Car Talk Archives - Page 9 of 149

If there’s a Canyon in MotoringTV’s new Intro…

Oct 29 2015

… that’s me driving.

Stopped by the shoot with this week’s car, a 2016 GMC Canyon, okay guys what am I doing? Drive around being awesome? On it.

2016 GMC Canyon SLT 4WD Crew Cab

3.6 Litre V6
6-speed automatic transmission

305 horsepower
269 lb-ft of torque

Starting at $22,395 (2015 price)
This one $42,895

The Canyon is all-new this year, fully redesigned.

He’s on rollerblades at 40 km/h

Important Note: Reviewing pickup trucks is a specialized skill, which I don’t have. Trucks is like, it’s own separate world… spraying bed liners huh, not 100% sure on the definition of “crew cab” and what makes a good front recovery hook?

For proper pickup reviews, Jil McIntosh is your writer – here’s her blog, and her section at The Star.

I kept forgetting in a pickup there’s no weight behind me and accidentally fishtailing around. I like the rubberized steering wheel buttons, and it helped me junk the last pieces of the big renovation.

And like all GM vehicles, it can connect to the internet, allowing you to turn the dash into a WiFi 4G LTE Hotspot.

Lastly, you know my love of a big button knobs and no-fuss centre stack, and this is a great one.

While I haven’t driven the outgoing model, word around the water cooler is “woah what a refresh!” Everyone’s into this all-new Canyon. Or the previous one was that much of a disaster, not sure guys.

Regardless, the 2016 is well-regarded.

The 2016 Chevy Trax LT AWD

Oct 28 2015

2016 Chevy Trax LT AWD

1.4 Litre, 4-cylinder engine
6-speed automatic transmission (manual available!)

138 hp
148 lb.-ft. of torque

Starting at $20,880 (2015 price)
This one $29,875

The Trax falls in the subcompact crossover segment, the hottest, and most competitive, segment right now. It’s got some stiff competition, but there’s…

3 Reasons the Trax holds its own

Reason #1 – it was one of the segment’s first-to-market, therefore its had a couple more years to iron out the manufacturing kinks.

LT is the 2/4 trim and the one I’d recommend buying. Anything higher, or more feature-rich, and the Trax’s good value starts to diminish.

In my tester, note the addition of the +$840 LT Plus Package, which adds a 6-way power driver seat and rear park assist, and the +$1,615 Sun and Sound Package, which adds a power sunroof and Bose speaker system.

I can’t be sure if the Bose addition is why this Trax is the loudest radio I’ve had in years, but regardless, I’d take that money and instead upgrade to All-Wheel Drive.

Top left > clockwise

– door pocket storage for days

– centre console

– don’t let the simple 7″ screen trick you – the Trax’s infotainment system can connect to the internet, turning the dash into a WiFi 4G LTE Hotspot, and standard on all trims. Chevy is the one of first-to-market with this feature, and that’s Reason #2

– 4 cupholders, plus 2 in the second row armrest

The Trax offers an abundance of storage, and that’s Reason #3. 11 cubbies, non-car nerds: that is a _lot_. And it keeps going outside the photo’s frame.

Also.

Why don’t more vehicles have drawers beneath the passenger seat?

It’s the best.

When overtaking a semi, the 1.4 L engine will get the job done, a little loudly and with the smallest pause before it kicks in, but it will. But the Trax excels in an urban centre as a downtown people mover. It was genuinely fun to drive it in downtown Toronto, I had this guy dancing through rush hour.

The seating position is high, but not enough to feel disconnected from the road, there’s more oomph in the lower revs, and the tiny turning circle means toss it here there, haha I beat you to the last parking spot.

In this LT trim the side mirrors are heated, air conditioning and cruise-control are standard, there’s more steering wheel buttons and it’s wrapped in leather, and remote keyless entry, and a ton of airbags inside.