Vancouver International Auto Show removes Tesla, citing safety concerns at event

VANCOUVER - Tesla has been removed from participating in this week's Vancouver International Auto Show over safety concerns, the event's executive director says. 

Eric Nicholl said Tuesday that the show asked the electric carmaker to withdraw because of a "primary concern" for the safety of workers, attendees and exhibitors.

Nicholl said the decision wasn't easy, but was made "in light of the recent escalating events throughout North America."

"Sometimes you've got to listen to your gut, and if we see elements that are going on in the public, what level of risk does that pose to our team?" he said. "My job is to make sure we provide the best and safest event possible." 

B.C. real estate sales off to a stronger start in January 2025

VANCOUVER - Real estate sales across British Columbia were up in January compared with the year before, but average prices went down slightly. 

The B.C. Real Estate Association says in a statement that the 4,221 residential sales in January were up 6.4 per cent from January 2024, although unit sales were 12 per cent below the 10-year average. 

The association's chief economist Brendon Ogmundson says an increase in both sales and listings may foreshadow a stronger year, with a caution that global uncertainties might trigger higher or lower rates from the Bank of Canada. 

Active listings jumped by 27 per cent to almost 31,000, in what the association says is a normalization of trends for homes being placed on the market. 

Key things to know about how Tesla could benefit from Elon Musk’s assault on government

WASHINGTON (AP) — Elon Musk has long railed against the U.S. government, saying a crushing number of federal investigations and safety programs have stymied Tesla, his electric car company, and its efforts to create self-driving automobiles.

Now, Musk’s close relationship with President Donald J. Trump means many of those federal headaches could vanish.

The Trump administration could quickly nix a host of federal probes and safety programs: crash investigations into Tesla’s partially automated vehicles; a U.S. Department of Justice criminal investigation examining whether Musk and Tesla have overstated their cars’ self-driving capabilities; and a government mandate to report crash data on vehicles using technology like Tesla’s Autopilot.

Safety advocates, who credit such federal investigations and recalls with saving lives, say the consequences of such actions could prove dire.

Edmunds Top Rated vehicle awards are out for 2025

Once a year, Edmunds’ car experts gather to decide on the best new vehicles on sale. The annual Edmunds Top Rated Awards are given to the cars, trucks and SUVs that beat out the rest of the competition according to Edmunds’ rigorous vehicle testing program. To win, each vehicle must have been tested at the Edmunds test track and thoroughly evaluated in real-world use as well.

There are six main categories: best car, SUV and truck, and electric versions in the same categories. This year, there are some new champions, while others are repeat winners. The starting prices listed below include destination charges.

Edmunds Top Rated Car: Honda Civic Hybrid

The 2025 Honda Civic isn’t just this year’s best car; it might be the best Honda Civic ever. A big reason why is the newly available hybrid powertrain. The EPA estimates that it helps the hybrid versions of the Civic get up to 49 mpg in combined city/highway driving, a stellar result that Edmunds confirmed in its real-world testing. Pleasingly, this doesn’t come at the expense of power; indeed, the hybrid’s acceleration is on par with that of the sporty Civic Si. All Civics also provide ample passenger space and many easy-to-use technology features.

‘No such thing’ as an affordable starter car anymore. Auto experts’ advice for buyers

It's not as easy for young buyers to get a vehicle as the affordable “starter car” has disappeared, auto experts say.

“There’s no such thing as a starter brand new car anymore,” said Michael Bettencourt, a longtime auto journalist and co-author of an upcoming book on buying an electric vehicle in Canada. He is also a father to a 17- and 20-year old — the latter of whom will be shopping for a car soon.

With two sons that age, insurance is a nightmare, Bettencourt said. If you have a few models in mind, check out insurance rates for those vehicles before you start shopping.

“Find a site that will compare multiple insurance rates at once,” Bettencourt said.

We spoke, Mazda listened: 2025 CX-70 fixes hybrid woes as manufacturer admits missing mark

The 2025 Mazda CX-70 epitomizes automotive journalism that makes a difference.

Now, I’m not saying it was my reporting that did it, but there’s been a clear shift in how well the company’s latest hybrid, the CX-70, responds to accelerator input since myself and plenty of other journalists sharply criticized how the CX-90, in both mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid form, handled transitions between deceleration and acceleration.

You’d come out of a turn and ease into the accelerator pedal and … wait.

The transmission would go, “Oh, no. He wants to go … we better find the right gear,” and a second later you’d start to feel motion again.

Edmunds: The best used all-wheel-drive cars you can get for under $25,000

All-wheel drive might not be a must-have, but it sure is nice to have if you live in any of the large swaths of America that regularly see snow. Certainly a good set of winter tires will get the job done much of the time, but if you want ultimate peace of mind, there’s no substitute for all-wheel drive. Combine the two and you’re virtually unstoppable.

All-wheel drive was once rare in cars, but over the last 20 years it’s become a much more common feature. Especially in the last 10 years, carmakers have added all-wheel drive to existing models as well as producing new all-wheel-drive models, helping to make this feature as affordable as it is ubiquitous.

Edmunds’ editors recognize lots of people want the confidence of all-wheel drive without buying a bulky SUV. Accordingly, they’ve compiled this list of all-wheel-drive cars that can be found on the used market for less than $25,000.

Luxury: BMW 3 and 4 SeriesBMW’s 3 Series sedans and 4 Series coupes are sport-luxury cars recognized for their engaging handling. With the exception of one generation of cars, the 3 Series has offered all-wheel drive in the U.S. since the mid-1980s when it debuted in the 325ix. And 4 Series coupes, introduced for the 2014 model year, have offered all-wheel drive since their inception. The most common 3 Series and 4 Series models on the used market today are contemporary trims fitted with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making in the mid-200-horsepower range.

Edmunds: Five dream-worthy vehicles you wish you got for the holidays

Just about everyone dreams about cars they wish they could own, and there’s no better time than the holidays to make a list of vehicles you’d love to have in your driveway. The car pros at Edmunds rounded up five of their favorite dream-worthy vehicles. But rather than just list the most outlandish and expensive exotics, they focused on highlighting models that are expensive but not so pricey that it’d be completely unrealistic for you to own one one day. The vehicles are ordered in ascending order of price and include destination fees.

Ford F-150 Raptor R

Off-road trucks look fantastic and are extremely capable. What truck enthusiast wouldn’t have one topping their wish list? The king of the hill for 2025 is the F-150 Raptor R. The regular Raptor is already impressive, and the R takes it to the next level with a bonkers 720-horsepower supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine, upgraded Fox dual-value shock absorbers, and massive 37-inch all-terrain tires. An R-specific grille and hood are also part of the R’s upgrades.

Thankfully, the Raptor R isn’t all bark and bite. It also has plenty of features to make it a livable truck for daily driving. Standard features include leather upholstery, cooling front seats, a premium sound system, and a surround-view camera to help make this big truck easier to park.

Trump’s tariffs would devastate auto sector, raise consumer costs: industry leaders

Auto industry leaders say U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's threat of tariffs on Canadian goods would have devastating effects for the sector, forcing both Canadian and U.S. consumers to pay higher vehicle prices.

Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, said it's unreasonable to apply such a tax to auto parts, which may cross the border up to eight times before ending up in a finished vehicle.

He noted the auto industry works with single-digit profit margins.

"A tariff of 25 per cent is like talking about purple unicorns," said Volpe in an interview.

US regulators investigating whether engines on 1.4 million Hondas might fail

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government's highway safety agency is investigating complaints that engines can fail on as many as 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles.

The probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers the 2016 through 2020 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX, as well as the 2018 through 2020 Honda Odyssey and Acura TLX. Also included is the 2017 through 2019 Honda Ridgeline.

The agency says in documents posted on its website Monday that connecting rod bearings on vehicles with 3.5-liter V6 engines can fail, leading to complete engine failure. Connecting rods link the pistons to the crankshaft and convert vertical motion to move the wheels.

Honda recalled about 250,000 vehicles in November of 2023 to fix the same problem. But the agency says it has 173 complaints from owners who reported connecting rod bearing failures, yet their vehicles weren't included in the recall. One owner reported a crash with no injuries.

Not your grandfather’s Corolla

This is the Corolla we’ve been missing.

Yes, Toyota has rightly earned a reputation for delivering high-quality, reliable vehicles built like tanks. If people asked me for recommendations for a solid compact car, I’d have no qualms about telling them to put the current Corolla, in either sedan or hatchback form, at or near the top of their shopping lists.

When driving enthusiasts think Corolla, however, their thoughts don’t turn to hybrids and automatic transmissions. The 1980s was the heyday of Corolla performance, with AE86 models with available high-revving twin-cam engines and slick-shifting five-speed manuals inspiring dreams of autocross glory.

Or, at least, that was then…

A 2nd major recall for Honda in October, this time for pumps that can crack, leak fuel

Honda is recalling more than 700,000 vehicles because the high-pressure fuel pump may crack and leak fuel, which could increase the risk of a fire.

It is the second major recall this month at Honda, after 1.7 million vehicles were found to have potential steering issues in early October.

The recall includes the Accord and Accord Hybrid 2023-2024; the Civic and Civic Hybrid 2025 and the CR-V Hybrid 2023-2025.

Honda said that it has had 145 warranty claims, and no reports of injuries or deaths related to the issue from February 2023 through September 2024.

Border agency recovered nearly 2,000 stolen vehicles this year: transport minister

OTTAWA - Canada's border guards have recovered more stolen vehicles at railyards and ports so far this year than in all of 2023.

Transport Minister Anita Anand said Wednesday that the Canada Border Services Agency has recovered 1,945 stolen vehicles, with the majority found in Quebec.

The federal government launched an action plan earlier this year to address the record rates of vehicle thefts involving local and international police agencies, vehicle manufacturers and other partners.

"We are here today to say that this is working, that we are seeing a 19 per cent decrease in auto theft during the first half of 2024 compared to last year," Anand said at a press conference outside Halton Regional Police Service headquarters in Oakville, Ont.

Hyundai has begun producing electric SUVs at its $7.6 billion plant in Georgia

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Hyundai has begun producing electric SUVs in Georgia less than two years after breaking ground on its sprawling, $7.6 billion manufacturing plant west of Savannah. Hyundai’s factory in Georgia held an “employee-focused celebration” Thursday as its first EV for commercial sale rolled off the assembly line, Bianca Johnson, spokesperson for Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, said in a statement provided Monday to The Associated Press. “After validating its production processes to ensure its vehicles meet Hyundai Motor Group’s high quality standards, HMGMA has started initial production of customer vehicles ahead of schedule,” Johnson said. FILE - […]

A 5th recall for Tesla Cybertruck within a year, the latest due to rearview display

Tesla is recalling more than 27,000 Cybertrucks because the rearview camera image may not activate immediately after shifting into reverse, the fifth recall for the vehicle since it went on sale late last year. Tesla has released a free software upgrade to address the issue and owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Nov. 25. Cybertruck owners have had to deal with a series of recalls since the vehicle went on sale in November. In June, there was a recall to fix problems with trim pieces that can come loose and front windshield wipers that can fail. Two months […]