Ram’s new 1500 packed full of upgrades Review and photos by Budd Stanley   The rate of advancement within the automotive industry is likely no more fierce than it is in the full-size truck segment. In an era where the cost of operating a truck is skyrocketing, manufacturers are rapidly improving their products at a [...]

Story and photos by Gerry Frechette   Replacing what has been the Number One-selling compact crossover for eight years running with an entirely new vehicle is no small event in the Canadian auto marketplace, but that is what Ford is doing this year with the all-new Escape.   Gone is the traditional, boxy shape, V6 [...]

The Honda CR-V quietly does its job, well Story by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Honda Canada   If I had five cents for every person that comes up to me and asks, “Budd, I want a Crossover that can hold five people comfortably, has AWD for winter conditions and gets awesome fuel efficiency,” I'd [...]

Story by Howard J Elmer   In the auto world, some years are bigger than others. In the truck world, for 2013, it’s a small year with the only real story being the mid-cycle refresh of the Ram 1500. However, for crossovers, there is a bumper crop of 2013 models, mainly because some traditional SUVs [...]

What does this truck tell us about coming pickup design trends? By Howard J Elmer History, in the auto world, is more than a vehicle’s back-story. No, it’s a record of development, and when it’s read right, it’s the most accurate method of predicting the future of a brand. In the case of the Ford [...]

By Howard J Elmer   Ten years ago, I was one of the legion that thought Porsche had lost its automotive mind when it introduced the Cayenne SUV. Since then, I have driven first- and second-generation Cayennes, racing them in the dust of West Texas and pushing them through snow to the edge of the [...]

Story and photos by Gerry Frechette   Over the last several years, as most manufacturers have been hard at work developing hybrids of various descriptions, introducing pure electric vehicles, and announcing diesel programs only to cancel or postpone them, Mazda has been going in a different direction – or, more accurately, the direction that all [...]

Is Acura’s aging MDX worth the money? Story by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Acura Canada   The MDX is no stranger to the luxury Crossover segment. We’ve had it in its current form since 2007 and haven’t seen any great changes in its appearance or mechanicals. However, I absolutely love the look of this [...]

By Howard J Elmer   For 2012, Fleetwood adds content and style to its entry-level gas-engined Terra motorhome. In fact, what I saw at the National RV Show in Louisville is what led me to test it, even as the last remnants of snow were still clinging to the shoreline of Lake Simcoe here in [...]

By Howard J Elmer   As if scripted by the Natural Gas producers, the Detroit HD truck builders announced within days of each other that their 2013 offerings would be available with bi-fuel capability – for fleet and retail customers. This power source, which has not been in the public eye much in recent years, [...]