Canadian Auto News Watch - Wednesday April 1, 2015
General Motors Corporate News
Wages linked to saving auto jobs; Salary hopes may suffer
Byline: Grace MacAluso, Source: The Windsor Star, Page: B4, Edition: Early
Windsor Star - Wed Apr 1 2015
The Ontario advantage ; POINT OF VIEW
Byline: PETER EPP, Page: A4, Edition: Final
The Chatham Daily News - Wed Apr 1 2015
Investing in auto industry benefits all
Byline: MIKE VAN BOEKEL, Page: A5, Edition: Final
Stratford Beacon-Herald - Tue Mar 31 2015
Auto industry investments benefit everyone
Byline: RON SVAJLENKO , GUEST COLUMNIST, Page: A4, Edition: Final
The Peterborough Examiner - Wed Apr 1 2015
Next-gen Cruze shifts to Mexico
Byline: Nick Tragianis, Source: Calgary Herald, Page: F4, Edition: Early
Calgary Herald - Wed Apr 1 2015
World's auto makers to invest $24-billion - but not in Canada; The value of newcapacity investments announced by auto makers rose 37 per cent last year from 2013
levels
Byline: GREG KEENAN
globeandmail.com - Tue Mar 31 2015, 7:00pm ET
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General Motors Product News
Canadian drivers should worry about privacy: report
thespec.com - Tue Mar 31 2015
Cadillac ATS-V now rated at 464 horsepower; Engine increases lead over rivals
Byline: Nick Tragianis, Source: Calgary Herald, Page: F5, Edition: Early
Calgary Herald - Wed Apr 1 2015
Cadillac CT6 revealed | Autonet.ca
Permalink: www.autonet.ca...
autonet.ca - Wed Apr 1 2015
2015 GMC canyon packs mid-size punch; GM hopes to win back buyers, but new pickup
may still be too much truck for some
Byline: Lesley Wimbush, Source: Calgary Herald, Page: F1 / Front, Edition: Early
Calgary Herald - Wed Apr 1 2015
2016 Terrain in New York - WHEELS.ca
Permalink: www.wheels.ca...
wheels.ca - Wed Apr 1 2015
2016 GMC Terrain - The Car Guide
Permalink: www.guideautoweb.com...
guideautoweb.com - Wed Apr 1 2015
2016 GMC Terrain
Permalink: www.msn.com...
msn.com - Wed Apr 1 2015
2016 GMC Terrain
Permalink: www.autogo.ca...
autogo.ca - Wed Apr 1 2015
2016 Terrain Compact SUV - Autos.ca
Permalink: www.autos.ca...
autos.ca - Wed Apr 1 2015
Eleven decades of Buick
Permalink: www.msn.com...
msn.com - Wed Apr 1 2015
Dad pulls kid's tooth with Camaro - Autofocus.ca
Permalink: www.autofocus.ca...
autofocus.ca - Wed Apr 1 2015
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General Motors Corporate News
Wages linked to saving auto jobs; Salary hopes may suffer
Windsor Star
Wed Apr 1 2015
Page: B4
Section: Busienss
Byline: Grace MacAluso
Source: The Windsor Star
A falling loonie is lowering hourly labour costs at Detroit Three auto plants in Canada, but unionized workers
may have to temper wage hike expectations to preserve auto jobs and production here, an industry analyst
said Tuesday.
"It makes them highly competitive with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler in the U.S.," said Tony Faria, cochair of the Office of Automotive Research at the University of Windsor. "But I would hope that Unifor
recognizes, at least in the short term, they will have to settle for a contract that maybe workers won't be happy
with but will save jobs and plants in Canada."
All-in labour costs, which include wages, benefits and pensions, at the Canadian plants average $60 an hour or
US$47 with the dollar trading at 78.9 cents, Unifor economist Jim Stanford said.
Average all-in labour costs at U.S. Detroit Three auto plants are $58 an hour at General Motors, $57 at Ford
and $48 at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, according to a recent study by the Center for Automotive Research in
Ann Arbor, Mich. The next round of negotiations aren't set to begin until the summer of 2016, but Unifor is
mounting a campaign for new product at GM's Oshawa plants, one of which is slated to close next year. GM
also plans to shift production of the Camaro muscle car to Lansing, Mich., a move that would affect 1,000
hourly jobs.
A new report commissioned by the union said closing the two plants would wipe out 30,000 jobs, strip the
federal and provincial governments of $1 billion in revenue a year and erode the province's GDP by $5 billion in
2016 alone.
While GM employs 4,100 hourly and salaried workers in Oshawa, an additional 25,000 to 29,000 spinoff jobs
tied to the auto sector would disappear, said the report by The Centre for Spacial Economics. Annual wages in
the province would decline by $350 by 2018, said the study. "There's a general understanding that an auto
assembly plant is an anchor for the provincial or national economies," said Stanford. "But even I was surprised
at the scope of the numbers, showing how far the tentacles of one auto plant really stretch."
Stanford said it was too soon to speculate on contract negotiations. "What happens in the next round depends
on so many things, including what the UAW does."
The current contract offers GM even higher savings with the entry-level wage rate that starts at $20 an hour, he
added. New hires also take 10 years to reach full wage parity and earn a less lucrative benefits package. "The
more new hires we can get, the more it pulls down labour costs," said Stanford.
The American union will begin contract talks this year and it is expected to seek wage gains for members who
haven't seen an hourly raise in about a decade. It is also under pressure to end a two-tiered wage system,
which keeps new hires on a lower pay grid.
Canadian autoworkers also haven't had an annual wage hike in about a decade.
"These coming contract negotiations are really important to Canada," said Faria. "Fortunately, we can look at
what the UAW gets later this year. But my feeling is the only way to save Oshawa is to come up with a contract
that's more competitive than the UAW deal."
© 2015 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.
Edition: Early
Story Type: News
Length: 537 words
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The Ontario advantage ; POINT OF VIEW
The Chatham Daily News
Wed Apr 1 2015
Page: A4
Section: Editorial/Opinion
Byline: PETER EPP
Column: Editorial
Don't write off Ontario's manufacturing sector just yet.
According to information compiled by a Michigan think-tank and by Unifor, the union that represents
autoworkers in Ontario, Canada's falling dollar is helping to keep this province competitive with the United
States.
The Ann Arbor-based Centre for Automotive Research reports that total labour costs at Ontario plants operated
by Detroit-based companies have fallen to levels that are lower than at those same companies' U.S. plants.
The companies' total labour costs, which would include wages, benefits and pensions, average $60 an hour,
but with the Canadian dollar now worth 79% of its American counterpart, the real cost works out to about $48
an hour, says Unifor. That's a $12 advantage for Ontario.
That's an unexpected lift for this province's auto industry, an advantage that disappeared over a decade ago as
the Canadian dollar gained strength against the American dollar. Since then, thousands of manufacturing jobs
have disappeared in Ontario -partly because of a more expensive Canadian currency.
Whether the Detroit-based companies will take advantage of the new currency situation remains to be seen.
Fiat Chrysler is already investing more than $1 billion at its Windsor assembly plant to build a new generation
of minivan, while Ford is investing heavily (with some help from the province) at its Oakville plant. Fiat
Chrysler's investment doesn't guarantee new jobs, but Ford has hired hundreds of new employees.
Unifor's worry, and the reason why it is going to some length to showcase the wage advantage that its Ontario
workers bring to the market, is General Motors' commitment to its Oshawa operations. GM has been
uncomfortably quiet about the future of those plants, saying only that no announcement on new vehicles will be
made until next year. Already, the assembly of at least one Oshawa-built vehicle is being transferred to
Michigan, and one of the Oshawa plants is to close in 2016.
Unifor is lobbying the provincial and federal governments for financial assistance to help save those plants and
to influence GM's decision. A lower Canadian dollar certainly helps, as does even lower labour costs for newlyhired workers at Ontario auto plants, as negotiated by the union.
Like or or not, manufacturing is at the heart of Ontario's economy; the sector's retrenchment in recent years
has been disastrous. A resurgence will come from several factors (including lower electricity rates; Ontario's
are impossibly too expensive), but a lower Canadian dollar certainly helps.
© 2015 Osprey Media Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Edition: Final
Length: 398 words
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Investing in auto industry benefits all
Stratford Beacon-Herald
Tue Mar 31 2015
Page: A5
Section: Editorial/Opinion
Byline: MIKE VAN BOEKEL
T he auto industry has brought many benefits to our local communities and to Canada as a whole. Most
obvious, there are the jobs. The GM Assembly Plant in Ingersoll provides good quality jobs to support local
families and local businesses now and into the future.
Through negotiations, the plant has been able to create a large number of full-time jobs with benefits and
pensions, improving employment prospects across the region. While at the same time, we have brought in
programs to allow workers the opportunity to spend more time with their families.
This all adds up to some pretty significant benefits of a major auto plant in Ingersoll, but there's more.
Those who have retired from the Ingersoll plant continue to bring benefits to the area. Having retired with a
decent pension that a good auto industry job provides, they have been able to retire with dignity and continue
contributing to the local economy.
But perhaps the best thing about having a strong auto presence here is the promise of jobs for future
generations. That gives our children the chance to build lives in the place where they were raised, gand the
community the security it needs to prosper.
Throughout the area, many others benefit from the auto industry, as well. That's because every job in an auto
plant creates nine more jobs in the broader community -suppliers to the plant, contractors and others serving
the plant directly. Jobs are also created every time a worker spends his or her wages, buys a home, food, or
even saves for our children's' education at the local bank.
As well, each of these workers pays federal and provincial taxes that help support such things as healthcare
and education, as well as local property taxes that pay for infrastructure such as local parks and road plowing.
With more than half of CAMI's workers living in Woodstock and London, the benefits of having the plant in our
region are spread far and wide. The GM Ingersoll plant supports many charities including contributions of
$580,000 to the United Way in 2014, supports the Christmas Hamper program through donations and
volunteering which helps to provide much-needed donations to local families during the Christmas season, and
supports the Fusion Youth Centre for area teens.
Following the 2008 economic crisis, both the Canadian public and Unifor members helped ensure General
Motors and other car companies were able to weather the storm.
General Motors and the other automakers in Canada provide those good jobs because this is a good place for
them to do business. Canadian auto workers provide the highest levels of quality, efficiency, productivity and
innovation in the world.
Several recent investments and expansions in Ontario's auto industry are proof that the companies continue to
see Canada as a good place to invest, including GM in Ingersoll, Ford in Oakville, Chrysler in Windsor, Honda
in Alliston, Toyota in Cambridge and Woodstock, and Linamar in Guelph.
The benefits to all Canadians of having the auto industry here is shown in a study released this week;
Economic Impact of GM Operations in Canada. The study's lessons apply well beyond Oshawa.
Auto manufacturing provides a big boost to Canada's Gross Domestic Product, provides much-needed tax
revenue to support such services as health care and education, and bolsters the Canada Pension Plan. The
report found that if the Oshawa plant was to close, the federal and Ontario governments would see both a
permanent loss of revenues and an increase in their deficits of more than $1 billion a year. The report also
found there would be significant implications for the CPP as a result of the loss of contribution revenue, which
would require significant increases in contribution rates or cuts in benefits.
It is vital that Canada develop an ongoing and workable plan to encourage growth in the auto industry -as other
countries have already done for themselves.
This industry is too important to Canadians, the economy, and our community, to have it any other way.
Mike Van Boekel is Unifor Local 88 Plant chairperson at GM Ingersoll, CAMI
Assembly plant in Ingersoll.
© 2015 Sun Media Corporation. All rights reserved.
Edition: Final
Length: 678 words
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Auto industry investments benefit everyone
The Peterborough Examiner
Wed Apr 1 2015
Page: A4
Section: Editorial/Opinion
Byline: RON SVAJLENKO , GUEST COLUMNIST
The auto industry has brought many benefits to our community and to Canada as a whole.
Most importantly it has brought good jobs.
There are the jobs for the people working at the plant right now, making a good living to support their families,
local businesses and to provide a future for their families.
In addition, retired auto workers represent another benefit to our community from having the GM plant in
Oshawa. They retire with a good pension that allows them to live in dignity and continue to support all facets of
our community.
Plus, every job in an auto plant creates nine more jobs in the broader community. Most of those jobs are found
at suppliers, contractors and other companies serving the plant directly. Indirectly, jobs are created every time
a worker spends wages in the community, buying homes, food, clothing or supporting charities. Good wages
provide the disposable income need to make our economy strong.
All these workers pay federal and provincial taxes that help support healthcare and education, and local
property taxes that pay for important infrastructure services.
General Motors and the other automakers are in Canada providing those good jobs because this is a good
place for them to do business. Canadian auto workers provide the highest levels of quality, productivity and
innovation in the world.
All of Canada benefits from having the auto industry here, as is shown in a significant study released this week.
The report by The Center for Spatial Economics called Economic Impact of GM Operations in Canada looks
specifically at the economic impact of stopping production at the General Motors plant here in Oshawa, but its
lessons apply well beyond our city.
The report found that if the Oshawa plant were to close, the federal and Ontario governments would see both a
permanent loss of revenues and an increase in their deficits of more than $1 billion a year. The report also
found there would be significant implications for the CPP as a result of the loss of contribution revenue, which
would require significant increases in contribution rates or cuts in benefits.
The analysis considers the direct GDP produced in the facility, the indirect impact on auto parts and other
supply industries and the economic activity stemming from the spending and re-spending of workers' wages. It
finds that if the Oshawa complex closed entirely, Canada's GDP would shrink by more than $5 billion per year
within two years.
A total of 22,000-24,000 jobs would be lost immediately, with close to 33,000 jobs lost in Ontario within two
years.
Industry, labour and government came together in 2008 to help ensure the survival of the auto industry in this
country. This week's report provides just one example of how valuable that effort was to Canada.
Now let me be clear, I do not think that GM Oshawa is going to close. We are determined to make sure it
doesn't close. We are already having a very good dialogue with the company about the future of Oshawa. We
are also talking to all levels of government and to the parts sector.
It is vital that Canada develop an ongoing and workable plan to encourage growth in the auto industry and
other industries as successful countries have already done.
The GM auto complex is important to Canada, and the Oshawa region. Canadians need to understand that we
will all benefit from its production. We need to ensure it continues to support the Canadian economy with good
jobs now and well into the future.
© 2015 Osprey Media Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Edition: Final
Note: Ron Svajlenko is president of Unifor Local 222 in Oshawa.
Length: 584 words
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Next-gen Cruze shifts to Mexico
Calgary Herald
Wed Apr 1 2015
Page: F4
Section: Driving
Byline: Nick Tragianis
Source: Calgary Herald
Joining the ranks of many other automakers in the industry, the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze will be built in
Mexico.
That's the latest word from GM and Automotive News, which says the automaker is investing $350 million US
to build the nextgeneration Cruze at its Coahuilia, Mexico plant. The move is part of GM's larger-scale plan
announced last year to invest $5 billion in its
Mexican manufacturing efforts.
GM says Cruze production in Mexico will be for the domestic market. Currently, the Cruze is exported from
South Korea for the Mexican market, while Cruze models destined for the U.S. and Canada are built in GM's
Lordstown, Ohio plant.
The Lordstown plant will continue to build the next-generation Cruze, while production of the current model will
continue through 2017 in South Korea to meet the demand of local markets in that region.
© 2015 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• Chevrolet / GM has announced it's going to use its plant in Mexico to produce the next-generation Cruze.
Edition: Early
Story Type: News
Length: 138 words
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World's auto makers to invest $24-billion - but not in Canada; The
value of new-capacity investments announced by auto makers rose
37 per cent last year from 2013 levels
globeandmail.com
Tue Mar 31 2015, 7:00pm ET
Section: Business
Byline: GREG KEENAN
The world's auto makers announced investments of $24.1-billion to increase production capacity last year and
for the fourth year in the past five, none of the money has been earmarked for Canada.
The value of new-capacity investments announced by auto makers rose 37 per cent last year from 2013 levels,
according to an annual study done by Office of Automotive & Vehicle Research at the University of Windsor's
Odette School of Business and the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association of Canada.
Canada has been earmarked for just $180-million of the investments auto makers have announced for new
capacity since 2011, says the study, scheduled to be released Wednesday.
"The majority of new-vehicle assembly capacity in North America will be going to the southern U.S. and Mexico
and will be added by the Japanese, South Korean and European assemblers," a news release on the study
said.
"Future assembly growth from the Detroit Three will be coming outside of North America."
Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Honda Motor Co. Ltd., have announced investments in Canada, but
those are in existing assembly plants, not in new factories or increased production capacity. Money for new
factories is flooding into such growth markets as China and Brazil, as well as Mexico and the United States.
China scooped up $12.7-billion or more than half of the investment auto makers announced last year.
Investments in China have topped $48-billion during the past four years.
Investments announced in new U.S. plants totalled $4.2-billion last year. Over a four-year period, the United
States trails Mexico, which will be the recipient of $9.3-billion in new spending.
Several new auto plants are under construction in Mexico as Audi AG, BMW AG and Hyundai Motor Co. use
that country as a source of supply for both the North and South American markets.
Mexico's winning streak appears to have been halted at least temporarily this week with the announcement by
Volvo Car Group that it will build a U.S. plant to supply North America, spending about $500-million (U.S.).
© 2015 The Globe and Mail Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Length: 336 words
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General Motors Product News
Canadian drivers should worry about privacy: report
thespec.com
Tue Mar 31 2015
Section: News
A new generation of automobile features are wirelessly connecting our cars to manufactures, insurance
companies and marketers. While these high-tech features are making drivers' lives easier they are also
generating a lot of data about them which has privacy advocates concerned.
A new report from the Freedom of Information and Privacy Association says "cars are becoming highly efficient
data harvesting machines" and wants governments to regulate the burgeoning connected car industry.
"What's really scary is the cumulative impact." says Philippa Lawson a lawyer and one the report's authors.
She says when it comes to the types of information that can be collected on drivers "The technology can do
pretty much anything."
Much of the report focuses on telematics which means collecting information from a car's sensors, such as its
speed and location, then sending it through a wireless network to a manufacturer or third party.
Telematics is already used by insurance brokers in Ontario and Quebec with customers who are willing to
share the data in exchange for a discount on their premiums. In Canada insurance companies access this data
by installing a dongle under the dashboard that lets them monitor up to 213 data points around the car, such as
speed or braking.
In the United States insurance companies are forgoing the dongle and plugging right into the car's sensors.
The report points to how GM has partnered with Progressive Insurance to offer usage-based insurance through
the automaker's OnStar system.
The report says one problem with insurance telematics is they force drivers to report minor accidents instead of
allowing them to pay for the repairs themselves. This is because telematics can alert insurance companies
when an accident occurs. In Canada it's illegal for insurance companies to use telematics to charge higher
premiums. Lawson however suspects that Canadian insurance companies aren't investing in telematics to offer
discounts and that in the future "The premium will be based on how you actually drive."
The report is also concerned about onboard infotainment systems that connect smartphones to a car's audio
system. The report points to a Volkswagen privacy policy which says the company may "intercept any wire,
wireless, oral or electronic communications made or transmitted through the service, at any time and for any
reason." as to why consumers should be wary of the feature.
Marketers are also trying to gain access to a car's infotainment system and telematics. Ian Robertson a BMW
board member was quoted in the Irish Times saying "There's plenty of people out there saying 'Give us all the
data you've got and we can tell you what we can do with it." Robertson told the paper BMW says no, but that's
not the case with other companies. The report says GM recently unveiled "AtYourService" which will offer
OnStar subscribers access to special offers from Dunkin' Donuts and travel booking system Priceline based on
requests for directions sent through their system.
"Are these services being offered in accordance with Canadian data law? The answer is no," says Lawson. Her
report reviewed the terms of service of many connected cars and found "automakers are failing to meet their
legal obligations under almost every principle of data protection law."
For example some terms of service say data may be collected for research and business purposes, but in
Canada any personal data collected for secondary purposes requires clear, informed customer consent. As
anybody who has attempted to read their car's terms of service knows, this is tough to figure out.
Lawson also says that some manufacturers are reusing U.S. privacy policies in Canada, which might put it in
conflict with Canadian law since the two countries have different privacy rules.
The Freedom of Information and Privacy Association says the answer is for governments to establish
regulations for the connected car industry and develop national data protection standards for insurance
companies that use telematics.
"You may not know how your new car system works but your new car system will know how you work" says
Lawson.
Mark Nantais, president of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association says they are going to review the
paper and "look forward to engaging in future discussions."
He also says car manufacturers are "fully committed to protecting our customers' privacy and comply with all
Canadian privacy laws."
Illustration:
• Nissan Micra comes off the assembly line at the Nissan assembly plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Length: 709 words
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Cadillac ATS-V now rated at 464 horsepower; Engine increases
lead over rivals
Calgary Herald
Wed Apr 1 2015
Page: F5
Section: Driving
Byline: Nick Tragianis
Source: Calgary Herald
Turns out, Cadillac was initially on the conservative side when measuring the 2016 ATS-V's horsepower rating.
After further testing, the ATS-V's twin-turbocharged 3.6-litre V-6 now pumps out an SAE-certified 464
horsepower, an increase of nine horsepower. Torque remains the same, but this bump only increases the ATS-
V's lead over its main competitors, the BMW M3 and M4, and their 425-horsepower in-line-six engines. In fact,
the ATS-V is now even closer to the 469-horsepower Mercedes-AMG C63 sedan.
Of course, horsepower isn't everything. When you opt for the eight-speed automatic transmission, the ATS-V
completes the zero-to-100 km/h sprint in just 3.8 seconds - quicker by one-tenth of a second - while the top
speed is up to 189 miles per hour from 185.
© 2015 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.
Edition: Early
Story Type: News
Length: 117 words
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Cadillac CT6 revealed | Autonet.ca
autonet.ca
Wed Apr 1 2015
View original item at www.autonet.ca...»
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2015 GMC canyon packs mid-size punch; GM hopes to win back
buyers, but new pickup may still be too much truck for some
Calgary Herald
Wed Apr 1 2015
Page: F1 / Front
Section: Driving
Byline: Lesley Wimbush
Source: Calgary Herald
Entombed within a snowdrift, as if topped with a giant, dirty meringue, my pickup hasn't moved from its
backyard spot in almost two years.
Eighteen years ago when I bought my Dodge Dakota, it was part of a surviving, if not quite thriving, mid-size
pickup segment. But with gas prices rising, and with the number of big city trips I make regularly, my V-8powered gas guzzler's drawbacks have far outweighed its advantages.
Apparently, I'm not alone. Thirty years ago, nearly every major brand had a stake in the mid-size truck
segment, but one by one, they've pulled out due to falling sales.
Most buyers are probably a lot like me. They may have loved their truck's utility, but the archaic interiors, high
fuel consumption and lack of features forced them to consider crossovers or vans. And with the sport utility
vehicle segment gradually forsaking its truck-based roots for front-wheel-drive crossover platforms, the rearwheel-drive pickings were getting even slimmer.
But GM thinks there's hope for the mid-size pickup market, and believes they can bring back those buyers by
giving them what they've found elsewhere. And they're banking on a pair of midsize truck twins to jump-start
that shrunken segment.
When they recently unveiled the new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon in San Diego, we were there.
It's a funny thing about vehicle launches - although they offer ample opportunity behind the wheel, they're really
a microcosm of unreality compared to realworld driving experience. Cruising along a sun-drenched coastline,
towing pre-hitched and hassle-free loads, with a support team ready to handle anything from a soft tire to a
missing key fob bears about as much resemblance to a typical day in the life of an average driver as Meet the
Kardashians does to reality. It's a honeymoon that's over before the irritating habits appear.
The real test comes when you actually live with each other.
Bringing home a 2015 GMC Canyon SLT 4x4 emphasized just how crude and rudimentary my own beloved
pickup really is.
There's nothing cute or shrunken about the Canyon's appearance. It's about as toughlooking as GM's full-size
haulers. There are handy step-ups on the bumpers, front tow hooks and tie-downs in the rugged, lined bed.
Instead of poorly-executed hard plastics, with flashed edges sharp enough to draw blood, the Canyon's crewsize cabin is upholstered in decent materials and genuinely has room for four adults. There's not much storage
room up front, though.
If comfort and technology are largely responsible for buyers flocking to the crossover segment, the Canyon's
got a lengthy list to lure them back.
Aside from the four-way adjustable, heated front seats, there's an eight-inch MyLink touch screen with
Bluetooth, navigation, OnStar, Sirius XM radio, six-speaker sound system and a 4G WifiHotspot.
There's a full array of safety technology, too, including multiple airbags, rear vision camera, electronic stability,
traction control, lane departure and forward collision warnings, latch child seat anchors and theft deterrent.
Its compact size and excellent suspension damping make it as quiet and easy to drive as a crossover - with the
added attraction of a genuine pickup bed. It's fairly manoeuverable, but I wouldn't say it's that much easier to
park than a full-sized truck. I averaged 13.9 L/100 km over mixed driving - using both 2WD and 4WD modes.
My tester came with the 305 h.p. 3.6-litre V-6 engine capable of towing up to 7,000 lbs., but there's a 200 h.p.
2.4-litre fourcylinder for those who need the bed's carrying ability more than they need to tow.
It's more than adequate power for a truck this size, but becomes less responsive in 4x4 mode. Heading into the
bush to try some deep snow off-roading necessitates pulling over and putting the Canyon into neutral to
engage 4-Lo.
It may be more compact in size, but my tester boasted a locking rear differential, hill descent control, off-road
suspension package, and an underbody transfer case shield. It's no urban dilettante.
During my week with the Canyon, I answered many questions and heard several opinions. Overall, the
reception was positive - but there are still a lot of people out there who consider the Canyon/Colorado "too big"
and wonder why there's no longer a true compact pickup available.
Good question.
Overview: Fully capable pickup truck in a manageable size Pros: Nice handling, lots of features Cons: Not
much interior cargo storage, too large for some buyers What would I change?: Put more thought into interior
How would I spec it?: 4x4 SLE, and take a pass on some of the pricier interior goodies.
The Specs
Type of vehicle: 4WD mid-sized pickup truck
Engine: 3.6-litre V-6
Power: 305 h.p. Six-speed automatic
Brakes: Four-wheel discs with ABS
Tires: P265/60R18
Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km): 13.5 city, 9.8 highway
Price (base/as tested): $38,850;$43,985
Freight: $1,695
Standard features (SLT): Air, rear window defogger, cruise, remote keyless entry, tire pressure monitor, driver
information centre, leather wrapped steering wheel with controls, chrome bumper with corner steps, EZ-lift and
lower tailgate, hill descent, transfer case protection, off-road suspension package, OnStar Notable options:
IntelliLink with eight-inch touchscreen, chrome assist steps, Bose premium audio, lane departure warning,
forward collision alert, engine block heater.
© 2015 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• Photos: Lesley Wimbush, Driving / The 2015 GMC Canyon SLT 4WD is as tough-looking as GM's full-size haulers and its crewsize cabin can genuinely handle four adults.
• Photos: Lesley Wimbush, Driving / The 2015 GMC Canyon scores high in both comfort and technology.
Edition: Early
Story Type: News
Length: 857 words
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2016 Terrain in New York - WHEELS.ca
wheels.ca
Wed Apr 1 2015
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2016 GMC Terrain - The Car Guide
guideautoweb.com
Wed Apr 1 2015
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2016 GMC Terrain
msn.com
Wed Apr 1 2015
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2016 GMC Terrain
autogo.ca
Wed Apr 1 2015
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2016 Terrain Compact SUV - Autos.ca
autos.ca
Wed Apr 1 2015
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Eleven decades of Buick
msn.com
Wed Apr 1 2015
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Dad pulls kid's tooth with Camaro - Autofocus.ca
autofocus.ca
Wed Apr 1 2015
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