Friday, March 13, 2015 Richmond Review · Page 13Friday, March 13, 2015 Richmond Review · Page 13

DrivewayCanada.ca | Welcome to the driver’s seat D iii CC ddd |

Ford an Expedition to eleganceThe popular Ford Expedi-tion gets a makeover this model year, bringing this 2015 version into a differ-ent class of elegance.

Looks:A completely updated front end aligns itself with the Super-Duty and the new F150.I like the look of the grille, large and in charge. The featured projector style headlamps with LED fog lights made the front end of the Platinum Edition tester look like a piece of jewelry!A raised power dome hood and nice bodylines certainly give this Expedition some class. The power retractable running boards are standard on this edition but I find they react too slowly for me when the door is opened. No doubt for some the boards would be a great addition while others might think of them being in the way.When you design a sport utility vehicle, it is always tough to give the back end some shape. As an engineer, you’re wor-ried about aerodynamics but in this case the designers still managed to match the back’s elegance to that of the front.

In The Cab:As you open the door, you are greeted by ambient lighting that can be customized with a selection of colors. The Platinum has leather seats, leather door trim and console accented by wood inlays. The dash is hand warped and stitched giving this cabin a very upscale look. The front bucket seats are heated and cooled. The second row folds flat along with the third row, which drops at the touch of a button. The command center controls everything from entertainment to climate.

Speaking of entertainment, the sound system is a Sony premium audio system that features 12 speakers and 390 watts of power.Safety first:Front seat mounted side airbags, safety canopy system with three row-side curtain airbags and rollover sensor. Advance-Trac with roll stability, tire pressure monitoring system, and trailer sway control are just some of the standard features.Roadworthy:The Expedition delivers on space, com-fort and functionality while driving like

a smaller SUV. Very little, if any, body roll. Steering is magnificent and easy, and responsive while changing lanes and finding a tight parking space.

Verdict:The upgrade this vehicle has received raises the quality, safety, and comfort to a new level.

Power:This vehicle comes standard with a twin turbo 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine that puts out 365 horsepower and 420 lb ft of torque. The transmission is a six-speed se-lect shift. 4.10 gear ratio. Towing is made easy by the transmission tow/haul mode, which helps keep you from gaining too much speed when towing downhill. The engine maintains its power band while towing up a hill keeping the speed and momentum constant.

Pump frequency:1w6.2 / 11.8 L/100 km (city/highway) Warranty support:Basic, 4 years/80,000 km. Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited distance.Powertrain, 6 years/110,000 km.Safety restraint, 5 years/100,000 km.Roadside Assistance, 5 years/100,000 km.Sticker price:XLT $49,299, Limited $63,399, Platinum $65,399.

ian.harwood@drivewaybc.ca

Visit the Expedition gallery at DrivewayCanada.ca

‘‘The featured projector style headlamps with LED fog lights made the front end of the Platinum Edition tester look like a piece of jewelry.’’Ian Harwood

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL

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24- 29 2015

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The all-electric Nissan LEAF tells white lies!

The Nissan LEAF miraculously cut a journey in half this week.I’ll explain. I took the plug-in sedan on a 43-kilometre trip from Vancouver to Driveway HQ, on 152nd Street, in Surrey. When I set out, the screen display showed that I could drive emission-free for 146 kilometres. Now I could have taken off like an F1 supercar and street raced all the way, because electric power offers instant tire squealing torque if you press the pedal to the metal. But that’s not me. Spurred by my ecofriendly driving the previous day, the clever car had decided earlier in the day that I could do 156 kilometres on a full charge. Not boasting but that’s easily more than 20 kilometres better than the average driver can expect to achieve. Okay, maybe my head

is swelling. The big 1-4-6 winked at me. I threw the stick into ECO mode and with two flicks of the wrist pushed it into the enhanced B-mode, which puts the braking power regeneration into overdrive, so to speak.I glided silently down the road, picking up pace ever so gradually in the busy city traffic. Rolling

down the hills to Marpole, I could feel the juice from the brakes topping up that battery.On the freeway, I hit the posted speed limit and

40 minutes later pulled into HQ. The display flashed 126. I had covered 43 klicks with the power required to move the car just 20! Such fun.Next week: More on the joy of driving electric.

Email the address at keith.morgan@drivewaybc.ca

by Keith Morgan

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Page 14 · Richmond Review Friday, March 13, 2015Page 14 · Richmond Review Friday, March 13, 2015

by Zack Spencer

Toyota has suffered criticism in the past that must sting: some if its designs have been called boring or vanilla.

Things are changing at Toyota, just look at the much more dynamic designs placed on the small Corolla or mid-sized Camry, still practical but much better looking.

The same criticism was levelled at the Toyota luxury brand, Lexus. Here too, the designers have made a dramatic shift in the way the cars look and feel. The RC coupe is an all-new category for Lexus and one they call “Sexy”. There used to be a Lexus IS convertible with a retractable hardtop that doubled as a coupe but nothing replaces the real thing. This is a long, low, wide take on a coupe. Much better-looking car than that old IS. Looks

One area that Lexus has focused on is the front grille and aggressive stance of many of its latest vehicles. This grille is what Lexus calls a “spindle” grille, made to replicate a fabric spindle. The Toyoda family was in the fabric loom business before they started making military trucks and then cars. This is a fun tip-of-the-hat to the origins of the business. Interestingly, Toyoda became Toyota because the number of strokes to write it in Japanese (eight) was thought to bring luck and prosperity.

On some cars, the spindle looks a bit forced. On this RC, it certainly looks well integrated and

sleek. The two pin-lights imbedded in the grille, which act as driving lights, are a bit difficult to see. The back has cheese-grater looking faux vents behind the rear wheels that serve no function and look a bit busy. The FC is sold as a rear wheel drive (RWD) model or all-wheel drive (AWD). It is available with Lexus F Sport trim packages that enhance the wheels and add extra go-fast looking trim pieces. The car seen here is the 350 AWD without F Sport.Inside

Lexus continues the overhaul inside the RC cabin. The dash really looks and feels cockpit-like, with a high centre console and sporty looking trim. There new touch pad between the front seats allows the driver scroll around the centre screen just as one would on a laptop. To enter a setting, the driver pushed the track pad, all very intuitive. The F Sport models get a special centre speedometer cluster that has the single dial move to one side for quick reference information. The non- F Sport models get a small screen to use instead.

DriveMost Canadians will gravitate towards the RWD

RC 350 not just because of the added traction but also because of the lower starting price. It’s odd that the RWD car starts at $57,650, where the AWD starts at $54,600. The RWD F Sport car is a more performance-oriented with an 8-speed automatic transmission and adaptive front and rear suspen-sion and all-wheel steering system; the AWD gets a 6-speed auto and a passive shock system. Both use the same 3.5L V6 engine with 307hp. The AWD car seems to be set up as a touring car, not getting away from the Lexus roots planted firmly in the luxury camp. It would be a good idea to try the more dynamic F Sport model back-to-back with the AWD to see if the softer model is to your tastes. The power from the engine can be rather fun but to enjoy it the driver has to kick the throttle to wake the car from its luxury slumber. Frankly, this is the only time the engine sounds particularly exciting. Verdict

Lexus has built a strong following because of the high quality, bulletproof reliability the brand offers, with an ever-present luxury feel. The F Sport models offer a more aggressive design and improved on-road dynamics. With an eye on making the brand more exciting, the designers did a fine job inside and out. The AWD model doesn’t stray too far from the traditional Lexus formula or producing comfort-able and luxurious transportation, this time in a much more stylish wrap.

zack.spencer@drivewaybc.ca

by Bob McHugh

The very first Honda Accord, introduced to Canadians back in 1976, was about the same size as today’s Civic sedan and it had a less powerful engine.

When the eighth generation Accord was introduced in 2008, it was officially classified as a “large car” and came with a 190-horsepower 4-cylinder engine, or an even more powerful optional V6.

Eight-gen Accord did get a mild mid-life facelift for the 2011 model year and it in-cluded new front-end styling and interior improvements. A new base SE trim line also replaced the previous LX trim.

The four-cylinder is by far the most popular engine choice of Canadians, but there was also an interesting upgrade to the optional 3.5-litre V6 in 2011. Called Variable Cylinder Management (in Sedan editions only—not Accord Coupe), this system can improve fuel economy by shutting-down two or three cylinders, during light load driving conditions.

No changes were made to Accord for the 2012 model year. The big changes came in 2013 when a landmark, smaller and lighter, all-new ninth generation Honda Accord was released.

Although lighter, the 2013 Accord is structurally stronger than the previous generation Accord and although its outer dimensions are more compact and it has a shorter wheelbase, it has more rear seat legroom and a slightly larger trunk, according to Honda.

Major changes also happened under-hood with the release of Honda’s new “Earth Dreams” engine technology. This could also be linked to a high-efficiency new CVT automatic with “G-Design Shift Logic”. This feature provides quicker acceleration, as it’s faster acting than a conventional automatic transmission.

In addition to being considerably more fuel efficient the 2.4 litre four-cylinder “Earth Dreams” editions of Accord are

also super-clean running and complies with PZEV (partial zero emission vehicle) requirements in the US. This engine also supplies more power at low engine speeds, just where you need it, on take-off, on a hill or when merging into freeway traffic.

Its city/highway fuel economy ratings of 9.1/6.6 L/100 km, with the CVT, are outstanding for a family-size sedan. A 6-manual was available with the base LX and Sport trim levels and a conventional 6-automatic came with the V6 engine editions.

In addition to four-door sedan and two-door coupe models of Accord, there’s also a five-door hatchback/cross-over version called Crosstour, which was originally called Accord Crosstour when introduced in 2010. A new plug-in hybrid (sedan) version, called Accord PHEV, was also in-troduced in 2014. It’s powered by a new two-motor hybrid system that operates continuously through three modes; all-electric, gasoline-electric or direct-drive.

Accord sedan has consistently been a top performer in crash tests performed by both the IIHS and the NHTSA in the US. It’s also highly rated by Consumer Reports for depend-ability and it has better resale value

retention than most in the class. A Canadian family transportation

favorite, the Honda Accord sedan is a top used car choice with a solid reputation for dependably and value.

Price Check: 2011 - 2014 Honda AccordYear Edition Expect to Pay Today2011 EX-L Sedan $16,000 to $19,0002012 EX-L Sedan $18,000 to $22,0002013 EX-L Sedan $21,000 to $25,0002014 EX-L Sedan $24,000 to $28,000

Prices vary depending on a used vehicle’s condition, mileage, usage and history. A complete mechanical check should always be performed by a reliable auto technician prior to purchase.

Safety Recalls: 2011 to 2014 Honda Accord:

2012: The side curtain airbag inflators may have been incorrectly manufactured and, as a result, one or both airbags may not deploy as intended. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace one or both side curtain airbag assemblies.

2013: The fuel tank may have been manufactured incorrectly and could leak gasoline. Dealers will replace the fuel tank.

bob.mchugh@drivewaybc.ca

driveway

Lexus RC coupe: Boring and vanilla it is not

The Honda Accord has a solid reputation.

Honda is in Accord with Canadian likes

The Honda Accord has a solid reputation.

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Friday, March 13, 2015 Richmond Review · Page 15

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