Top 10s: 2012 Montreal show must-sees

By John LeBlanc MONTREAL—The Detroit auto show gets all the attention this time of year. But for Canadian new car buyers, the Montréal International Auto Show is a more relevant event. First on the Canadian auto show calendar, automakers use the Québec show to prep for the spring selling season. Held over at the Palais des congres downtown location, the show is open to the public from January 13 to 21.

Acura RDX Concept

We’ll have to wait until this year’s Toronto auto show to see Acura’s new NSX super car and ILX compact sedan concepts on Canadian soil. In the meantime, though, the RDX Concept is on display in Montreal. Beyond the cleaner, mini-MDX exterior styling, the compact crossover drops the outgoing model’s turbocharged four-cylinder for Acura’s 3.5-litre V6, with horsepower jumping from 240 to 273; all the better to take on the likes of rival luxury cute-utes like the BMW’s X3 and Audi Q5.

2013 BMW 3 Series

As BMW’s best-selling car in Canada, any new 3 Series is big news. Which means the all-new, sixth-generation 3 Series sedan making its Canadian debut here is a definite “must-see”. Arriving in sedan-only format early in 2012 as a 2013 model, for the first time in decades, a four-cylinder 3 Series—the 328i—will be available, using the 240-hp 2.0-litre already being employed in other BMWs. The topline 335i continues to use the 300-hp, single-turbo 3.0-litre I6. All models are slightly larger inside and out.

2013 Fiat 500 Abarth

As a direct shot at the bow of the Mini Cooper S, Fiat is debuting the high-performance Abarth version of its 500 two-door hatchback. Under its blunt hood and powering the front wheels is a turbocharged iteration of Fiat’s 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine, making 160 hp and 170 lbs.-ft. of torque, gains of 59 and 72, respectively. In addition to the extra muscle, the Abarth adds upgraded brakes, suspension, wheels and tires, as well as subtle exterior and interior trim updates.

2013 Ford Escape

Despite being on the market for a decade, the Escape continues to be a big seller in Canada’s competitive compact SUV market. And for 2013, the Escape gets about as “all-new” as possible. Gone is the old Mazda 626-based chassis, in favour of an updated platform shared with the European-market Kuga. Three four-cylinders will power the Ford crossover: a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre, and turbocharged 1.6 and 2.0 units. When it goes on sale later this year, the Escape will also come with the latest in safety and technology, including the updated MyFord Touch infotainment system, and a hands-free lift gate.

2013 Ford Focus ST

If you’ve been looking for a domestic-branded rival to Volkswagen’s GTI, check out the new Focus ST, arriving at Ford dealerships later this year. Courtesy of Ford’s new EcoBoost powertrain strategy, the sportiest Focus yet gets a turbocharged direct-injected 2.0-litre four-cylinder. Canadian ratings haven’t been finalized, but the European model sports 247 hp and 266 lbs.-ft. of torque (GTI: 200 hp; 207 lbs.-ft.) The new Focus will also include upgraded brakes, suspension, wheels and tires and the availability of Recaro seats inside.

2013 Honda CR-V

After taking some justifiable criticism for not making enough changes to the also-new-for-2012 Civic, Honda has done a more thorough job of adding “new” to its “new” CR-V. It’s still a Civic-based, four-door, five-passenger, tall wagon, with a four-cylinder gas engine powering either the front or all four wheels. But substantial changes include new exterior styling, an updated interior design, more standard features, and an all-new four-wheel-drive system. Other refinements? The CR-V’s powertrain to eke out a few more kilometres per litre of fuel burned a quieter ride, more rear cargo space, and take-it-for-granted high crash test and reliability ratings.

2013 Lexus GS 350

After years of playing in the shadows of perennial class-leading mid-size sport sedans like the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6, Toyota’s premium Lexus brand looks like it’s finally ready to challenge the German warts in the shape of the all-new GS. Although a GS 350 hybrid model and an available F-Sport package will be launched in early 2012, here in Montreal, the gas-only GS 350 models are on display showing off the new generation’s more dynamic styling, well-crafted interiors jammed with innovative technology, and a 306 hp 3.5-litre V6 that sends power to either the rear or all four wheels.

Mercedes-Benz B-Class

On hiatus for the 2012 model year, later this fall, an all-new B-Class shows up in four-door hatchback form. But underneath the second-generation four-door hatchback lies an all-new compact platform, a modular architecture that will support a whole new family of compact and subcompact vehicles from the German automaker. But that’s just the start. A B-Class-based crossover comes in 2013, and a four-door coupe (think compact CLS) in 2014. Mercedes will get even smaller with the introduction of the subcompact A Class (hinted at by the Concept A Class at this spring’s Shanghai auto show) in 2015.

2013 Subaru BRZ

The BRZ is making its Canadian debut here. But you may already be familiar with the small, rear-wheel-drive 2+2 sports car, as it’s also being sold as the Toyota FT-86 in foreign markets and the Scion FR-S here in Canada. Regardless of what badge it wears, the FT-86/FR-S/BRZ looks like a real driver’s car. Power comes from Subaru’s new 2.0-liter flat-four-cylinder. It makes 200 hp and 151 lbs.-ft., sits low in the car’s body, and is mated to either a manual or automatic gearbox with six speeds. Of interest: Set to arrive in dealerships in June, the BRZ will be the only Subaru sold in Canada without all-wheel-drive.

2012 Volkswagen Golf R

The Golf R, as seen at the top of this page, has a bit of history with the Montreal show. There was a round of cheers here on the shores of the St. Lawrence River when Volkswagen Canada announced it was going to bring the car into the Canadian market. A little over two years later, the Golf R is going on sale. When the first models start arriving at VW deanships, they will only come one way: powered by a 256 hp 2.0-litre direct-injected turbocharged four cylinder, matched to a six-speed manual transmission, with all-wheel-drive, and only in the Golf’s four door hatchback style.

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