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A comphrensive look at the cars making headlines in 2011 and 2012. Everything from your dream sports car to a family sedan, the DHT Auto Guide gives you the information needed to purchase a new vehicle.
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Call 780-532-1110 • dailyheraldtribune.com
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Auto GuideAuto Guide
2 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
ALBERTACHEVROLET.COM
ONNOWATYOURALBERTACHEVROLETDEALERS.Albertachevrolet.com1-800-GM-DRIVE.ChevroletisabrandofGeneralMotorsofCanada.★/◊/#/◆
/¥/∞
/††/▼
/*Of
fers
appl
yto
the
purc
hase
ofa
2011
Chev
role
tMal
ibu
LS(R
7B),
2011
Trav
erse
LSFW
D(R
7B)a
nd20
11Eq
uino
xLS
FWD
(R7A
)equ
ippe
das
desc
ribed
.Fre
ight
inclu
ded
($1,
450)
.Lic
ense
,ins
uran
ce,r
egist
ratio
n,PP
SA,a
dmin
istra
tion
fees
and
taxe
sno
tinc
lude
d.De
aler
sar
efre
eto
seti
ndivi
dual
pric
es.O
ffers
valid
toM
ay2,
2011
.Lim
ited
time
offe
rsw
hich
may
notb
eco
mbi
ned
with
othe
roffe
rs,a
ndar
esu
bjec
tto
chan
gew
ithou
tnot
ice.
Offe
rsap
ply
toqu
alifi
edre
tail
cust
omer
sin
Albe
rtaCh
evro
letD
eale
rMar
ketin
gAs
soci
atio
nar
eaon
ly.De
aler
orde
rort
rade
may
bere
quire
d.GM
CL,A
llyCr
edit
orTD
Fina
ncin
gSe
rvic
esm
aym
odify
,ext
end
orte
rmin
ate
this
offe
rin
who
leor
inpa
rtat
any
time
with
outn
otic
e.Co
nditi
ons
and
limita
tions
appl
y.Se
eCh
evro
letd
eale
rfor
deta
ils.◆
$3,2
00/$
2,00
0m
anuf
actu
rert
ode
aler
deliv
ery
cred
itav
aila
ble
on20
11Tr
aver
seLS
FWD/
2011
Chev
role
tMal
ibu
LS(ta
xex
clusiv
e)fo
rret
ailc
usto
mer
son
ly.Ot
herc
ash
cred
itsav
aila
ble
onm
ostm
odel
s.Se
eyo
urGM
deal
erfo
rdet
ails.
††Va
riabl
era
tefin
anci
ngfo
r84
mon
ths
on20
11Eq
uino
x/20
11Tr
aver
se/2
011
Mal
ibu
onap
prov
edcr
edit.
Bi-W
eekl
ypa
ymen
tand
varia
ble
rate
show
nba
sed
oncu
rrent
TDFi
nanc
epr
ime
rate
and
issu
bjec
tto
fluct
uatio
n;ac
tual
paym
enta
mou
nts
will
vary
with
rate
fluct
uatio
ns.E
xam
ple:
$10,
000
at3%
for8
4m
onth
s,th
em
onth
lypa
ymen
tis
$132
Cost
ofbo
rrow
ing
is$1
,099
,tot
alob
ligat
ion
is$1
1,09
9.Do
wn
paym
enta
nd/o
rtra
dem
aybe
requ
ired.
Mon
thly
paym
ents
and
cost
ofbo
rrow
ing
will
also
vary
depe
ndin
gon
amou
ntbo
rrow
edan
ddo
wn
paym
ent/t
rade
.Biw
eekl
ypa
ymen
tsba
sed
ona
purc
hase
pric
eof
$25,
748/
$31,
498/
$21,
498
with
$1,3
99/$
2,24
9/$2
,099
dow
non
Equi
nox/
Trav
erse
/Mal
ibu,
equi
pped
asde
scrib
ed.#
Offe
rap
plie
sto
all
elig
ible
curre
ntow
ners
orle
ssee
sof
any
mod
elye
arGM
vehi
cleth
atha
sbe
enre
gist
ered
and
insu
red
inCa
nada
inth
ecu
stom
er’s
nam
efo
rthe
prev
ious
cons
ecut
ivesix
mon
ths.
Cred
itva
lidto
war
dsth
ere
tail
purc
hase
orle
ase
ofon
eel
igib
le20
10,2
011
or20
12m
odel
year
Chev
role
t,GM
C,Bu
ick
orCa
dilla
cve
hicle
sde
liver
edbe
twee
nFe
brua
ry1,
2011
and
June
30,2
011.
Inel
igib
leve
hicle
sin
clude
Chev
role
tCru
zeLS
-1SB
and
allM
ediu
mDu
tytru
cks.
Cred
itva
lue
depe
nds
onm
odel
purc
hase
d:$5
00cr
edit
avai
labl
efo
rChe
vrol
etAv
eo,C
obal
tand
Cruz
e(e
xclu
ding
Cruz
eLS
-1SB
);$7
50cr
edit
avai
labl
efo
rChe
vrol
etEq
uino
xan
dGM
CTe
rrain
;$1,
000
cred
itav
aila
ble
fora
llot
here
ligib
leGM
vehi
cles.
The
cred
itam
ount
isin
clusiv
eof
any
appl
icab
leta
xes.
Offe
ris
trans
fera
ble
toa
fam
ilym
embe
rlivi
ngw
ithin
the
sam
eho
useh
old
(pro
ofof
addr
ess
requ
ired)
.Th
isof
ferm
ayno
tbe
rede
emed
forc
ash
and
may
notb
eco
mbi
ned
with
certa
inot
herc
onsu
mer
ince
ntive
s.Vo
idw
here
proh
ibite
dby
law
.See
your
GMde
aler
ford
etai
ls.GM
rese
rves
the
right
toam
end
orte
rmin
ate
offe
rsfo
rany
reas
onin
who
leor
inpa
rtat
any
time
with
outp
riorn
otic
e.∞Offera
ppliesto
most
new
orde
mon
stra
tor2
011
GMve
hicle
s,ex
cludi
ngPD
JTr
ucks
and
Cam
aro
Conv
ertib
le,d
elive
red
betw
een
Febr
uary
1an
dM
ay2,
2011
atpa
rtici
patin
gde
aler
sin
Cana
da.D
eale
rord
eror
trade
may
bere
quire
d.Re
tail
cust
omer
sw
illre
ceive
upto
$1,0
00(ta
xex
clusiv
e)(C
ruze
LS-1
SBis
elig
ible
for$
1,00
0al
loth
erCr
uze
mod
els
and
Aveo
will
rece
ive$5
00),
tobe
used
tow
ards
the
purc
hase
ofge
nuin
eGM
Acce
ssor
ies
and
Optio
ns.
Inst
alla
tion
noti
nclu
ded.
Alte
rnat
ively,
the
$1,0
00m
anuf
actu
rer-t
o-de
aler
Cust
omize
Your
Ride
Even
tcre
dit(
tax
exclu
sive)
($50
0fo
rChe
vrol
etCr
uze
and
Aveo
)may
beap
plie
dto
the
vehi
clepu
rcha
sepr
ice.
This
offe
rmay
notb
eco
mbi
ned
with
certa
inot
herc
onsu
mer
ince
ntive
sav
aila
ble
onGM
vehi
cles.
GMCL
may
mod
ify,e
xten
dor
term
inat
eth
isof
fer,
inw
hole
orin
part,
atan
ytim
ew
ithou
tnot
ice.
Cond
ition
san
dlim
itatio
nsap
ply.
See
your
GMde
aler
ford
etai
ls.◊U
.S.G
over
nmen
tsta
rrat
ings
are
part
ofth
eNa
tiona
lHig
hway
Traf
ficSa
fety
Adm
inist
ratio
n’s
(NHT
SA’s)
New
CarA
sses
smen
tPro
gram
(NCA
P).F
orm
ore
info
rmat
ion
onsa
fety
ratin
gs,g
oto
ww
w.s
afer
car.g
ov.▼
Base
don
Natu
ralR
esou
rces
Cana
da’s
2011
Fuel
Cons
umpt
ion
Guid
era
tings
.You
rac
tual
fuel
cons
umpt
ion
may
vary
.**
2011
Chev
role
tMal
ibu
with
6-sp
eed
auto
ma t
ictra
nsm
issio
nan
d2.
4LEc
otec
engi
nean
dco
mpa
rabl
yeq
uipp
ed(4
cyl.
/aut
omat
ictra
nsm
issio
n)20
11To
yota
Cam
ryan
d20
11Fo
rdFu
sion.
Fuel
cons
umpt
ion
ratin
gsba
sed
onNa
tura
lRes
ourc
esCa
nada
Fuel
Cons
umpt
ion
Web
site.
High
way
fuel
cons
umpt
ion
aslo
was
5.9
L/10
0km
.Ci
tyfu
elco
nsum
ptio
nas
low
as9.
4L/
100k
m.Y
oura
ctua
lfue
lcon
sum
ptio
nm
ayva
ry.E
xclu
des
hybr
idm
odel
s.*†
Base
don
2010
Ener
guid
esu
bmiss
ions
/com
petit
ivew
ebsit
es.Y
oura
ctua
lfue
lcon
sum
ptio
nm
ayva
ry.E
xclu
des
othe
rGM
vehi
cles.
¥¥20
11Ch
evro
letE
quin
oxFW
Deq
uipp
edw
ithst
anda
rd2.
4LEC
OTEC
I-4en
gine
.Fue
lcon
sum
ptio
nra
tings
base
don
GMte
stin
gin
acco
rdan
cew
ithap
prov
edTr
ansp
ortC
anad
ate
stm
etho
ds.C
ompe
titive
fuel
ratin
gsba
sed
onNa
tura
lRes
ourc
esCa
nada
's20
10Fu
elCo
nsum
ptio
nGu
ide.
Your
actu
alfu
elco
nsum
ptio
nm
ayva
ry.★
Toqu
alify
forG
MCL
’sCa
shFo
rClu
nker
sin
cent
ive,y
oum
ust:
(1)r
ecei
veGo
vern
men
tcon
firm
atio
nof
vehi
cleel
igib
ility
unde
rthe
Retir
eYo
urRi
de(“
RYR”
)Pro
gram
,sup
porte
dby
The
Gove
rnm
ento
fCan
ada,
and
turn
1995
orol
derM
Yve
hicle
that
isin
runn
ing
cond
ition
and
has
been
regi
ster
edan
dpr
oper
lyin
sure
din
your
nam
efo
rthe
last
6m
onth
s;(2
)tur
nin
a19
95or
olde
rMY
vehi
cleth
atis
inru
nnin
gco
nditi
onan
dha
sbe
enre
gist
ered
and
prop
erly
insu
red
unde
rasm
allb
usin
ess
nam
efo
rthe
last
6m
onth
s;or
(3)t
urn
ina
1996
thro
ugh
2003
MY
vehi
cleth
atis
inru
nnin
gco
nditi
onan
dha
sbe
enre
gist
ered
and
prop
erly
insu
red
inyo
urna
me
fort
hela
st6
mon
ths.
GMCL
will
prov
ide
elig
ible
cons
umer
sw
itha
man
ufac
ture
rto
cons
umer
ince
ntive
(tax
inclu
sive)
tobe
used
tow
ards
the
purc
hase
/fina
nce/
leas
eof
ane
wel
igib
le20
10or
2011
MY
Buic
k/Ch
evro
let/G
MC/
Cadi
llac
vehi
clede
liver
edbe
twee
nJa
nuar
y4
and
Mar
ch31
,201
1.In
elig
ible
Chev
role
tveh
icles
:Ave
o,20
10Co
balt,
Cruz
ean
dM
ediu
mDu
tytru
cks.
Ince
ntive
rang
esfro
m$7
50to
$2,0
00,d
epen
ding
onm
odel
purc
hase
d.In
cent
ivem
ayno
tbe
com
bine
dw
ithce
rtain
othe
roffe
rs.B
ypa
rtici
patin
gin
the
Cash
ForC
lunk
ers
prog
ram
you
will
notb
eel
igib
lefo
rany
trade
-inva
lue
fory
ourv
ehicl
e.Se
eyo
urpa
rtici
patin
gGM
deal
erfo
radd
ition
alpr
ogra
mco
nditi
ons
and
deta
ils.G
MCL
may
mod
ify,e
xten
dor
term
inat
epr
ogra
min
who
leor
inpa
rtat
any
time
with
outn
otic
e.If
you
succ
essf
ully
com
plet
eth
eRY
RPr
ogra
m,y
ouw
illbe
elig
ible
for
a$3
00ca
shin
cent
ivefro
mth
eCa
nadi
anGo
vern
men
t.Re
siden
tsof
North
wes
tTer
ritor
ies,
Yuko
nor
Nuna
vuta
reex
clude
dfro
mth
eRY
RPr
ogra
man
dar
eth
eref
ore
inel
igib
lefo
rGM
CL’s
Cash
For
Clun
kers
ince
ntive
.Visi
tww
w.re
tirey
ourri
de.c
afo
rm
ore
info
rmat
ion.
MOST FUEL EFFICIENT CROSSOVER ON THE HIGHWAY. BETTER THAN HONDA CR-V, TOYOTA RAV4, AND EVEN FORD ESCAPE HYBRID.¥¥HWY: 6.1 L/100 km – 46 mpgCITY: 9.2 L/100 km – 31 mpg▼
HIGHEST POSSIBLE U.S. GOVERNMENTCRASH SAFETY RATING◊
2011 CHEVROLETEQUINOX LS
OFFER INCLUDES FREIGHT & PDI, PLUS:
$750 GM OWNER LOYALTY BONUS#
$1,000 CASH ALTERNATIVE TOOPTIONS AND ACCESSORIES∞
$25,748*PURCHASE PRICE
OR
OWN IT FOR
$148 BIWEEKLY/ 84 MONTHSWITH $1,399 DOWN
3%AT VARIABLE RATEFINANCING††
Equinox LTZ model shown.
HIGHEST POSSIBLE U.S. GOVERNMENTCRASH SAFETY RATING◊
2011 CHEVROLETMALIBU LS
OFFER INCLUDES FREIGHT & PDI, PLUS:$2,000 CASH CREDIT
$1,000 GM OWNER LOYALTY BONUS#
$1,000 CASH ALTERNATIVE TOOPTIONS AND ACCESSORIES∞
$21,498*PURCHASE PRICE
ORAT
OWN IT FOR
$118 BIWEEKLY/ 84 MONTHSWITH $2,099 DOWN
3% VARIABLE RATEFINANCING††
BETTER HIGHWAY FUEL EFFICIENCY THAN CAMRY AND FUSION** HWY: 5.9 L/100 km – 48 mpgCITY: 9.4 L/100 km – 30 mpg▼
Malibu LT Platinum Edition model shown.
IN COLLABORATION WITH RETIRE YOUR RIDE, FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA.
RECYCLE YOUR 1995 OR OLDER VEHICLE AND RECEIVE
IN ADDITIONAL CASH INCENTIVES.
UP $2300
TOOR ASK ABOUT GMCL's RECYCLING
PROGRAMOFFER ENDSMARCH 31st
2011 CHEVROLETTRAVERSE LS
HIGHEST POSSIBLE U.S. GOVERNMENTCRASH SAFETY RATING◊
CHEVROLET 2011
OFFER INCLUDES FREIGHT & PDI, PLUS:
$3,200 CASH CREDIT
$1,000 GM OWNER LOYALTY BONUS#
$1,000 CASH ALTERNATIVETO OPTIONS ANDACCESSORIES∞
$31,498*PURCHASE PRICE
OR
OWN IT FOR
$178 BIWEEKLY/ 84 MONTHSWITH $2,249 DOWN
3%AT VARIABLE RATEFINANCING††
Traverse LT model shown.
HWY: 8.4 L/100 km – 34 mpgCITY: 12.7 L/100 km – 22 mpg▼ THE BEST HIGHWAY FUEL CONSUMPTION OF ANY 8 SEAT CUV/SUV.*†
CUSTOMIZE YOUR RIDERIDE YOUR RIDE YOUR RIDE YOUR EVENT
CHEVROLET 2011 EQUINOX LS
CUSTOMIZECUSTOMIZE RIDE YOUR RIDE YOUR RIDE YOUR RIDE YOUR EVENTEVENTRIDE YOUR EVENTRIDE YOUR EVENTEVENT
PURCHASE PRICE OWN IT FOR
CASH CREDITS
CASH CREDITS
$3,200INCLUDES UP TO
IN OPTIONS & ACCESSORIES∞
OR CASH ALTERNATIVEIN OPTIONS & ACCESSORIES∞
$1,000PLUS OR
PERLITRE
FORUPTO
GAS ~LITRES OF
PERLITRE
LITRES OF20¢ OffFOR GAS5000JUST ANNOUNCED
JOE DUARTEQMI AGENCY
Volkswagen has unveiled a new larger Passat for 2012, with plans to build the new sedan in Chattanooga, Tenn.
For the new Passat, the folks at Volks wanted a larger, premium sedan over the European Passat introduced in Paris in fall 2010, because it would fit better with the tastes and lifestyles of Amer-icans, yet they also wanted to preserve the handling char-acteristics for which VWs are known.
The looks are in keep-ing with the recently intro-duced Jetta but with a grille design that is more upright and three-dimensionally sculpted. Also, the rear win-dow finishes off a coupe like roof sweep, reminiscent of the Passat CC (no word on whether that model will con-tinue).
Inside, chrome trimmed gauges surround a digital multifunction display, with bright trimwork also applied to the headlight knob, emer-gency brake handle button, and around the vents and audio, navigation and HVAC systems. On all but the base Passat trim, chrome accents can also be found on the window, mirror adjustment and trunk opening switches.
Power is provided by one of three engines: a respon-sive 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine that puts out 170 hp and 177 lb.-ft. of torque, the eco-friendly 2.0-litre four cylinder turbodiesel or the 3.6-litre narrow angle
V6. The standard transmis-sion with the four cylinder engines is a five-speed man-ual, the VR6 uses the six-speed dual clutch transmis-sion (DSG), which is also optional with the diesel. The optional tranny with the 2.5 is a six-speed automatic with sequential shift.
There has been no offi-cial announcement as to whether Passat will continue with the VW Canada Trend-line, Comfortline and High-line trims, but all will aim to provide first-in-class safety and comfort.
Included in the suite of safety features is Volkswa-gen's advanced Intelligent Crash Response Systems, which shuts off fuel supply and high consumption elec-tronic equipment, unlocks doors, disconnects from the alternator and switches on the four-way flashers in the event of a serious collision. Other safety features include a tire pressure monitoring system, electronic stability control, ABS with braking assistant, Hill Climb Assist (with manual transmission), and six airbags.
For comfort, Passat gets a significantly larger rear seat-ing area with best-in-class legroom, automatic climate control, power windows, air conditioning, cruise control, outside temperature display with frost warning, MP3-capable radio with external audio input and Bluetooth connectivity.
Options include 17-and 18-inch alloy wheels, power seat adjustments with driv-
er's memory settings, leather seating and trim on mul-tifunction steering wheel, Fender premium audio sys-tem, satellite radio with touchscreen display, naviga-tion system, fog lights, wood decor, ambiance lighting and keyless entry with push but-ton start.
Fact File: 2012 volkswagen passat
Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011 3
JOE DUARTEQMI AGENCY
Toyota’s Corolla is signifi-cantly refreshed for the 2011 model year, with improve-ments to styling (front and rear lamps, front and rear bumpers, grille and trunk lid, larger side mirrors and sleeker roofline by moving the A and C pillar bases), performance, fuel efficiency and value. It of course bene-fits from Toyota’s Star Safety System, which is standard on every 2011 Toyota.
Every Corolla sold in Canada today is built in Can-ada. Over one million have been sold in Canada over 40 years and 80% of them sold in the last 20 years are reportedly still on the road.
For 2011, there are four front-wheel drive mod-els powered by one of two engines, controlled by one of three transmissions. There are also updated option packages
The Toyota Star Safety System is a comprehen-sive array of emergency
avoidance features, includ-ing Vehicle Stability Con-trol (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake Sys-tem (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), and Toy-ota’s Smart Stop Technology (SST) that chooses braking if both the brake and accelera-tor pedals are pushed at the same time. Four wheel disc brakes are standard (venti-lated up front).
For occupant protection, there are six standard air-bags (front, front side impact and full side air curtains), seatbelt pretensioners, front active headrests (that are moved up and forward to minimize whiplash inju-ries), and an energy absorb-ing steering column.
Corolla CE, LE and S are fitted with a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine equipped with Variable Valve Timing (Dual VVT-i) to keep it fuel efficient while delivering 132 horsepower and up to 128 lb.-ft. of torque. Corolla XRS gets a 2.4-litre VVT-I “four” that makes 158 hp and 162 lb.-ft. Direct injection and
electronic throttle control help balance the efficiency and power.
A five speed manual transmission is standard on CE, S and XRS trim levels; a four-speed automatic is standard on LE and optional on CE and S, and a five-speed automatic with sequential shift is optional on XRS.
Although the base CE doesn’t come with air con-ditioning or power windows and doors, there’s room for five and design changes to the seats, dash and instru-ment cluster. A multi-infor-mation display is standard, as is tilt and telescoping steer-ing; Corolla S and XRS get a flat-bottom steering wheel as well as an upgraded audio system. All Corollas get dual power remote heated and foldable side mirrors, audio systems with a CD player with MP3/WMA capability and AUX input jack, a dust/ pollen/odour filter, a 60/40 split fold-down rear seat-back, upper and lower glove box, and storage pockets on the sides of the centre con-sole.
toyota’s corolla powers ahead
qmi agencyVolkswagen wanted a larger, premium sedan over the european Passat introduced in Paris in fall 2010, because it would fit better with the tastes and lifestyles of canadians.
MSRP range: Not yet setNotable options: 17-and 18-inch alloy wheels; leather seating; Fender premium audio system; satellite radio; navigation system; fog lights; wood trim; keyless entry with push button start.Configuration: Front engine/ front-wheel driveAvailable engines: 2.5L 4-cyl. (170 hp/177 lb.-ft.); 2.0L turbodiesel 4-cyl. (140/236); 3.6 V6 (280/258).Available transmissions: 5-spd manual; 6-spd auto. with sequential shiftFuel economy ratings (L/100km): Not yet rated.Warranties: Exp. 4 years/80,000 km (basic); 5 years/100,000 km (powertrain)Competitors: Acura TL; Chevrolet Malibu; Chrys-ler 200; Hyundai Azera; Mazda6; Nissan Maxima; Sub-aru Legacy; Toyota Camry.
vw passes on european passat
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Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011 3
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4 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
DANIEL BARRONQMI AGENCY
After driving through a nev-erending—and we use that word quite literally—connection of snow-covered roads in and around Quebec City, it becomes easy to argue that this is the perfect place to show off the abilities of the 2011 Subaru Forester.
Normally, a near-constant snowfall makes for less than ideal conditions for a typical day-long driving event, but this is an event held by Subaru, so things are bound to be a little different. The Japanese automaker is world-renowned for its symmetrical allwheel drive sys-tem, and this is exactly the kind of weather that best shows off its prowess.
Subaru doesn’t have the larg-est line-up in North America—five models total for the 2011 model year—but what it lacks in name-plates, it more than makes up for in yearly upgrades.
For instance, though the lat-est-generation Forester debuted just two years ago, it receives some notable changes for the 2011 model year, including a new four-cylinder
Boxer engine and a freshened exte-rior.
Heck, even the wonderful new engine, with its increased torque and improved acceleration at lower RPM, isn’t the highlight of the 2011 Forester. The star of this show in the snow is the all-wheel drive system. It’s still one of the best, and as long as you put your trust in it, it will keep you out of the ditch (some-thing seen on more than one occa-sion in Quebec).
The key to Subaru’s symmet-rical AWD is that when the auto-maker says it’s ‘full-time’, it really is just that. Unlike systems in certain competitors, Subaru’s doesn’t flip on or off depending on the speed the vehicle is going or the situation it’s in. Foresters equipped with the five-speed manual transmission -which is the model we have for the event in Quebec - use a locking centre differential that constantly distributes power 50/50, making it useful in all kinds of driving situa-tions.
All Foresters, meanwhile, are equipped with antilock brakes and Vehicle Dynamics Control, the lat-ter of which adjusts wheel braking as needed depending on different inputs, including those from the
ABS. Equip it with a set of snow
tires, and there is very little that can upset a Forester. Throw in the added bonus of generous ground clearance, and you have yourself a more-than-casual offroader when that’s what you need.
There’s something else worth noting with the 2011 Subaru For-ester, and that is that each trim gets several new features, for little to no extra cost. All Foresters get the new generation engine, revised front grille and new cloth upholstery. The base 2.5X trim sees no price increase over 2010, while every other trim only rises by a few hun-dred dollars.
The Forester really is a treat to drive. It still has one of the smoothest man-ual transmissions we’ve tried, and there’s copious amounts of room in the cargo area for luggage, gro-ceries or anything else you want to throw there.
The non-XT models may not be the sportiest
vehicles in the small-SUV segment, but that doesn’t mean they’re bor-ing. With the Forester, you just have to find the right weather and road conditions. A Volkswagen Tiguan may be more fun in the middle of
summer on dry pavement, but the Forester takes the cake in the dead of winter after a 24-hour snowfall has blanketed your city.
Forester embraces the snow
qmi agencyThe Subaru Forester is a perfect choice for any canadian driver.
HARRY PEGGQMI AGENCY
With the introduction of the 2011 RVR, Mitsubishi has given Outlander a baby brother.
There’s no mistaking the family and even though RVR is a compact crossover, the edgy unibody profile and shark-like nose don’t look out of place. Its body is 370 mm shorter and 30 mm nar-row than big brother’s. Front fenders are plastic to help mitigate injury in the event of a collision with a pedes-trian.
My test vehicle from Mit-subishi Canada is an SE 4WD model which is likely to be the top seller of a line that also includes an SE 2WD and GT 4WD.
The company claims there’s room for five adults in RVR and there is, how-ever the poor soul stuck in the middle of the rear seat is not going to find that 60/40 split folding perch in any way comfortable over any distance.
As for the other four rid-ers, the fabric-covered seats are more than firm -- they are hard -- but are contoured so that my old bod doesn’t mind going on long drives. I think the front seat heat-ers, which have two settings (warm and bake), go a long way toward adding to the comfort factor.
Cargo space behind the rear seat measures 614 litres -- not too shabby for a vehi-cle this size. With the rear
seatbacks folded down, the hauling space increases to 1,402 litres, enough for two people to tote along just about anything they want.
RVR is laid out with the driver in mind. Gauges are easy to read and con-trols are within easy reach, including a dial on the con-sole that allows quick selec-tion between 2WD, 4WD and Lock. Power locks, win-dows and mirrors are stand-ard gear, the tilt/telescoping steering wheel houses audio and cruise controls.
Bluetooth brings hands-free cellphone interface along with streaming audio and USB audio input with voice control. It’s efficient, easy to use, and nice to find on a vehicle with this price point.
Asked the colour of the test vehicle, I find myself tempted to reply “Diamond White Pearl” because it costs more than just plain white. At more than $50 a word, I think one should use them all.
Under the hood is Mit-subishi’s 2.0-litre 16-valve four-cylinder engine that puts out 148 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 145 lb.- ft. of torque that peaks at 4,200 revs. It’s not an overwhelm-ing performer and coupled with a “Sportronic” CVT it’s downright anaemic -- step on the gas and you get an increase in noise without a corresponding increase in velocity. Using the manual shift produces a slightly bet-ter response.
What power there is gets to the wheels through Mit-su’s All Wheel Control sys-tem that allows selection of all-wheel drive at any time. The move from 2WD to 4WD and back is smooth and almost instantaneous. It’s a welcome companion given the amount of white stuff with which Mother Nature has seen fit to blanket us.
Mitsubishi engineers hit a bull’s eye when they came up with a new electric power steering system for RVR. Steering feel is excellent and the little crossover goes where I point it.
On the road, RVR is rea-sonably compliant -- until the road surface becomes uneven. That’s when the sus-pension (MacPherson struts up front with multilink/coil system in the rear) becomes unsettled and passengers are treated to a head-sway-ing ride.
It doesn’t much matter on what kind of surface I’m running, the road noise is prominent.
Going down the road doesn’t cost an arm and a leg even at the current rip-off pump prices. EnerGuide rates RVR at 8.4 L/100km in the city and 6.6 on the high-way. My combined usage--about two-thirds of it in city driving -- amounted to 9.6 L/100 km.
It might have some rough edges, but RVR is a decent vehicle at a decent price.
And you can’t beat that warranty.
Mitsubishi makes smaller Outlander
4 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
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6 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
ANNETTE MCLEODQMI Agency
As I drive along pleasantly in the 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour, I find myself musing about how the initial proposal may have gone.
Designer guy: You know what we should do? We should totally take the Accord, hack off the back end, add a hatch, but still make it kinda big and kinda expensive and not at all like other hatchbacks. Not really a wagon, exactly, but like a wagon. Not an SUV, obviously, but for SUV people who don't really want an SUV. You know?
Executive: Um. OK. It's a small, interesting niche
market in which Honda is playing. It's not quite a crossover, but cer-tainly offers more space and util-ity (with better ground clearance) than a sedan. It's not quite a con-ventional wagon either. Unlike Toy-ota's Venza, probably its chief rival, it doesn't come with a four-cylinder option, and it's loaded (including leather), so the price tag is going to be prohibitive for some. (It comes in EX trim with two-or four-wheel drive, or 4WD with added commu-nications/navi features.)
Also direct from the sedan are
the instrumentation (nice) and centre console controls (argh). The centre console houses a wide swath of buttons, all similar in size and bearing similar-size type in the same white font. In a mis-guided desire for overall symme-try, the climate controls are split up and placed on either side of the audio controls. (Neat-o: Audio but-tons include one labelled "title" that gives you song titles and artists on demand.) The climate controls have a slate grey background; the others, black. And did I mention they're all close together? At night, the colour distinction disappears, and it becomes impossible to find anything without directing your full attention to the console. A week in it doesn't help. The nav-system dial thingy and the communications system's voice command function are much better.
Fit and finish are (as expected) very good, and the black plastic doesn't look cheap; the woodgrain and brushed metal trim is elegantly and sparingly applied.
The cabin cubbies are on the small side, and seem random in their placement, as if design-ers stuck a bin in whatever space remained after everything else was laid out, rather than accounting for
them initially. My biggest problem is that it
simply doesn't fit me, personally, very well. Being close enough to the pedals (thanks, short legs) means the centre armrest is too far back, with only the tiniest ledge available for the tip of my elbow, rendering the storage contained within awk-ward to access. The seat heater but-ton is beyond the handbrake lever, so I had to lean forward to spot it, or grope blindly for it.
It's a shame, because Cross-tour is a fine handler, as I found out driving home for 2 1/2 hours through our snowiest day yet this year. Its 4WD configuration cer-tainly helped from the get-go, and Crosstour dealt nicely with the con-siderable slush piled up between highway lanes when I dared to try to pass someone.
The 3.5-litre V6 and five-speed automatic transmission are lifted directly from the Accord sedan, and perform well, if a little nois-ily when pushed. It is otherwise a quiet ride. Steering impresses me as quick and direct, and the ride as firm, which I like.
I like its looks a lot, which of course boils down to taste, but at least its teardrop shape doesn't seem to compromise headroom,
and seating is uniformly firm and comfortable.
With the true-crossover market so crowded, I'm not sure the not-quite-crossover Crosstour will lure a ton of buyers from other brands, but it does offer Accord lovers a quirky option that saves them the agony of having to move up to an SUV. I just wish it fit me a little bet-ter.
Fact File: 2011 HONDa accORD cROSStOUR
Trim level: EX-L 4WDPrice as tested (before taxes): $38,900Options on test vehicle: Navi
pkg ($2,000) inc. voice recogni-tion, rearview camera and steer-ing wheel-mounted controls.Freight/PDI: $1,550Configuration: Front engine/ all-wheel driveEngine/transmission: 3.5L V6/ 5-spd auto with sequential shiftPower/torque: 271 hp/ 254 lb.- 550ft.Fuel (capacity): Regular (70L)Fuel economy ratings: 11.8 L/100km city; 7.6 L/100km hwyObserved fuel economy: 12.3 L/100km over 615 kmWarranties: 3 years/ 60,000 km (basic); 5 years/100,000 km (powertrain)
Honda strikes a new accord
qmi agencyThe all new Honda accord is not only sleek by design but also very versatile.
6 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
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Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011 7
ANNETTE MCLEODQMI AGENCY
Some car reviews can be hard to write, but this week, I’m lucky: my tester is the 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T. Writing a review of this car, much like driving it, is barely work at all.
The strides made by Hyundai in recent years are truly amazing. According to Kelley Blue Book, it is now even among the Top 5 brands consumers consider when buy-ing a new car, knocking Nissan into sixth place. Its strategy has prima-rily been to offer more for less -- good cars, but without such good pricing and a great warranty, it was hard to say whether they would stack up. With this Sonata, Hyundai is removing all doubt. It’s a con-tender.
Especially for a family sedan, Sonata’s got personality, with a rak-ish front end, defined crease run-
ning its length and nice dashes of bright work. Solid handling and nice performance from a 2.4-litre powerplant underpin its looks.
Now, with a 2.0-litre turbo engine added to the lineup, what was a standout becomes a singular experience in the segment: roomy, comfy, fun, sporty, sexy, and with segment- leading power. No one will miss a six-cylinder option. Even better, its 274 horses and 269 lb.-ft. of torque come in at less than 2,000 rpm, meaning no turbo lag and impressive fuel economy.
It uses the same six-speed trans-mission with manual shift function (with steering wheel shifters) as the regular, non-turbo Sonata, which is just fine. I wouldn’t even bother with the manual shift. Just put it in drive and let the computer think for you.
Handling is crisp and even a concerted effort produced no torque steer. Steering feel is per-
haps less refined than its competi-tors, and its ride a little less cushy. It’s definitely the segment’s sportier choice.
Like the exterior, the cabin’s personality avoids the blandness of so many mid-size sedans. Eve-rything has a quality feel and good finish, with a soft-touch dash and just enough faux metal touches. The seats are the low point, need-ing more stuffing and with an ill-fitting feel to the upholstery.
The rear seat offers lots of leg-room, but taller passengers may find headroom an issue, owing to the raked roofline. My toddler’s seat snapped into the LATCH system easily and it was easy to get him in and out. Trunk space is ample.
Standard on all 2.0T Sonatas are such safety features as ABS with electronic brake force distribution and electronic stability control with traction control; convenience fea-tures include steering wheel audio
controls, power windows and locks, cruise, telescoping steering wheel, iPod and USB/aux input, trip com-puter, Bluetooth, heated front seats, power driver’s seat, power heated mirrors, 18-in. alloy wheels, power sunroof and fog lights.
By the time my little guy is of an age to be aware of car brands, Hyundai will likely be one of the most respected. And none of his friends will snicker and ask, “Hey, remember the Pony?”
Fact File: 2011 HYUNDai SONata 2.0t
Trim level: Limited with NavigationPrice as tested (before taxes): $33,499Freight: $1,565Powerplant: 2.0L turbo four/6-speed automatic with sequen-tial (274 hp/269 lb-ft.)Fuel (capacity): Regular (70L)Fuel economy ratings (L/100 km): 9.3 city, 6.0 highwayObserved fuel economy: 12.3 L/100km over 615 kmWarranties: 3 years/ 60,000 km (basic); 5 years/100,000 km (powertrain)Competitors: Chevy Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Mazda6, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima
Sporty Sonata is simply sensational
qmi agencyHyundai Sonata.
Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011 7
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COROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLACOROLLADual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (Dual VVT-i).An intelligent way to say the Corolla makes long Prairie drives less expensive.
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JOE DUARTEQMI AGENCY
Hot on the heels of a successful reintroduction of the Buick Regal to the North American market, General Motors is bringing a cou-ple of new Regals in for 2012—and they couldn’t be any farther apart if Buick tried.
At the performance end sits the Regal GS, whose concept drew rave reviews at the 2010 North American
International Auto Show in Detroit, and subsequent appearances on the auto show circuit across the continents that followed.
The 2012 Buick Regal GS is a high-performance midsize sport sedan that can go from zero to 100 km/h in around seven seconds thanks to an exclusive high-output version of the Ecotec 2.0-litre tur-bocharged four-cylinder engine. Here, it puts out 255 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque (up roughly 15 from the
“ordinary” 2.0L turbo in the Regal CXL Turbo). Reining in the horses is either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic with paddle shift-ers.
To satisfy handling expecta-tions, the Regal GS features Buick’s Interactive Drive Control Sys-tem that allows drivers to change between three suspension/steer-ing settings (standard, sport, GS) depending on the type of drive (soft and easy for city driving; firmer
and more direct as aggressiveness increases).
R a c i n g -i n s p i re d e x t e -rior body treat-ment and sporty interior appoint-ments (such as a sport flat-bottom steering wheel, m e t a l p e d a l s and sport leather seats) add to the sporting inten-tions of the Regal GS, which goes on sale in sum-mer/fall 2011.
At the other end of the spec-trum sits the 2012
Buick Regal with eAssist, which adds a 15 kW motor to the stand-ard Regal CXL’s 2.4-litre fourcyl-inder engine to boost horsepower by 15 hp(to a net of 197 hp) while improving fuel economy by as much as 25%. The engine uses a standard sixspeed automatic to send power to the front wheels.
The Regal with eAssist stores electricity captured through regen-erative braking in a lithium ion bat-tery pack located behind the rear seat (cutting down the Regal CXL trunk volume by 3.2 cubic feet). The slight hybrid system cuts off fuel delivery during deceleration and shuts down the engine at full stops.
Other economy enhance-ments include 17-inch lightweight wheels and low rolling resistance tires, a driver-selectable eco mode for the air-conditioning system, an eco gauge in the instrument panel to aid drivers in attaining the best possible fuel economy, and a power delivery readout in the cen-tre stack to display how the system is working during different driving conditions.
The 2012 Buick Regal with eAs-sist is due in fall 2011 with prices set closer to launch -as are Regal GS prices.
Fact File: 2012 buick regal
8 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Performance, economy expand regal lineup
qmi agencyBuick Regal.
Trim levels: eAssist; GS MSRP range: not yet set Notable options: none Configuration: front engine, front-wheel drive Available engines: 2.4L 4-cyl. (net 197 hp/172 lb.-ft.), 2.0L turbo 4-cyl (255/295) Available transmissions: sixspeed automatic, six-speed manual, six-speed automatic with sequential shift Fuel economy ratings (L/100km): Est. 9.0 city/6.4 hwy (eAssist); 12.4/8.1 (GS man.); 13.0/8.4 (GS auto) Warranties: expected three years/ 60,000 km (basic), five years/160,000 km (powertrain) Competitors: Acura TSX, Audi A4, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
8 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
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JOE DUARTEQMI AGENCY
The 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 looks mean, with a split grille that has a blacked out bumper so it looks like a large one-piece unit bearing a strange resemblance to a gaping mouth trying to draw as much air as possible into the 6.4-litre Hemi V8 that sits directly behind it.
And it needs every breath of air to make 465 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque, on its way to five-second zero to 100 km/h accelera-tion times, and quarter mile times in the 13 second range
An active intake manifold and high-lift camshaft with cam phas-ing provides maximum low-end torque for impressive standing starts while optimizing high-end power. On the other hand, cylinder shut-downs and a new active valve exhaust system work to improve
fuel efficiency.Reining in the power is the
proven five-cylinder automatic transmission w ith AutoStick sequential shift, which uses pad-dle shifters for the first time on a Chrysler product. Reportedly, there is a new eight speed in its future, but for now five gears do the trick.
Also new is an adaptive damp-
ing suspension that translates vehi-cle speed, steering angle, steering quickness, brake torque, throttle position and lateral acceleration into an automatically tuned ride/handling experience. The driver can select from “Auto” and “Sport” modes to change shock damp-ing and harshness characteristics depending on whether he/she is
on a smooth commute or harsher, more challenging driving situa-tions. The performance SRT-tuned, fully hydraulic steering is also improved with a new, heavy-duty pump and revised gearing for bet-ter feel and on-centre response.
New 20-inch lightweight forged and polished aluminum wheels with black painted pockets finish off the great exterior looks.
Hauling the big brute down to speed are 14.2-inch vented/slot-ted discs up front and 13.8 inch-ers in the rear, all pinched by four-piston Brembo callipers. The Charger SRT8’s Ready Alert Brak-ing system uses the stability con-trol system to pre-load the brakes in emergency situations, resulting in decreased braking distances. A newly designed underbody pan features integrated brake ducting to improve cooling and brake fade performance.
Interior appointments include a leather-wrapped, SRT-exclu-
sive flat-bottom steering with col-oured palm rests, carbon-fibre look instrument trim, and aggressively bolstered heated and ventilated front seats with suede inserts. Rear seats are also heated.
Ambience is provided by a 900-watt, 19-speaker premium sur-round-sound system from har-mon/kardon.
Standards include keyless entry with push button start, adaptive cruise control, stability control, for-ward collision warning, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic detection. Front seat reactive head rests, full side air curtains, driver’s knee bag, front side impact airbags are also standard.
Visible exterior changes, besides the gaping mouth grille opening, include lower body side cladding, new taillight treatment, rear spoiler, new four-inch dual exhausts and an SRT8 badges.
Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011 9
JOE DUARTEQMI AGENCY
There aren’t many cars that can match the Nissan GT-R, either in performance or desirability, and the ultra performance potential is even greater for the 2012 model year.
The difference lies in the age of admirers -- try talking a Lam-borghini or Ferrari driver into pay-ing any attention to the $100,000 supercar and you’ll get looks of dis-dain. But these Eurosnobs’ teen and 20-something sons are bound to be fascinated by GT-R for a) affordability and b) a yearning to be different from daddy.
Granted, the 2012 version’s MSRP is six figures (the current model starts just short, at $99,900),
but compared to $200,000 exotics, it is a bargain -- with no perform-ance penalty.
In Japan, GT-R buyers can choose Club Track (racing) model complete with roll cage, straight pipe exhaust and tow hooks, or Egoist (luxury) model resplendent in its carbon-fibre spoiler and pil-low-pocket leather interior. Canada gets one model: the Black Edition with Spec. V wheels and leather Recaro seats.
The interior is quite good, with improved-in body aerodynamics (down to 0.26 Cd) translating into a quieter cabin. The front seats are a bit wider than before, resulting in less of a body-hugging experience but more relaxing long-trip com-fort (the suspension also plays a role in this).
Full rear seats provide accept-able comfort for mid-sized passen-gers (oodles better than the almost unusable Porsche 911 seats), pro-vided front-seat occupants give up a little legroom.
T h e s u s p e n s i o n t h a t s o wrenched my neck in the current generation has been tamed a bit for 2012 with the front double wish-bones and rear multi links pro-viding better comfort on the road without sacrificing track stiffness (the driver still can switch between modes, depending on intended use).
Steering is incredibly direct at speed, though the massive tires are very difficult to turn at low to no speed, like during parking.
Due to the dedicated tires (uni-directional, smaller in front than in
rear), GT-R doesn’t carry a spare but rather uses Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600 ultra high-perform-ance run-flats.
The engine is still a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6, but it now puts out 530 horsepower (an increase of 45 from the current engine) and 448 lb.-ft. of torque (14).
Linked to a six-speed auto-matic with paddle shifters, the combination is enough to drag the GT-R to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, says Nissan. Launch control holds the clutch drop until 4,000 rpm, launching the car without a hint of tire chirp (the driver just has to concentrate on steering and chang-ing gears). Beat time in real world 0-100 km/h launches during the track day was 2.9 seconds.
The dual automated clutch
transmission is smooth, with gear changes barely discernible and the car staying nice and stable during transitions. Left to its own devices, downshifts are noisy and clunky, but it kind of adds to the race car atmosphere (as do noticeable rear diff transitions during switchback driving).
Mind you, the main culprit is the reduced noise seeping into the cabin. It’s still noisy, but practically a library compared to the previous model. Still, there’s enough aural stimulation to remind you this is no ordinary commuter car or sport coupe.
Make no mistake; Nissan GT-R is a track-ready ultra-performance car . . . even in its “docile” street version.
Nissan’s newest GT-R a power trip
qmi agencyThe new Dodge charger SRT8 offers the power of a 6.4 litre Hemi V8.
Dodge Charger SRT8 adds muscleGrande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011 9
We’ve Got Tires For Every Season!Come in for your Spring
tire change over and balance.
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10 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Ford puts bigger Focus on C segment
JOE DUARTEQMI AGENCY
Hyundai is trying to garner a lit-tle customer attention with the new 2012 Veloster -- a three-door coupe that made its world debut at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Some have called it the long-awaited replacement for the Tibu-ron, but there’s no denying it’s probably the most unique coupe to hit the market since the Mazda RX-8 (with its rear hinged panels for access to the rear seats, though Veloster has a traditional rear door
only on one side, and it’s a hatch-back). The inspiration was report-edly safety and convenience in that there isn’t a door to open up into traffic, and there is no need to open a front door in order to open a rear one.
But there’s innovation beyond the unique body . There’s Hyundai’s first dual clutch transmission (automatic with sequential shift) linked to a new 1.6-litre direct injected four-cylinder engine and inside, there’s Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics system, Pandora Inter-net radio with seven-inch touch-screen display and voice recogni-
tion.The entertainment quotient also
goes way up with AVI and Mpeg playback capability via USB, virtual CD changer and video gaming sys-tem hookup with a power outlet, and Bluetooth compatability.
Blue Link can be as simple or complicated as owners desire, with the basics in crash notification, emergency response and enhanced roadside assistance.
However, it can also provide voice text messaging, remote door lock/unlock with horn, lights and panic notification, remote start, vehicle diagnostics, stolen vehicle
find, slow-down and recovery, valet and speed alerts and a programma-ble curfew.
The added guidance system pro-vides turn-by-turn navigation, point of interest search, eco-driving coaching, gas station search with price displays, restaurant search with ratings, and weather and traf-fic alerts.
The Veloster design was report-edly inspired by a high-perform-ance sport bike (in that the green-house gives the impression of a full-face helmet, the centrestack is supposed to resemble a motor-cycle fuel tank, the centre console
the bike’s saddle and the vents the motorcycle tailpipes), with the cur-rent Hyundai design language of “fluidic sculpture.”
The all-new Gamma 1.6-litre engine is the smallest Hyundai engine to use Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) and is estimated to offer highway fuel economy in the 5.9 litre per 100 km range.
Power figures are rated at 138 hp and 123 lb.-ft. of torque, with that power sent to the front wheels by a choice of six-speed transaxles -- a manual or a new dual clutch unit.
WADE OZEROFFQMI Agency
Sporting new looks, increased dimensions and a forward-thinking array of technology from the Blue Oval’s brightest minds around the globe, the 2012 Ford Focus busts out of the gate ready to change some games and win new friends.
Bigger than the outgoing gen-eration (it’s longer, wider and heav-ier than the 2011), Focus grows to true C-segment car dimensions and becomes exponentially better looking at the same time.
It will come to showrooms (Ford states the availability date as “early 2011”, so I would interpret that to mean “pretty darn soon”) in sedan and hatchback mod-els, either of which display a total reworking of the vehicle’s styling and visual impression.
The front end grabs attention with a Euro-influenced grille-and-headlight mix that leads the eye into a sleeker roofline -- its curb appeal and sporty stance further enhanced by a lower overall height (the 2012 is approximately 20 mil-limetres lower than the outgoing Focus).
Employing a 2.0 litre engine,
from which Ford has finessed an extra 20 horsepower (output is now 160 hp, with a potential 146 lb.-ft. of torque), and offering a choice of either a manual five-speed, six-speed automatic or six-speed auto with paddle shift (Select- Shift, as Ford brands it) the improved Focus has a combination for all tastes. There is also the possibility of an Ecoboost turbo powerplant com-ing to Focus next year.
I have the chance to try out both transmissions and bodystyles at the car’s debut, and first impres-sions are very good.
I will say the five-speed is the tranny I would want, because that’s what I always say when offered the choice; the autobox feels a bit anae-mic when pressed for fast response on the highway. I really think, though, that I just like the appear-ance of the shifter and its incor-poration into the console’s stylish motif.
The Focus provides a supremely quiet cabin, well insulated and dampened against engine/road/wind noise, and rides stably and smoothly through twisty corners and over less-than-perfect sur-faces.
The entire passenger compart-
ment is pleasing to the eye, and soft-touch contact surfaces flesh out the well-finished and decid-edly upscale environment, even at the entry level.
The hatchback configuration is my preference of the two body-styles -- not just because I like the utility and easier cargo handling of a five-door, but in my humble opin-ion it’s the better looking of the two. Either one pulls off a decent curb-side impression, particularly with some of the more high-end wheel packages available -- there are 11 different choices of wheel cover and styled wheels.
Depending on buyers’ tastes, and the depth of their pockets (Focus can get pricey if loaded up with all the available goodies), a full suite of high-tech inclusions can be added to the car. Of course Sync is available, as is MyFord driver interface, but the gee-whiz factor is upped considerably with Active Park assist-the same technology we first saw first in the Lincoln brand. I am fascinated by a car that can par-allel-park itself, and in the Focus it works quickly and accurately (active parking is only available on automatic transmission models).
The number of available stan-
dalone options and packages would make this story pretty long, and I glaze over pretty quick when reading the company specs and order sheets; so let’s just distil it down to this:
Basically, four trim levels are available-- S, SE, SEL and Titanium (which is the one that will really impress the neighbours) -- with wheel sizes from 15 to 18 inches, in sedan or hatch form. Some nice paint choices can be had (I’m par-tial to the Kona Blue, but the Yellow Blaze Metallic turns more heads), and the price range runs from easy buy-in to “better think about it.”
Focus starts at an MSRP of $15,999 (which is up $2,000 over
the 2011 model), to $25,099 for a Titanium model, which will still require freestanding options like Active Park to be added on top.
Hyundai opens new doors on coupe segment
FaCt File: 2012 Ford FoCus
qmi agency
Trim levels available: S, SE, SEL, TitaniumModels: four-door sedan, four-door hatchbackMSRP range: $15,999 -$25,099Freight: $1,450Notable options: active park assist; Sync and MyFord driver con-nect technology, 11 wheel choicesConfiguration: front engine, front-wheel driveAvailable engines: 2.0L four cyl-inder (160 hp/146 lb.-ft.)Available transmissions: five-speed manual, six-speed automatic, six-speed automatic with sequential shiftFuel economy ratings (L/100km): not yet ratedWarranties: three years/ 60,000 km (basic), five years/ 100,000 km (powertrain)
10 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Bank Mechanical10803 - 99st Clairmontparts and service, truck and trailor
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Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011 11
OFFER INCLUDES FREIGHT AND PDI, PLUS:$7,500 CASH CREDIT
$1,000 GM OWNER LOYALTY BONUS#
$1,000 CASH ALTERNATIVE TO OPTIONS AND ACCESSORIES∞
SIERRA CREW CAB 4WDINCLUDES: HD TRAILERING PACKAGE & LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL
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BI-WEEKLY/84 MONTHSWITH $3,099 DOWN
$158*
ONNO
WAT
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da.★
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/*Offersapplytothepurchase
ofa2011
GMCSierraExt4WDSL
(R7A)and
2011
GMCSierraCrew
4WDSL
(R7A)equippedas
described.Freightinclu
ded($1,450).License,insurance,registration,PPSA,adm
inistrationfees
and
taxesnotincluded.Dealersarefreetosetindividualprices.Offersvalid
toMay
2,2011.Limitedtim
eofferswhich
may
notbecombinedwith
otheroffers,and
aresubjecttochange
withoutnotice.Offersapplytoqualified
retailcustom
ersinAlberta
GMCDealerMarketingAssociationarea
only.Dealerorder(2011MYonly)
ortrade
may
berequired.
$7,500
manufacturertodealerdeliverycredit
availableon
2011
MYGM
CSierraLightD
utyExtended
andCrew
CabC/KModels,1SF,1SB,1SD(excludeshybrids)(taxexclu
sive)forretailcustomersonly.Othercashcredits
availableon
mostm
odels.SeeyourGM
dealerfordetails.††Variableratefinancing
for84monthson
2011
SierraExt4WD/2011
SierraCrew
onapprovecredit.Bi-W
eeklypaym
entand
variablerateshow
nbasedon
curre
ntTD
Financeprimerateandissubjecttofluctuation;actualpaym
entamountswillvarywith
ratefluctuations.Example:$10,000at3%
for8
4months,themonthlypaym
entis$132
Costofborro
wingis$1,099,totalobligationis$11,099.Do
wnpaym
entand/ortrade
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entsandcostofborro
wingwillalso
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amountborro
wed
anddownpaym
ent/
trade.Biweeklypaym
entsbasedon
apurchase
priceof$27,498/$28,998with
$3,299/$3,099downon
2011
SierraExt4WD/2011
SierraCrew
,equippedas
described.#O
fferappliestoalleligiblecurre
ntow
nersorlesseesofanymodelyearGM
vehicle
thathasbeen
registered
andinsuredinCanada
inthecustom
er’snameforthe
previous
consecutive
sixmonths.Creditvalid
towards
the
retailpurchase
orleaseofoneeligible2010,2011or2012
modelyearChevrolet,GM
C,BuickorCadillacvehicle
sdelivered
betweenFebruary1,2011
andJune
30,2011.Ineligiblevehicle
sinclu
deChevroletC
ruze
LS-1SB
andallM
ediumDu
tytrucks.Creditvaluedependson
modelpurchased:$500
creditavailableforC
hevroletAveo,Cobaltand
Cruze(excluding
CruzeLS-1SB
);$750
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availableforC
hevroletEquinoxandGM
CTerra
in;$1,000creditavailableforallothereligibleGM
vehicle
s.Thecreditam
ountisinclu
siveofanyapplicabletaxes.Offeristransferabletoafamily
mem
berliving
withinthesamehousehold(proofofaddressrequired).Thisofferm
aynotberedeem
edforcashandmay
notbecombinedwith
certainotherconsumerincentive
s.Voidwhereprohibited
bylaw.See
yourGM
dealerfordetails.
GMreserves
therighttoam
endorterm
inateoffersforany
reason
inwholeorinpartatanytim
ewithoutpriornotice.¥O
fferappliestonewordemonstrator2011MYSierraLightD
utyExtended
andCrew
CabC/KModels,1SF,1SB,1SD(excludeshybrids)delivered
betweenFebruary1andMay
2,2011
atparticipatingdealersinCanada.Dealerorderor
trade
may
berequired.Offeravailabletoretailcustom
ersonlyandconsistsofapre-installedChromeAccessoriespackage(grille,6”tubularassist
steps,doorhandlesandmirrorcaps)(“PDJ
Truck”)valuedup
to$1500(taxexclu
sive).Thisofferm
aynotbecombinedwith
certainotherconsumerincentive
savailableon
GMvehicle
s.GM
CLmay
modify,extendorterm
inatethisoffer,inwhole
orinpart,atanytim
ewithoutnotice.Conditionsandlim
itations
apply.SeeyourGM
dealerfordetails.∞Offerappliestomostnew
ordemonstrator2011GM
vehicle
s,exclu
ding
PDJTrucks
andCamaroConvertible,delive
redbetweenFebruary1andMay
2,2011
atparticipatingdealersinCanada.Dealerorderortrade
may
berequired.Retailcustom
erswillreceive
upto$1,000
(taxexclu
sive)
(Cruze
LS-1SB
iseligiblefor$1,000allotherCruzemodelsandAveo
willreceive
$500),tobe
used
towards
thepurchase
ofgenuineGM
AccessoriesandOp
tions.Installationnotincluded.Alternative
ly,the$1,000
manufacturer-to-dealerCustom
TruckEventcredit(taxexclu
sive)($500forC
hevroletCruzeandAveo)m
aybe
appliedtothevehicle
purchase
price.Thisofferm
aynotbecombined
with
certainotherconsumerincentive
savailableon
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modify,extendorterm
inatethisoffer,inwholeorinpart,atanytim
ewithoutnotice.Conditionsandlim
itations
apply.SeeyourGM
dealerfordetails.◊U
.S.Governm
entstarratings
arepartoftheNa
tionalHighw
ayTraffic
SafetyAdministration’s(NHTSA’s)
NewCarAssessm
entProgram
(NCA
P).Formoreinform
ation
onsafetyratings,gotowww.safercar.gov.
Basedon
NaturalResources
Canada’s2011
FuelConsum
ptionGuideratings.Youractualfuelconsumptionmay
vary.~
With
purchase
orleaseofmostnew
ordemonstrator2011GM
vehicle
sdelivered
fromdealerstockbetweenMarch
3,2011
andMay
2,2011,and
with
paym
entofanadditional$0.01,customersreceive
aPreferredPrice™
fuel
savin
gscardatparticipatingdealers,redeem
ablefor$0.20
perlitreon
5,000Loffuel.The
$0.20/Lsavin
gsinclu
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asof72
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valid
onlyatparticipatingPetro-Canadaretaillocations
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AtlanticPetroleum
locations
inNewfoundland)andnotredeemableforcash.GM
reserves
therighttoam
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inatethisoffer
and/ortheprogramforany
reason
inwholeorinpartatanytim
ewithoutnotice.Petro-CanadaisaSuncorEnergy
busin
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Tradem
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Inc.Used
underlicence.★
Toqualify
forG
MCL’sCash
ForC
lunkersincentive
,you
must:(1)receive
Governmentconfirmationofvehicle
eligibilityunderthe
RetireYourRide
(“RYR”)Program
,supportedby
TheGovernmentofC
anada,and
turn1995
orolderM
Yvehicle
thatisinrunningcondition
andhasbeen
registered
andproperlyinsuredinyournameforthe
last6months;(2)turnina1995
orolderM
Yvehicle
thatisinrunningcondition
andhasbeen
registered
andproperlyinsuredundera
smallbusinessnameforthe
last6months;or(3)turnina1996
through2003
MYvehicle
thatisinrunningcondition
andhasbeen
registered
andproperlyinsuredinyournameforthe
last6months.GM
CLwillprovideeligibleconsum
erswith
amanufacturertoconsum
erincentive
(taxinclu
sive)tobe
used
towards
thepurchase/finance/leaseofaneweligible2010
or2011
MYBuick/Chevrolet/G
MC/Cadillacvehicle
delivered
betweenJanuary4andMarch
31,2011.IneligibleChevroletvehicles:Aveo,2010
Cobalt,Cruze,
2011
BuickRegaland
MediumDu
tytrucks.Incentive
ranges
from$750
to$2,000,depending
onmodelpurchased.Incentive
may
notbecombinedwith
certainotheroffers.ByparticipatingintheCash
ForC
lunkersprogramyouwillnotbeeligibleforany
trade-in
valueforyourvehicle.SeeyourparticipatingGM
dealerforadditionalprogramconditionsanddetails.GMCL
may
modify,extendor
term
inateprograminwholeorinpartatanytim
ewithoutnotice.IfyousuccessfullycompletetheRYRProgram,you
willbe
eligiblefora
$300
cash
incentive
fromtheCanadian
Government.Resid
entsofNorthwestTerritories,YukonorNu
navutareexclu
dedfromtheRYRProgramandarethereforeineligibleforG
MCL’sCash
ForC
lunkersincentive
.Visitw
ww.retireyourride.caform
oreinform
ation.
albertagmc.com
IN COLLABORATION WITH RETIRE YOUR RIDE, FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA.
OR ASK ABOUT GMCL's RECYCLINGPROGRAM
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Sierra Crew SLT model shownwith chrome accessory package
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SE
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$1,500UPTO
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IN OPTIONS & ACCESSORIES∞
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Sierra SLT model shownwith chrome accessory package
SIERRA EXT CAB4WD
OFFER INCLUDES FREIGHT AND PDI, PLUS:
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OWN IT FOR
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BI-WEEKLY/84 MONTHSWITH $3,299 DOWN
$148*
INCLUDES: HD TRAILERING PACKAGE& LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL
12 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune • Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Canadian Tire Grande Prairie is alocally owned and operated business.
Weemployover 100 residents ofGrandePrairie and it’s surrounding areas.
Canadian Tire11311-99 St. • Grande Prairie • 780-539-9292
OPEN Monday - Saturday 7am - 7pmSunday & Holidays - 9am - 3pm
Meet YourCanadian Tire Service Team
BACK ROW (Left to right): Lorne, Brandon, Lawrence, GaryFRONT ROW (left to right): Julius, Shawna
At Canadian Tire Grande Prairie we believe in building long term relationships with
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