2010’s Top SUVs/CUVs under $50k

By John LeBlanc Every year, the Toronto Star’s Wheels section asks its contributors to scratch together a shortlist of what they think are the top new cars—as in what’s available in showrooms, not just “new” for 2011—in various segments. Here are my picks for the Top SUVs/CUVs under $50k:

Comparo: 2010 Mazdaspeed3 vs. Volkswagen GTI

[svgallery name=”2010 VW GTI vs Mazspeed3″] FTD 4s The future of high-performance squares-off By John LeBlanc Whenever the economy tanks or governments want people to drive more fuel efficient or environmentally friendly automobiles, expect the auto industry to adopt a “let’s-get-small” attitude. Take the recession of the late ’50s and early ’60s, which spawned the […]

Top 10s: 1990s’ Japanese Sports Cars

By John LeBlanc Riding the wave of profits from their fast-selling mainstream models, a well-earned reputation for reliability and a low-valued Yen, Japanese automakers like Honda, Mazda, Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi spent the 1990s trying to one-up each other, making one great driving sports car after another.

The Crank: The General’s naming games

By John LeBlanc As part of Chevrolet’s recent small car religion— that includes the 2011 compact Cruze, next year’s Orlando compact tall wagon and a future Spark city car—an all-new subcompact  2011 Aveo, left and below, is on the way as well. We saw the production version last month in Paris, initially, next spring it […]

Top 10s: Best Sounding New Cars

[svgallery name=”Top_10_Sounding_pics”] By John LeBlanc Eye-grabbing styling, gut-punching acceleration, track-ready handling – these are all qualities that can make or break a driving enthusiast’s new car purchase decision. Yet like a gorgeous supermodel that eventually opens their mouth with less-than-stellar acoustical results, how a car sounds can help you pick your next set of wheels […]

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