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Safety tips for drivers this Halloween

Benjamin Yong on October 25, 2016

Automotive safety technology can help, but don’t forget your own driving skills when you’re behind the wheel this Halloween. 

It’s time to break out the pumpkins and fake spider webs — All Hallows’ Eve is nearly here. If you’re planning on hitting the road at some point in the evening, be mindful that many streets will be filled with kids in search of bite-sized candy, so exercise caution while driving.

While many new vehicles sold today feature advanced collision prevention features, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and not completely rely on technology. Follow these few tips to keep everyone, including you, safe this Halloween.

Walk-around

With trick-or-treaters out in full force this Oct. 31, they may not always be sticking to sidewalks or crossing the street at appropriate areas. Before backing up, get out and do a quick walk around to make sure there are no small children behind or beside your car.

2016 Hyundai Tucson rear bumper

Models like the new Hyundai Tucson have optional rear parking sensors embedded in the rear bumper that give an audible warning when someone or something is detected. As the object gets closer, the warning increases in both frequency and tone to alert the driver.

Slow down

It’s always advisable for children to wear bright-coloured costumes to be as visible as possible, but that doesn’t always happen. Drive slower than usual, especially in residential areas so a ninja or Dracula wearing all black running doesn’t run out and catch you by surprise.

Toyota Safety Sense P

Toyotas equipped with Toyota Safety Sense P utilize an in-vehicle camera working in tandem with a millimetre wave radar unit mounted on the front grille. When a potential collision with a pedestrian is predicted, the brakes are pre-loaded for quicker stop times, and/or the system will automatically apply the brakes as well.

Park indoors

Halloween ranks as one of the top dates in the year for automobile vandalism, according to ICBC. If possible, leave your car inside your home garage or in a parkade after dark.

The latest generation of Audi anti-theft alarms use warning horns that operate independently of the main electrical system, and will sound when a door is opened while the alarm is armed. 

Five tips for driving safer in rain

Benjamin Yong on October 13, 2016

Driving in the rain doesn’t have to be dangerous if you take a few precautionary steps.

Tune into any local radio traffic station after the first big rain of the season, and there will inevitably be reports of accidents all across the city. Avoid being a statistic by learning how to drive defensively in the wet.

Mind your speed

A big reason for losing control in rainy conditions is simply driving too fast. The amount of available grip drops dramatically when the roads become slick from a mixture of water and vehicle fluid runoff. Slowing down prevents water building up in the small channels of the tire tread, and provides more room between you and the car in front if you need to brake suddenly or make a last-minute steering manoeuvre.

Check your blades

You can’t drive safely if you can’t see. Before the rain falls, double check to see if your wipers can clear the windshield properly without squeaking or rubbing, and make sure the blades aren’t cracked or disintegrating. Replacements are inexpensive and most dealerships will help install them after purchase.

Light up

All too often I’ll be driving in the rain on a dark road, and notice the car in front of me just has his running lights on, or worse, no lights at all. Make it a habit to turn the headlights to the on position in inclement weather for a two-fold benefit: you will be able to see what’s in front of you better, and you’ll be more visible to other motorists.

Avoid puddles

While splashing through a miniature lake on the road sounds like a fun idea, you don’t know what’s beneath so go around if possible. Generally, avoid puddles unless they’re shallow enough that you can still see the asphalt at the bottom. If you must go through, drive slowly so water doesn’t potentially splash up into the engine bay and onto delicate and/or expensive parts.

Don’t cruise

Try and avoid using cruise control during stormy conditions — you want to be alert and ready to hit the brakes or gas pedal if something goes awry. If your tires hit a big puddle and begin to hydroplane (skim uncontrollable over the surface of the wet pavement), cruise control may cause the car to suddenly accelerate once the situation gets grippy again.

Top three cars from Paris Motor Show 2016

Benjamin Yong on October 12, 2016

Paris Motor Show 2016 entrance
The Mondial de l’Automobile Paris Motor Show 2016 runs now until Oct. 16. 

Sadly, in Canada, we won’t be seeing any of the Peugeots or Renaults making their debut at the Paris Motor Show on local roads anytime soon. But there were many brands, recognizable to any North American, also unveiling some really cool vehicles and concepts at the event, some which may even eventually make it to our shores. The following are three of our favourites.

Volkswagen I.D. concept front

Volkswagen I.D. electric concept

VW is showcasing its new MEB compact electric vehicle design language with the I.D. concept. Expected to become a reality by 2020, the highly automated, zero-emissions four-door is powered by a 168-horsepower electric motor boasting a range of up to 600 kilometres on a single battery charge.

Volkswagen I.D. concept sliding doors

Some interesting features include rear-swivelling backdoors, a trunklid that extends across the full-length of the car and LED headlights made to resemble a human eye, capable of responding to the environment. The interior is completely digitized, anchored by a retractable steering wheel. The wheel disappears when the driver touches the centre Volkswagen logo activating autonomous driving mode.

Audi RS 3 sedan front

Audi RS 3 sedan

For the first time in the brand’s history, the Audi RS emblem is attached to a compact sedan. Immediately recognizable by its signature 3-D honeycomb mesh grille bearing a Quattro logo on the bottom half, the RS 3 has a 20 millimetre-wider front track and rear wheels spaced 14 mm further apart than the standard A3.

Audi RS 3 sedan side

A new 2.5-litre TFSI (Turbocharged Fuel Stratified Injection) engine drives the car, and at 400 hp it makes 33 more than the outgoing model. Mated to a S tronic seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the dash from 0 to 100 km/h takes only 4.1 seconds.

Honda Civic Type-R front

Honda Civic Type-R prototype

Fans of Honda, Japanese sports cars or just automobiles in general have been waiting for the ultra-high-performance Type-R version of the latest Civic with bated breath.

Honda Civic Type-R rear

Many details on the car that hint at its racy heritage, like bulging body panels, winged splitter mounted underneath the front bumper, red accents and badging, smoked headlamp housings, piano-black 20-inch wheels and a towering rear trunk spoiler. More information should be available when the CTR makes its North American debut at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas next month.

Top three 2016 model year family vehicles

Benjamin Yong on October 4, 2016

2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
The Hyundai Sonata comes with many comfort and convenience options making it a great choice for families. Photo by Benjamin Yong.

Similar to the contemporary family unit, the family vehicle segment too has evolved, reflecting the wants and needs of 21st century living. Now, models come in a plethora of shapes and sizes catering to wide variety of customers, and are safer, more comfortable and better equipped than their predecessors. We’ve included three of our favourites from 2016 here — one each from the sedan, crossover SUV and minivan categories — and have taken into consideration the attributes above, as well as price.

2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid rear

2016 Hyundai Sonata

The Sonata is a particularly versatile sedan that has a lot going for it. The design was completely changed last year, and the car is offered in gasoline, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid flavours (Hybrid pictured here). Parents will appreciate the convenience of options like rear window sunshades for little ones or pets riding in the back, a power trunk for easy storage of cargo, and programmable driver’s seat memory taking out the guesswork of adjustment when there are multiple drivers. Prices start at $24,749.

2016 Toyota Highlander

2016 Toyota Highlander

Plenty of interior space, reliability and onboard entertainment are just some of the 2016 Toyota Highlanders strong suits. Grownups and children passengers alike will be kept busy with a multimedia system consisting of a 6.1-inch touchscreen, USB and 12-volt ports for electronics and an available Blu-ray DVD player and 9.0-inch screen in the back. There’s also room for either seven or eight occupants depending on the configuration.

2016 Toyota Sienna

2016 Toyota Sienna

Toyota makes this list twice, but that’s simply because they’ve got the family vehicle formula down pat. The best-selling Sienna is successful for a reason, or several reasons actually, among them being a load of tech and massive carrying capacity. Siri Eyes Free functionality means drivers can easily and safely call up smartphone functions using their voice, such as adding a doctor’s appointment to the calendar or calling up a favourite restaurant to order dinner, and with the second and third row benches folded down the minivan can swallow over 4,000 litres of cargo.  

2016 Toyota Sienna cargo capacity