Scion's sportiest model receives a somewhat sportier upgrade for 2012. It's called the Scion tC "High Voltage" RS 7.0, as in "release series" 7.0, which makes it sound like a software upgrade but which is actually some tweaking to the hardware on the little coupe.
It isn't the kind of upgrade that's going to turn this unassuming little two door into a little screamer, but it certainly does make it stand out from the garden variety tC. Tweaks include TRD (Toyota Racing Design) badges, including the TRD logo on the dash-mounted start/stop push button and on the aero bits adorning the RS 7.0's flanks. more...
Apple's iPad created a market seemingly out of nowhere, and now everyone and his dog is trying to get a piece of the market it spawned.
It's interesting to see. Heck, I've wanted a tablet since I saw them being used by Frank Poole and Dave Bowman in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: a Space Odyssey. So it's about time. And is isn't that Apple's juggernaut fell from the sky unannounced. Various tablet computers have actually been around for years, but Apple's "expanded iPod/iPhone" eschewed complete computer functionality to tailor its concentration on things – web browsing, email, e-book reader and the like – that exploit the portability and connectivity rather than raw computing power.
And the rest is history. more...
Nissan's upscale division has taken the wraps off a hybrid version of its top of the line M series sedan, and it's a car that actually boasts more power than its "regular" V6 version.
The proves once again that it's no longer necessary to compromise driving enjoyment by opting for hybrid power. Sure, it adds a premium to the price and the gas you save may never make up for it, but if nothing else it offers drivers a way to get a modicum of more motivation without having t go all the way up to the V8-powered M56. more...
It's cute as a bug's ear and a lot of fun to drive – even though its base version isn't that powerful. Yet somehow, BMW has managed to make its Mini Clubman not only engaging, but also reasonably practical.
That's quite a balancing act!
The Mini Clubman is a little longer than the garden variety Mini Cooper, with a clamshell-type rear door that opens to both sides, rather than the conventional upward-opening panel you see more often on hatchbacks and wagons. It also features a rear-hinged "suicide door" on the passenger side to help facilitate entry and exit to the surprisingly roomy and comfortable rear seat. more...
The years seem to get shorter the older I get, which means it's already time to take a year end look at the most interesting cars I drove in 2011. These aren't necessarily the best, the fastest or most luxurious, but cars I found most noteworthy for a variety of reasons.
This was definitely the year of the Korean carmaker, as Hyundai and Kia between them not only figure extensively on my personal list, but the companies also copped five out of the 11 category winners in the Canadian Car of the Year Awards in late October. Congratulations to them, too; they earned it by building compelling, well-equipped vehicles that offer good value for the dollar. more...
What a great time it is to be a tech nut! Every day, it seems, some new and exciting gadget or technology comes along that promises to make our lives easier, more fun, more fulfilled, more whatever. And while a lot of them don't live up to that ideal, there's still plenty of neat stuff out there.
It's traditional at this time of year to look back at some of the most interesting things that have come along over the past 12 months. This "Most Intriguing" list doesn't necessarily mean these are the best products I looked at in 2011, just the ones that turned my crank the most, for better or worse. I spent most of the year playing with Blu-rays and/or games, audio systems costing from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars, iPad/Android apps, and a bunch of other stuff. more...
VW's entry into the "Cute Ute" segment is a little more cute for 2012, while still being a good ute.
It isn't an all-new version, but you can definitely notice the evolution. It starts with handsome new front and rear ends that have more than a little Touareg in them – not a bad thing, since VW's bigger SUV is a handsome beast – and continues inside to an even nicer interior than before. Not that the previous interior was a bust; Volkswagen makes some of the best interiors on the market and, fortunately, they haven't messed with success here.
The Volkswagen folk apparently like to think of the Tiguan as "the GTI of compact sport utility vehicles." That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but that doesn't mean the Tiguan is a slug, either. In fact, other it having than gobs of turbo lag, its GTI-shared two liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine is a delight. more...
If you have a classic rock fan on your Christmas list, you may want to surf by Eagle Rock Entertainment's site for some excellent concert films on Blu-ray.
This is nothing new for Eagle Rock, which has been unleashing a steady stream of concerts for years – and some of their Blu-ray releases are so good you can use them as reference discs when you want to show off your system. And over the past couple of months, the company has added several new classic rock acts to its roster, most of which continue this tradition of excellence. more...
Hyundai appears to be on a definite roll. Not only has the company released a series of terrific vehicles over the past couple of years, it also walked away with three "Best of" vehicle awards at the 2012 Canadian Car of the Year competition held at the end of October.
One of those winning vehicles is Hyundai's new Accent, a terrific little car that was voted Best New Small Car (under $21,000), beating out such worthy competitors as the Fiat 500, Kia Rio 5 and Nissan Versa Sedan. I agree completely with the choice. more...
Smart phones and tablets are getting so darn smart they're wriggling their way into areas not traditionally thought of as "phone-friendly," in the process spawning a whole new industry of accessories and gadgets designed to help make life with the tools even more pleasant.
Case in point, Griffin Technology's Beacon – a hardware/software solution that can turn your iOS or Android smart phone (or tablet) into a universal remote control, and Veyl Products' ePillow, which snuggles your tablet nicely. more...
Ford's newly designed Focus takes a previously dumpy-looking but otherwise good car and brings it more in line with the competitive models the company hopes buyers won't choose.
And judging by the number of new Foci I've seen on my local roads already, in the short time it's been available, the new model appears to be doing the job. Why not? It's a good car, modern, equipped very well and – as a bonus – it's even fun to drive. more...
What a wonderful summer popcorn movie Super 8 is! Too bad it's now November and the howling winds and snows of winter are arriving. On the other hand, since Super 8 opens during winter, maybe that'll make a nice bridge…
Anyway, J.J. Abrams' Super 8, the first film he's directed since his fantastic Star Trek resuscitation a couple of years ago, comes across as an obvious – but welcome, if you like the genre – tribute to the teen adventure/sci fi films of a couple of decades past, the time (coincidentally, I'm sure) in which this movie is set. It takes a little bit of E.T., a lot of Explorers, a smidgen of The Goonies, a lot of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and blends it with a healthy dose of Cloverfield (without the shaky first person camera work) to create a movie that, while derivative, is a fantastic adventure that works beautifully on its own. And it's also a great example of why Blu-ray is so much better than DVD. more...
Has Porsche blinked? The maker of high quality sporting machines is introducing Hybrid versions of two of its vehicles, and is apparently taking orders for its 918 Spyder Hybrid supercar as well.
It's a horrid thought to contemplate. At the risk of being struck by lightning, however, because I have traditionally not been a fan of most Hybrids, I have to say I really enjoyed driving the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid. It feels like a Porsche, and that makes the vehicle pretty compelling regardless of its Al Gore-friendly credentials. more...
Livio Radio, who make the excellent smart phone/tablet apps that let you stream innumerable radio stations to your devices, is back with a new way to drag old cars kicking and screaming into the new millennium. And it'll only set you back $120! How's that for a cheap retrofit?
It's called the Livio Bluetooth Internet Radio Car Kit, and the company says it works with any car that has an FM radio and a 12 volt charging outlet – which in old cars such as my 1991 Infiniti Q45 would be called a "cigarette lighter," horror of horrors! more...
If anyone still dismisses Korean carmakers Hyundai and KIA as not worthy of note, the results of the recently-concluded Canadian Car of the Year (CCOTY) TestFest may help change a few minds.
The reason? The two companies drove off with five out of 11 category titles, a tour de force that shows these companies have not only arrived, they can compete with the best from anywhere in the world in their particular market niches.
The Canadian Car of the Year TestFest is an annual event where the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada members gather to wring out the latest and greatest – as in new or substantially changed from the previous model year – from the major carmakers. more...
The T-Amp is back, and that could be good news to those who want good sound in a tiny package.
You may not remember the "T-Amp," a purportedly digital amplifier that made its way onto the market place for a short while a few years back. According to digitaltrends.com, T-Amps allowed for "incredibly clean, efficient output at low wattage ratings" and the technology wriggled its way into the car audio world, computers and bookshelf-type audio systems. Then it virtually disappeared. more...
KIA's Sportage small SUV/CUV has taken a big leap forward with its current incarnation, going from being kind of the ugly stepsister in its niche to a handsome and competitive choice.
There's no longer a V6 engine choice for 2011, but that isn't a bad thing: KIA has dropped in a turbocharged four instead, which is the engine that my sample unit had, and it's just fine. more...
What do you get when you blend an excellent 3D plasma TV with a 3D Blu-ray home theater in a box, a fine high def camcorder with 3D capabilities, three sets of 3D glasses and a couple of 3D demo discs?
In my case, it was hours of otherwise productive time sitting in front of the idiot box, 3D glasses on my face, trying to figure out if this 3D push is worth the time of day. more...
The 2012 Honda Civic Coupe is a great little car, comfortable, efficient and will undoubtedly be long serving for its owners. It also shows how much difference a manual transmission can make if you value a "fun to drive" factor.
I drove the new Civic sedan a few weeks prior to my session with the coupe and, while I liked the car a lot, I didn't like it nearly as much as I liked this coupe version, despite my preference for four doors. The basic difference between the two – besides the door count – was that the sedan was an automatic whilst the coupe was a manual. more...
Its name may not be known in most households, but Crestron is hoping that will change, at least as far as well-heeled households are concerned.
The company is best known for whole house solutions, automating corporate boardrooms and the like. After having spent a couple of months living with and listening to their high end PROCISE audio system, however, I can say safely that this foray into home theater audio is a fine one indeed.
Whether it's worth the price of a small car is something that only you can decide. I know if I had the money left over to contemplate such a purchase, I'd definitely give PROCISE a listen. more...
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Honda Civic Coupe – Manual Dexterity 
