Friday, October 17, 2014 Richmond Review · Page 13

What’s Better than sunshine, lollipops & rainbows?

OUR BLOG . . . seriously. Check it out blog.blackpress4good.comShowcasing heartfelt community stories from around the province.

Safety Tip:Roundabouts can improve road safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. A few tips: yield to traffi c already inside the roundabout; keep moving once in the roundabout; signal a right turn before you exit; and yield

to pedestrians and cyclists crossing the entry/exit lanes.

Question of the WeekThe government’s EnerGuide says its fuel consumption estimates are now based on more real world tests. Have you ever come close to getting the kind of fuel consumption estimated for your current vehicle?

OF THE WEEK!

?QUESTION

Go to DrivewayCanada.ca to submit your answer.

follow us…

/Driveway

@DrivewayCanada

DrivewayCanada.ca | Welcome to the driver’s seat

If you have to haul, do it in styleDEL MAR, California.It’s a quintessential SoCal (Southern California) morning.The marine layer is in full effect; blocking a would-be gorgeous sunrise. Yet that doesn’t stop avid sports enthusiasts from taking a run along the beach. Or taking to the water for some morning wave action.Nor does it stop couples from walking arm-in-arm, with their hands occupied by their morning coffee, and their midsize breed of pooch following close by. However, something does turn their heads.A host of all-new 2015 midsize trucks have them perplexed. They’ve nev-er seen these kinds of Canyons or Colorados gracing the streets before and wonder what all the commotion is about.Then again, it’s not uncommon to see midsized trucks in this part of the world. In fact, they’re a dime a dozen. Most are outfitted with surf racks, toolboxes or have gear loaded in the bed. They are put to good use.Anita Burke, GM’s chief vehicle engineer of midsize trucks, explained what makes this category of relatively small truck popular. The versatility and usability of these trucks appeal to small business owners, families or even outdoor lovers.

With a 12.5-metre turn-ing radius – which we put to the test when we want to make a U-turn to take some photos – it’s quite impressive. Furthermore, it’s the all-in-one midsize truck without compromise. It has the segment’s best horsepower thanks to two great engines. The first being a 2.5L, 4-cylinder with 200 hp and 191 lb-ft of torque, the next being a 3.6L, V6 with 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are paired to

a 6-speed automatic transmission; a 6-speed manual is available on select extended cab 2WD modelsCome 2015, a 2.8L Duramax Turbo-Die-sel is scheduled to join in the engine lineup.Want to tow a couple of dirt bikes, or mount a couple of kayaks on the rear? Sure! Not a problem. As I drove through Del Mar with a trailer hitched to the back that carried two incredibly clean dirt bikes, I barely felt they were there. The V6-endowed Chevy Colorado (or GMC Canyon) tows up to 3,175 kg (7,000 lbs.) with the trailering package, so it has ample oomph to get it up some tough grades without breaking a sweat.When you want to access the bed – regardless of trim – they all come with

a standard CornerStep rear bumper. You’ll also find 13 standard tie-down locations throughout the bed that you can use with available, movable cargo tie-down rings.Furthermore, the 2015 Colorado’s con-figurations are available in an extended cab model with a 6-foot bed, a crew cab with a 5-foot bed and a crew cab with a 6-foot bed. With the tailgate down, the 6-foot bed allows hauling of 8-foot-long items.Even though both trucks are built on GM’s Global mid-size truck platform, they are targeted at two different buyers.The GMC Canyon has more upscale features and a lavish cabin – some-thing I wouldn’t have said before when it comes to midsize trucks – while the Colorado is more utilitarian in nature. No matter how you slice it, both of these trucks have impressive features.One is its quietness. Whether driving

the four or six-cylinder variants, no rattles, bangs or buzzing were heard. I actually couldn’t believe my ears as to how serene the cabin was. I guess the triple door seals are doing their job and doing it well.The transmission had a smoothness to it and the 8-inch touchscreen featuring Text Messaging Alerts and Siri Eyes Free are a bonus.If you’re just hauling yourself, or a pair of jet skis around back, the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado can do the job. And they do it very well. Pricing for the Chevrolet Colorado starts at an MSRP of $19,900 for the four-cylinder with the extended cab. The GMC Canyon has a starting MSRP of $20,600 (both exclude a destination charge of $1,695).

Visit www.gm.ca for more informationAlexandra.straub@drivewaybc.ca

‘‘The versatility and usability of these trucks appeal to small business owners, families or even outdoor lovers.’’Alexandra Straub

Visit the 2015 GMC gallery at DrivewayCanada.ca

If you’re just hauling yourself, or a If you’re just hauling yourself, or a pair of jet skis around back, the GMC pair of jet skis around back, the GMC

Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado can do Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado can do the job. And they do it very well. the job. And they do it very well.

Alexandra StraubAlexandra Straub

Page 14 · Richmond Review Friday, October 17, 2014

SEMI-MONTHLY SAVES YOU UP TO 11 PAYMENTS! Learn why we're better than bi-weekly at: ToyotaBC.ca

FREE FIRST OR LAST PAYMENT . Monthly or Semi-Monthly payment options . Standard or Low Kilometre Lease . No Security Deposit

FREE FIRS

‡ ‡ ‡

FINANCE FROM‡

0.9% per month/72 mos.

OR GET UP TO ‡‡

$7,500 CASH BACK

LIMITED MODEL SHOWN

RAV4 2014 FWD LE MSRP $27,385 MSRP includes F+PDI

D Cab SR5 MODEL SHOWN

TUNDRA2014 FWD LE MSRP $40,640 MSRP includes F+PDI

FINANCE FROM†

0.9% per month/72 mos.

OR GET UP TO††

$2,000 CASH BACK

HURRY FOR BIG SAVINGS ON REMAINING 2014 MODELS

T o y o t a B C . c a

PLEA

SE R

EAD

THE F

INE P

RINT

: Offe

rs va

lid un

til O

ctob

er 31

, 201

4. Se

e toy

ota.

ca fo

r com

plete

deta

ils on

all c

ash b

ack o

ffers

. In th

e eve

nt of

any d

iscre

panc

y or i

ncon

siste

ncy b

etw

een T

oyot

a pric

es, r

ates

and/

or o

ther

info

rmat

ion co

ntain

ed on

toyo

tabc

.ca an

d tha

t con

taine

d on t

oyot

a.ca

, the

latte

r sha

ll pre

vail.

Erro

rs an

d omi

ssion

s exc

epte

d. 20

14 C

amry

Sed

an LE

Aut

omat

ic BF

1FLT

-C M

SRP i

s $25

,495

and i

nclud

es $1

,745

freigh

t and

pre

-deli

very

insp

ectio

n, tir

e lev

y, ba

ttery

levy

and a

ir co

nditi

oning

levy

. *Le

ase e

xam

ple: 2

014 C

amry

Sed

an LE

Aut

omat

ic BF

1FLT

-C M

SRP i

s $24

,995

, inclu

des $

1,745

freig

ht/P

DI ($

500 T

oyot

a Can

ada L

ease

Ass

ist, w

hich i

s ded

ucte

d fro

m th

e neg

otia

ted s

elling

pric

e afte

r tax

es) le

ased

at 0

.9%

ove

r 60 m

onth

s with

$2,

325 d

own p

aym

ent e

quals

120 s

emi-m

onth

ly pa

ymen

ts of

$11

4 with

a to

tal le

ase o

bliga

tion o

f $1

6,00

5. Le

ase 6

0 mos

. bas

ed o

n 100

,000

km, e

xces

s km

char

ge is

$.0

7. **

Finan

ce e

xam

ple: 0

.9%

fina

nce f

or 8

4 mon

ths,

upon

cred

it ap

prov

al, a

vaila

ble o

n 201

4 Cam

ry S

edan

LE A

utom

atic

BF1F

LT-C

. App

licab

le ta

xes a

re e

xtra

. ***

Up to

$32

00 N

on-S

tack

able

Cash

Bac

k ava

ilable

on s

elect

2014

Cam

ry m

odels

. $25

00 n

on-s

tack

able

cash

bac

k ava

ilable

on t

he 2

014 C

amry

Sed

an LE

Aut

omat

ic BF

1FLT

-C. 2

014 R

AV4 F

WD

LE

Auto

mat

ic ZF

REVT

-BM

MSR

P is $

27,3

85 an

d inc

ludes

$1,8

15 fr

eight

and p

re-d

elive

ry in

spec

tion,

tire l

evy,

batte

ry le

vy an

d air

cond

ition

ing ch

arge

. †Fin

ance

exam

ple: 0

.9%

finan

ce fo

r 72 m

onth

s, up

on cr

edit

appr

oval,

avail

able

on 2

014 R

AV4 F

WD

LE A

utom

atic

ZFRE

VT-B

M. A

pplic

able

taxe

s are

extra

. ††$

1,000

cash

bac

k ava

ilable

on 2

014 R

AV4 F

WD

LE A

utom

atic.

Up t

o $20

00 N

on-S

tack

able

Cash

Bac

k ava

ilable

on se

lect

20

14 R

AV4 m

odels

. 201

4 Tun

dra D

ouble

Cab

SR5

4.6

L SR5

Plus

4x4 A

utom

atic

UM5F

1T-C

MSR

P is $

40,6

40 an

d inc

ludes

$1,8

15 fr

eight

and p

re-d

elive

ry in

spec

tion,

tire l

evy,

batte

ry le

vy an

d air

cond

ition

ing ch

arge

. ‡Fin

ance

exam

ple: 0

.9%

finan

ce fo

r 72 m

onth

s, up

on cr

edit

appr

oval,

avail

able

on 2

014 T

undr

a Dou

ble C

ab S

R5 4

.6L S

R5 P

lus 4x

4 Aut

omat

ic UM

5F1T

-C. A

pplic

able

taxe

s are

extra

. ‡‡U

p to $

7500

Non

-Sta

ckab

le Ca

sh B

ack a

vaila

ble on

sele

ct 20

14 Tu

ndra

mod

els. N

on-s

tack

able

cash

back

on 2

014 T

undr

a Dou

ble C

ab S

R5 4.

6L S

R5 Pl

us 4x

4 Aut

omat

ic UM

5F1T

-C is

$55

00. A

pplic

able

taxe

s are

extra

. Dow

n pay

men

t, fir

st se

mi-m

onth

ly pa

ymen

t and

secu

rity d

epos

it plu

s GST

and P

ST on

first

paym

ent a

nd fu

ll dow

n pay

men

t are

due a

t lea

se in

cept

ion. A

secu

rity d

epos

it is

not r

equir

ed on

appr

oval

of cr

edit.

Non

-sta

ckab

le Ca

sh B

ack o

ffers

m

ay no

t be c

ombin

ed w

ith To

yota

Fina

ncial

Ser

vices

(TFS

) leas

e or fi

nanc

e rat

es. If

you w

ould

like t

o lea

se or

finan

ce at

stan

dard

TFS r

ates

(not

the a

bove

spec

ial ra

tes),

then

you m

ay be

Oct

ober

31, 2

014.

Cash

ince

ntive

s inc

lude t

axes

and a

re ap

plied

afte

r tax

es ha

ve be

en ch

arge

d on t

he fu

ll am

ount

of th

e neg

otia

ted p

rice.

See t

oyot

a.ca

for c

omple

te de

tails

on al

l cas

h bac

k offe

rs. †

††Se

mi-m

onth

ly le

ase o

ffer a

vaila

ble th

roug

h To

yota

Fina

ncial

Ser

vices

on ap

prov

ed cr

edit

to qu

alifie

d ret

ail cu

stom

ers o

n mos

t 24,

36, 4

8 and

60 m

onth

leas

es of

new

and d

emon

stra

tor T

oyot

a veh

icles

. Firs

t sem

i-mon

thly

paym

ent d

ue at

leas

e inc

eptio

n and

next

mon

thly

paym

ent d

ue ap

prox

imat

ely 1

5 day

s lat

er an

d sem

i-mon

thly

ther

eafte

r thr

ough

out t

he te

rm. T

oyot

a Fina

ncial

Ser

vices

will

waiv

e the

final

paym

ent.

Semi

-mon

thly

leas

e offe

r can

be co

mbin

ed w

ith m

ost

othe

r offe

rs ex

cludin

g the

Firs

t Pay

men

t Fre

e and

Enco

re of

fers

. Firs

t Pay

men

t Fre

e offe

r is va

lid fo

r elig

ible T

FS Le

ase R

enew

al cu

stom

ers o

nly.

Toyo

ta se

mi-m

onth

ly le

ase p

rogr

am ba

sed o

n 24 p

aym

ents

per y

ear, o

n a 60

-mon

th le

ase,

equa

ls 12

0 pay

men

ts, w

ith th

e fina

l 120

th pa

ymen

t waiv

ed by

Toyo

ta Fi

nanc

ial S

ervic

es. C

ompe

titive

bi-w

eekly

leas

e pro

gram

s bas

ed on

26 pa

ymen

ts pe

r yea

r, on a

60-m

onth

leas

e, eq

uals

130

paym

ents

. Not

open

to em

ploye

es of

Toyo

ta C

anad

a, To

yota

Fina

ncial

Ser

vices

or T

MM

C/TM

MC

Vehic

le Pu

rcha

se Pl

an. S

ome c

ondit

ions a

pply.

See

your

Toyo

ta de

aler f

or co

mple

te de

tails

. Visi

t you

r Toy

ota B

C De

aler o

r ww

w.to

yota

bc.ca

for m

ore d

etail

s. So

me c

ondit

ions a

pply;

offe

rs ar

e tim

e lim

ited a

nd m

ay ch

ange

with

out n

otice

. Dea

ler m

ay le

ase/

sell f

or le

ss.

SE MODEL SHOWN

CAMRY 2014 SEDAN LE $25,495 MSRP includes F+PDI

LEASE FROM*

$114 semi-monthly/60 mos.

OR FINANCE FROM**

0.9% per month/84 mos.

OR GET UP TO ***

$3,200 CASH BACK

FI

per monmonntthh/72hh/ mos. CASCASSSCASSCASSSSHH BAH BAH BABAH CKCK CK CK

JIM PATTISON TOYOTADOWNTOWN

1290 Burrard Street(604) 682-8881

30692

JIM PATTISON TOYOTA NORTH SHORE

849 Auto Mall Drive(604) 985-0591

18732

LANGLEY TOYOTATOWNLANGLEY

20622 Langley Bypass(604) 530-3156

9497

OPENROAD TOYOTARICHMOND

Richmond Auto Mall(604) 273-3766

7825

DESTINATION TOYOTABURNABY

4278 Lougheed Highway(604) 571-4350

9374

SUNRISE TOYOTAABBOTSFORD

Fraser Valley Auto Mall(604) 857-2657

5736

WEST COAST TOYOTAPITT MEADOWS

19950 Lougheed Highway(866) 910-9543

7662

SQUAMISH TOYOTASQUAMISH

39150 Queens Way(604) 567-8888

31003

GRANVILLE TOYOTAVANCOUVER

8265 Fraser Street(604) 263-2711

6978

JIM PATTISON TOYOTASURREY

15389 Guildford Drive(604) 495-4100

6701

OPENROAD TOYOTAPORT MOODY

3166 St. John’s Street(604) 461-3656

7826

PEACE ARCH TOYOTASOUTH SURREY

3174 King George Highway(604) 531-2916

30377

REGENCY TOYOTAVANCOUVER401 Kingsway(604) 879-8411

8507

VALLEY TOYOTACHILLIWACK

8750 Young Road(604) 792-1167

8176

WESTMINSTER TOYOTANEW WESTMINSTER

210 - 12th Street(604) 520-3333

8531

drivewayPopular Toyota Camry undergoes major update

by Zack Spencer

Charlotte, NC – The launch for the heavily updated Toyota Camry took place here in the heart of NASCAR country.

The car is Toyota’s corner-stone in the United States, thanks in part to the as-sociation the brand and the car has with the immensely popular NASCAR series and the long reputation it has for reliability and value. It is the most popular passenger car in North America and num-ber one in the United States. However, that is not the case in Canada, where it lies third in the Toyota lineup behind the Corolla and RAV4.Looks

When a car is typically refreshed, the designers add a new front bumper, grille headlights and rear taillights and call it a day. Not the case here, the 2015 Toyota Camry has all-new sheet metal, providing a sleeker and more eye-catching design. The wheelbase remains the same length but the track, side-to-side has been widened for more stability. The overall length is only slightly longer, in the nose, to help achieve the more polished look. The interesting thing is this new more youthful design actually makes the car look smaller, mostly due to the less slab-sided look used in the previous car and the tightly wrapped lines and shapes. This is now a very nice looking car but from about fifty paces the new Camry looks very similar to the new Corolla, which was refreshed last year and is selling very well. There is a new trim level in the Camry lineup, the XSE, sportier looking trim that enabled Toyota to lower the price of the, still sporty, SE trim by $2,000 to $24,990. In addition the SE trim has been added to the Hybrid model, enabling buyers of that efficient car to also enjoy a more distinctive design. Inside

Inside, the refresh focuses more on ease of use and refined materials. The top of the dash is the only carry-over part, which is still a soft touch material with French stitching. What has been added is faux suede on the doors with the ability to get two-tone seats in the Camry, also with faux suede, but the updated seats are only in the new XSE trim. The centre stack now has big-ger buttons and rotary dials for ease of use, a welcome update for older buyers. To appeal to younger intenders, the Camry has the latest con-nectivity and on the top XLE

models a wireless charging system in the centre cubby but the phone either needs a special sleeve or integrated wireless charging technology. Plus, there is a new screen between the speedo and tachometer for a quick refer-ence of the radio, navigation or phone calls. These are all welcome updates but the major competitor for this car is the Honda Accord and the interior on that car is much more upscale and techno-logically advanced, with two screens and a higher end feel.Drive

Not just happy to make a more appealing looking car, the engineers also went about improving the ride, handling and noise inside the car. The track of the wheels has been widened and the lower end models also get wider wheels for improved feedback but the biggest change is to the steering feel. The Camry is equipped with electric power steering and these systems have been notorious for poor feedback to the driver. This new 2015 Camry is a big step foreword. Straight-line stability has been improved and the car, with a more rigid platform and slightly stiffer springs and shocks, is now sending good feedback to the driver. To highlight this, a stock off-the-showroom 2015 Camry, with regular tires was used at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for hot laps. With a pro NASCAR driver at the wheel, this new sedan easily navigated around the oval at speeds over 200 km/h. No fuss, no problem. Not some-thing anyone in a road-going Camry will experience but a good demonstration.Verdict

What haven’t been updat-ed are the engine and trans-mission choices. The same 178hp 2.5L 4-cylinder with a 6-speed automatic does duty along with an optional 3.5L V6 putting out 268hp. Yes, this is known equipment and these engines have a proven record but with Honda and other providing direct injec-tion engines and new slick transmissions, it might be safe to go with “tried and true” but at some point these engines will require upgrades or replacements. As it stands, this is much more than a regular mid-cycle facelift. The 2015 Camry looks much better, drives with more confidence and has a pleasant interior. With the help of NASCAR, the Camry will remain a North American staple, this time with a lot more style.zack.spencer@drivewaybc.ca

The 2015 Toyota Camry has all-new sheet metal, providing a sleeker and more eye-catching design.

‘‘Not just happy to make a more appealing looking car, the engineers also went about improving the ride, handling and noise inside the car.’’Zack Spencer

Friday, October 17, 2014 Richmond Review · Page 15

–HOURS: Mon Thurs 8:30am to 8:00pm, Fri & Sat 9am to 6pm, Sunday 11am 5pmto

13580 SMALLWOOD PLACESales 604•273•7331Service 604•273•7729www.richportford.com

9

BC’s BIGGESTUSED CAR SALE!BC’s BIGGESTUSED CAR SALE!PREMIUM PRE-OWNED VEHICLES AT RICHPORT FORD2014 FORD MUSTANG

CONVFULLY LOADED, HEATED LEATHER,3.5L V6, AUTO, REV SENSORS,

25,600 KMS

$25,888#C213681

2011 FORD FLEXSEL AWD

HEATED SEATS, REVERSE SENSORS,HEATED SEATS, NAVIGATION,

75,600 KMS

$24,888#X20938

2013 FORD ESCAPESEL 4WD

ALLOY WHEELS, NAVIGATION,MOONROOF, TOW, 35,200 KMS

$29,888#X27296

2012 FORD F150XTR 4X4

5.0L V8, BOXLINER,REVERSE SENSORS, SEATS 6!

56,900 KMS

$28,888#T17114

2012 CHRYSLER300 TOURING

3.6L V6, LEATHER, ALLOYS,FOG LAMPS, 28,500 KMS

$20,888#C110418

2012 FORDESCAPE XLT

CLOTH SEATS, 3.0L V6, FOG LAMPS,SYNC, 41,200 KMS

$20,888#T45808

2011 HYUNDAISANTA FE SPORT

MOONROOF, HEATED LEATHER,BLUETOOTH, 77,800 KMS

$20,000#T12366

2010 TOYOTAMATRIX AWD

AUTO, TRACTION CONTROL,POWER GROUP, 57,600 KMS

$14,333#C012698

2008 FORD RANGERSPORT 4X2

5 SPEED, FOG LAMPS, A/C, BOXLINER,CD PLAYER, 57,600 KMS

$12,888#T94210

2012 FORD F150PLATINUM 4X4

3.5L ECOBOOST V6, NAVIGATION,LOADED! 59,200 KMS

$36,888#T44373

2014 FORD MUSTANGGT CONV

5.0L V8, AUTO, HEATED LEATHER,SYNC, SENSORS, 14,000 KMS

$33,888#C222841

2010 CHEVROLETEQUINOX LS AWD

SPORT CLOTH SEATS, ALLOYS,FRONT/SIDE/ROOF AIRBAGS

70,000 KMS

$16,888#T31290

2009 PONTIACMONTANA SV6

LOW KMS, REAR DVD, CD, QUADCAPTAINS SEATS, 70,000 KMS

$10,888#T04727

2008 MITSUBISHIECLIPSE SPYDER

AUTO, SEATS 4, ALLOYS, PREMIUMSTEREO, 113,200 KMS

$11,000#C601487

2012 DODGE RAM1500 4X4

5.7L HEMI V8, POLISHED WHEELS,BUCKET SEATS, MINT! 32,100 KMS

$28,888#T39943

2014 FORD FUSIONTITANIUM AWD

FULLY LOADED WITH NAVIGATION,SYNC AND MORE! 12,500 KMS

$29,888#C215356

2011 FORD ESCAPELIMITED 4WD

NAVIGATION, PARK ASSIST,MOONROOF, 76,300 KMS

$21,888#T42419

2012 FORDFOCUS SE

AUTO, ALLOYS, SPOILER, SYNC,42,500 KMS

$16,000#C136638

2007 FORD FUSION SE 2011 DODGE DURANGO CREW 4X4AUTO, A/C, POWER GROUP,LOW KMS 77,700 KMS

BLUETOOTH, SEATS 7, REAR CLIMATE,ALLOYS, 84,000 KMS

$9,588 $30,888#C118318 #T42397

2014 DODGE JOURNEYLIMITED

SEATS 7, BLUETOOTH, ALLOYS,MOONROOF, 12,100 KMS

$26,888#T43954

2011 NISSAN ROUGESL AWD

FULLY LOADED, NAVIGATION,MOONROOF, 62,600 KMS

$19,888#T72545

2008 FORDESCAPE XLT

AUTO, A/C, POWER GROUP, FOGLAMPS, 131,300 KMS

$12,888#T93783

2008 FORDESCAPE XLT

FOG LAMPS, CARGO COVER, CD,POWER GROUP, 85,000 KMS

$13,888#T89114

2014 FORD EXPLORERXLT 4WD

NAVIGATION, HEATED LEATHER,MOONROOF, SENSORS, 12,000 KMS

$39,888#T03117

2014 FORD EXPEDITIONLIMITED 4X4

HEATED/COOLED LEATHER, REVERSECAMERA/SENSORS, NAV, 11,000 KMS

$51,888#T12520

Prices do not include $399 Documentation fee and taxes. Limited time offer.

11,00,ORX

1 000 #T39 43$ 8,8FORDPE T

$28 88 2

2

8 #C8 5

0 RXL

3

1 FO

,8$2D EXPLO4WD

888ER 2

2419

01LIM

1UPOY0

4,333BYD,K

$142

EX

5. HEUC T!

10

2 DG4

L LIKET MI

8 #T

,S

2014TITATT

ULLYLL LOASYNC AN

$36,888ONIDOR

36,88RDUWIT ONE! MS

2284

201

AVAAMO

TWNTROL,

24,888YOAC7,600 KMS

27

2 RAX

PE S, ACD PLAYER,A 5

00 DT

D FOG LAM

88 T171

GE

BKM

20PLCOOA

R

XL L

#

2

5 0L V8 AUTOSYNC SENS

$ $

OXOP,PP

$

DCOES

$

TSL3

$

DDP7

$

FPE1

EEDLES,

28,88FTODE

ORD 50NS ON!

Page 16 · Richmond Review Friday, October 17, 2014

(Q=) I phoned a private seller and they said they only take cash. Is this normal? Thanks, A Bit Concerned

(A=) Hi A Bit Concerned, Of course it is! How else can you cheat on the taxes and avoid bank fees???  I insist on cash for all my deals. Your buddy, Walt

Buying a used vehicle?

Bad idea!!!

Walt is wrong .

Find real advice at

WatchoutforWalt.com

AskWaltNOT

p!

In partnership with

Introducing the New Save.ca Mobile Cash-Back Feature. With exclusive offers for the brands you love & $5 cash-out minimums

through PayPal, you’ll never go shopping without your smart phone again!

1. Browse & ShopBrowse the mobile app

for your favourite brand’s offers, and purchase

them at any store

2. Upload Receipt Take a photo of your receipt and submit it

through the app

3. Get Cash Back! Once you reach just $5, the money you save will be transferred into your

PayPal wallet

Your ICBC one-stop collision repair facility

TRISTAR COLLISION#160-12440 Vulcan Way, Richmond

(604) 821-1133Just behind the Richmond Home Depot

driveway

by Rob Rothwell

New York, NY - Infiniti’s flagship Q70 sedan has undergone re-engineering to improve refinement and road characteristics while also exhibiting a striking design refortified end to end. Perhaps most noteworthy for 2015 is the availability of a segment-exclusive long wheelbase version denoted by an “L” affixed to the Q70’s badging.

With an additional 150 mm of stretch inserted into its rear seating area, the Q70L’s leather-lined cabin supplies limo-like legroom to its rear-seat luminary, and is the only sedan within its segment to offer expanded real estate. While a CEO may feel at home in the rear quarters of the Q70L, family buyers are bound to enjoy the stretch as well, which eases the burden of inserting kids into car seats.

Despite benefits of a lengthened cabin, the standard Q70 is expected to lead sales. And based on my day of driving both examples through the lush beauty of historic New Jersey, it was the regular-length car that delivered a perfect balance between sportiness and luxury.

And aghast I should say this, but the V6 engine in the Q70 Sport was my power plant of preference unless find-ing myself in the passing lane with tarmac running short. Left of the centre-line is where eight cylinders effortlessly outmatches six. Otherwise, the V6 is an exceptionally re-fined power plant, which pierced the bubble of contempt I harbour for V6 engines of less polish.

Displacing 3.7 litres, the DOHC V6 engine develops 330 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s rated under the government’s revised standards at 13.2L/100km city and 9.6L/100km highway. Infiniti’s liquid-smooth 5.6L V8 engine jacks performance considerably with the produc-tion of 416 horsepower and 414 lb.-ft. of torque, however, economy slips to 15L/100km city and 10.2L/100km highway.

Both engines are mated to Infiniti’s seven-speed auto-matic transmission combined with all-wheel-drive (AWD), which is a Canada-only conformity. I’m a proponent of AWD, so this limitation gets traction with me.

Final in the power triad is a hybrid arrangement utilizing a 3.5L V6 engine combined with a 50 kW electric motor.

Total available output is pegged at 360 horsepower – directed exclusively to the rear wheels. I didn’t have an opportunity to drive the Q70 Hybrid, which is rated at a thrifty 8.0L/100km city and 6.9L/100km highway.

Beautifully stitched leather and genuine Japanese Ash appliques greet the senses as one settles into the Q70’s driver’s seat. From the days of the storied Q45 sedan introduced in 1990 to today’s Q70 flagship, Infiniti cabins have always been top contenders in both quality and engineering.

Infiniti emphasizes user-friendliness in the functionality of its technology and the layout of controls and switch-gear, and such is the case in the new Q70. Yet there’s more tech here than ever before, and it’s largely designed to prevent collisions and protect occupants. Infiniti’s Safety Shield is the constellation of these programs. Highlighted among them is predictive forward collision warning paired with intelligent brake assist.

With a few quick seat and mirror adjustments, I was hurled into the thick of Manhattan traffic headed to the Holland Tunnel, which carries vehicles under the Hudson River on which Captain ‘Sully” Sullenberger safely landed his Airbus A320 after losing both engines due to multiple bird strikes. Far less stressful for me was the challenge of coping with Manhattan’s congested roads, which was made remarkably manageable by the Q70’s quiet cabin and its ability to blunt the incessant horn honking that is NYC.

Main takeaways from our New Jersey jaunt and return to New York via Bear Mountain State Park focus on the Q70’s underpinnings. The retuned suspension exploits the sweet spot between comfort and handling characteristics without generating suspension noise. In fact, the entire chassis feels unified and composed while delivering lively, engaging handling dynamics. Particularly worthy of praise is the Q70’s retuned steering, which delivers bright, clear messaging from street level.

The 2015 Infiniti Q70 and Q70L truly deserve the Big Apple’s spotlight. Though pricing has yet to be finalized for the Canadian market, expect it to be highly competi-tive, especially when Infiniti’s Safety Shield technology and the use of all-wheel-drive are factored into the mix.

by Bob McHugh

A new fuel consumption rating system kicks in for all 2015 mod-el year new cars and light trucks. The Government of Canada has finally approved the five-cycle test method, already used in the US since 2008. In general, those predicted fuel consump-tion figures on the EnerGuide label (on every new vehicle) will increase somewhere in the 10 to 20 per cent range, compared to a similar, or even identical, 2014 model year vehicle.

As before, vehicle manufactur-ers are required to submit fuel consumption data to the federal government based on controlled laboratory testing procedures. This is done in order to pro-duce results that are consistent and repeatable and includes the use of standardized fuels, test cycles and calculations. The underlying objec-tive is to give a Canadian consumer making a new vehicle purchase decision an accurate and reliable way to compare fuel consumption.

The three additional test cycles, added to the old two-cycle testing method, include cold temperature operation, air conditioner usage, and driving at higher speeds with more rapid acceleration and braking. Cars, roads and mo-toring habits have changed over the years and the new five-cycle test was designed to better simulate modern driving.

That said, and also as before, an owner’s actual on-road fuel consumption is still likely to be different, although closer to the new gov-ernment test numbers. Real life fuel consump-tion not only varies depending on how and where you drive, it can also change with traffic, the weather, after dark and a bunch of other less obvious factors.

If you want to check how your current vehicle would fare (and compare) in the five-cycle test, Natural Resources Canada (nrcan.gc.ca) has an online calculation tool that gives approximate fuel economy numbers for vehicles going all the way back to 1995. This is the web link: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/fcr-rcf/public/index-e.cfm

The more fuel a vehicle burns is directly related to the amount of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, it pumps out the tailpipe. So, not only does a more fuel efficient vehicle cost less to operate, it also has reduced environmental impact. Fuel economy now transcends the small car market and is an important concern for buyers in just about every vehicle market segment.

It’s also why fuel economy has become an increasingly important in the marketing of new vehicles, especially in the high-volume market segments. The car business is a highly

competitive one and, as you might expect, auto makers try to build vehicles that do well, and get low numbers, in the government fuel economy test. A few have even overstepped the credibility line (by mistake, of course) and have agreed to compensate vehicle owners, most notably Hyundai and Kia a couple of years ago, Ford and Lincoln more recently.

Major technological changes are also hap-pening in the fuel economy race. Smaller and more efficient gasoline engines are available, hybrid vehicle sales are taking off, plug-in hybrid vehicles are becoming more common and the pure electric vehicle is a competitive production reality. So, even the term “fuel con-sumption” may become obsolete, sometime in the future.

Right now, however, if you walk into a new car dealership showroom, you’ll probably find both 2014 and 2015 editions of the same model vehicle for sale, side-by-side. If you don’t notice the asterisked note under the EnerGuide fuel consumption figure on the 2015, it’s easy to assume that it’s a less fuel efficient vehicle and that’s almost certainly not correct.

The 2015 EnerGuide fuel consumption figure is simply more realistic and closer to what you’re likely to experience during day-to-day driving in the real world.

bob.mchugh@drivewaybc.ca

Infi niti has hit the ride-vs-handling sweet spot with the Q70

Making sense of new consumption rating system

‘‘The Government of Canada has finally approved the five-cycle test method, already used in the US since 2008.’’Bob McHugh

Infiniti’s Q70L 4-door flagship is the only long wheel-base sedan in its segment, making it a less expensive alternative for budget-driven CEOs.

Friday, October 17, 2014 Richmond Review · Page 17