The endless desire for crossover from the car buying public the world over is inspiring automotive brands to push utility vehicle design boundaries. The T-ROC is the German giant’s latest CUV and it positions itself just below the recently arrived Tiguan. Although there are great similarities between the compact T-ROC and the Audi Q2, the VW features some very distinct styling features. The front fascia is an evolved and sportier design over that of the ...

Indeed, nothing can stop the Ford Raptor. Nothing, except doing pickup things. It’s true! I love pickups because I can throw random things in the bed such as tree branches, wood planks and all kinds of other stuff. Although the SuperCrew cab configuration allows for limo-like interior room, the 5”5’ bed is agonizing due to its lack of bulge. No, the Raptor is not the only one to suffer from small-box syndrome but most other ...

GMC is the lesser known brand in the GM empire. This is certainly the case if you are not a typical truck buyer. GMC is, after all, described as “professional grade” and as such, mostly aimed at contractors and other small business owners. Although this branding is well deserved, especially for the Sierra and Yukon, it does seem to position the brand away from the typical automotive consumer. Back in 2009, the car business crisis ...

2 doors, or a world of a difference There are no substitutes for a minivan. Despite 3-row SUVs claiming this and that, nothing beats a cavernous floor to ceiling load capacity with upright walls and a deep rear boot. Problem is that, well, they’re minivans… Unless I can find a pristine GMC Safari EXT AWD or Supercharged Toyota Previa Alltrac, I don’t want one. And more than likely, nor do you. Thing is that a ...

The Honda CR-V is in a heated four-way battle for the top stop in sales in the compact crossover segment with the Nissan Rogue, Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4. Year over year, the average increase in deliveries for these CUVs is of about 15% which is to say that the segment is on fire. Honda’s been at this game for more than 20 years and whenever they release a new CR-V, consumers come out of ...

Why so popular? Behold, the current best-selling compact crossover in North America. Now that is a HUGE statement. Between the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, there was no way any other would-be wee-CUV could ever break through this impenetrable trifecta. Boom, it’s done. The question is why? And well, how? The more mileage I put on the Rogue, an SL with Platinum package, the more it all became clear. This compact, yet big, ...

We’ve all read the headlines stating that Volkswagen was caught lying about emissions in late 2015. Specifically, their TDI engines were equipped with a cheating device that knew when to keep things clean, as in when being tested, and when not to, as in when the owner was doing his or her thing. This planned mistake cost VW many billions of dollars and the scandal is coming to an end in North America. However, it ...

Some of you may have spotted a tractor or even a golf cart with some strange looking tires and wheels. Instead of the conventional tire on wheel, what you likely witnessed is one of Michelin’s may Tweel applications. The Tweel is essentially a single piece tire and wheel assembly (hence t-wheel) that requires no air, or valve for that matter and thus no maintenance. In other words, you can’t get a flat. For the moment, ...

When nearly all major players in the automobile industry introduce a brand new compact crossover in only a few years, you know something’s up. This segment is one of the, if not the fastest growing in the car business at the moment and there’s no slowdown to the expansion in sight. According to some, sales could could increase a hundred fold by 2020. The latest to join the party is Kia and its new Stonic. ...

And here I thought it was perfect… Take a moment to fully soak in what car this is: The powertrain, the colour, the size, and the brand. These are essentially all the necessary ingredients to make me loose my mind. Essentially, I did loose it when the keys were handed to me. My senses returned shortly thereafter if only to fully appreciate how far the Swedish-cum-Chinese brand has come in a very short time. The ...