Friday, December 6, 2013
Richmond Review · Page 13
the richmond
REVIEW drivewayBC.ca |
Welcome to the driver’s seat
The 100-click limit is commonly referred to as unrealistic on today’s welldesigned highways. Keith Morgan
Visit the photo gallery at drivewayBC.ca
Hike those highway speed limits, say a third of BC residents suburban highways and A significant number of 120 on the Coquihalla British Columbians clearly is reasonable. In my don’t buy the safety manexperience, it is not tra that speed kills. speed alone but excesIn fact, according to a sive speed combined new Insights West poll, with over-driving the conducted in partnership weather/road condiwith Black Press, 37 tions that kills. It is also percent of residents (and 39 percent of drivers) More than half of true to say that that dramatic speed differbelieve a higher speed those polled believe entials of traffic is also limit should be posted a major contributor to on our major highways. the province should Currently, 100 km/h is the not bring back photo road carnage. However, while that may be true maximum on most freeradar. on congested urban ways, while 110 km/h is roads it is less so on posted on the Coquihalla Keith Morgan the highway where few Highway and parts of the people are travelling Okanagan connector. below the posted limit and I don’t “The fascinating issue on this question see another 10 km/h hike making for is the gender gap,” said Mario Canseco, major mishaps. Vice President, Public Affairs at Insights Not surprisingly, the online survey of a West. “While half of men in BC would representative provincial sample also like to see a higher speed limit, just shows that a majority of residents one-in-four women concur with this believe that photo radar should not view.” be brought back. More than half of However, it was surprising to see that those polled (53 more than half (55 percent) believe percent) believe the speed limits should be left alone. the province should Another five percent want to see not bring back limits lowered. photo radar, which It’s surprising if you read the newswas introduced in paper letters pages and listen to the the 1990s as a province’s radio talk shows, where the measure to curb 100-click limit is commonly referred to speeding, but as unrealistic on today’s well-designed was abandoned highways. in 2001. As a frequent driver of the network, While almost I have to agree that a 110 limit on the
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half of residents aged 55 (48 percent) would like to see photo radar coming back, support is decidedly lower among residents aged 18-to-34 (36 percent) and 35-to-54 (31 percent). I supported photo radar initially because when used in high-collision locations, elsewhere in the world, it has a remarkable record for reducing death and injuries. It never operated that way in BC and soon became public enemy number one where it was perceived as merely a cash cow for greedy provincial government. Residents were also asked about the quality of British Columbia’s roads and infrastructure. More than seven-in-
Giving warms the heart. Donating a coat can warm two at a time. Black Press is collecting coats for kids in support of the Greater Vancouver Builder’s Associations’ 17th Annual Coats for Kids Campaign to be held Nov 19 - Dec 7. Last year over 3000 coats were collected by the GVHBA members for distribution by the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau and other agencies.
Bring in your coats to the Richmond Review #1-3671 Viking Way, Richmond
ten (74 percent) rate it as “good” (68 percent) or “very good” (6 percent), while only 22 per cent deem it “bad” (19 percent) or “very bad” (3 percent). Overall, only 16 percent of British Columbians believe that the province’s roads are “not too safe” or “not safe at all” for motorists, while four-in-five (82 percent) consider them “very safe” or “moderately safe.” This is the first of four surveys Insights West will conduct during the next year in partnership with Black Press. We hope these poll findings will find their way in the current speed limit and traffic safety review by the provincial government. This week in Driveway, our “Question of the Week” and “Drives-U-Crazy” spots focus on speed-related issues please participate online. keith.morgan@drivewaybc.ca About the survey: Results are based on an online study conducted from October 23 to October 27, 2013, among 838 British Columbians who are aged 18+ and are Your Insights panel members. YourInsights.ca is Insights West’s in-house access panel offering on-demand samples for both clients and research suppliers looking for Western Canadian populations. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age and gender. While statistical margins of error are arguably not applicable to online panels/online studies of this nature, we have assumed that the same margins of error apply as if it were a true unweighted random probability sample with a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty. To view the detailed data tabulations go to www.insightswest.com
Question OF THE WEEK: Should the maximum speed limit on the highways be raised to 110 km/h and 120 km/h on the Coquihalla network?
?
QUESTION OF THE WEEK!
Go to drivewayBC.ca to submit your answer.
Safety Tip: During the months of November and December there is an 86 per cent increase in crashes where a pedestrian is injured compared to July and August. Always be on the lookout for pedestrians – especially in dark, wet weather when visibility is limited, at intersections and near transit stops.
Find more online at
drivewayBC.ca
Page 14 · Richmond Review
Friday, December 6, 2013
0 AWD 5 NO CHARGE
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TM The Hyundai names, logos, product names, feature names, images and slogans are trademarks owned by Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. †Finance offers available O.A.C. from Hyundai Financial Services based on a new 2013 Santa Fe 2.0T Limited AWD/2013 Santa Fe XL Premium AWD/2014 Tucson 2.0L GL FWD MT with an annual finance rate of 0%/0%1.9% for 36/36/96 months. Bi-weekly payments are $493/$448/$122. $0 down payment required. Cost of Borrowing is $0/$0/$1,831. Finance offers include Delivery and Destination of $1,760. Registration, insurance, PPSA, fees, levies, charges, license fees and all applicable taxes are excluded. Delivery and Destination charge includes freight, P.D.E., dealer admin fees and a full tank of gas. Financing example: 2014 Tucson 2.0L GL FWD MT for $23,259 at 1.9% per annum equals $122 bi-weekly for 96 months for a total obligation of $25,090. Cash price is $23,259. Cost of Borrowing is $1,831. Example price includes Delivery and Destination of $1,760. Registration, insurance, PPSA, fees, levies, charges, license fees and all applicable taxes are excluded. Delivery and Destination charge includes freight, P.D.E., dealer admin fees and a full tank of gas. ʈFuel consumption for 2013 Santa Fe 2.0T Limited AWD Auto (HWY 8.4L/100KM, City 11.0L/100KM), 2013 Santa Fe XL Premium AWD (HWY 8.0L/100KM, City 11.7L L/100KM), 2014 Tucson 2.0L GL FWD MT (HWY 7.2L/100KM, City 10.0L L/100KM) are based on Energuide. Actual fuel efficiency may vary based on driving conditions and the addition of certain vehicle accessories. Fuel economy figures are used for comparison purposes only. ʕPrice of models shown: 2013 Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Limited AWD/2013 Santa Fe XL Limited AWD/2014 Tucson 2.4L Limited AWD are $40,259/$44,659/$35,359. Prices include Delivery and Destination charges of $1,760. Registration, insurance, PPSA, fees, levies, charges, license fees and all applicable taxes are excluded. ‡No Charge AWD Offer: Purchase or lease a new 2013 Santa Fe 2.0T Limited AWD or Santa Fe XL Premium AWD and you will be entitled to a $2,000 factory to dealer credit. The manufacturer’s estimated retail value for Santa Fe AWD is $2,000. Factory to dealer credit applies before taxes. Offer cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other available credits. Offer is non-transferable and cannot be assigned. No vehicle trade-in required. No Charge AWD Offer not available on the 2013 Santa Fe Sport 2.4L FWD, 2.4L Premium FWD or 2.0T Premium FWD, or the 2013 Santa Fe XL FWD. †‡ʕOffers available for a limited time, and subject to change or cancellation without notice. See dealer for complete details. Dealer may sell for less. Inventory is limited, dealer order may be required. ††Hyundai’s Comprehensive Limited Warranty coverage covers most vehicle components against defects in workmanship under normal use and maintenance conditions.
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Friday, December 6, 2013
Richmond Review · Page 15
driveway
Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 is a stylish price buster by Zack Spencer
The Mercedes CLA 250 is here and it is a cause for celebration. This stylish compact car is powerful, filled with all kinds of features and starts at an amazing $33,900. What this means for the entire car market is a trend towards more car for less money. If Mercedes Benz can sell such a competent car for so little, the pressure will be on non-premium brands to sharpen their pencil, add more features, and revise their prices lower. Mercedes already has a very affordable hatchback with the B250, which arrived about a year ago and is the basis for this CLA. Both of these cars open up Mercedes Benz to a new market of buyers who might have been thinking about buying a non-premium brand but now realized a CLA is within reach. This, along with Mercedes strong resale value will help to keep lease rates low, amplifying the value this car offers. Looks Mercedes helped create the “coupe” 4-door sedan several years ago with the CLS sedan, which is based on the E-Class sedan. By dropping the roof, raking the front and rear windows and adding a more aggressive front end, produces an eye-catching sedan that looks classy and aggressive at the same time. Mercedes has taken this formula and applied it to the B-Class platform to produce this coupe-like sedan. The base model comes with 17-inch wheels but the sport package is great value, at $1,600, which adds 18-inch AMG wheels and extra AMG exterior trim pieces. The side windows are slim as is the back window for limited outward visibility, not so much for the driver but the rear seat passengers, especially kids. Inside One trend I’m not sure I like is placing a screen in the centre of the dash, like putting an iPad Mini in the permanently placed in middle of the dash. It doesn’t look particularly polished, almost like an afterthought. Audi’s new A3 sedan, arriving in March, has the ability to lower their screen, which I think is a better approach. The premium package is a must because it includes a huge panoramic sunroof, backup camera, automatic
climate control and heated
‘‘
If Mercedes Benz can sell such a competent car for so little, the pressure will be on non-premium brands to sharpen their pencil, add more features, and revise their prices lower. Zack Spencer
’’
front seats; all of this for $2,800. This is a small car; the roof feels very low and back seat passenger’s needs to be children or shorter adults. Rear seat outward visibility is limited and legroom is also at a premium. Drive The launch event for this new CLA was held in the Washington DC area, leaving historic Georgetown and heading towards Maryland’s ports and navel academy. This provided some excellent stop-andgo traffic opportunities in Washington’s morning rush hour and then getting to stretch the new CLA’s legs on fabulous Interstate highways. The power plant is a direct injection turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with a healthy 208hp. The power goes through a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission to the front wheels. The more expensive and powerful 355hp CLA 45 AMG has an all wheel drive (AWD) system as standard equipment but the base CLA 250 will get this important option sometime in 2014. Power is fantastic, especially if the transmission is placed in the sportier mode. This car cruises effortlessly at highway speeds and passes with ease. All CLA models come with a Collision Prevention Assist feature that alerts the driver to the possibility of an impending collision.
Verdict We are heading into a wonderful period of lower priced cars, or vehicle fitted with more standard features. This new CLA 250 is a perfect example of this. Other new entries include the latest A3 that arrives in March and starts at $31,100 and then the new BMW 1 Series will arrive in about a year. For the price of a wellequipped non-premium brand Canadians can now get a premium German sedan for about the same price. zack.spencer@drivewaybc.ca
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§ AWC standard on RVR SE AWC and GT. S-AWC standard on Outlander GT.^Limited-time offer available on select new 2013 and 2014 vehicles purchased through participating dealers to qualified retail customers until January 2, 2013. $1,500/$1,000/$1,000/$750/$750/ $500 MasterCard card available on all 2013 and 2014 Outlander/Lancer Evolution/RVR/Lancer/Lancer Sportback/Mirage models. $750 MasterCard card available on all 2012 and 2013 i-MiEV models. Offers are subject to change without notice. Some conditions apply. See dealer for details. MasterCard cards are issued by Peoples Trust Company pursuant to a license by MasterCard International Incorporated. ® MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. No payments for 90 days is available on select new 2013 and 2014 models financed through Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada or Scotiabank subvented financing programs on approved credit through participating dealers to qualified retail customers until January 2, 2014. Leases are excluded from the No payments for 90 days offer. Offer only applicable to monthly, weekly or bi-weekly payments. Interest charges (if any) will not accrue during the first 60 days after purchaser signs contract for a participating vehicle. After the first 60 days, interest (if any) starts to accrue and the purchaser will repay principal and interest (if any) monthly over the term of the contract. Some amounts may be due upon signing. See participating retailers or visit mitsubishi-motors.ca for complete details. † Highway and city ratings for non-hybrid sub-compacts based on Natural Resources Canada test requirements: Mirage highway 4.4 L/100 km (64 mpg) and 5.3 L/100 km (53 mpg) in the city for CVT-equipped models. * Best backed claim does not cover Lancer Evolution, Lancer Ralliart or i-MiEV. ® MITSUBISHI MOTORS, BEST BACKED CARS IN THE WORLD are trade-marks of Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. and are used under license. ** Whichever comes first. Regular maintenance not included. See dealer or mitsubishi-motors.ca for warranty terms, restrictions and details. Not all customers will qualify.
NEWTYPE RICHMOND MITSUBISHI 9200 Bridgeport Road (across from Costco)
604-231-9200 newtypemitsubishi.com
Sales: Mon - Thur 9:00 am - 8 pm; Fri - Sat 9:00 am - 6:00 pm; Sun Noon - 5:00 pm Service and Parts: Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 5:00 pm; Sat 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Page 16 · Richmond Review
Friday, December 6, 2013
driveway
Alexandra car shops for herself for once by Alexandra Straub
One of the questions I’m asked most often when
someone finds out about my line of work is “What car would you buy if I had an unlimited amount of
money?” Well I have yet to win the lottery. But I can refine the question to, if
I had to buy a vehicle for my family, what would it be? Currently, we’re the
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owners of a 2001 VW Cabrio. We imported it from Southern California and have put quite a few kilometres on it. But, we needed something that was bigger, had more trunk space, was preferably a diesel and could make it through the snow. So, the hunt began. It actually began in December of 2012. The better half and I went looking for an SUV. It didn’t matter if it had five or seven seats. We preferred a diesel but were not excluding gasoline options. The first place we went to was the Mercedes-Benz dealership. The ML350 Bluetec was in a new generation and something we were interested in. However, with the options we wanted and a three month wait time, the price was out of our range and the wait was too long. Then we looked into the Mazda CX-9. Granted, it’s not a diesel but a classy car and one that’s nice to drive. Again, the Ford Explorer Sport was not diesel, but a strong contender. Though, the fuel economy wasn’t as stellar as we had hoped.
We had spent the better part of a road trip in an Acura MDX in 2013 but wanted to wait until 2014 for the all-new version to come out. After taking that for a spin, that was top three on the list. We also fancied the Volvo XC90 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel. With all these great options, it was hard to narrow it down. But there was one that we had still not looked at. That was the 2014 VW Touareg TDI. It wasn’t hard to fall in love with it. As a VW owner, it’s something I should have thought about right away but for some reason didn’t. Regardless, testing it out fit everything we were looking for. The Touareg was within our price range, it had a generous cargo capacity, all-wheel drive (for our various trips up the mountain) and best of all, a diesel engine. I’m a huge supporter of alternatives to gaspowered vehicles, whether that’s diesel, electric or hybrids. It only seemed fitting to welcome this type of beautiful machine into our home.
‘‘
The Touareg was within our price range, it had a generous cargo capacity, all-wheel drive (for our various trips up the mountain) and best of all, a diesel engine.
’’
Alexandra Straub
With our new addition to the family and smiles on everyone’s faces, we couldn’t be happier. We’ve also driven almost 2,000 kilometres in the first two weeks of having the Touareg TDI at home and have only filled the tank twice. Even better! alexandra.straub @driveway.bc.ca
The fastest car
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2013 smart Canada, a Division of Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. Vehicle shown is the 2013 smart fortwo passion coupe with optional equipment at an extra cost. Total price is based on a 2013 smart fortwo pure coupe, National MSRP of $14,400. Total price of $16,660 includes charges of freight/PDI of $1,495, dealer admin fee of $595, air-conditioning levy of $100, PPSA up to $50.48 and a $20.00 fee covering EHF tires, fi lters and batteries (taxes are extra). Vehicle options, fees and taxes extra. Lease offer based on the 2013 smart fortwo pure. Available only through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on approved credit for a limited time. Lease example based on $209 (excluding taxes) per month for 36 months (STK#V1300462). *$0 Down payment, $0 Security deposit, $0 fi rst payment, and $0 due at signing, on the condition of approved credit only through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Lease APR of 1.9% applies. Total cost of borrowing is $576, total obligation is $8,461. 12,000 km/year allowance ($0.20/km for excess kilometres applies.). Vehicle license, insurance, and registration are extra. Dealer may lease or fi nance for less. Offer ends December 31st, 2013.