Tests and Features

I’m young. Quite young. If I was a car, I’d be trapped in that awkward phase of old enough to be cheap, but not old enough to be cool. I would be a Yugo. This should tell you everything you need to know about my stance on minivans. And who …

In the automobile world, there are two ways to develop a vehicle. The first is to create a product that is as spectacular in concept as it is in execution. Then you sit back and wait until it is nearly obsolete before developing another. This was certainly the recipe that …

It is a well-known fact that the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 share many components. However, their engines and transmissions are a little different from one another. The expression "little cousins" is more accurate on the Old Continent, where these two economy vehicle icons are equipped with more similar drivetrains than …

Although I’ve managed to scrape out a relatively meager living by hopping into and out of brand new vehicles, it might surprise some to learn that not a single one has convinced me to part with my own hard earned cash. Oh, some have come close, but there’s always been …

For years, people have been saying that crossovers will soon outnumber minivans. Yes, crossovers are gaining ground, but in Canada they are still very, very far behind the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Mazda5. Not only that, but other large minivans, such as the more exclusive Honda Odyssey and Toyota …

When it comes to automobiles, few conjure up such feelings of derision as the much maligned minivan. Created to address the needs of a burgeoning middle class in the mid eighties, the minivan became the ride of choice for the third generation of baby boomers. Pairing the fuel economy of …

The Mazda MX5 is the sports car of my generation. Created in 1989, the first Mazda Miatas began appearing on Vancouver’s city streets right around the same time as I entered the first months of sensible communication and self-awareness that are apparently the hallmarks of a child’s fourth year of …

It’s amazing how much one can deduce from what someone chooses to park in their driveway. Although some cars may possess little to no character, there are just as many that can speak volumes of their owner. A classic English sports car usually tells you the owner is fastidious and …

Every year, when possible, The Car Guide puts the Car of the Year through its paces in a long-term test drive. Since the Mazda3 is the reigning COTY, we got our hands on a Mazda3 Sport GT last fall and racked up the kilometres at a staggering rate. Indeed, by …