Category: Car Review

Initially launched in 2007, all subsequent iterations of the Ford Edge have continued its success. This is due largely to the fact that this no-nonsense crossover SUV makes a lot of sense to many people.

After a 2015 upgrade, the 2019 model also got a facelift. Instantly recognisable through its smart, clean design, the 2019 Ford Edge SEL AWD is ageing elegantly, with some well-designed creasing and sculpting along its sides. Its high-gloss grille is an eye-catcher, framed by assertive air intakes on the lower front corners. All-led lighting adds a modern touch: Headlights, fog lights, daytime running lights, tail lights, and signal lights are strong and effective, but not dazzling.

Plenty of soft-touch plastics offer warmth and welcome, with loads of leg space, even in the rear. With room for five people, the seats are comfortable and can be reclined. For added relaxation, the FordPass Connect system [...]

Revived after a fourteen-year gap, the sophisticated 2019 Chevrolet Blazer 3LT AWD barely recalls its rough and ready predecessor. On the Laneway Auto Loans and Sales used car lot, this two-row, five-passenger crossover slots in seamlessly between the more compact Equinox and the three-role Traverse. Brimming with road presence that handles even the roughest routes in New Brunswick, its muscular sheet metal structure leans heavily on the distinctive lines of the Camaro, with a front grille inspired by the ZL. With its unibody construction ensuring a smooth ride, it’s also fuel-efficient, with excellent road handling, thanks to a smooth-shifting nine-speed automatic that always picks the perfect gear.

Much more fun than its peers in the mid-size SUV category, it offers an occasional waft of its Camaro cousin, while sharing a platform with the GMC Acadia and Cadillac XT5. Regardless of its configuration, the crossover is a stable, [...]

Famed for its focus on value, Hyundai continued its winning streak with its 2017 Accent, which continues largely unchanged since 2012. A great example of the brand’s strategy of providing high quality cars at affordable prices, this attractive sedan offers pleasant driving dynamics, with plenty of useful amenities. Launched in 2017, its new Value Edition trim included features like four-wheel disc brakes, 16-inch alloy wheels, and cruise control. Available as a five-door hatchback (SE and Sport models, with up to 47.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity) or a four-door sedan (base SE and Value Edition, with up to 13.7 cubic feet of trunk space), the sub- compact 2017 Hyundai Accent seats five passengers in comfort. 

Its 1.6L four-cylinder engine is also one of the few in its class with direct injection, helping it reach 138 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque. For urban driving, its suspension is more than adequate for [...]

A refined contender among small luxury crossover SUVs, the 2018 Buick Envision is well worth a second look. Despite its somewhat generic exterior styling, it’s equipped with a generous wish list of features, with an upscale interior trimmed in high-quality materials. Slotting between the compact Encore and the three-row Enclave in the Buick portfolio, with decent amounts of cabin room and cargo space, this two-row crossover SUV is always a popular choice on the Laneway Auto Loans & Sales Used Car Lot.

Quiet, comfortable, and less eye-catching than some of its competitors, the 2018 Buick Envision Premium AWD delivers a lot of bang for a very reasonable buck. Churning out 252 hp and 260 lb-ft, its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine is a great fit for this small SUV, delivering fuel economy of 8.6 – 11.8 City/ highway combined. All Envisions are fitted with six-speed automatic transmission. Trim upgrades include 19-inch wheels, [...]

For decades, Canadians have rocked, rumbled, and rolled through a nationwide love affair with SUVs and pickups. In fact, light truck sales topped 80% of new light vehicle purchases in 2021 confirmed by the experienced staff at Laneway Auto Loans & Sales. But now there are signs that inflation-bumped prices for groceries and gas are slamming the brakes on this passion. In parallel to surging inflation, price hikes for vehicles both old and new are forcing many Canadians to park their dream drives, at least for the foreseeable future. 

In historical terms, buyers have always opted for smaller and more efficient wheels when prices rise at the pump. Today, this downsizing trend is underpinned by a host of new and environmentally responsible EV options.  In a post-pandemic world that’s also striving to be more eco-friendly, Canadians have been retooling their approach to how they get around. In a recent [...]

Always excellent at hauling cargoes and carrying passengers, the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse Premier AWD RS continues this tradition. With its all-new look launched in 2018, Chevrolet addressed one of the weakest points of the earlier Traverse: its minivan look. With a bigger bowtie in the middle of its taller grill, it stands more upright, with strongly contoured shoulders and slim taillights that temper its rather boxy look. Generously sized to carry eight, its relatively flat roofline offers plenty of headroom for passengers, with generous legroom and easy access, even for the second and third rows.  

This truck-like new version offers great visibility through its massive windows, standing square and solid, while losing none of its charm in the makeover. With a contemporary infotainment system that includes an eight-inch colour touchscreen and a ten-speaker Bose sound system, its cabin is a more refined, with available high-end features that drive it into the big three-row crossover category. [...]

Brimming with character, the Kia Soul is a multipurpose compact that’s close to a subcompact crossover (but lacks an all-wheel-drive). But with its towering height, it’s not quite a hatchback either.  This kinda-sorta SUV heads up a segment that blends the practicality and convenience of a compact car, with the cargo capacity of an SUV. Thanks to its reputation for reliability, vehicle financing from Laneway Auto is a simple process for a Kia Soul.

More than half Kia Soul owners are women, averaging out at 16 years of age, and with lower median household incomes of around $60,000. Two other striking characteristics are that solar owners want a vehicle with responsive handling and powerful acceleration, while also admitting that they like a vehicle that stands out from the crowd.  Their favourite things about this snappy drive are its quirky exterior styling, tasteful interior design, smooth driving dynamics, comfortable [...]

This boxy Chrysler road warrior has ploughed through many generations since it was launched in 1983. Still today, its functional contours pay dividends in its light and airy interior. However, 2017 was its final iteration, when it was seamlessly replaced by the Chrysler Pacifica. 

Long a popular choice with Canadian families wanting a simple, efficient, and budget-friendly set of wheels, the 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew Wagon still meets these needs, particularly in the Atlantic Provinces. Designed mainly to transport groups of people at an affordable price, it can cost thousands of dollars less than its competitors. 

Even at this bargain price, the Grand Caravan doesn’t skimp on its features, which include zoned climate control, heated mirrors, a central touchscreen display, with a rear-view camera (for models produced later in the year). 

The interior of the 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew Wagon has plenty of [...]

It’s hard to believe, but the Nissan Micra has been around now for three decades. One of its models was voted Car of the Year, way back in 1993, so it has a lengthy pedigree underpinning its renowned reliability. 

Designed as a low-cost world car from 2013 onwards, it proved a hot favourite in emerging markets. For easy driving, it rivals other long-term top sellers like the Renault Clio, the Vauxhall Corsa, and the Ford Fiesta. 

Distinctive, efficient and light to handle, the Micra was sold in 160 different countries, making it a real international hit. Its manufacturing history is just as cosmopolitan. Initially built in Japan and the UK, Micras have been built at the second factory in India since 2010. 

With a bold design, it sits on the Nissan V Platform. In turn, this is a development of the Nissan-Renault B Platform that once supported earlier generations of the [...]

One of those rare designs that are just as much fun to drive both on and off the pavement, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 4WD is a great choice for all-round comfort. A smooth and well-balanced ride that’s quieter than many of its peers, its fast and accurate steering can handle even the sharpest turns with effortless precision.

Off-road, the Trailhawk really delivers the goods, particularly over ground that is rougher than the average country place driveway. Although lacking the heavy-duty axles and generous ground clearance of the noisier and choppier Wrangler, the Cherokee is a better choice for drivers following trails rather than setting out on cross-country adventures.

The simplicity of its off-road settings means it’s easy to switch between road mode and rougher rides. Drive modes are quickly selected by just spinning a dial or pressing buttons, with terrain response settings for sport, snow, mud, sand, or rock. 

In [...]