Quality control for the 2012 Hyundai Sonata not what it should be

One owner experienced a sudden catastrophic engine failure at 119,091 km

Quality control for the 2012 Hyundai Sonata not what it should beBy 2012 the Hyundai Sonata was in its sixth generation and benefited from a restyling job and drivetrain changes from the year before. Equipment level was still pretty high, with features like air conditioning, power windows, and heated seats becoming standard. Available extras included a leather interior, a Navi system, and satellite radio. You had…

Buying used: 2010-14 Ridgeline as much an SUV as a pick-up

Consumer Reports loved the Ridgeline

Buying used: 2010-14 Ridgeline as much an SUV as a pick-upThe adage: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applies in spades to the Honda Ridgeline, which from 2010 up to at least 2014 was essentially unchanged in appearance, drivetrain layout, comfort level, and function. The Ridgeline was never intended to be a working truck in the same way as, oh, a Ford F-150 or…

Buying used: 2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring holds up well

The hatchback body configuration is just about as versatile as you can get in this market

Buying used: 2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring holds up wellHyundai’s 2012 edition of the Elantra Touring was kind of an in-between vehicle. The hatchback entered the North American market for the first time in 2009 but received a complete overhaul in 2011. Hyundai was quick to point out that the Touring was not just the Elantra sedan with a different body configuration. It was…

Buying used: Kia Sportage revived in 2012 to mixed results

The Sportage sits five adults in relative comfort. If you fold down the seat, you get a reasonably flat floor

Buying used: Kia Sportage revived in 2012 to mixed resultsThe Kia Sportage was into its third overhaul in 2012, including a major facelift and a larger four-cylinder engine. The first generation of Sportage, introduced to North America in 1993, had a less than stellar reputation. Despite featuring body-on-frame construction, with significant engineering input from Mazda, its various shortcomings almost finished Kia’s foray into SUV…

Buying used: Toyota Camry from 2010 to 2012 won’t disappoint

Available with either a four-cylinder or V6 engine, this generation was offered in a variety of trim levels

Buying used: Toyota Camry from 2010 to 2012 won’t disappointThere wasn’t much to separate the Toyota Camry between 2010 and 2012, aside from minor styling cues and options packages. These were all pretty good years for Toyota’s mid-size sedan, and it maintained its reputation as one of the more reliable cars on the road. Available with either a four-cylinder or V6 engine, with a…

2012 Camaro all about baby-boomer nostalgia

A high-performance car for buyers who like to drive with enthusiasm and want everyone to know it

2012 Camaro all about baby-boomer nostalgiaThe 2012 Chevrolet Camaro offered a wide range of powertrain choices, including a convertible and the hell-raising ZL1. General Motors was banking heavily on baby-boomer nostalgia with this, the fifth-generation version of the Camaro. Aside from the fact that it delivered better fuel economy than its predecessors, had better handling and braking, and was more…

Buying used: 2012 Toyota Corolla holds its value

Standard equipment includes telescoping steering, split folding rear seat, anti-lock brakes and more

Buying used: 2012 Toyota Corolla holds its valueIn 2012, the Toyota Corolla sedan accounted for 40 per cent of the company’s total Canadian sales. It had been at or near the top of the sales heap in the compact car category for the previous two decades. This generation of the Corolla received a re-do in 2009, apparently styled in part in Turin,…

Buying used: 2012 Subaru Forester offers enduring quality

“Best vehicle I ever had,” claimed one owner

Buying used: 2012 Subaru Forester offers enduring qualityIn 2012, Subaru’s Forester was going into its 15th year. Based on the Impreza platform, and manufactured in Japan, it also received a bit of a redesign the year before, getting increased back seat elbow room and all-new rear suspension. Where the previous version featured strut suspension in back, this, the third-generation model, came with…

Buying used: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 measures up to the competition

From a price of just under $22,000, the Ram 1500 has more than held its value

Buying used: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 measures up to the competitionIn 2012, the Dodge Ram 1500 was well into its fourth generation and offered plenty of choices. It had three engine choices: 3.7-litre V6, 4.7-litre V8, and 5.7-litre V8. You could get this full-size truck in two-wheel and four-wheel drive configurations, with a couple of automatic transmission choices and regular or extended cab body styles.…

Buying used: 2012 Ford Fusion has plenty to offer

Tasteful interior, available leather upholstery, heated seats, rearview camera, blind spot warning and more

Buying used: 2012 Ford Fusion has plenty to offerIn 2012, the Ford Fusion was two years into a mild makeover and a revised drivetrain. You could get it with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, plus a choice of two V6s and a hybrid. Ford also introduced a new six-speed transmission the year before and there was an all-wheel-drive version, so they were covering all…