Well here is another glowing road test of the new Forester!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Hyundai Earth Hour Observance
Hyundai prides itself on being an environmental leader around the globe. In fact many of the gas and diesel models that they offer world wide have proven to be more fuel efficient and environmentally responsible than other companies hybrids. To honour their commitment to the environment, Hyundai and all of the dealers in Canada will be participating in Earth Hour. click on the headline above for more details.Thursday, March 27, 2008
Hyundai Announces Hybrid Models
While there has been no official announcement from North America, here is a release from Korea on March 24th that is very interesting. click on the headline above to jump to the story.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Volvo Is An Extraordinary Company, A little company that has changed the world with it pioneering principles and technology.
Cars are driven by people, the guiding principle between everything that we make at Volvo, therefore is and must remain, safety.
This is the founding philosophy as stated by our Volvo founders, Assar Gabrielson and Gustav Larson, before they ever built their first Volvo, the PV4 Jakob on April 14, 1927. click the headline above for an interactive Volvo experience that will really impress you.
I Can't Believe this is a Volvo!
The production version of the stunning new XC60 debuted in North America at the recent Toronto International Auto Show. It's evolutionary sleeknesss and unquestionably sporty styling sets the trend for all future Volvo's! I have attached a few photo's here and click on the title of this post above to go to a driving test of the original prototype. We expect to see it in our showroom in early 2009. I'd love to hear your feedback on the new look of Volvo. $9995 Accent- It is 1995 all over again!
Hyundai puts the Canadian car industry on it's ear with pricing not seen since 1995! click on the headline above to go to the front page story from today's National Post
Test Drive: The 2008 Subaru Impreza STi
Take a ride on the wild side in the amazingly refined all new 305HP Subaru Impreza STi!
click the headline to jump to a very informative test drive.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Shocker: 2008 Consumer Reports, Hyundai topples Honda and Toyota!
For the first time ever a Korean car is the top choice by Consumer Reports in not just one, but two categories. The Elantra knocks off perennial #1, the Honda Civic and the Santa Fe topples the Toyota Highlander!
Also, significant is that Subaru is one of only two car companies with which every model has been chosen as a "Best Pick"!
Click on the headline above for more info.
Monday, March 24, 2008
2008 C30 Test Drive Report
Here is a recent test drive report that really captures the unique essence of what this amazing little car really is. It started out as the Safety Concept Car. A way for Volvo to prove that "small car doesn't mean small safety". The doors on this car are as thick as on our XC90! Stop in and take our demo home for the night, it will change the way you think that a small car should feel. But first read this story:
The Plug In Subaru
Subaru takes a bite out of the Big Apple with a fully functioning practical electric car:
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200803201401/FREE/326401648
Friday, March 21, 2008
2010 Genesis Coupe!
Find out more about the hit of the LA and New York Auto Show at these links:http://thegenesiscoupe.com/
http://www.gencoupe.com/
The Amazing 2009 Forester!
On Tues. Mar.
18th I was lucky enough to spend the day going through the all new Forester from top to bottom. I was also able to drive it in it's natural element, crappy, rainy, sleety weather on twistiest roads that you can find on the Niagara Escarpment. As a matter of fact we had to reroute because of a road that had been blocked from the hillside giving out!
So what word describes the new Forester best: Better, much better (Ok, that's 3 words). If you loved the old Forester, you'll love the new Forester much more. If the old Forester wasn't for you, the new Forester definitely is. It is bigger inside, much bigger, especially the rear seat leg room and the cargo area. We are now on par or ahead of every other mid size SUV out there. Four full size adults will travel very comfortably for long distances in the new Forester. Kids or animals, noooo problem.
Subaru Canada had provided us with a new RAV4, CRV, Saturn Vue, Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan Vogue to push, pull, twist and compare with. Let's be honest here, there are very few bad vehicles sold today and all of those five are very respected SUV's. I can tell you that in a world full of compromises, the 2009 Subaru Forester provides the best overall package in it's competitive group.
The styling is excellent, this looks like a real SUV now. Gone is the wagon like profile. Nothing freaky here, just great lines from front to back.
The ride is drastically improved with the new platform, increased wheelbase, wider track, improved ground clearance, muli link rear suspension, more comfortable seats with improved lumbar support, tilt telescoping steering wheel and improved seating materials. Just a much nicer driving experience.
It's quieter, a lot quieter, the new fully framed windows with extra seals along with added sound deadener, retuned suspension and engine mounts and a litany of other improvements make this one of the quietest SUV's on the market.
What about all the things that the Forester was already great at. Sorry to disappoint all the old school people out there but it is better again! I've had a 2003 Forester and a 2005 Forester, I've done my time and this is a whole new standard.
Better safety, both dynamic safety (the stuff that keeps you out of an accident), improved brakes, electronic brake assistance, electronic brake distribution, more responsive steering (handles more like a sport sedan than an SUV), Vehicle Dynamics Control (essentially an electronic aid that makes a Subaru stop, go and steer the way you want it to even in the worst weather and under emergency situations that Subaru has perfected to an art). A vehicle equipped with VDC has been proven to reduce the chances of an accident by 35%. If you don't believe me, check out what the current issue of Consumer Reports has to say about the value of VDC.
Crash safety, hey we are talking about the SUV that was already the "Best Pick" by the IIHS. So now we have standard side curtain airbags in all models, dual chamber seat mounted side airbags designed purposely for the individual requirements of your torso and your hip/thigh area. Overall a much more protective body structure with advanced Ring Shaped Structure support at each major pillar and in the roof structure.
So let me bash the competition momentarily here. The Subaru Forester passes car safety standards, not SUV standards. For instance the incredibly popular RAV4 does not have real bumpers. Go to a dealership and reach underneath the plastice bumper covers, there is nothing structural there. Does that have something to do with the fact that Subaru's are cheap to insure, you betcha!
So what happened to the visibility, well it is better also. How can that be, it is bigger and sleeker? Well this is Subaru and their standards are higher than everyone else's. How so? More glass area, not less, higher seating position, bigger side view mirrors. Most importantly Subaru has always had a standard for the Forester that you can see a child that is one meter high from no greater than one meter distance from the vehicle. No other SUV comes close to that.
That legendary turning radius? Still there because with the wider track width the wheels have more room to turn from lock to lock than the older narrower body style.
Before I go on for too long I'll throw in these last few perks, how about increased torque and hp, improved towing capacity, bigger doors that open wider, more ground clearance, better audio systems with std iPod output, more headroom front and back, more 12v outlets, greatly improved instrument cluster with blue hued lighting, a smoother shifting transmission with a quieter engine, still runs on regular fuel and the fuel economy of the new bigger Forester will be unchanged from the old one!
So after all of that the only question left is, what colour would you like!
Cheers, Glen
18th I was lucky enough to spend the day going through the all new Forester from top to bottom. I was also able to drive it in it's natural element, crappy, rainy, sleety weather on twistiest roads that you can find on the Niagara Escarpment. As a matter of fact we had to reroute because of a road that had been blocked from the hillside giving out!So what word describes the new Forester best: Better, much better (Ok, that's 3 words). If you loved the old Forester, you'll love the new Forester much more. If the old Forester wasn't for you, the new Forester definitely is. It is bigger inside, much bigger, especially the rear seat leg room and the cargo area. We are now on par or ahead of every other mid size SUV out there. Four full size adults will travel very comfortably for long distances in the new Forester. Kids or animals, noooo problem.
Subaru Canada had provided us with a new RAV4, CRV, Saturn Vue, Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan Vogue to push, pull, twist and compare with. Let's be honest here, there are very few bad vehicles sold today and all of those five are very respected SUV's. I can tell you that in a world full of compromises, the 2009 Subaru Forester provides the best overall package in it's competitive group.
The styling is excellent, this looks like a real SUV now. Gone is the wagon like profile. Nothing freaky here, just great lines from front to back.
The ride is drastically improved with the new platform, increased wheelbase, wider track, improved ground clearance, muli link rear suspension, more comfortable seats with improved lumbar support, tilt telescoping steering wheel and improved seating materials. Just a much nicer driving experience.
It's quieter, a lot quieter, the new fully framed windows with extra seals along with added sound deadener, retuned suspension and engine mounts and a litany of other improvements make this one of the quietest SUV's on the market.
What about all the things that the Forester was already great at. Sorry to disappoint all the old school people out there but it is better again! I've had a 2003 Forester and a 2005 Forester, I've done my time and this is a whole new standard.
Better safety, both dynamic safety (the stuff that keeps you out of an accident), improved brakes, electronic brake assistance, electronic brake distribution, more responsive steering (handles more like a sport sedan than an SUV), Vehicle Dynamics Control (essentially an electronic aid that makes a Subaru stop, go and steer the way you want it to even in the worst weather and under emergency situations that Subaru has perfected to an art). A vehicle equipped with VDC has been proven to reduce the chances of an accident by 35%. If you don't believe me, check out what the current issue of Consumer Reports has to say about the value of VDC.
Crash safety, hey we are talking about the SUV that was already the "Best Pick" by the IIHS. So now we have standard side curtain airbags in all models, dual chamber seat mounted side airbags designed purposely for the individual requirements of your torso and your hip/thigh area. Overall a much more protective body structure with advanced Ring Shaped Structure support at each major pillar and in the roof structure.
So let me bash the competition momentarily here. The Subaru Forester passes car safety standards, not SUV standards. For instance the incredibly popular RAV4 does not have real bumpers. Go to a dealership and reach underneath the plastice bumper covers, there is nothing structural there. Does that have something to do with the fact that Subaru's are cheap to insure, you betcha!
So what happened to the visibility, well it is better also. How can that be, it is bigger and sleeker? Well this is Subaru and their standards are higher than everyone else's. How so? More glass area, not less, higher seating position, bigger side view mirrors. Most importantly Subaru has always had a standard for the Forester that you can see a child that is one meter high from no greater than one meter distance from the vehicle. No other SUV comes close to that.
That legendary turning radius? Still there because with the wider track width the wheels have more room to turn from lock to lock than the older narrower body style.
Before I go on for too long I'll throw in these last few perks, how about increased torque and hp, improved towing capacity, bigger doors that open wider, more ground clearance, better audio systems with std iPod output, more headroom front and back, more 12v outlets, greatly improved instrument cluster with blue hued lighting, a smoother shifting transmission with a quieter engine, still runs on regular fuel and the fuel economy of the new bigger Forester will be unchanged from the old one!
So after all of that the only question left is, what colour would you like!
Cheers, Glen
Welcome to Glen's Blog!
Mar. 21, 2008
My goal with this space is to provide a frequently updated place for you to gain insight into the auto industry in general as well as our favourite cars (Hyundai, Subaru and Volvo) and Glen Fenwick Motors!
Being a bit of an information junky, I will be posting links to things that I find interesting, relevant or hopefully just funny.
I look forward to your feedback and anything that you may contribute to this blog!
Cheers, Glen
My goal with this space is to provide a frequently updated place for you to gain insight into the auto industry in general as well as our favourite cars (Hyundai, Subaru and Volvo) and Glen Fenwick Motors!
Being a bit of an information junky, I will be posting links to things that I find interesting, relevant or hopefully just funny.
I look forward to your feedback and anything that you may contribute to this blog!
Cheers, Glen
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