And we’re BACK to our regularly scheduled Monday programming.
By Peter Dushenski
I’m indecisive.
That’s how it looks, anyways. Based on the indeterminate scowl that spreads across my normally handsome face whenever I’m thinking in earnest, it’s a fair assumption. But it’s still just an assumption. To my eyes, what’s the rush? I just want to make the best choice I can given the data at my disposal – and that means that I’m rarely inclined to trust my gut– preferring to methodically weigh the merits of delayed gratification vs. instant gratification and head vs. heart. So it’s really not that I’m a slow decision maker, but that I invoke my conscious, rather than unconscious, decision-making mechanisms as frequently as I can. To call it “indecisiveness” is ad hominem at best and distracting to my contemplation at worst.
But, over the Christmas Holidays, when the cheery young Hawaiian man at the Dollar Rental Car counter at the Kahului Airport in Maui asked me if I’d prefer a Dodge Caliber or a Kia Soul, I knew that this decision required no further thought. The only hemming and hawing came when he offered us car insurance. For the fairly pricey sum of $200 for 2 weeks, I did a rough calculation, and decisively resolved to keep my Benjamins firmly in my pocket.
Flipping open the crusty, gummied switchblade key to our 18k mile Soul, the-future-Mrs. CarEnvy (we are recently engaged!) and I tossed our bags into the capacious trunk and set off for Kapalua and our condo on the golf course, or more specifically, our condo on the driving range of the Kapalua Plantation Course: home of the 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Since we were down for maintenance on Monday, we’re bringing you a special Friday edition post. Enjoy!
It doesn’t matter who you blame, it’s all the same in the end.
With the successful launch of the world’s first mass-produced all-electric car – and reigning World Car of the Year – tucked under CEO Carlos Ghosn’s Levantine belt, Nissan’s very first semi-electric foray into motoring should be a straight-forward application of now-familiar technology.
Welcome back, dear reader! The holidays are over, we’ve finally recovered from our food hangovers, and it’s time to get back to it! In 2012, CarEnvy.ca will be on a NEW WEEKLY SCHEDULE! This increased predictability and regularity is designed to maximize your blog-reading time and, in turn, your happiness. Because why are we here if not to maximize your happiness? In 2012, we’ll have a new article, fresh out of our mind’s oven EVERY MONDAY MORNING. By the time you begrudgingly wake up, brush your teeth, and go downstairs, a steaming pile of CarEnvy.ca goodness will be waiting for you as you enjoy your toast and (first) coffee. This has been a public service announcement.
The first thing that strikes you about the new Mazda3 has got to be that shit-eating-Cheshire-Cat-Tiger-Woods-circa-2000-cheesy-Joker grin. After which you might notice a rust-prone hatchback that has long held the torch for fun-to-drive economy cars.
All of which conspires into an impossible to avoid and impractical to ignore competitor; just ask the 100,000 Canadians who’ve bought one since LA’s finest plastic surgeons did their worst Heath Ledger impression on the 2010 model year. Too soon? I didn’t think so either. But 100,000 units make for a lot of perky smiles on a lot of icy driveways. That’s the kind of number that can’t begs the inevitable and Platonically human question: Why?
Simple question, not so simple answer. Then again, it never is. So rather than developing an elegant sounding but completely unsubstantiated and untestable theory, let’s delve into a few hereto-unexplored details of the Mazda3 in an attempt to highlight some of the little things that make all the difference for prospective buyers like you. For each feature, I’ll give it a Cheese Factor out of 5 to give you an idea of how happy that feature will make you.
Between the Occupiers, Arab Springers, deposed despots, wobbly Euro, Japanese quake, economic stagflation, and the passing of Steve Jobs, 2011 was rocky like Banff. Still, CarEnvy managed to publish over 70 articles and complete a top-to-bottom site redesign. Not bad for a mostly-one-man-show, eh? In that time, we also reviewed 18 cars, a new record for us. So let’s recap the year that was with CarEnvy’s Best and Worst of 2011 including such categories as Worst Car We Reviewed, Best Interview, Best Press Trip, Worst Movie We Saw, and Best Car We Spotted.
You’ve all been very good boys and girls this year, so you needn’t fear the cold carbon clumps of failure that greet bad children on Christmas morning. Most certainly not. In fact, you’ve been so excellent over the past 12 months that you deserve to be rewarded for your good deeds. Whether those good deeds included shoveling your neighbour’s walk, brushing and flossing daily, or leaving us a thoughtful blog comment matters not one iota; all that matters is your positive intention each and every day.
Your earnestly earned reward is nothing less than the exquisite Aston Martin One-77! Sadly, there simply aren’t enough One-77s for all of you, there are only 77 after all, so we’ve made you a fairer and more democratic gift: some quality photography that’s sure to bring a smile to your face. All you have to do is imagine the wrapping paper and bow.
So take some time over the holidays to enjoy YOUR 19-image tour of the most powerful naturally aspirated car in the world. Your gallery highlights include engineering wonders like the hand-crafted aluminum doors that spill uninterrupted into the side mirrors and the flawlessly aligned carbon fibre weave of the rear diffuser. It’s a cornucopia of lovingly crafted particularity – “One” that goes splendidly with egg nog and family.
It’s simply overwhelming. There’s too much. How can one person possible stay on top of it all the awesome car videos??
Relax. It’s ok. Just close your eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. We’ve done the work for you so pop some corn, grab a beer, and enjoy the eight must-see videos for this week. Don’t have the time right now? No worries, you’ve got all week. Bookmark it and come back when you’re ready to bask in the glory of the automobile. Enjoy!
1. Sebastian Thrun on Google’s Driverless Car:
He’s passionate, he’s persuasive, and he’s showing us a glimpse of the future. As long as there are still closed race tracks, count us in!
Faster, hairier, and louder cars are after the jump!
As a fan of CarEnvy.ca, your tastes run into the more eccentric, fun, and obscure realms of automobilia. You’re also very smart with your money. In short, you’re pretty amazing. Almost as amazing as ING Direct spokesman Frederik de Groot, also known as Mr. Save Your Money, seen above.
While your friends are buying the latest and greatest, you’re biding your time until depreciation strangles some poor, unsuspecting dude and leaves you with a bargain-priced gem that is a bit special, rewarding to drive, and easy on the wallet. If you’re looking at driving a brand-new car off the dealer lot, your Canuck Bucks can’t do better than a $15,094 3-door Hyundai Accent. For that tidy sum, you’re treated to roll-up windows, no A/C, a design that’ll look dated by next month, and a lifetime of heartache and woe.
But as you already know, that 15 large will stretch a lot further if you take the time to browse Kijiji and eBay Motors. So let’s pretend that you really do have $15,000 and that you want to make every penny count. What are the best cars you can buy?
The first of the water-cooled 911s, a blasphemous smudge in the company’s history books, can now be yours for only $13,910! For that kind of money you could either have a Hyundai Accent with roll-up windows or you could have the quintessential rear-engined sports car in your driveway. The history of the 911 stretches back 50 years, which in car lives makes this first water-cooled model like the student entering high school: a little unsure of its identity but growing up fast. Through a series of relentless improvements, the 911 has matured from a terrifyingly charming curiosity into a more civilized instrument for everyday use. This automatic-equipped example will ensure that your daily grind is as uneventful as home room. Sure, this particular example has 143,000 miles (230,000 km), but that just means that it has a vast depth of experience to share with its new owner: you!
But that’s not all, five (5!) more sub-$15k Deals on Wheels are after the jump!
We created a bit of a stir on Twitter yesterday when we took a whispered guess, impolitically converted currencies, and claimed it as a fact. I mean, what’s all the fuss about? But since you’re such an educated bunch, we’re going to see if you can do better AND give you the opportunity to win some free car-related swag.
So, do you want to win a Nissan GT-R 1GB memory stick/key fob, Garant SnoFlex, or a Garant winter hat? Fuck YA you do!
All you have to do is be the closest to guess the TOTAL MSRP (that includes freight and PDI) for the Scion FR-S (NOT the Subaru BRZ, which will also be sold here), also known as the Toyota FT-86, IN CANADA and IN CANADIAN DOLLARS. We can’t emphasize the last point enough. For our international readers who are unfamiliar with the Great White North, a VW GTI starts at USD$24,465 in the States and a frankly ludicrous CDN$30,740 in Canada. No joke.
So how do you enter?
Entries can be submitted in the comment section below or by Twitter mention to @carenvy.
The contest closes when Toyota Canada sends out a press release stating the official price. The winner, the person with the closest guess, will be e-mailed for a mailing address and their choice of prize. The next closest guesser will be e-mailed and asked for their choice, and so on and so forth. Winners will have one week to reply, or the next closest guesser will be contacted.
![2011 Kia Soul (US Spec): Climbing The Hawaiin Volcano of Indecision [Review]](http://www.carenvy.ca/wp-content/themes/magnet/scripts/timthumb.php?src=http://www.carenvy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/IMG_0138.png&w=240&h=115&zc=1)
