A LASTING IMPRESSION
Wheels editor Norris McDonald takes us on a tour of 31 cars that made a mark on the auto world and this section over the past 30 years,
1986 Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable
Ask an automotive enthusiast to name the most important cars in Ford Motor Co. history and products like the Model T and Model A will surely make the list. The Mustang will be there as well, but one car that likely won’t be included is the firstgeneration Ford Taurus, despite the fact that it pioneered modern development methods, boasted (at the time) the largest development budget of any car in Ford’s history, and ultimately prevented a bankruptcy that may have doomed the brand. It’s no exaggeration to call the original Taurus one of the most significant cars of the 1980s. — Hemmings Daily
1987 Audi 5000
The Audi 5000CS Turbo Quattro, which won a Ten Best berth last year, has moved on to bigger and better things in the over-$30,000 price class, but it has adroitly handed the baton off to two Audis of slightly lesser stripe. The base 5000S model brings more power to the party for 1987, and the 5000CS Turbo is now offered with a five-speed transmission. The two share this spot on the Ten Best list, keeping Audi’s winning streak intact. — Car & Driver
1988 Honda Civic
The 1988 Civic line shares scarcely a bolt with its predecessors.
The four body configurations remain, and in styling, there are no breakthroughs.
Each car is larger, more rounded than before, but each is instantly rec- ognizable as a successor to its antecedent. Honda’s goals for this design include “agile, enjoyable handling; straight-line stability; high cornering power; and a comfortable but controlled ride.” — Jim Kenzie, Wheels
1989 Porsche 911
For all the Carrera 2’s improved comfort, safety and handling, though, the most striking and entrancing of its features is undoubtedly the one-year-old, 3.6-litre, aircooled, twin-ignition engine.
It is a magnificent mechanical heart that pumps out remarkable torque and delivers eye-opening acceleration and speed, all wrapped in the sublime, steely, tenor wail of Porsche’s best ever “boxer” engine. — Marc Lachapelle, Wheels
1990 Mazda Miata
The steering is direct and quick; our test cars all had the power assist option.
There is more lean in corners than you might expect, but the car is very neutral and forgiving. Given the congested traffic conditions on the island of Oahu (Hawaii), we didn’t have much chance to wring it out, but nothing we encountered during our test gave us cause for alarm. A slalom contest in the Aloha Stadium parking lot in a slightly modified Miata proved that the car is a ball to drive quickly. — Jim Kenzie, Wheels
1991Nissan Sentra
In sum, the new Sentra is an impressive automobile. It is smooth, quiet, economical and has a particularly pleasant interior. As a low-to-middle-priced family sedan, it ranks with the best cars in this extremely competitive class, deserving consideration in the company of such as the new Ford Escort, new Toyota Tercel and Honda Civic. It’d be hard to find higher praise. — Jim Kenzie, Wheels
1992 BMW 3-Series
It’s a strikingly handsome car that drew many long, admiring looks while on test in the city . . . It’s hard to imagine another four-door sedan or coupe with sporting pretensions overtaking the BMW 325i in this, or any other, department — in the near future. — Richard Young, Wheels
1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
We should make a confession about the Grand Cherokee V-8: we nominated it just because we thought it was a good sport-utility vehicle, and we frankly didn’t expect that a bunch of car lovers would give it the votes to win. That tells you a whale of a lot about what an outstanding transportation package this is. — Car & Driver
1994 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
What a car. Makes you forget the German automaker ever foisted on the public the 190 series sedan — a tiny, cramped, underpowered, rough-riding imitation of a luxury sedan that remained virtually unchanged for 10 years but felt like a century. But all is forgiven now that the C-Class sedan has graced the 1994 model year. — Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune
1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse
(This is) the best car in the world. I have had almost no problems with my car. All I had to do is put in new spark plug wires and a new ball joint. This car is sooo fast . . . I just love to go by Corvettes and Mustangs, just for fun. The back seat is a little small, but it’s worth it. — Carsurvey.org
1996 Chrysler Town & Country
Chrysler’s smartest move in designing this generation of minivans involved listening to its millions of owners, who were able to explain down to the most precise detail what they wanted and didn’t want in their vehicles.
To me, nothing makes this clearer than the firm’s efforts to line the seat anchors up in such a way that the maximum number of skis or 2 x 4s could be slid underneath them. The primary effect of this is a vehicle that is virtually irritation-free. —Alex Law, Wheels
1997 Hyundai Accent
I actually got this car from a friend due to my (car) breaking down and I needed a car for school and work. It was completely not my style in a car; I would have never been interested in purchasing it before.
But then I realized how amazing this car was after six months of owning it and (there was) not one problem/issue. Amazing on gas, never had to fix a thing in the car. The most reliable car I have ever owned. — Edmunds.com
1998 Subaru Forester
I’ll give full marks to the load space. The day I picked up the Forester, I was also scheduled to collect a set of massive Yokohama AVS S/T 265/ 70R16 light truck tires. After I folded the rear seat down, the cargo area ate the four big doughnuts with ease. If I’d stood them up and used a little thought, at least two more of the tires could have fit in. Some regular sportutes out there will not accept this kind of bulk. — Cam McRae, Wheels
1999 Chevrolet Silverado
It goes without saying that bidding a valued co-worker farewell can be difficult at best. So it was with our Chevrolet Silverado . . . By the end of its yearlong test, it too seemed like a member of the staff. When we needed to haul sod from the nursery, tow a race-car trailer, move stuff people don’t let the movers touch, or even include the family dog on daily manoeuvres, there was one vehicle that could do it all, the Silverado. Whoever took it home was likely to be the most popular guy on the block — at least when someone needed to use a pickup. — Motortrend.com
2000 Dodge Dakota
The 4x4 is a part-time, four-wheel drive system, meaning it runs in rearwheel drive most of the time. The driver can shift fly into four-wheel drive high range on the fly. Much more versatile is the available fulltime four-wheel drive that powers all wheels all the time. It allows some driveline slippage for smooth operation on dry, paved surfaces. The fulltime system does not compromise off-road ability, yet anyone can drive it safely in any weather. — Paul Fleet, Wheels
2001Chrysler PT Cruiser
Some people would classify this vehicle as a wagon, but it offers many more attributes than a typical wagon. In fact, it’s like a minivan in many ways. Its 65/35 split rear seats flip and fold and can be removed to pro- vide as much as 1,812 L (64 cu. ft.) of interior cargo room. There are a lot of storage spaces for small items, an extra 12-volt power outlet in the rear cargo area, a passenger seat storage bin, and an optional roof rack for extra storage. — Bill Roebuck, Wheels
2002 Ford Thunderbird
The five colours available on the allnew 2002 Ford Thunderbird are the same basic hues offered on the 1955 model: blue, yellow, white, black and red. Ford executives see the reborn T-Bird, which bowed last summer, as the second car in affluent households, competing, for example, with sailboats for the consumer’s disposable dollars. The rear-wheel-drive convertible starts at $51,550. — Wheels
2003 MINI Cooper
After more than 40 years in production, the MINI Cooper has become synonymous with underdog motorsport victories, European urban commuting and daring skirts. The original Cooper had a shape, personality and heritage similar to the Volkswagen Beetle’s, and when it came time for BMW to launch a second-generation, 21st-century MINI, expectations were the same as those for the New Beetles: Mess with the formula, and you’ll end a legacy. — Motortrend.com
2004 Toyota Prius
The 2004 Prius hybrid, priced at $29,990, is a pretty important vehicle in the larger automotive picture. While the previous first-generation Prius (2000-03) was the first gas/ electric hybrid in our market, its quirky looks and uneven driving experience ensured it never amounted to much more than a technological curiosity, except to some brave pioneers. Prius version 2.0, on the other hand, is a stylish, functional vehicle that just happens to be a hybrid. — Peter Bleakney, Wheels
2005 Land Rover LR3
New from the ground up, the LR3 uses an isolated monocoque body that is almost shrink-wrapped around passengers and cargo. Considering the challenges of off-roading — I encountered some of them on this Scottish preview run — the idea of completely insolating the cabin occupants from the elements is wholly appropriate. The doors have triple seals that reduce wind noise and keep water out. You also get vertical door seals and a mud seal fitted along the sill and around the rear wheel arch. Overkill? I think not. — Howard J. Elmer, Wheels
2006 Volkswagen Rabbit
I can’t believe they’re calling the new-generation Volkswagen Golf the Rabbit. By whining about it, I apparently slot myself into the old fart category. VW also says it can have more fun with this name, playing on the alleged image associations with agility, quickness and — not to be overlooked — fecundity. What’s the car like? Pretty good, actually. Better than I expected. — Jim Kenzie, Wheels
2007 Mazda CX-7
Sport-utility virtues typically loom large in those mélanges of automotive genres known as crossovers. But Mazda’s stylish new CX-7 dials in a hefty dose of sportiness to enliven the generous cabin room, good ground clearance and hatchback versatility. CX-7 prices open at $31,995. — Brian Moore, Wheels
2008 Cadillac CTS
With the full support of General Motors’ massive resources, Cadillac has made its first “no excuses” car in decades. To put it more directly: If one defines “best” as “most competitive in class,” is the Cadillac CTS the best American car ever? — John LeBlanc, Wheels
2009 Ford Flex
The Flex can haul six (seven with a third-row bench seat), but it doesn’t feel like a courtesy vehicle for a Days Inn. It’s quiet and well-grounded because of its low-ride height, steers with confidence and has good visibility despite its sharp angles and Paris Hilton tint job on the windows. The ride quality is smooth; the all-wheel drive system powered away from stops on wet roads without any wheel spin. — Kathy Renwald, Wheels
2010 Kia Soul
Next to the Audi R8, no car turned more heads, got more thumbs up and “groovy baby” compliments than the Kia Soul I recently tested. Maybe it’s the minty fresh green paint, or the purposeful but optimistic body shape. Whatever, it just seemed to make people happy to see it. — Kathy Renwald, Wheels
2011Chevrolet Volt
To recap, the Volt is a front-wheeldrive, four-passenger, four-door hatchback. Not an EV or hybrid, it’s known as an “EV range-extender.” Its primary propulsion comes from two electric motors powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. Unlike a Prius hybrid (which uses its batteries to “aid” its gas engine), or a purely electric vehicle (like Nissan’s Leaf), the machinations the Volt goes through to charge its battery-driven electric motor via a small gas generator make it like no other car you can buy today. — John LeBlanc, Wheels
2012 Volkswagen Passat
There’s nothing like a 10-day road trip to bring out the best or the worst in your travelling companion. Fortunately, the 50-odd hours I spent inside Volkswagen’s new-for-2012 Passat, driving round-trip from Toronto to Pictou County, N.S., turned into a happy tale of well-matched man and machine. Is there any other new vehicle out there that can comfortably pack four adults — or two grown-ups and three little ones — and their luggage over 4,266 kilometres while consuming less than $300 worth of fuel? — John Terauds, Wheels
2013 Ram 1500
Enter a new Ram blindfolded and you would never guess you’d stepped into a truck. The interior of the SLT could almost be considered lavish, and noise levels on the highway are almost sedan-like. Only the big exterior rear-view mirrors created some minor wind noise. — Costa Mouzouris, Wheels
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
The new ’Vette will still smoke most competitors on a race track, not just from raw brute power, but through a very sophisticated suspension and massive braking potential. The new Stingray’s exterior is more functional than ever. Each piece has been aerodynamically optimized for improved performance. The Stingray’s interior is now as nicely laid out and technologically advanced as any in the industry. — Jim Kenzie, Wheels
2015 Ford F-150
The Ford F-series pickup has been Canada’s bestselling light truck for the past 49 years and the bestselling vehicle here for the past five years. More than 126,000 Canadians took those claims to heart in 2014, when the F-150 outsold the bestselling car in Canada, the Honda Civic, by a ratio of almost two to one. For 2015, Ford has almost reinvented the F-150; the full-size pickup is now clad in an all-aluminum body, reducing weight by up to 317 kilograms. — Costa Mouzouris, Wheels 2016 Volvo XC90 The XC90 is the first in Volvo’s upcoming line of vehicles to be launched since the firm was bought by a Chinese car company in 2010. And it’s an excellent SUV for one reason alone: it handles the eccentricities of family life better than any other vehicle I’ve driven. — Stephanie Wallcraft, Wheels