On track to becoming a better driver
The goal is not to learn how to go faster, but to better understand the physics behind driving.
View ArticleThe magic of car camping
Bring a tarp to wrap around the open rear hatch if you have a crossover, and now you have a veranda. When you grow tired of the view, change it by turning the key and driving elsewhere.
View ArticleBumper-to-bumper safety
Have you noticed that the front end of new cars are starting to look similar? Our tastes aren't changing, it’s because of new safety regulations to help protect pedestrians in case of an accident.
View ArticleFascinating Ford factory facts
Long weekends every weekend, wear whatever you want, the robots that installed your windshield are nicknamed Blinker and Bumper, and guys, it smells SO good inside.
View ArticleA true hands-on experience
Know how automakers love telling us, “Never again remove your hands from the whee, everything can be controlled using our infotainment system!” I test it out, see if it’s actually possible.
View ArticleLiving the high life for a week
On the road or in a parking lot, driving a supercar means all eyes are on you always, whether you want it or not.
View ArticleA checklist no one ever wants to use
Your memory of the incident will become hazy as time passes, so open the voice recorder app and start narrating as you walk around, being as descriptive as possible.
View ArticleScreaming through Newfoundland's suburbs
Imagine a 300-year old town, roped off into a complex course that you race through at 100 km/h, with no chance of the police caring. That's the Targa Newfoundland Rally.
View ArticleCanada’s drivers have it easy
Is getting a drivers licence in Canada too easy? Compared to Germany it is, plus more expensive, time consuming and strict, and I like it.
View ArticleRidesharing hails controversy
Using your car to become a ridesharing service seems like a great way to make some extra cash, but the potential fines and legal headaches may not be worth it... for now.
View ArticleSinging the praises of two feet and a heartbeat
A recent study found those living in more walkable cities make 38% more money than those who don't.
View ArticleDispelling car hacking fears
Really, if you have someone chasing you who is so specialized in auto security, you have much bigger problems to worry about than your car being hacked.
View ArticleHydrogen is the new black gold
The vehicles that use this fuel source produce instant torque, can be fully-charged in about eight minutes, and their only emission is water.
View ArticleA rolling crime scene
It’s assumed the first instinct is to search the car for blood and hair, for physical DNA, but how about paying attention to the little things that could be clues.
View ArticleThe most wonderful time for car buyers
Right now, cars are discounted more than any other time of year, and it's a good time to buy, provided you're okay paying the hidden price.
View ArticleIn design, millimetres matter
Chatting with Ford's head designer Moray Callum, the gentleman who basically gives Ford its face. Turns out being an auto designer is a rather morbid job, and find out what makes him the most nuts.
View ArticleSharing some driving tricks, Part 2
I've accumulated a few tricks over the year, including keyless entry actually has a key, and using the seat heater to keep takeout warm. Got any to share? Send me yours and maybe see your name in print!
View ArticleTraffic jams can spread holiday rage
Here are some horror stories to help you cope, and if they don't work, try my traffic trick.
View ArticleRequired reading for car owners
It's basically a mildly-amusing comic book about the sophisticated, second most expensive item you own; why wouldn't you invest time into learning it? Bet the Index pages suck you in the most.
View ArticleFord finally fixes its SYNC software
Gone is the disaster that was MyFord Touch, and instead this new SYNC 3 version is rebuilt from the ground up, is intuitive, and its excellent over-the-air update capabilities pushes Ford to the front...
View ArticleJunking my Jetta
Despite my blind love for my 1999 VW Jetta, it was actually a lunch box. So using my mind trick I defeated my emotional attachment to an inanimate object, and said goodbye to my 8-year old car.
View ArticleNot all vehicle break-ins are bad
Confirmed - you still must break in a new car. And while babying the engine is antiquated advice (it's okay to punch it a little), use a relaxed driving style the first 3,000 km to protect the piston...
View ArticleCanada left out in the cold
Maybe your mind quickly jumped to blame the States like mine did, but that's not why. It’s because bringing one car to one country can involve modifying over 1,500 parts.
View ArticleTransform your car into a library
With the internet arriving in our dashes this year, now we can stream audiobooks into our dashes, and turn your car into a rolling library.
View ArticleParallel parking: Keri vs. machine
I conduct a test - is a human (me) or a machine (Ford Focus) better at parallel parking? It's been years since I tried this tech and wasn't impressed at the system's speed back then.
View ArticleThe sound of deception
It's a funny dichotomy actually - a quieter engine can be a more technologically advanced and efficient one.
View ArticleAll in the detail at auto shows
Speaking with the gentleman keeping Ferrari and Maserati polished, I learn it's a lengthily process that involves a mobile car wash, a lot of elbow grease, pre-stealing interior components and...
View ArticleYou down with OBD?
It's the mandatory-since-1996 port used to access the computer in your car, and we're about to hear a lot more about it as internet-enabled devices start to flood the market and allow us to make any...
View ArticleRedesign vs. refresh: what's the difference?
Despite the similar sounding terms, there's a huge difference. Use it to your advantage when buying a new car.
View ArticleA unique proposal for young drivers
Founded in 2011, ingenie is ready to try and repeat its U.K. success in Canada.
View ArticleHow a car is conceived
It's not with the designers like I thought, as Hayato Mori of Honda explains. The R&D process is the first step in building an all-new vehicle, second is managing polar opposite expectations.
View ArticleMandatory fun requires mandatory rules
Our passenger vehicles must be CMVSS compliant, and the following is a list of mandatory-by-law items I find most interesting.
View ArticleNew car design gets graphic
When a vehicle is moving towards you, and if its DRG is strong, then from a distance of about half a kilometre you’re able to identity the make and model.
View ArticleGame on for budding race car drivers
Nissan and PlayStation have opened their GT Academy to Canadians. So get unbelievably good at Gran Turismo 6 for a shot at being put behind the wheel of an actual race car.
View ArticleReviewing car reviews is a must
The goal is to arm yourself with information from a variety of sources, genders, and ages and sources. Here’s the methodology to do that.
View ArticleAn automotive column milestone
Looking back on my favourite moments and lines, inventions and topics, okay I tend to lecture, and the column that garnered zero comments is one I'm most proud of.
View ArticleWhere there's smoke ...
I thought when your car lights ablaze the vehicle’s built-in automatic fire suppression system kicks on and saves you but was I ever wrong, because there isn’t one.
View ArticleDrive-by decibels
Speaking with an audio expert if it's worth it to buy the audio system upgrade, how a siren will pierce through the cabin filled with music, can your ears really bleed, and the dumbest thing someone's...
View ArticleDon't strike out with your spare
When was the last time you checked your spare, though? I'm guessing probably never.
View ArticleHands-on with some hands-off driving
I texted while driving, and found it's an even worse idea than we already know it is.
View ArticleAll dressed up with somewhere to drive
Store a spare pair of sunglasses in the glovebox, because you can't see staring into the sun while headed west in the afternoon.
View ArticleMind your manners
I set out to write about ticketing slow drivers, but find out it's not them it's those driving more aggressively around them that's the problem, which can be further distilled to a lack of manners on...
View ArticleA trunk full of pet peeves
A collection of the features I find the most annoying, and borderline nuts, like Auto stop/start and lack of a volume knob. What feature bugs you the most?
View ArticleThe difficulty in defining luxury
At what point does a vehicle become a luxury model? It's trickier than first glance suggests.
View ArticleSophisticated thievery
Cars are being stolen by exploiting a once-luxury feature now found in new cars - keyless entry. The defence is to use a variation of an old cliche - the tinfoil hat.
View ArticleSteel perseveres amid competition
I’m always suspicious of fads that are adopted widely and quickly. So when I read about the shift in manufacturing from steel to aluminium, it’s with a raised eyebrow.
View ArticleDefeat road rage with these tricks
I rarely get worked up when stuck in traffic because over the years I’ve honed a few tricks. Try my tricks and send me yours!
View ArticleA Head-Up Display case
The technology debuted in fighter jets, tricked down to luxury vehicles and is now arriving in more affordable ones. It’s a holographic technology called HUD - Heads Up Display.
View ArticleInfrastructure the enemy of autonomous cars
It's the infrastructure that'll slow down autonomous cars.
View ArticleA goodbye wave in the rear-view mirror
We're parting ways this week, but before we do have a look at my Dream Fleet and send me yours and let's debate!
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