First Drive: 2012 Toyota Yaris

Old School Toyota goes the tried-n-true route with its new Yaris By John LeBlanc QUEBEC CITY, Que. — If you’ve been shopping for a new subcompact, chances are, you’ve likely discovered small cars aren’t so small anymore. What use to be considered bottom-feeder econoboxes are now available with “big car” features with luxuries like heated […]

First Drive: 2012 Kia Rio5

Luxury lite Kia’s new Rio brings upscale experience to the bottom-feeder class By John LeBlanc FALL CITY, WA.—Small cars aren’t so “small” anymore. Witness the third-generation 2012 Kia Rio5, where along with being longer and wider than its predecessor, you’ll find a heated steering wheel on its options list — a feature usually reserved for […]

Best 2011 Family Car between $21k and $30k

By John LeBlanc As the new 2012 models start to infiltrate new car showrooms, here are my top picks of remaining 2011 models that may still be lingering on dealer lots:

Road Test: 2012 Mazda5

Maxivan The only true “mini” van gets a major redo By John LeBlanc Since its introduction in 2005, the front-wheel-drive Mazda3-based Mazda5 has been popular with young families who need more room than a compact car offers, but don’t want to pay the higher price or deal with the bigger size of a standard minivan.

From the Fleet: 2011 Ford Edge Sport

FROM THE FLEET are brief synopses of manufacturer-supplied rides that happen to end up in my laneway – John LeBlanc The clothes make the man, but wheels make the car. And in the case of the new-this-year Sport version of Ford’s Edge, it’s all about the 22-inch rims on this car. Lay one of these […]

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