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Thursday, March 17, 2016
ACURA TLX RAISES THE BAR
SMART CAR SMARTENS UP
Kia proves it’s still hip to be square
Neil Moore
Metroland Media Hey, it’s the hamster car! So said my 10-year-old daughter when I rolled in with the 2016 Kia Soul – dipped in bright red with a gleaming black roof and black accents. Her reference was to a series of quirky Kia ads, featuring the anthropomorphic, hipster rodents along with music by the Black Sheep, Lady Gaga and others. Check these out on YouTube if you want a chuckle. Indeed, the Soul may be cheeky, but it’s also the sole survivor of the cube-car craze, with the Nissan Cube, Scion xB and Honda Element all victims of poor sales. My view is that while the others were polarizing – generally more hated than loved – Kia had somehow found the right alchemy of style, proportion and boxiness to make theirs a bit of a head-turner, or at least endearing. It’s also pretty light on the wallet for a vehicle this spacious, spanning the gap between wagon, hatchback and CUV. For $17,195, the base LX comes with a light content list that includes heated side mirrors, rear wiper, six-speaker audio, Bluetooth, and tilt/telescopic steering with audio controls. Although it is equipped with power windows and locks, keyless entry is optional. So is air conditioning, which is a must in southern Ontario, and it rolls on
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ROAD TEST
RIDE OF THE WEEK: 2015 MAZDA CX-9
ROAD TEST
Rob Beintema
Metroland Media
Chrysler 200S is a mid-size with muscle
The 2016 Kia Soul still looks fresh despite the demise of its other “cube” rivals. With its short front and rear overhangs and “four-square” stance, this vehicle also looks firmly planted on the road.
16-inch steel wheels with wheelcovers… ugh! The Soul’s standard 60/40 rear bench folds to expand the 532litre cargo hold to a generous 1,402 litres. It’s highly usable due to the car’s shape, with no curves or rear sloping rooflines to compromise its ability to carry boxes and tall items. Lift the cargo deck and you’ll
find a few cubbies for hiding valuables as well. And with both seats in place, even with the available sunroof, there’s plenty of headroom, not to mention loads of legroom, making it ideal for two full-size adults or three in a pinch. Lower trim Souls get a 1.6-litre four-cylinder with gasoline direct injection, making 130 hp and 118 lb/ft of torque. It is mated to a six-
speed manual transmission in the base vehicle. I wouldn’t consider this a deal breaker, but today’s drivers are becoming less willing – and able – to choose their own gears, so for another $2,700 the LX can be ordered with six-speed automatic along with air conditioning and keyless entry. The more potent 2.0-litre GDI Turn to page W2
LEFT: Piano black faceplates, metallic accents and abundant soft-touch surfaces give the Soul (SE Sport model shown) a premium look for its $26K price tag. The added pop from the red speaker surrounds is a nice touch. RIGHT: With the 60/40 bench folded, the Soul’s 532-litre cargo hold expands to 1,402 litres. Upright sides and a flat roof maximize its usability.
Some cars give you that little tingle up your spine as you walk towards them, a visceral thrill from the combined effect of the stance, the style, the look, the mix of design cues that somehow blend to create an emotional impact. And the Chrysler 200 that awaited my arrival, resplendent in Granite Crystal Metallic, was carrying it off as well as the original did at the Detroit Auto Show unveiling two years ago. From the newest elements of the Chrysler familial face - the traditional winged badge floating on a black textured grille between the squinting, integrated headlamps, to the wide shoulders and slippery lines flowing along a coupe-like profile, the 200 seemed to be proudly displaying it sleek and sporty stance, enhanced in this S model with biggish wheels and the somewhat more sinister gloss black trim replacing the usual brightwork. I paused for a moment at the driver’s door because there was a hitch to this review, an “elephant in the room” that has to be addressed before consideration of this car’s qualities. On January 27th, FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne announced that the company would be phasing out their compact and mid-size cars the Dodge Dart and the Chrysler 200 - over the course of the next 18 months to allow for factory room to ramp up Jeep and Ram production. It seems a radical move but the growing popularity of SUVs and crossovers, at least while fuel prices stay low, has impacted traditional car sales for most manufacturers. And while the move seems to put all of FCA’s eggs in only SUV and truck baskets, it will probably also clear the way for the Giulietta and other new global small platform cars from Alfa Romeo and Fiat. Yes, it still seems a shame after a major investment, all the initial Turn to page W5
Ask us about Prepaid Maintenance. Mercedes-Benz.ca/PPM
Nothing But The Best Sales Event. Enjoy the best of our 2016 lineup with 3 months payments waived on select models. 2016 GLE 350d 4MATIC TOTAL PRICE: $65,767* Lease rate
Lease payment
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3.9% $758 3 months **
36 months
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$5,910 down
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payments waived
*Taxes extra.
Mercedes-Benz Newmarket, 230 Mulock Drive, Newmarket, Ontario, L3Y 9B8, 905.853.6868, www.newmarket.mercedes-benz.ca © 2016 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. 2016 GLE 350d 4MATIC shown above with optional Sport Package ($2,600), LED Intelligent Lighting System ($1,400), Running Boards ($750), Total Price $70,517. Lease and finance offers based on the 2016 GLE 350d 4MATIC are available only through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on approved credit for a limited time. *Total price of $65,767 for advertised vehicle includes MSRP plus all applicable dealer fees. **Lease example based on $758 per month for 36 months with a down payment or equivalent trade of $5,910. Freight/PDI of $1,995, dealer admin fee of $395, air-conditioning levy of $100, EHF tires, filters, batteries of up to $29.70, PPSA of $43.15 and OMVIC fee of $10 are due at signing. First month’s payment plus security deposit of $800 and applicable taxes due at lease inception. MSRP starting at $63,200. Lease APR of 3.9% applies. Total obligation is $36,526. 18,000 km/year allowance ($0.30/km for excess kilometres applies). †First, second and third month payment waivers are capped for the 2016 GLE 350d 4MATIC up to a total of $850 (including taxes) for lease programs and up to a total of $1,050 (including taxes) for finance programs. Vehicle license, insurance, registration, and taxes are extra. Dealer may lease or finance for less. Offers may change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers. See your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer for details or call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Relations Centre at 1-800-387-0100. Offers end March 31, 2016. C
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