Page Page 8 8 ·· Richmond Review
DrivewayCanada.ca |
Friday, December 26, 2014
Welcome to the driver’s seat
Hot Laps in the Subaru WRX STI with retired WRC Driver Tommi Mäkinen.
Visit the gallery at DrivewayCanada.ca
2014 car year in review It’s hard to believe that 2014 is over. Subaru WRX STI: Where did it go? At a time when we tend MSRP $37,995-$44,995 to reflect on what we’ve done, what we The all-new 2015 Subaru WRX STI is can do better and what was awesome, an incredible car within its own right. that brings me to my personal Car Year It has a cult following and has the in Review. street cred to back it up. And just when It takes a special vehicle or experience you think you’re getting the hang of by Alexandra Straub to stick in my memory. Not to say that putting it around the Buttonwillow short-term memory loss is a problem but Raceway in California, you let Tommi with constant streams of information bombarding Mäkinen take you for a spin. Gosh, it’s like he could my brain, it’s not hard to forget where I was and drive ten times faster, smoother and more confidently what I was testing a week ago! in his sleep. Heck, he had one arm on the windowsill Though this is a review of wheels past, because we when he wasn’t shifting or going into a tight corner. often test vehicles well ahead of their full production Moral of the story: the car makes you feel like a hero this also points to what people will be driving in even if you can’t drive like Tommi. And what a cool 2015. experience. Let’s start small because the micro cars might be Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat: miniscule in price, but aren’t about to disappoint. MSRP $63,495 (but the new 2015 Challenger SXT Nissan Micra: MSRP Range, $9,998-$15,748 starts at an MSRP of $28,495) For under $10K, this pint-sized vehicle can be yours. The name says it all. Put “Hell” in something and But just because it’s inexpensive doesn’t mean it’s you’re bound to have a helluva good time, right? cheap. And it’s a blast to drive. Sure, 109 horsepower Especially when you have 707 horsepower at your won’t get you where you need to go in a flash, but disposal. But to say I wasn’t apprehensive to take this that’s not the point of this car. Besides, for basic beast on the track at Portland International Raceway transportation, it has the goods. would be a lie. And the reason is, American muscle cars haven’t always been the pinnacle of exceptional Ford Fiesta 1.0L, $15,999 + $1,500 for the 1.0L option; for an MSRP of $17,499 handling dynamics. Sure, it has a lot of horses, but will it get me through the corner with minimal body roll? Ford’s smallest engine available here in Canada sure Or will the steering have enough feel that I won’t be packs a lot of punch. And considering it only weighs constantly inputting actions? 98 kg when assembled, this 1.0L, 3-cylinder powerIn this case? Hell(cat) yes. I was blown away as to plant is pretty impressive. If you opt for this bitehow well this car drove, not just on the track, but on sized engine, you’ll be getting 123 horsepower and the street, too. Disclaimer: if you need to get anywhere 125 lb-ft of torque (148 lb-ft with the overboost). The quickly, this isn’t the car for you. People will talk your Fiesta was designed and engineered in Europe so it ear off about it if you give them an opportunity. isn’t bad to look at either.
Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4MATIC: MSRP $37,200 (AMG version is $50,500) Another vehicle that shone brightly is Mercedes-Benz’s GLA. The luxury compact crossover starts at under $40K but does so many things well. It has a hatchback, great styling and the fuel economy is quite good, too. I wouldn’t even need the AMG version to keep me happy. It’s just a stellar vehicle. MINI Cooper S: MSRP starts at $25,490 Perhaps the biggest disappointment this year comes in the shape of the MINI Cooper S. I’ve loved these cars for so long, but perhaps electronics have ruined it for me. Yes, it’s much more competent and has some great features, but I miss the days of the supercharged version. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a super fun car to drive, but the downshift rev matching in the Cooper S with the manual transmission was not amazing. It was harsh and jerky. I also feel it lost a little bit of personality along its way to adulthood. I’ll forever love them, quirks and all. Honda Fit: MSRP range $14,495-$21,295 The Fit is on my list because I think it is just such a fabulous little car. The Magic Seats really are magic, but the new touchscreen is a huge deterrent. I strongly dislike it. I like buttons. I don’t mind if there are a few to complement the screen but I feel it takes my eyes off the road for too long, even if I’m familiar with the system.
Question of the Week The price of gas has dropped significantly in recent weeks. If you plan to buy a car this year will lower prices at the pump encourage you to buy a larger vehicle? Go to DrivewayCanada.ca to submit your answer. QUESTION
?
OF THE WEEK!
Safety Tip: January is one of the worst months for crashes in B.C. with approximately 23,200 on average. In poor conditions, slow down, increase your following distance and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.
follow us… /Driveway @DrivewayCanada
Volvo V60 T6: MSRP $51,200-$66,895 Long live the Swedish wagons. They can do very little wrong in my books. They’re just fantastic. alexandra.straub@drivewaybc.ca
What’s Better than sunshine, lollipops & rainbows? OUR BLOG . . . seriously. Check it out blog.blackpress4good.com Showcasing heartfelt community stories from around the province.