Top 10 car news stories and car shopping advice on Driving in 2023’s first half

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It might feel like a steadfast rule because we collectively do it year after year, but we don’t actually have to wait until January to look back at the kind of year we’ve had. There are plenty of other appropriate times for reflection, like, say, on the longest days of the year.

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We used some of the added daylight hours to compile a list of the most-read stories on Driving so far this year. From car-related Canadian politics to Tesla deals to popular SUV reviews, here’s what our readers have been most interested in so far this year.

Stellantis backs out of battery plant deal after fed refuses to pony up like it did for VW

There’s a place for Canada’s automotive sector in the future EV production landscape, but just what it will look like and who the major players will be is still shaking out. For instance, Volkswagen got a decent deal ($13 billion) from the fed to base battery plants in St. Thomas. So when Stellantis wasn’t offered the same cash infusion, they got upset. Upset enough they pulled out of their own Ontario plant deal. Motor Mouth David Booth editorialized the saga back in May, spurring a conversation that is 100 comments deep, and counting. The top comment by likes doesn’t exactly predict a sunny future for the deal: “just wait in 5 years when VW wants more or they are leaving.”

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All the times Tesla cut prices this year

What began in January as a way for the company to stoke demand has continued throughout the year for various reasons. That’s right, it’s sale season at Tesla! The EV maker cut prices across its lineup early in 2023, cutting the Model Y by $21,000 and sending the company’s stock price plummeting. Those unforeseen sales had some buyers upset, namely those who’d just paid full price for their T. “I feel like I got duped. I feel like I got taken advantage of as a consumer,” said one buyer from Florida. “Right off the bat, I’m out $13,306. It’s such a large reduction that it’s going to affect a lot of people who just bought a vehicle.”

The Model X got a price cut too, dropping some $7,000 in early March, making it a total of $21,000 cheaper than it was late last year. 

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BMW asks drivers of older models to park them

Certain BMW models from the early 2000s that contain Takata airbags have been deemed unsafe by the German automaker, which recently issued a public request for owners of said vehicles to stop driving them. 

But you can’t blame BMW for asking people to park, because it has issued a recall (upgraded in May) to prevent Takata-airbag-related issues. It’s not their fault that some 90,000 owners didn’t listen and still have their potentially dangerous Bimmers on the road. “These vehicles have already been included in several Takata-related recalls; however, despite intense customer outreach efforts by BMW since 2016, they remain unrepaired and, as the airbag inflators age further, the risk of serious injury or death increases,” BMW said in a release.

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Impacted models include the BMW 3 Series (E46), 5 Series (E39), and X5 (E53). 

The OPP’s automatic plate readers are OP

In the online gaming community, OP stands for overpowered. It’s an expression used to describe a tool or strategy that has been made so effective by the creators that it almost ruins the game. This is how some view the Ontario Provincial Police’s new Automatic Licence Plate Reader (ALPR), a technology that uses multiple roof-mounted cameras to allow police in squad cars to scan thousands of licence plates per hour and find the troublemakers among them. 

In one day, according the the OPP’s Twitter, the “OPP #ALPR system flagged 32 vehicles in the 22 minutes #MississaugaOPP were conducting another traffic stop. The system identified 1 suspended driver, 4 unlicensed drivers, and 27 expired vehicle registrations.”

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The updated IIHS crash test hit these models hard

When shopping for a new vehicle, it’s important to keep your eye on the latest lists and tests, specifically those from a few key factions, the International Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) being one of them. This year, the IIHS updated its testing to model real-life scenarios (just more SUVs, really), and ended up downgrading a number of previously “good” rated models to lesser rankings. The “Side” and “Overlap” tests proved tricky for dozens of models including the Subaru Crosstrek, Audi Q3, Dodge Charger and Challenger, Honda Pilot, Nissan Rogue, Toyota Highlander and Tacoma. Get the full list of downgrades along with a crash course on how these tests are performed, right here. 

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Battle of the small SUVs: 3-year cost comparison of EV, hybrid, and gas

Sticker price is just one way to measure a vehicle’s cost. Because an ongoing budget is required to operate a new vehicle. Our three-year cost comparison of EV, plug-in hybrid, and gas small SUVs proved a valuable resource for buyers this year, getting into the numbers on popular models including the Toyota RAV4, Kia Niro, Hyundai Tucson, Chevrolet Bolt, and more. Rebates differ by province, and this story focuses on Ontario’s options.  

Last year’s most disappointing drives

When life gives you lemons, you drive them. At least, we do. And then we tell you about it so you don’t have to buy them! OK, so it’s not so black and white, but our automotive review experts do register their disappointment when they feel it. 

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Back in 2022, there were a number of lacklustre first drives, and we asked our roster of reviewers to pick the sourest. The 2022 GMC Terrain got a shout out for its piddly 175-hp powertrain, the Grand Cherokee 4Xe for its overall roughness, and the Honda HR-V for being “just a jacked-up Civic.” Full list linked above. 

The 10 worst-selling vehicles from 2022

When today’s automotive salespeople retire, they’ll tell stories about selling in the early 2020s during Covid and the microchip shortage. It’s been a time, and the market was still very much in recovery last year. As a result, the list of worst-selling vehicles from 2022 has some pretty poor performers, like the Mazda MX-30 with a total of 812 units sold, and the Jeep Renegade with 345. 

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The list doesn’t include premium options worth more than $100,000, vehicles with no rear seats, and vehicles that weren’t on sale at the onset of 2022, but focuses on those that should have higher sales figures. 

Most affordable vehicles in Canada for 2023

When every expense can be spared, only the cheapest will do. If this sounds like your purchasing strategy, then don’t miss this story highlighting the six most affordable vehicles in Canada this year, across the segment spectrum. 

The ultimate most-affordable is the Mitsubishi Mirage, a small car with a small price, followed by the Hyundai Venue, a crossover with the same basic value prop. The Ford Ranger offers the most savings in the midsize pickup truck segment, pricing in just over $38,000, while the Ram 1500 Classic is the cheapest way into a larger pickup, at $44,245. Go ahead, cheap out. 

Ram 1500 REV electric pickup is creating huge interest

There haven’t been too many e-pickup drops yet, so another is still big news. As such, the Ram 1500 EV has been one of the most hyped new vehicles of the year. Ram unveiled the 1500 Revolution concept at CES early this year, and the Internet seemed to like what it saw. Now, months later, we know a bit more about the electric Ram 1500 REV production model, including that it’ll arrive as a 2025 model year with 654 horsepower and a range of 805 km. These large numbers indicate it’ll also come with a large battery and a pretty large price.