The Straight-GOODS/Sports Sedans

2010 Acura TL SH-AWD

Base Price: $48,490
Driver Must Haves: The ability to ignore the non-German badge

The addition of a new manual gearbox allows the TL into The Goods for the first time. Granted, you have to pony up for the loaded $48,490 SH-AWD Tech to get to the new six-speed stick, but it’s still thousands less than an S4 or BMW 335i xDrive. We think it’s worth it. The small, leather-wrapped gearknob is capped with aluminum to remind you of the S2000. Throws are short and quick. Matched to a 305 hp V6, the stick shaves 0.5 seconds off the slushbox’s 6.0 second 0-100 km/h time. It’s not as nimble as an S4, and there seems to be a slight delay between the horse and the wishes of the rider, but this car can eat long sweepers for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

S-S.com Choice: Grigio Metallic
Cudda Hadda: 1992 Acura NSX
Why Buy?: Bang-for-your-sports-sedan-buck; not of Teutonic heritage; excellent Honda ownership experience. Read more

The Straight-GOODS/Hot Hatches

2010 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI quattro

Base Price: $36,900

Driver Must Haves: Sport Package ($3,100)

It’s not as sharp as a Subie WRX265. But think of this classy-looking A3 as the Golf R Volkswagen Canada (shy 80 hp) won’t bring here. The five-door A3 is chock-a-block with all-wheel drive, twin-clutch gearbox, a gutsy 200 hp and 207 lb.-ft. of torque 2.0-litre turbo-four and a magnetic-ride suspension that’s part of a Sport package that includes better seats and 18-inch summer performance rubber. Set said suspension to Sport, and the Audi compact delivers body control, ride quality and balanced handling never before experienced in an A3. Read more

First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Story and photos by John LeBlanc

VICTORIA–As the first new vehicle launched in Canada since the Toyota recall crisis started in January, let’s deal right away with the elephant in the room. Of the several 2011 Sienna minivans I drove during the course of a one-day media event this week, none accelerated unintentionally, failed to stop when I applied the brake pedal or showed any waywardness in its steering. In fact, surprises are few and far between in the latest Sienna, the third since 1998. Read more

Design versus Safety: The ongoing battle

Photos and story by John LeBlanc

Form versus function. It’s the Battle Royale behind most automakers’ closed doors, fought between the aesthetic wishes of the design team and the slide-rule-wielding safety engineers. Sometimes, the slide-rulers win. Take for instance the 1972 Volvo Experimental Safety Car. Read more

Will Canadians ever get a crack at new 5er Touring?

By John LeBlanc

BMW has started selling its sixth-gen 5er sedan to its European customers. And just as spring follows winter, the station wagon variant, above, is now being unveiled too. But will Canadian wagon lovers ever get a chance to buy the latest 5er Touring? Read more

keep looking »

Latest Videos

Recent Comments:

• Roger Clarke: Does it “compete” with the Subaru Forester with turbo, I wonder? I’m thinking of the...
• Randy: Chin up John. There are plenty of enthusiasts. Just spend some time at Calabogie or Shannonville on weekends...
• Roger Clarke: Now, Toyota can add “unethical” to its reputation for designing and building some of the...
• Roger Clarke: Ah, and the new 5 Series has…electric steering which I’ve read is not very, uh,...
• Roger Clarke: My son-in-law just bought a fairly loaded Dodge Caravan as he and my daughter are about to become...