Hwy 101 rehab in Timmins starts next week; minor delays expected
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National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Demand for Roomy, Eco-Friendly SUVs Opens Door for VinFast VF 9
Article content MARKHAM, Ontario — VinFast's seven-seat VF 9, a fully electric SUV blending family utility with eco-conscious design, is emerging in Canada in 2025 as rising demand for sustainable products and a market hungry for full-size EVs converge. Market forces in Canada are aligning, opening new opportunities for brands willing to meet real consumer needs. Article content Sustainability is no longer confined to niche buyers. PwC's 2024 Voice of the Consumer study found that Canadians will pay about 10 percent more for products that clearly demonstrate environmental benefits 1. A Deloitte survey echoes this, with 62 percent of Canadians ready to spend up to 20 percent more on goods with credible sustainability claims 2. Together, these findings show that purchasing power is reshaping markets in favor of cleaner options. Article content Article content At the same time, Canadian families continue to favor multipurpose vehicles. SUVs and other large models now account for 63.5 percent of new registrations, the only segment to grow in the first quarter of 2025 3. The appeal lies in practicality: room for hockey gear, camping equipment, and multi-generational travel. Parents want vehicles that can handle school runs and weekend trips without compromise. Article content Bringing these two forces together—demand for sustainability and preference for larger vehicles—reveals a gap in the market. A quick Google search indicates that in the 2024-2025 model years, fewer than five full-size electric SUVs have been launched, compared with at least eight smaller electric cars 4. In other words, full-size electric SUVs remain relatively rare, leaving space for manufacturers that can balance environmental responsibility with real-world utility. Article content The VF 9: Bridging Practicality and Sustainability Article content One of the few contenders stepping into this space is the VinFast VF 9, a seven-seat, all-electric SUV designed to meet both environmental and family needs. Its zero-emission powertrain and spacious three-row layout make it a practical choice for households seeking a lower footprint without sacrificing comfort. Article content Designed by the Italian firm Pininfarina, the VF 9 pairs a distinctive LED 'bird wing' light strip with thoughtful interior planning. The cabin offers flexible seating for six or seven passengers, with captain's chairs in the second row featuring integrated massage and ventilation, amenities rarely seen in this segment. Premium leather upholstery and soft-close doors reinforce the idea that eco-friendly does not mean giving up comfort. Storage solutions handle both everyday errands and long trips with ease. Article content Inside, a 15.6-inch central display anchors a tech-forward cabin with smart connectivity, three-zone climate control, and 11 airbags. An 8-inch second-row screen keeps passengers entertained, while massage seats make long drives more comfortable for the driver. 'The VF 9 has features you can only find in luxury cars like massage seats and heated/cooled seats. The ADAS works fine, build quality is really good,' highlights owner T.T. Nguyen 5. Article content Currently, the VF 9 Plus starts at CAD $81,310, offering all-wheel drive, 402 horsepower, up to 468 km of range, and comprehensive coverage: a 10-year/200,000 km vehicle warranty and a 10-year unlimited-mileage battery warranty. This kind of assurance can address one of the common barriers to EV adoption: concern about long-term reliability. The VF 9 Eco model starts at CAD $77,321. Article content For many Canadian families, the vehicle in the driveway is becoming an expression of values as much as income. And as sustainability and practicality continue to converge, premium electric SUVs like the VF 9 may define the next stage of automotive status, where a lighter footprint and real-world utility set the new standard. Article content Article content Article content Article content
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Low Level Bridge closes Monday as series of bridge repair projects set to begin
Social Sharing Repairs underway on the Low Level Bridge is set to cause major traffic detours for vehicles entering the downtown core until work is complete later this year. Starting Monday, vehicles looking to cross the river from Scona Road will be rerouted to the James MacDonald/98th Avenue bridge instead. Northbound buses including routes eight, 500X, 511 and 523 will also be rerouted along 98th Avenue. Only the southbound bridge will see repair work, but the city is blocking off all northbound traffic during the project. Ryan Teplitsky, an engineer with the city, told CBC News traffic modelling showed it was important to keep the southbound traffic flowing out of downtown. The major downtown connector is made of two separate bridge decks — one going north and another going south. The northbound deck, built in 1900, is the city's oldest river crossing. The southbound bridge followed in 1949, but last saw major repairs in 1994. The city will also reduce the southbound bridge to one lane outside of peak hours, but will still be open to foot-traffic, cyclists and scooters during construction. "The intent of this work is to extend this bridge's service life," Teplitsky said. But the bridge is still on its last legs and the city is planning to replace it. The work being done on the Low Level Bridge is now one of many major river-crossing bridge projects the city is undertaking in 2025. Since initial planning some timelines have been shuffled. The Beverly Bridge on Yellowhead Trail is already being repaired, and the Dawson Bridge on Rowland Road will see repairs in the fall. The High Level Bridge has also been slated for work but Teplitsky said there isn't a concrete date on when work will start. Advocates for downtown businesses have been pushing back against the city's plans for back-to-back bridge work since the work was announced citing concerns around closures and access to downtown. Some are calling for changes to the city's major construction projects. "Closures will continue to decimate our downtown," says Cheryll Watson, chair of the Downtown Revitalization Coalition. Watson says the core is already being cut off from the west amid other closures and LRT construction. The upcoming bridge closures will bring even more restraints, making it harder for people to reach small businesses downtown. She admits there has been improved communication from the city about the projects since last year. Still, she's asking the city for better long-term construction planning, minimized detours, smaller efficient construction zones and accelerated timelines. "Construction is a reality. We seem to do it the worst," Watson said. "We basically shut down areas of our city to get construction done and that's not what's happening in other cities around the world." Puneeta McBryan from the Edmonton Downtown Business Association says many members in her organization are holding their breath. Faith in the city's ability to keep to a schedule on major construction projects is low, she says, and she's worried about potential overlap. "We know that these projects rarely end on time," McBryan said. When asked about frustration over construction timelines and construction Teplitsky said the city appreciates people's patience. He says there has been a lot of planning into mitigating the impacts of construction. "Edmonton's a tough place for our roads and our infrastructure, it's a really tough climate," Teplitsky said.
Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
What short hybrid CUV is best for my ski trips and small garage?
I have a 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan (the sporty, R-Line version), which I am looking to replace with a hybrid CUV. I'm a skier and have family in the north and need a solid car that can handle winter conditions well. My garage isn't big so the vehicle can only be one foot (maximum) longer than my current vehicle. Any suggestions would be appreciated. – Dana Miranda Lightstone: Dana, you have many choices when it comes to hybrid CUVs, as they've become very popular with Canadian buyers. But given your previous vehicle, the Tiguan, I'd wager you're not just looking for fuel efficiency, but also build quality and some fun driving dynamics. Mark Richardson: And also something that's not much longer. The 2017 Tiguan is 4,433 millimetres long, which translates for old guys like me to 174.5 inches. So not much more than 15 feet for the new car then. Lightstone: Trust a man to bring up overall measurements… Richardson: Size matters when you're parking in a garage. Lightstone: But let's get back to shorter hybrid CUVs. And we need to remember, Dana skis so there should be a middle pass-through feature in the back of the rear seats. Richardson: Do many crossovers offer such a thing? It tends to be an SUV feature. Lightstone: This is true, but as long as there is a 60/40 backseat split, that's workable too. The Hyundai Kona Hybrid offers just such a feature, and it comes in just over 14 feet. Richardson: And it's not sold in Canada, so let's forget it right now. The Canadian-built Toyota RAV4 Hybrid fits the bill, but at 4,600 millimetres, it's a tight fit in Dana's garage. Lightstone: No one wants to struggle getting into their own garage daily. Richardson: It's not the struggle getting in – it's closing the garage door. A friend of mine had a gorgeous 1959 Cadillac Eldorado with the outrageous tail fins and it was three feet too long for his garage. He knocked a hole in the back, put up a garden shed outside against the open wall and slid the nose through into the shed whenever he parked. But I digress. Lightstone: Acceptable DIY to properly house an Eldorado, less so for a RAV4, and the RAV4 hybrid doesn't offer a ski equipment pass-through. But the Volvo XC40 does, and it's just over 14ft (4,440 millimetres). No need to knock down garage walls. Richardson: The RAV4 hybrid lets you drop just one seat in a 60:40 split, so that's the equivalent of a pass-through. Lightstone: Did I mention the Volvo is actually a mild hybrid? It's a system that uses both gas and battery to start the engine and accelerate, and recoups energy in braking to recharge the battery. Richardson: It can't actually drive on just its own battery power, though, like a true hybrid. Lightstone: No, but it boosts the power, and it also helps save on gas. Richardson: The built-in-Belgium XC40 is a pleasure to drive, and it's not as expensive as you might think, at less than $50,000 before taxes for the base model. That's a good deal for all the Volvo safety research and development that's included. Lightstone: We've been bringing up all these different makes and models, but we know Dana already enjoyed the Tiguan. What about the all-new Tiguan? You drove one recently, right? Richardson: Yes, I drove the next-generation Tiguan late last year in California. My tester was actually the European car that won't be sold here, but which Dana would love – it has a plug-in hybrid engine that's good for up to 100 kilometres on electric power alone. Lightstone: And it's shorter than the 4,509 millimetres of the North American car. Richardson: But the made-in-Mexico Tiguan we'll get in Canada doesn't even have a hybrid engine, so let's forget it for Dana. Lightstone: Oh, but what about the soon-to-be-released Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid? It has all the features Dana will love: a peppy 2.5-litre Boxer engine, with a combined output of 194 horsepower, along with Subaru's all-wheel-drive system. Richardson: I think the Crosstrek Hybrid sounds like exactly what Dana is looking for, but we won't see it in dealerships until the fall and I've not driven it. I can't recommend it because of that, but it may be worth waiting for. Lightstone: I haven't driven it either, but what about the Forester e-Boxer Hybrid Premier? I prefer the styling and extra interior space of the Forester over the Crosstrek for weekend trips (especially skiing). But it's just over the 15-foot limit at 4,640 millimetres (15.2 feet). Richardson: Have you driven it? I haven't yet. Lightstone: I haven't, but I have driven every other iteration of the Forester for more years than I'd like to admit. Subaru always manages to engineer vehicles that do precisely what they say they will. It stands to reason the e-Boxer Hybrid should be efficient and practical. Richardson: Subaru doesn't have much engineering experience with hybrids, to be able to make a better powertrain, but there's no reason why its hybrids shouldn't be as good as anything else already out there. Lightstone: It developed the all-electric Solterra with Toyota, which definitely knows about hybrids. Richardson: Either the Forester or the Crosstrek may be what Dana is looking for, but we won't recommend anything we've not driven. Chevrolet doesn't make any hybrids, but the Ford Escape hybrid would fit in the garage. It's made in Kentucky though, so its Canadian price might be affected by the current tariffs. Lightstone: I've never been a fan of the Ford Escape exterior look or its drive. There's something lacking behind the wheel, and I think Dana will lament the Escape's road feel and handling compared to the Tiguan. Richardson: It doesn't have the sportiness of the German-designed Tiguan and especially not the R-Line edition. But Dana wants a hybrid that's solid and a little larger and can handle winter conditions well. I'd say that's the Escape. Lightstone: There are some solid choices here. But if we're looking at driveability, overall design, checking all the boxes required and a tariff-free vehicle, I stand behind my Volvo XC40 recommendation. Richardson: I'm sure Dana would like the Volvo, but its premium features might be more than wanted. I'd recommend the made-in-Cambridge, Ont. Toyota RAV4 hybrid as a solid SUV that does everything well in both summer and winter. What car should you buy? Write to Mark and Miranda at globedrive@ and use 'What car' as as part of your subject line. Emails with different subject lines may not be answered. Shopping for a new car? Check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price.
