by Chris Chase By the mid-2000s, the crossover utility vehicle craze was well underway. Models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 were selling in big numbers to buyers who wanted a car-like driving feel in a rugged-looking vehicle with AWD traction. Those three models helped shape today’s crossover-centric marketplace. Fifteen years ago,
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All about compact cars
Exotic Names for Ordinary Cars
by Chris Chase It strikes us that naming a car must be one of the most interesting jobs in the auto industry. That’s not to say it’s easy, though. Ideally, a car’s name should evoke some desirable image that its maker wants to project. There are also more mundane concerns, like the risk of copyright
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2020 Lexus UX 250h Test Drive
by Chris Chase 3.8/5 stars The Lexus UX is a subcompact crossover made by Toyota’s luxury brand. Introduced for the 2019 model year, it’s the least-expensive Lexus model, and the only one with a price that dips under $40,000. Based on the same underpinnings as the Toyota C-HR, the UX boasts flashier styling and nicer
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Used Boxy Compacts
by Chris Chase While the 2000s was not an especially memorable decade for the auto industry, it did introduce a handful of short-lived vehicle segments we wish had stuck around. Among them is this set of practical but weird-looking vehicles: The Scion xB, Nissan Cube, Kia Soul, and Honda Element. The Scion, Nissan, and Kia
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Used Diesel Economy Cars
by Chris Chase Diesel engines looked poised for big things in the mid-2010s. Volkswagen was enjoying massive success with its TDI diesels, particularly in the compact Golf and Jetta models. And then the Volkswagen emissions scandal, known as Dieselgate, hit the fan. That killed diesel’s momentum here as increased regulatory scrutiny scared most other automakers
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2020 Toyota Corolla – Review
by Chris Chase — Rating: 4/5 Last year, Toyota kicked off an effort to sell its Corolla compact to drivers looking for something more than basic transportation. A redesigned hatchback introduced in the summer of 2018 was the first Corolla in a long time that looked anything like sporty. An all-new 2020 Toyota Corolla sedan
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Oddball Two-Seaters
While many sports cars are two-seaters, not all two-seaters are sporty. Take this week’s collection of used cars: they all have seats for two (although one of them cheats with tiny rear seats) but each vehicle in this quartet is aimed at a very different type of driver.
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2019 Mazda3 GT AWD Review
For 2019, Mazda has redesigned the Mazda3 into a fourth generation that it thinks will be desirable for a new reason: an available AWD system. The new option makes this car one of just a few compacts to offer all-wheel traction. Mazda hopes it can turn that distinction into more sales, especially to buyers who might be considering a small crossover or SUV.
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Review 2019 Toyota Prius AWD-e
In its 20 years in Canada, the Toyota Prius’s numerous updates have helped it become arguably the best-known hybrid on the market. This year, Toyota amps up the Prius’s appeal even more with the model’s first-ever all-wheel-drive option.
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Review 2019 Lexus NX 300
The NX is part of a growing field of crossovers that are displacing traditional car models. It’s one of Lexus’s best-selling vehicles in Canada, second to the RX mid-size SUV—which, by the way, Toyota also builds in Cambridge.
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