GCBC's 10 Best Car Photos In 2015

Although GoodCarBadCar is an automotive website geared toward obsessive coverage of auto sales stats, we test a different new car nearly every single week. And over the course of those weeks, we take pictures of the cars manufacturers deliver to GCBC Towers.

"We" used to mean GCBC's in-house photographer, our news editor, Steffani Cain, she of Camaro ZL!/MacDonald Bridge and Chevrolet Spark/PEI fame. Steffani still makes the odd appearance behind a Nikon lens for GCBC – the F-150 photo below is hers, not mine – but most of the material on GCBC is shot with, that's right, my iPhone 6. Sometimes I'll crack out the Nikon DSLR, too, and I've shot cars with a Pentax K1000 film camera, too. But the challenge of making iPhone images look professional, even to the small degree to which I'm able, is fun and practical and unusual. We like unusual.

The best car photography in new car reviews is more visible elsewhere, in this eCOTY photo gallery from evo magazine, in this Mustang Driving.ca photo from Brendan McAleer, in this old vs. new Car & Driver Miata image, and in this unique look at the Vauxhall Corsa VXR from CAR magazine.

At GCBC exclusively, however, these are our ten favourites from the last year. Click any image for a larger view. All images © GoodCarBadCar.net.

2015 Audi S3 At Fisherman's Cove In Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia

2015 Ford F-150 Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 In Hartlen Point, Nova Scotia

2016 Cadillac Escalade In Cow Bay, Nova Scotia

2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel Overland 4x4 In Cow Bay, Nova Scotia

2015 Ford Mustang V6 In Downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia

2015 GMC Yukon Denali At Fisherman's Cove In Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia

2015 Audi TTS Coupe Competition In Hartlen Point, Nova Scotia

2015 Honda Odyssey EX With Honey The Dog In Summerside, Prince Edward Island

2015 Kia Sedona SXL+ In Cow Bay, Nova Scotia

2015 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk In Woodside, Nova Scotia

True, the Renegade's photo isn't a photo at all, but love it or hate it, the details make for interesting photos. The Sedona's telephone pole companion is in the way... or is it? The Odyssey photo isn't of a review subject – that's our very own vehicle, paid for with our own money for a long-term test. The light on the yellow Audi TT is on the wrong side, but a filthy sports car in winter has a certain charm when parked on a hill above the north Atlantic. For reasons I can't recall, the Yukon Denali is neither centred nor cornered, but it's a wildly expensive vehicle parked in front of a crumbling fishing building in the dreadful winter cold. The rear-wheel-drive, entry-level, sixth-generation Ford Mustang's review is the most popular on GCBC every month, and we had a ton of fun with the Mustang on ice, even in this little parking lot. Its air suspension lowered to its lowest height while perched on the side of a ditch, the Grand Cherokee looks exactly as good as a Grand Cherokee should look. Up early to time the Escalade's pose with a sunrise, the big Cadillac looked every inch a $106,000 SUV. We had more fun catching the F-150 in motion – me driving, Steffani shooting – but the way the ruby red paint glistens in this profile photo speaks loudly of nearly $80K pickups. As often as not, we take pictures of cars in the midst of Eastern Passage's fishing community, routinely with a surrounding of fog. It doesn't normally work out as well as it did for the Audi S3.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook. Steffani Cain typically compiles the news for GCBC and operates Buoyed By Virtual Assistance.

2014 Honda Civic Coupe EX Review - One Of Nine On GCBC's Street Last Week

For the 2014 model year, Honda has again altered its Civic, the second revamp since the Civic was introduced as a mostly new car for MY2012.

Rejigged styling and some equipment changes play second fiddle to the introduction of a continuously variable transmission in place of a conventional automatic.

THE GOOD Proven Honda's 4-bangers are tops Real-world fuel economy  Rear seat serves a purpose If you must CVT, CVT like this

THE BAD Still gets noisy inside Where's the fun? Not enough front legroom No volume knob Not exactly a style icon

As is the case in any Honda, sticking with the less costly manual transmission is still the way to go for those who can. But this CVT, with its successfully implemented paddle shifters, is uniquely capable of behaving like a semi-malleable automatic. 

• 9% Of The Cars Sold In Canada In January Were Civics
• All 147 Cars Ranked By February 2014 YTD U.S. Sales

The Honda Civic sells more often than any other passenger car in Canada. Although the Civic no longer rises to the highs of 2006-2008 when more than 70,000 were sold on an annual basis, Canadian sales are on the rise in 2014, surging 21% through the first one-sixth of the year. U.S. volume was at a six-year high in 2013, but the pace has slowed slightly in early 2014.

Of the 32 vehicles in the driveways of our 20-house cul-de-sac last week, 28% were Civics. It wasn't just a sedan fascination, either, as more than one-third of those nine Civics were coupes. I parked the 2014 Civic Coupe EX at Fisherman's Cove in Eastern Passage thinking another Civic might come along before too long. Try five seconds. Honestly, it was instantaneous. And that eighth-gen sedan was immediately followed by a seventh-gen coupe. 

In other words, it's not just a big picture thing; it's what Canadians see in practice on a daily basis. For buyers looking for a relatively practical, consistently efficient, pleasantly equipped, entry-level two-door that's better than it was last year, the Civic is known as the automatic choice. 

Why?

Let's start with the reasons the Civic can't move up from its successful status as a top seller to a position of total dominance à la Dodge's Grand Caravan. Speaking subjectively, the Civic's sense of style, especially in coupe form, has steadily declined from what was a high-water mark in the '06 model year. This ninth-gen car appears to ride too high - a family of mice could live in the wheelwells, but they'd be visible.

All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net
Click Any Image For A Larger View - (iPhone 4 Filtered Through Tadaa)

The new grille treatment is a poor attempt at change for the sake of change; the foglight-less space below the headlights is awkward in EX trim; the 16-inch wheel design was probably something Pontiac tried out for the '03 Grand Am but rejected. Although the seating is comfortable (and decently spacious in the sometimes still boomy rear seat) I never felt like there was enough rearward adjustment in the driver's seat for my legs. 

2014 HONDA CIVIC COUPE EX Base Price * (CDN): $20,335 As-Tested Price * (CDN): $23,695 Engine: 1.8L SOHC 16-valve I-4 Transmission: continuously variable Horsepower: 143 @ 6500 rpm Torque: 129 @ 4300 rpm Curb Weight: 2875 pounds Drive Type: front-wheel-drive Length: 177.9 inches Width: 69.0 inches Height: 55.0 inches Wheelbase: 103.1 inches Passenger Volume: 2340 litres Cargo Volume: 331 litres Centre Console: 10 tennis balls Glove Compartment: 28 tennis balls EPA City: 29 mpg = 8.1 L/100km EPA Highway: 38 mpg = 6.2 L/100km Observed: 38.6 mpg Observed: 6.1 L/100km * includes destination/delivery. Base price refers to Civic LX. Civic EX starts at $22,395.

More importantly, if you'd grown accustomed to the finely-tuned suspensions of Civics of yore, cars with communicative steering and an overall feeling that made you want to install go-faster parts (and stripes?) while watching 2 Fast 2 Furious and eating Kraft Dinner, the newer Civic comes up short in the intensity department. 

Honda inserted lifeless electric steering. They've ordered engineers to emphasize ride comfort. They dramatically reduced the overall interactivity of the chassis. And as a result, a more mature clientele gives them credit for refinement.

This trend isn't unique to Honda, as BMW's iconic 3-Series and Porsche's legendary 911 have both softened in old age. (Like the Civic, they've also continued to be rather successful nameplates despite the less enthusiast-oriented bent.)

But if the outside is slightly awkward, the 2014 Civic's interior design is what compact car interior design ought to be. It's not just a matter of appearances, as the quality of materials has improved, as well. The two-tiered layout makes use of space that's so often wasted. You'll never hear me complaining about an (intuitive) touchscreen, nor will I bemoan a centre stack that's canted toward the driver. 

Sure, a volume knob would be nice, but the knobs which do exist are chunky and well-built, not unlike everything else inside. 

Honda has certainly prioritized frugality over fun in the overall setup of the car, but Honda 4-cylinder engines - generating 143 horsepower and 129 lb-ft of torque in this instance - are still the smoothest 4-cylinder engines. (DYK? Honda builds more engines than any other company in the world.) 

It's free from vibration; happy to rev while seemingly consuming no extra fuel. It certainly feels like it's punching beyond its ratings, perhaps because this Civic is 137 pounds lighter than the SkyActiv-infused Mazda 3 we tested in December and 596 pounds lighter than Chevrolet's diesel Cruze. This 1.8L is the element which confirms this car's Civic-ness, the piece which reminds even a blindfolded driver that he's driving a Honda. 

Nevertheless, as good as Honda's own CVT design is by CVT standards, nicely simulating shifts and never droning, you just know how the 1.8L would come into its own if it was paired with the 5-speed DIY shifter.

As much because of its smooth engine, steady improvement, spacious interior, and affordability, the reason such an overwhelming number of North Americans buy or lease a Honda Civic is because it's a Civic. Civic buyers aren't continuing to be Civic buyers in spite of the less connected chassis, its increasingly dowdy design, or the coupe's slightly more cramped trunk, they're continuing to be Civic buyers because it's a Civic. Proven to be reliable, durable, dependable, predictable, and many other ble words.

GCBC Instituted ISTBTP, AKA Interior Storage Tennis Ball Test Protocol, In Early 2014.
The Honda Civic Coupe's ISTBTP Results Are In The Spec Chart Above. 

An oversimplification? Sixteen years atop Canada's passenger car leaderboard suggests otherwise. Yet to imply that Honda's Civic sells so well on the basis of reputation alone is to do the car a great disservice. Its faults are minor; its virtues are major. 

Perhaps we won't know just how powerful the Civic's reputation is until Honda builds a poor one. Honda hasn't come close to doing that yet.

RECOMMENDED READING
Historical Monthly & Yearly Honda Civic Sales Figures
2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Driven Review
2014 Mazda 3 Sport GT Driven Review
2014 Toyota Corolla LE Driven Review
2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited Driven Review
2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Edition 30 Driven Review

2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Edition 30 Review - It's Not A Minivan

They could scarcely be more different. 

Two vehicles which are currently celebrating their 30th year certainly share some similarities: they both have four wheels; they're both front-wheel-drive; they're both available in a special edition equipment line to mark 30 years since 1984; they both feature 6-speed automatic transmissions; they're both priced from the teens to the mid-thirties. In special edition trim, they both feature unique seat material and some badging just underneath the wing mirrors. 

But the things which separate them are more obvious than the things which unite the 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan 30th Anniversary and the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Edition 30. 

There's the whole 7-seat versus 5-seat thing; sliding doors versus front-hinged doors; the big V6 versus a small four-cylinder turbo. One is a Detroit-badged minivan built by what is now an Italian (Dutch?) company operating in Canada, across the river from Detroit. The other, the subject of this review after a week in GCBC's safe keeping, is a Mexican-built, German-badged sedan. 

THE GOOD Balance of mature sportiness Feels like 235 horsepower Joyful noise Seat comfort All-around visibility

THE BAD Costs a pretty penny Out-of-date infotainment system Speedo digits too close together Not overly Q-car Virtually pointless LATCH system

Indeed, times have changed, but both vehicles have the capability of causing onlookers to wax nostalgic. I spent many of my formative years in the back of a Chrysler minivan. They were quite compact on the outside yet so vast inside. Power doors? Not a chance - none of the rear windows did anything more than vent. 

This GLI, on the other hand, is yet another manifestation of what Volkswagen has always done best: surprisingly quick and practical small cars. Your parents drove a Caravan, and you perhaps recall it fondly, but you wished they'd had fewer kids so you could have been chauffeured in the back of a Golf GTI or a GTI with a trunk, the Jetta GLI.

Minivans have come a long way. The 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan 30th Anniversary is a people-carrying behemoth with five seats that fold into the floor and 283 horsepower. Through the first two months of 2014, it's also Canada's third-best-selling vehicle. 

Ignore comparisons between the car you see here and the 90-horsepower Jetta GLI of 1984, however, and forget (if you can) this car's direct predecessor, the more Golf GTI-like fifth-generation Jetta GLI.  

This GLI Edition 30 is not a minivan. It's not a MY1984 car, nor is it a MY2006 car. It's a sixth-gen Jetta, and it works hard to show just how good a sixth-gen Jetta can be.

That's by no means a simple commentary regarding its excellent on-road dynamics or the fact that it looks better than other Jettas. Inside, from the soft-touch plastic atop the dashboard to the finely-stitched leather wheel to the mode by which climate controls are turned, this is more a Volkswagen for Volkswagen lovers. When Volkswagen introduced this much less costly A6 Jetta for 2011, the biggest round of complaints were reserved not for its bland exterior but for its cabin's material quality. That's not a fair complaint in this GLI. (Neither was it a complaint that held buyers back, as Jetta volume rose to record levels.)

2014 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLI EDITION 30 Base Price * (CDN): $34,070 As-Tested Price * (CDN): $35,640 Engine: 2.0L DOHC 16-valve I-4 turbo Transmission: 6-speed direct-shift gearbox Horsepower: 210 @ 5300 rpm Torque: 207 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm Curb Weight: 3169 pounds Drive Type: front-wheel-drive Length: 182.2 inches Width: 70.0 inches Height: 56.6 inches Wheelbase: 104.4 inches Passenger Volume: 2665 litres Cargo Volume: 439 litres Centre Console: 6 tennis balls Glove Compartment: 15 tennis balls EPA City: 24 mpg = 9.8 L/100km EPA Highway: 32 mpg = 7.4 L/100km Observed: 30.5 mpg Observed: 7.7 L/100km * includes destination/delivery. Base price refers to Edition 30.  GLI starts at $29,685.  Jetta starts at $16,385.

Passenger comfort is top-notch, as expected. These aren't the lemon-squeezing Recaro seats of the Focus ST, nor is this car a proper competitor for the Ford. This is a car in which five individuals could take a long journey. Their stuff will fit in the vast, squared-off, 439-litre trunk, as well. LATCH anchors for our infant seat were all but impossible to properly secure, and it was bad enough for us to switch to a belt fitting. But space for a sub-midsize car is abundant, visibility is terrific, and rear passengers are never treated to harsh impacts from a rear beam axle in a car that's been tuned too aggressively. (Like all sixth-gen GLIs and now all 2014 Jettas, this car features independent rear suspension.)

There are niggling issues inside. As in other Volkswagens, the speedometer's numbers are too closely aligned, meaning there aren't nearly enough millimetres of distance between 80 kmh and 100 kmh. Look twice. 

Speaking of 1984, the infotainment unit isn't complicated, but it sure doesn't represent progress in the car/tech universe. 

And though it's a sensation generated by the optional exterior and nothing more than a subjective impression, this Tornado Red GLI with its Edition 30-specific Watkins Glen 18-inch wheels actually causes passers-by to do a double take, which defeats much of the Jetta GLI's sleeper appeal. In black, with the GLI's normal 17-inchers or the optional 18-inch Bathursts, a GLI flies way under the radar while still looking classy.

All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net
Click Any Image For A Larger View - (iPhone 4 Filtered Through Tadaa)

Aided by the always-smooth dual-clutch automatic transmission and despite small dose of exterior panache, the 2014 GLI has the capability to trick passengers into assuming this a fairly conventional Jetta, never a bad thing. The somewhat Subaru-like burble of the 210-horsepower 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder is muted when not actively called upon. As mentioned, ride quality is on the comfortable side of firm. Plentiful torque, all 207 lb-ft, is available not far above idle, so moderately swift progress is made up on-ramps without alerting passengers to the thrills that can be found with a heavier right foot.

By modern standards, Volkswagen's 2.0T doesn't imbue performance cars with the kind of power they need in order to be considered fast cars, at least not at this output level. But modern standards - 252-bhp Focuses and 290-bhp Hyundai Santa Fes - have skewed our thinking. This car has more than enough power to get you into trouble, and in part because it's so torquey, it feels a lot more like a car with 230-240 horsepower than one with 210. The 2.0T's sound also inspires the driver to delve into the wide power band more often than necessary just to hear the braaaap.

Nor does the 2014 Jetta GLI tackle corners like a Focus ST or the Golf R GCBC reviewed last winter. That's not to say it won't outhandle every non-performance-oriented compact and midsize car available, because it will, and it will do so with a level of engagement from the steering and seat cushion that's missing in the non-Si Civic Coupe we're testing this week. Yet more importantly, the GLI's relatively high level of handling prowess is matched - exceeded, in fact - by its ability to cosset during a Sunday afternoon cruise around town with the grandparents and baby in the back seat. 

While not catering to an enthusiast who wants an outright track monster with from-the-factory autocross potential, Volkswagen has perfectly tuned the 2014 Jetta GLI Edition 30's suspension to satisfy enthusiasts with its all-around, everyday appeal. It's a car that will accelerate to 100 kmh in a good bit less than seven seconds, but it's also a car that consumed just 7.7 litres per 100 km (31 U.S. mpg) during a cold week of sometimes aggressive driving. It offers a measure of quietness and luxury for five occupants and their cargo, but the GLI is also a car that genuinely wants to be driven with purpose. Weight has been kept in check, and it has become an agile and typically solid German car with an appetite for Sunday evening blasts up the coast.

For striking such an impressive balance, Volkswagen wants to be handsomely rewarded. Our test car rang in at $35,640. 

GLIs don't need to be this expensive, of course, if you're willing to sacrifice the Edition 30's special bits, a technology package that includes an excellent Fender audio system, the direct-shift gearbox, and big wheels. 

GCBC Instituted ISTBTP, AKA Interior Storage Tennis Ball Test Protocol, In Early 2014.
The Volkswagen Jetta GLI Edition 30's ISTBTP Results Are In The Spec Chart Above. 

Nevertheless, weighing the merits of this specific car against some of its compatriots in the entry-level luxury arena, cars which compete at a similar price point, doesn't generate an unfavourable result for the Jetta GLI Edition 30. With superior power, a heavy feature load, surprising efficiency, and extra rear seat space, it's the winner on paper. And as badge snobbery causes so many to flock to the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a special edition Jetta actually ends up being the unique car. 

Just like it was in 1984.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, wrote Alphonse Karr. Except for, you know, minivans with DVD players coming out of the ceiling and vacuums extending forth from behind the third row. Except for that.

RECOMMENDED READING
Historical Monthly & Yearly Volkswagen Jetta Sales Figures
2013 Volkswagen Golf R Driven Review
2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid Driven Review
2014 Mazda 6 GT Driven Review
2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited Driven Review

2014 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited Review - Not Completely Without Charm

Forgettable design, an underwhelming engine, and a relatively undersized cabin have caused the outgoing version of the Subaru Legacy, tested here in MY2014 form, to be roundly ignored in North America's midsize car market. 

The fifth-generation Legacy feels like a car that dropped out of Lady Mary Crawley's Finishing School a few months before graduation. It seems to have been under the misguided impression that midsize buyers value unique qualities like engaging dynamics and all-wheel-drive above. Silly Subaru. 

Unfortunately, the Legacy's focus on the kind of chassis setup that appeals to an auto enthusiast reviewer left little time for Subaru to concentrate on the traits desired by the practical midsize car consumer.

THE GOOD Enjoyable on a twisty road Terrific visibility Real deal all-wheel-drive Harks back to non-vast midsizers Everybody's (not) doing it

THE BAD They forgot to style it Dreadful wind noise Lacks overall refinement Big rear seat floor hump Not enough forward motivation

Subaru will attempt to cure many of these ills with the upcoming 2015 Legacy. It'll be roomier. Subaru will again offer a powerful six-cylinder engine even as others flock to fours. It will be more fuel efficient. The trunk will be bigger. (The problem with the current Legacy's trunk is more its shallow shape than its overall size.) They'll have had more time to work on the Legacy's continuously variable transmission; more time to eliminate the issues that sometimes make the Legacy seem like a car of the 90s, a major problem when so many of its direct rivals feel a lot like luxury cars of the 10s. The 2010s, not the 1910s.

But Subaru Canada didn't deliver a 2015 Legacy to GCBC Towers last week. Besides, one thing Subaru hasn't fixed with the 2015 model is the bland exterior. From the rear three quarter, this 2014 Legacy is probably the most anonymous midsize car available. Not enough of the car's exterior will change for 2015. Why Subaru product planners punched themselves in the throat by labelling this sedan concept a Legacy, and thus leading us on, we'll presumably never know.

Yet, historically-speaking, bland design hasn't hurt many top-selling midsize cars. (Beige Camry, any takers? 450,000? Great!) On the other hand, Canada's favourite midsize car in 2013 and through the first two months of 2014 is the head-turning Ford Fusion. The Fusion is available with a range of powerplants, front or all-wheel-drive, and enough tech to make a "social media entrepreneur" uncomfortably unaware. 

We know the 2014 Legacy is behind the times. (That might be why Subaru Canada has auto reviewers testing the car, so our upcoming reviews of the 2015 model will, they hope, remain in the context of of Subaru itself rather than the Legacy' competitive set - Toyota did it with the last Corolla, too.) But to what extent does it lag?

It lags enough that Subaru realized the 2015 model will need a chassis that's 59% stiffer and a body that's 10% more aerodynamic. (Ed: this review previously noted the chassis was 43% stiffer.) It'll need more sound deadening material between the carpet and its thicker floor. It'll need an acoustic laminated windshield, liquid-filled engine mounts, and thicker panels in the toeboard, rear wheel apron, and inner fenders.

No wonder, as a lack of overall refinement is the sharpest thorn in the 2014 Legacy's side. Wind noise around the A-pillars was more than a little disruptive. The almost siren-like whine and wail of the 2.5L/CVT tandem under acceleration was, to be frank, laughable. 

At least in Limited trim, the Legacy's interior looks really nice, but it's important that the interior feels as nice as it looks. The Legacy's interior does not. The infotainment unit was not designed by Apple, nor by any other company that wants its technology to do a lot of stuff while still being simple to use and nice to look at.

Subaru's EyeSight system watches out for the rear end of cars with which you're about to collide and also takes note of your proximity to lane lines. Because you have better things to do. EyeSight mistook the bright blue sky for the rear end of a car on one occasion as we headed up a steep slope into Lawrencetown. Its beeping was always too high-pitched and too constant. EyeSight, in its current iteration, is hypersensitive.

All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net
Click Any Image For A Larger View - (iPhone 4 Filtered Through Tadaa)

Brake feel is akin to stepping in an inch or two of muck before settling in mud. Subaru has made the throttle pedal very heavy, a great tactic for causing drivers to accelerate gently enough to find greater fuel efficiency. Even when you push through the weight, there simply isn't a substantial amount of power to be found. 173 ponies? Seriously? If there are 173, they must not be well cared for. They huff and they puff but forward motivation is never plentiful, and the 2.5L's inadequacy had me thinking that the extra weight of the all-wheel-drive system wasn't worth it.

2014 SUBARU LEGACY LIMITED Base Price * (CDN): $34,090 As-Tested Price * (CDN): $35,590 Engine: 2.5L DOHC 16-valve H-4 Transmission: continuously variable Horsepower: 173 @ 5600 rpm Torque: 174 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm Curb Weight: 3427 pounds Drive Type: all-wheel-drive Length: 187.2 inches Width: 71.7 inches Height: 59.3 inches Wheelbase: 108.3 inches Passenger Volume: 2917 litres Cargo Volume: 416 litres Centre Console: 14 tennis balls Glove Compartment: 31 tennis balls EPA City: 24 mpg = 9.8 L/100km EPA Highway: 32 mpg = 7.4 L/100km Observed: 26.7 mpg Observed: 8.8 L/100km * includes destination/delivery. Base price refers to MSRP of Legacy Limited. Base Legacy price is $25,090.

Then the roads improved, and the bends of Nova Scotia's Route 207 were more closely acquainted with one another, and the pavement's smoothness limited the impact of the Legacy's slightly busy ride. Suddenly the Legacy didn't feel too heavy at all. The steering is a speck lifeless on either side of centre, but turn in is still quite quick as the low-slung boxer engine brings the Legacy's centre of gravity way down. Unforeseen changes of direction are thus welcomed by the Legacy. Had the weather caused traction issues for its front-wheel-drive rivals, the Legacy's expert all-wheel-drive system would have been a big help.

The Legacy's fun-to-drive nature is about so much more than just grip; how many more mph can be achieved in one car versus another around a skidpad. This Subaru seems to enjoy being hustled, with responsive steering and lots of wheel travel and little body roll. And even the CVT - which so often seems to be revving far too high in regular in-town circumstances - gets into a stride when the Legacy is forced to make time in an un-trafficked rural setting. 

Alas, as a result of the excessive wind noise, my fellow occupants couldn't hear me very well during this drive to the beaches on a Sunday afternoon. The Harman Kardon 9-speaker stereo seemed a bit lifeless but probably excels at volumes not safe for our four-month-old's ears. The vast centre hump in the backseat wreaks havoc on overall space, space which isn't easily accessed because of the small rear door openings. Knees, not just in back but up front too, are pointed skyward as they are in so many Subarus. 

Easily charmed though I was by the Subaru's knack for successfully attacking the rural roads I know best, it's similarly easy for me, an obsessive tracker of automotive sales data, to remember that the midsize category's best corner carvers are not among the segment's top sellers. Canadian sales of the Mazda 6 have been plunging. In fact, they're falling to ridiculous lows. And the 6 is highly regarded. 

In the U.S. the Legacy is less popular than the Altima, Camry, Accord, Fusion, Malibu, 200, Optima, Sonata, Passat, Avenger, and that Mazda. The same group of cars easily outsold the Legacy in Canada last year, as well. Nissan positioned the first of its big Altimas as a sporty midsizer, but the current comfort-oriented Altima is the best-selling car in America right now.

So often, consumers get it wrong. Perhaps that's because automakers don't get the message across, or maybe it's a result of a buyer's preconceived notions getting in the way. In the case of this Legacy's failure to take off while the Outback, Forester, and XV Crosstrek sell so well, it's not difficult to see that backroad fun is completely counteracted by what comes across as both a boring and incomplete car. 

It is fun to drive a midsize alternative that doesn't feel as big as a barge, but inside, the Legacy doesn't feel as vast as its contemporaries. The 2014 Legacy also feels wildly overpriced, as this 2.5i Limited with EyeSight comes within $1800 of Honda's top-trim Accord Hybrid, a car which shames the Legacy in most aspects and can also be something of a joy to toss down a twisty road.

GCBC Instituted ISTBTP, AKA Interior Storage Tennis Ball Test Protocol, In Early 2014.
The Subaru Legacy's ISTBTP Results Are In The Spec Chart Above. 

Subaru knows how to do better. They haven't become one of America's fastest growing auto brands by dishing out underdeveloped crossovers. Yet in their quest to make the 2015 Subaru Legacy more palatable to prototypical midsize purchasers, let's hope Subaru hasn't cast aside the qualities that make the fifth-gen car unique. 

We certainly know they won't be getting rid of the all-wheel-drive.

RECOMMENDED READING

Historical Monthly & Yearly Subaru Legacy Sales Figures

2014 Mazda 6 GT Driven Review

2014 Hyundai Sonata SE Driven Review

2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Driven Review

2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI Highline Driven Review

2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited Review - Give The People What The People Want

Over the course of March 2014's first week, GoodCarBadCar enjoyed access to Canada's best-selling car from the month of February 2014. Hyundai Canada had parked a top-trim 2014 Elantra in front of GCBC Towers, a car that ended 2011, 2012, and 2013 as Canada's second-best-selling car.

The Elantra is undeniably popular; not much less common than Honda's all-conquering Civic, the best-selling car in Canada in each of the last 16 years. Nevertheless, Hyundai has realized that if the current Elantra is to take on the Civic on a continual basis, and if it will be tasked with fending off newer challengers, the company couldn't allow the Elantra to grow stale by waiting until a completely all-new Elantra arrives. 

THE GOOD Still a style leader So many toys 30 city mpg in winter with fresh engine? Big back seat; big trunk Intuitive control layout

THE BAD Too much in-cabin vibration Not a huge fan of cornering Everybody's got one Doesn't feel like a big power increase The new norm: $27K compacts

The front and rear styling has been tinkered with, new alloy wheel designs have been added, LEDs make frequent appearances, and Hyundai says they went to work on reducing noise, vibration, and harshness. 

But this 2014 model looks to be virtually identical to the handsome 2013 Elantra. The exterior and interior changes aren't significant. Equipment alterations aren't life-altering 

The availability of a 173-horsepower 2.0L four-cylinder engine, on the other hand, is noteworthy. 

Our tester, which at $27,199 (including destination) is the most expensive Elantra sedan, came equipped with the Elantra Limited's sunroof and rearview camera, but the Tech package increased the size of the touch screen from 4.3 inches to 7 while also adding navigation and proximity entry, removing the need to use an old-fashioned key. 

$27K is a lot to pay for a compact car, even one that looks as good as this Elantra. But there's no dearth of space for occupants or cargo and the equipment load is heavy, a combination which generates something of a midsize impression. In addition to all that, the Elantra Limited has heated front and rear seats, a power driver's seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and leather seating.

Yet toys and horsepower does not a great car make. (It doesn't?) No, it doesn't. Consumers expect a lot from compact cars from these days. If the 2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited wants to price itself like a decently-equipped midsize car, it must do more than equip itself with extra heating elements and more motor.

Inside is clearly where the Elantra excels, not just because of the standard kit - even the much less expensive GLS has a cabin full of heated seats, the sunroof, and the backup cam - but because of the attractive centre stack and its intuitive button layout. 

The big, centralized knobs for fan speed and volume are welcome in this era of touch-capacitive "buttons." Material quality doesn't stand out, neither for its high or low quality, but the seats are comfortable, the tilting/telescoping wheel helps the driver find the perfect position, and visibility is better than I remembered in the Elantra I drove a few years ago.

2014 HYUNDAI ELANTRA LIMITED Base Price * (CDN): $25,199 As-Tested Price * (CDN): $27,199 Engine: 2.0L DOHC 16-valve I-4 Transmission: 6-speed automatic Horsepower: 173 @ 6500 rpm Torque: 154 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm Curb Weight: 2959 pounds Drive Type: front-wheel-drive Length: 179.1 inches Width: 69.9 inches Height: 56.3 inches Wheelbase: 106.3 inches Passenger Volume: 2707 litres Cargo Volume: 419 litres Centre Console: 17 tennis balls Glove Compartment: 28 tennis balls EPA City: 24 mpg = 9.8 L/100km EPA Highway: 35 mpg = 6.7 L/100km Observed: 30.2 mpg Observed: 7.8 L/100km * includes destination/delivery. Base  price refers to MSRP of Elantra Limited. Base Elantra price is $17,549.

Best of all, space is abundant. The Civic apparently offers 29 fewer litres of passenger volume, but the gap feels more meaningful. 

In terms of space for the passengers' stuff, the next-best-selling Toyota Corolla provides 51 fewer litres of cargo capacity, a noticeable drop off, particularly as the shape of the Elantra's trunk makes cramming in big stuff a simple task. 

The Elantra rides and handles well enough, but it does fall short in one way or another of matching its top-selling rivals on the road. 

The Civic, even in its latest softer iteration, is the slightly more engaging car with the happier-to-rev engine. (The Elantra's driver selectable steering modes - comfort, normal, or sport - are more gimmicky than engaging.) 

The Corolla isolates vibration in the forward one-third of the car, whereas our Elantra test car allowed a surprising amount of the 2.0L's buzz to make its way through the throttle pedal and the overall cabin. 

The Mazda 3 is undoubtedly the stiffer-riding car, and that won't please everyone, but its steering and overall liveliness simply set it apart from the pack. 

All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net
Click Any Image For A Larger View - (iPhone 4 Filtered Through Tadaa)

Volkswagen's Jetta still offers a rather Germanic feel, though not to the extent it did before the advent of this sixth-gen Jetta. 

The Chevrolet Cruze absorbs the road's imperfections in an admirable way, tricking the driver into thinking they're in a much bigger car than they actually are. 

The Elantra is not a dynamic disappointment, but it's no dynamic masterpiece. It doesn't love to be hustled, and yet, it doesn't emphasize ride comfort as a trade-off. 

Moreover, any improvement in NVH seemed lost in our car, and it's hard to blame the engine alone, as we tested the same powerplant in Kia's Forte, a car we lauded for its luxurious ambience. This specific Elantra's four-cylinder was very fresh from the factory, and the fact that its 173 ponies felt a bit lazy lends some credence to the theory that, once in its groove with more than 5000 kilometres on the odometer, it'll settle in with more smoothness.

In this segment, competition is fierce and margins are slim. No Elantra alternative is perfect. Few are as nice to look at. But the Elantra makes hay off of approaching the class leaders in every aspect, never failing in any one area. If it's not the roomiest, it's close to it. It doesn't have the most available horsepower, but it offers plenty more than many automakers do. Interior quality isn't the highest, but it's not far from it. Kia offers an even better-equipped Forte, but the Elantra is, in used car salesman language, loaded. 

In Early 2014, GCBC Instituted ISTBTP, AKA Interior Storage Tennis Ball Test Protocol.
The Hyundai Elantra's ISTBTP Results Are In The Spec Chart Above. 

And while greater fuel efficiency can be found in rival cars - and even in the Elantra family - this 2014 Elantra 2.0L consumed just 7.8 litres per 100 kilometres, equal to 30.2 miles per gallon on the U.S. scale. Our routes were almost completely citified and were completed in consistently sub-zero weather, yet we still managed to easily top the EPA's 24-mpg city rating.

Forget compacts. The Elantra now does a fair Sonata-beating impression. To be fair, it's more than an impression. For every Sonata sold in Canada last month, Hyundai sold more than four Elantras. With mileage, space, and equipment like this, that's not a surprise.

RECOMMENDED READING
Historic Monthly & Yearly Hyundai Elantra Sales Figures
2014 Hyundai Sonata SE Driven Review
2014 Toyota Corolla LE Driven Review
2014 Mazda 3 Sport GT Driven Review
2014 Kia Forte SX Driven Review
2014 Nissan Sentra SR Driven Review