First Drives

TORONTO, Ontario – Since it first appeared on the market in 1989, the little Mazda MX-5 has won the hearts of many driving enthusiasts across the globe. The Miata, as it was known in the beginning, celebrated its 26th anniversary in 2015, just before receiving a total redesign. This fourth …

DOUGLAS, Isle of Man – The corners have names like Creg-ny-Baa, Hailwood Rise and Guthrie Memorial, to name but a few of the 200-plus curves and bends that make up the 37.73-mile circuit of the famed Isle of Man Tourist Trophy motorcycle race, which has been run here yearly since …

PONTIAC, Michigan – Driving a Maserati has long been a sign of exclusivity due to the extremely small number of units sold in Canada. However, the noble Italian brand experienced its first solid growth in 2014 when it introduced the Ghibli sedan on the market—100 years after the foundation of …

In 2017, Ram trucks accounted for 37 percent of FCA sales in Canada. What’s more, 25 percent of Ram 1500 buyers opted for a Sport model, which is not even available in the U.S. for the 2019 model year. Why is it so popular north of the border? The folks …

BMW was the first manufacturer to take the "U" out of SUV. By that I mean that they minimized the vehicle’s practical aspects in favour of style and performance. First they did it with the X6, followed next by the X4. Obviously, this winning formula inspired many other manufacturers to …

MONCTON, New Brunswick – Smart has always been a niche subset of the Mercedes-Benz brand with its unique take on city travel offerings. However recently, it has separated itself even more so by becoming one of the only brands, at least for now in North America (and throughout Europe by …

PONTIAC, Michigan – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) invited more than 200 automobile columnists, bloggers and journalists to M1 Concourse, located 30 minutes northwest of Detroit, for a combined introduction to the new Alfa Romeo and Maserati products. The choice of location makes perfect sense when you consider that Tim Kuniskis, …

CAPE BRETON, Nova Scotia – Subaru is a carmaker that dares to do things differently with its idiosyncratic Boxer drivetrains, standard all-wheel drive, and utility vehicles that lean more towards large lifted wagons than actual trucks. As a matter of fact, Subaru was among the first to combine the benefits …

BMW has the X6, Mercedes-Benz has the GLE Coupe, and now Audi will introduce its Q8 to Canada in the first quarter of 2019. Foreshadowed by the Q8 sport concept unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show in March 2017, the new Q8 borrows several features from the recent A6, A7 …

MONTREAL, Quebec – Let’s face it; the automobile landscape is changing to fit our lifestyles and society. Cars are getting generally smaller for urban use, they’re much more fuel efficient because it’s good both for the environment and our wallet, and the younger generation of car buyers—a shrinking number, unfortunately—doesn’t …