I like it.”

Eighteen hours later, thanks to the engineers at DaimlerChrysler for the DVD system, we were at Cousin Eddie’s in Porter’s Lake, NS. Eddie is a die-hard Dodge fan, and was blown away by the Magnum. We spent the next three days at their trailer. Alright, it’s a house, and a very nice one.



While in the Halifax area, we took a Griswold family day-trip to Peggy’s Cove. We had parked right beside a couple who had rented a V6 Magnum. It really occurred to me then how much the R/T package adds to this car. Yeah, you get the HEMI, but the car just looks more aggressive. While he was whining about the cost to rent a car and the rearward visibility, I was telling him about the 100-foot patch this thing laid. I mean, could lay if you wanted it to…

It was time to hit the Cabot Trail. I had been looking forward to this part of the trip the most. A friend had told me that he had to have the brakes done on his car immediately after driving the loop! With the Griswolds in the car, though, I’d have to take it easy and enjoy the ride. Turns out, the Cabot Trail is the most scenic, twisty, hilly road I have ever been on.

The Magnum is a big car. I didn’t realize it until we got back in our Volvo wagon – it felt tiny by comparison. However, the Magnum does an amazing job of shrinking itself on the tight, twisty sections, then feeling like a ‘60s Big Block beast when the road straightens out. The ability to manually select the gears on the Mercedes-Benz-sourced five-speed automatic worked well when heading downhill into a 180-degree bend. The brakes never even felt like they were working too hard, although I did think the steering was a bit over-assisted.



The rest of the trip was amazing although the Cabot Trail was my Wally World, and as far as I was concerned, we had made it. With three days to go, we hopped on the ferry in Pictou, NS, and headed to PEI. From PEI we drove the 11 km Confederation bridge back to New Brunswick. We stayed another night in Moncton, then drove the next day straight to Burlington, on the west side of Toronto.

We had put the 2006 Magnum R/T through a lot – we drove a total of 4,980 km in 10 days. We had the car on two ferries, one big bridge, through five provinces, took it to the beach, the Cabot Trail, through Montreal and spent a grand total of only $512.00 in fuel door to door. That’s only 10 cents per kilometre. Considering we had budgeted $800.00 for gas for the trip, Ellen was now a believer that a big-cube V8 could be practical and fuel efficient when built and packaged properly.

However the car is not perfect. The interior door panels did feel and look a bit plasticky in areas, but overall the interior has an upscale feel. Ellen felt that the seats could have been a bit deeper, and some more bolstering could be added, but stepping up to the SRT-8 package should take care on that.

The Magnum truly is practical power. It worked as a Family Truckster, it satisfied my need for grunt and handling, it kept the kids entertained. The entire Magnum line-up should be high on your list if you’re looking for the next Family Truckster – just pray you don’t have to deal with a salesman that looks like Eugene Levy in a cheap suit.

DRIVEN: 2006 Audi A3 2.0T

By Mark Atkinson
Photos by Mark Atkinson and Michael Banovsky

Look back through the history of premium-brand entry-level small coupes, and there’s lots of wreckage piled high. The E36 BMW 318ti Compact and more recently the Mercedes-Benz C-class Coupe have all failed miserably when it comes to sales in North America. The fact that their high-gloss badges weren’t enough to justify their high price tags – relative to their performance and equipment – should be a warning to any up-market brand.

So why has Audi chosen this point in time to launch the second-generation A3 – the first one was sold everywhere else – into the North American marketplace, especially when the United States is very fickle when it comes to hatchbacks? It’s a big gamble, especially given that the upcoming Volkswagen Golf GTI and Jetta GLI will be mechanically identical and arguably lower priced.

Yes, the A3 shares the same platform as the new Jetta and upcoming Golf – and stretched to fit in the brand-new Passat – replacing the venerable ‘MKIV’ architecture that underpinned everything from the Seat Leon to the Audi TT, and everything in between.



The main feature of the new design comes in the form of an independent rear suspension – a first for Volkswagen. After fielding bags of criticism about the old car’s rear beam axle, VAG went out and poached the engineer responsible for the excellent class-leading ‘Z-axle’ found initially under the Ford Focus and now spreading across the entire Ford/Mazda/Volvo lineup.

What does this mean? Sharper responses and a more controllable ride, for starters. The A3 has excellent turn-in, despite the typically numb steering, and feels quite nimble when thrown about. This really is a car you can take by the scruff of its neck and muscle it around – it will plough into understeer at the limit, of course, but at 9/10ths it’s rewarding in a solid, Germanic way.

Powering the A3 is VAG’s new 2.0-liter FSI turbocharged engine, replacing the ubiquitous 1.8T that found its way under millions of car hoods. The FSI stands for Fuel Stratified Injection, which is essentially means the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber like a diesel rather than back in the intake manifold. First seen on the nearly unbeatable Audi R8 racecar, FSI increases power and improves fuel economy.



The new engine produces a neat 200 hp at 5,100 rpm and 207 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm. The engine is then mated to either a six-speed manual transmission, or Audi’s very trick six-speed DSG gearbox. Either way you go, the car is quick, but the DSG is worth every penny, not only for the quicker acceleration, but also for the seamless operation across the board. Whether you keep it in automatic, sport or shift it yourself, the DSG is a hugely impressive piece of technology, making BMW’s SMG technology look clumsy in comparison.

The downsides of DSG when compared to SMG are courtesy of Audi’s lawyers – it doesn’t give you absolute control over the gears selected – i.e. it’ll shift to first when you come to a stop, shift up if you bang it off the rev limiter long enough. And Audi still won’t let you press the gas and brake at the same time – in either the manual or DSG cars – so forget serious bouts of left-foot-braking as the engine will just kill any and all power. BMW will let you do whatever you want with its SMG, although both companies have disabled their respective ‘launch control’ features for North America.



Still, despite the relatively minor headaches, the DSG shifts keenly with either the steering-wheel-mounted paddles, or with the floor-mounted shift lever. Floor it from a stop, and the 1,510 kg DSG-equipped A3 will hit 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the six-speed car, despite a 30kg advantage for the stick-shift. The one complaint about the A3 is the lack of Quattro availability, at least for now. It appears that Audi plans to release a V6-powered model, which will feature all-wheel-drive. Whether or not Quattro will be an option on the 2.0T remains to be seen.

Besides the attractive spec sheet, the styling will hook you, of course. Whether or not Audi’s now-signature big horse-collar grille and squinty headlights looks good depends heavily on what’s tacked on behind it. The A8, where the corporate face first appeared, is large enough to compensate, while the new A4 looks very awkward, mainly because the rest of the car didn’t change with the facelift.



The A3 somehow makes it work, despite being the smallest of the redesigned cars. Strangely, while the five-door A3 is shaped like a typical small wagon – and stretched compared to the three-door version sold everywhere else – Audi calls it a Sportback. Anything to avoid that station wagon stigma...

The lines are tasteful and sharp – Audi design chief Walter da Silva’s guiding hand is very much apparent – and helps justify the price.

Inside, the design is very much new-Audi, although the materials can be hard and hollow in some spots. The airbag cover on the three-spoke steering wheel is supposed to evoke that horse-collar grille, and the controls are located within easy reach. The DSG paddles also feel worth their price thanks to a fluid action and tactile clicks with every shift.



So what we have is a semi-luxurious, semi-performance-oriented ‘hot hatch’ that’s trying to take customers away from both its lower and higher-priced competitors. Not an enviable position to be in, frankly.

Pricing for the A3 2.0 T is like a bad dream. It starts at $33,650 for the six-speed manual, and $34,600 for the DSG. Then you get to the options list: Sport package ($2,500 for 17-inch wheels and tires, leather seats, three-spoke steering wheel, aluminum trim, fog lights, sport seats, tighter suspension and a roof spoiler), the Cold Weather package ($950 for heated seats, mirrors and windshield washer nozzles), Sound package ($1,250 for Bose premium audio package and six-disc CD changer), Open Sky system ($1,500 for the dual-pane panoramic glass roof, rear side airbags ($500), Bi-Xenon headlights ($900), Convenience package ($950 for Homelink, storage package, trip computer, auto-dimming interior mirror, rain/light sensor), and finally the Navigation system for a whopping $2,750.



That totals $45,650, a not inconsiderable sum for what is essentially a front-wheel-drive compact car with a huge number of more able competitors at that price.

Canada would appear to be the ideal place for the A3 given our love and acceptance of five-door vehicles – witness any number of Mazda Protégé5’s, Mazda3’s, Volkswagen Golf’s, Toyota Echo’s, Subaru Imprezas and Ford Foci in our cities. Canadians love the practicality of a hatchback and buy them in droves. And while the high price point of the A3 relative to its class competitors may be a big hurdle for most, you only have to glance around at the dozens of no-option BMW 320i’s running around with plastic hubcaps to realize that there are many who are willing to part with big sums of money to be on the lowest rung of a brand’s ladder.

It’ll be up to Audi to convince potential customers to spend with their hearts and not their heads if they want the A3 to really thrive.

DRIVEN: 2005 Toyota Prius

Story and Photo by Michael Banovksy

I just got back from the book store. Never one to pass up a good deal, I picked up arguably the most influential piece of literature published in the last 200 years or so: The Communist Manifesto.

How good of a deal, you ask? Well, considering that it gave reason to some of the bloodiest conflicts in the history of the globe, I bought it for the princely sum of $10.

Just as the Manifesto was once at the center of global conflict, so too is the 2005 Toyota Prius. Automakers around the world are weighing up the hybrid equation, with the little Toyota at the centre of the movement. Since its inception, the Prius has single-handedly taken the concept of being green out of consumers’ minds and into Toyota’s pockets.

On the surface, it’s really a case of what’s-not-to-like? Seating for five, family car dimensions – oh, and did I mention somewhere between 50 – 69 mpg?

The original Prius sold like… well… 8 track tapes next to an iPod. Now, with a little refreshing and slightly better performance (handling, horsepower, economy, you name it), it sells like hot cakes. Leonardo DiCaprio has like a half dozen of them, for Pete’s sake.

When the original debuted, consumers were like: “Oh, how cute! The Japanese turned the Playstation into a car.” The new Prius is like the Playstation 2. Good thing the Americans have their XBOX: The Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner SUV hybrids and the upcoming Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrid sedans. But for now – in the eyes of most consumers and based on the pocketbooks of the filthy rich – the Japanese are still the hybrid leaders.

Anyway, save for Toyota’s decision to scale the USS Enterprise’s bridge as the Prius’ dash, the interior works extremely well. My only complaint is the screen.

It’s a full-featured touch screen, with graphs, bars, and all sorts of seemingly important numbers displayed with colourful graphics. The problem is, the important chart (which displays minute-by-minute fuel consumption) scrolls right-to-left, just like most Asian newspapers. Unfortunately Asian newspapers are by far the most confusing in the world.

Driving a Prius, though, is probably close to being in an isolation chamber. Think green thoughts, think green thoughts… It’s so quiet that after a while, you get the impression that every other car is killing the earth. Naturally, the only saviour is you, your Prius, and its Hybrid Synergy Drive.

The drivetrain alone reads like the Death Star plans. Sometimes the battery powers the car, sometimes not. Sometimes the battery helps accelerate the car, gets re-charged by braking, or allows the engine to turn off at a stop. That’s the best part, and the most useful. Not only does the car save fuel, it also lets passengers talk over the droning of a fossil-powered pollution pump.

It’s so beautifully executed that you can hear a passerby’s iPod playlist.

The handling is mushy – what would you expect? My only gripe is the steering wheel – shaped like the Oval Office, it’s horrible for tight parking-lot control.

I suppose the most remarkable thing about the Prius is that – forgetting the car’s engine auto stop function here – you’d never know it was a hybrid.

But if this exact car, powered by just a gasoline engine was say, the current Camry – would it sell? No.

My only concern is that when the hybrid hysteria dies down, will the Prius and other hybrid cars be the automotive equivalent to finding the Communist Manifesto in the bargain bin for $10? In 20 years, will the hybrids die and be relegated to dissection duties in high school shop classes?

All I know is that for now let the Big 3 tremble at a hybrid revolution.

NEWS: Dodge Nitro's a Go!

With files from DaimlerChrysler Canada

ANAHEIM, CA – At the California International Auto Show on October 5, the Chrysler Group confirmed production of the Dodge Nitro mid-size SUV for the 2007 model year. Nitro will be the first mid-size SUV for Dodge, completing the brand’s current lineup of cars, minivans, trucks, commercial vehicles and a full-size SUV.

Using the stretched underpinnings and power-trains from its corporate sibling the Jeep Liberty, the Dodge Nitro is based on the Dodge Nitro concept vehicle that was unveiled at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show in February, 2005.

With a uniquely bold, powerful design statement that will ignite the mid-size SUV segment, the Dodge Nitro’s crisp lines and substantial body size create a brawny character not found in any other mid-size SUV. The Dodge Nitro’s spacious interior is both functional and flexible for people and cargo. Chrome, silver and red accents have a dynamic presence throughout the interior.

The five-passenger Nitro is designed to attract a customer seeking a distinctive style, sporty performance and cargo flexibility.

NEWS: 2006 Acura CSX to replace EL

With files from Acura Canada

TORONTO, ON – Acura Canada announced on October 5 the introduction of an all-new luxury compact sedan. The Acura CSX will launch across the country later this fall and will be exclusive to the Canadian market.

Presumably based on the all-new 2006 Honda Civic, Acura Canada has yet to release any images of its new entry-level challenger.

Power for the new Acura CSX luxury compact will come from a 155-horsepower 2.0-litre DOHC engine that features i-VTEC “intelligent” valve-control systems, combining VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) with VTC (Variable Timing Control). The i-VTEC system delivers enhanced performance across a broad power band in addition to enhanced fuel efficiency and low exhaust emissions.

The suspension has been tuned for a performance-oriented feel. The CSX will feature drive-by-wire throttle control, 4-wheel disc brakes and a speed-sensitive electric power steering (EPD) system for sporty driving performance.

The Acura CSX will feature a wide range of distinctive luxury and convenience features, and a full complement of standard safety features, including the new Advanced Compatibility Engineered (ACE) body structure for enhanced safety in a frontal collision with a vehicle of differing size.

NEWS: 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually Introduced

With files from DaimlerChrysler Canada

In a salute to the largest pickup truck market in the United States, Dodge tipped its hat to Texas at the end of September and unveiled the all-new 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually.

The 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab – the most spacious and versatile pickup cab on the planet – adds a dual-rear-wheel model that takes towing and hauling capability to new levels of performance.

Featuring dual rear wheels that expand the rear-wheel track to two metres (six feet, four inches), the 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually provides more payload capacity and enhanced trailer-towing stability. To supply class-leading muscle, the Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually model comes standard with 610 lb.-ft. of torque, courtesy of its 5.9-litre Cummins Turbo Diesel engine.



Available as a 3500 series, configured with 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrains, in SLT or Laramie trim and with a one metre, 90 centimetre (six-foot, three-inch) box, the all-new 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually comes standard with a six-speed manual or optional automatic transmission. An electric-shift transfer case is standard on four-wheel-drive models, and a limited-slip differential is optional.

The all-new 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually arrives in Canadian dealerships in January. For more information on the glut of options, GVWR and other options, visit www.dodge.ca