It came out of the blue, last November, Conservative Senator Bob Runciman Ontario’s former Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations, complimented APA Director George Iny for his smooth presentation during Senate Bill S-2 hearings on a new law for car recalls. “Not like Phil Edmonston.” He added, “I was presenting new consumer laws over three decades ago and he heckled me from the back of the room.” Heckle time is over, Bob; it’s time for applause. Amendments currently working their way through the Senate and Parliament will finally see reforms to correct defects that date back to the inception of Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety legislation in 1971. Senate Bill S-2 will finally give Transport Canada the authority to order a recall. Under our current Act, the government has to ask the Federal Court to order an automaker to send its customers a letter stating that their vehicle is defective; our legislation does not require the carmaker to actually pay for repairs to fix safety defects. Canadians benefit from a free repair largely by riding on the coattails of more robust American protection or at the pleasure of the automakers. Currently about one in five recalled vehicles is never repaired. With the proposed amendments, Canadians will get real-time recall look-up capability and Transport Canada will be able to fine carmakers (Fiat Chrysler are you listening?) that routinely fail to comply with timeliness and reporting requirements. An important additional measure needed is to have some of the fines paid by automakers dedicated to independent research to improve vehicle and road safety, and not just paid into general government revenues. When enacted, the changes have the potential to morph Transport Canada from “zombie” to “zealot.” And that’s not all. The Auditor General has provided a road map for Transport Canada in a recent report prepared by his office. After waiting 45 years for many of these changes, and witnessing all the missed opportunities along the way, you may well imagine that nobody is happier than I to see the proposed amendments on the way to becoming law. December 2016 AUTOMOBILE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION TEAMS UP WITH LEMON-AID Phil Edmonston invited us to collaborate with him on this year’s Lemon-Aid guide, and the Automobile Protection Association’s (APA) team went to work. The APA expanded the information on Leasing and Vehicles for Seniors in Part One and enhanced the used car information in Part Two. In Part Four the APA added its road test and reliability information to the reviews. We also provided new information on recommended preventive maintenance to address known weaknesses with several vehicles. The guide contains more detailed technical information and actual consumer comments than you could ever keep in your head. With the benefit of the information in these pages you’ll have a heads-up for problems that could present themselves down the road with the vehicle you currently own and the vehicles you are thinking of buying. That’s because Lemon-Aid has always been about more than just the cars; it’s about empowering consumers. George Iny APA Executive Director December 2016 APA’S PRINCIPAL CONTRIBUTORS TO THE 2017 LEMON-AID GUIDE George Iny, Executive Director A leading consumer advocate for more than 30 years. Dozens of investigations and reports on auto retailing, repair practices, leasing, and financing. Thousands of interviews for local and national radio, television and print media. George last contributed to the Lemon-Aid guide in 1985 and is pleased to be back for the current edition. Ron Corbett, Staff Writer APA’s principal vehicle reviewer for new and used vehicles, Ron has driven more than 500 cars, trucks and SUVs during his career. Ron is also a contributor to Protégez-Vous, the French language consumer magazine distributed in Quebec, and a regular guest on the Lemon-Aid Car Show, broadcast on the Rogers Community Television network. This is Ron’s third book-length collaboration. Mark Toljagic A professional freelance journalist, Mark was the Toronto Star Wheels used-car columnist and a news feature writer for 18 years. He received the AJAC Journalist of the Year award in 2007. Mark currently contributes to a number of websites, including MSN. INTRODUCTION What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You Part One NEW CARS AND OLD TRICKS More Choice, Better Deals Buying Tips Which New Car, Truck, SUV, or Van? When and Where to Buy Buying the Right Car or Truck Safety Highway High-Tech Safety Features that Kill Comfort “Senior” Cars Other Buying Considerations Saving on Servicing Costs “Hidden” Costs Surviving the Options Jungle Lemon-Aid’s Review of Standard and Optional Features Unnecessary Options Dealer Options Aftermarket Accessories Paying a Fair Price Leasing Fleecing: Why Leasing Costs More The Contract Trade-In Tips Summary PART TWO OLD WHEELS AND GOOD DEALS Secret Warranties and Special Programs Auto Insurance Three Decades of Hits and Misses Safety First Used Better Than New Used Is the Smart Choice When and Where to Buy Buying with Confidence Don’t Pay Too Little Financing Choices Dealer Scams Private Scams Helpfule Websites Summary PART THREE “ROBBERS” AND RECOURSES It Pays to Complain Two Warranties Supplementary Warranty Scams Supreme Court Tackles “Fine Print” Broken Promises Negligence Reasonable Durability The Art of Complaining Seek Outside Help Contact the Right People Twenty-One Legal “Tips” You Should Know Using Government Agencies PART FOUR 2007-2017 RATINGS “GOOD CARS, BAD CARS” 2016-2017: An Opportunity for Buyers Five Ways to Get a “Good” Car Best Model Choices South Korea: Boasting; Japan: Coasting; Volkwagen: Roasting Don’t Believe in the “Fuel Fairy” Take Advantage of Depreciation How Lemon-Aid Picks the “Best” and “Worst” Definition of Terms Used in Part Four Real-Time Recall Lookups in Canada American Models American Car Quality Fiat Chrysler and Jeep FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES JEEP FORD GENERAL MOTORS General Motors SUVs and Pickups Japanese and Korean Automakers ACURA HONDA HYUNDAI INFINITI KIA LEXUS MAZDA MITSUBISHI NISSAN SUBARU SUZUKI TOYOTA European Vehicles AUDI BMW MERCEDES-BENZ MINI VOLKSWAGEN VOLVO MODEL INDEX ACKNOWLEDGMENTS