Vehicle: 2004 Mazda 6 GT sportswagon with GFX pkg and 5-speed manumatic transmission
Price as tested: CDN$34560
Performance: Unlike Mazda 6 sedan and Sport, sportswagon only comes with one engine. A 3 liter V6 DOHC 24-valve engine that bumps out 220hp and 192 lb/ft of torque. The engine is smooth, refine, quiet and willing to rev. It [...]

Vehicle: 2005 Ford Focus ZX4 SES with 4-speed automatic transmission
Price as tested: CDN$21775
Performance: Ford decided to phase out the Zetec in flavor of the Mazda-developed Duratec in all facelifted Foci. While the base rig comes standard with 2.0L 16-valver 4 banger that bumps out 136 hp and 133 lb/ft of torque, the uplevel ST [...]

Vehicle: 2004 Chrysler Crossfire coupe with Autostick manumatic
Price as tested: CDN$50745
Handling: You would have thought Crossfire is a capable handler given its based on the outgoing SLK platform, a chassis that is famous for its rigidty and stiffness. Unfortunately, Crossfire’s dynamic abilities are nothing but underwhelming. The steering feels numb, unresponsive and imprecise. While [...]

Short review of 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT convertible
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Price as tested: CDN$34155
Just like its sedan silibing, PT convertible receives the 220hp 2.4L DOHC high-output turbo which has 245 lb/ft of torque. With this much of power on front wheels, it got some torque steer when accelerating especially on a rainy day. This engine is surprisingly [...]

Vehicle: 2005 Chrysler 300C with with T pkg
Price as tested: CDN$44195
Performance: The 300C is powered by Chrysler’s Hemi V8 which bumps out 340 horses and 390 lb/ft of torque. Power is never an issue considered its astonising low-end torque. On the other hand, this powerplant never run out of breath at the top end of [...]

Vehicle: 2005 Dodge Magnum RT with N pkg
Price as tested: CDN$38195
Performance: The RT Magnum is motivated by a highly refined 5.7L Hemi V8 that has 340hp and 390 lb/ft of torque. The torquery nature of this V8 really feels like an American V8 which is extremely responsive in the bottom end while pushing right through [...]

*WELCOME TO DIRECT SHIFT*
My name is Thomas Chan and I am the host of this site. I have been an automobile enthuisast since I was a kid. I practically learned my alphabets from license plates and identified a car as “Mazda” at my kindergarten entrance test.
My 1st car was a 97 Toyota RAV4, then [...]

Short review of 2005 Mercedes C320 Sport Sedan
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Price as tested: CDN$53970
Just like the last C240 4-Matic we drove, the subject to this test drive is another facelifted C-Class, C320 Sport. The sports package of the C-Class adds stiffer suspension, springs and shocks. The cosmetic differences are 17″ 5-spoke alloy wheels, 15 mm lowered in front/5mm [...]

Vehicle: 2004 Saab 9-3 2.0T Aero convertible with 5-speed Sentronic
Price as tested: CDN$62150
Performance: The Saab convertible is powered by Saab’s proven 2L high-pressure turbocharged engine with 210hp and 221 lb/ft of torque. The power delivery is smooth, refine, flexible and completely lack of turbo lag. When the turbo spools up at around 2500 rpm, the [...]

Short review of 2004 Mini Cooper Classic
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Price as tested: CDN$22700
“Classic” is basically a stripper version of the Cooper. The only things that you don’t get in “Classic” models are DSC-3, Xenon headlights and adjustable driver’s seat. However, you still got the same wonderfully handle Mini chassis that drive like a go-kart with a roof. The [...]

Short review of 2004 Toyota Solara SLE V6 convertible
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Price as tested: CDN$46061
The convertible has always an extension to its coupe silibing, in both generation of the Camry-based Solara touring coupe. Why I insist of using “touring” instead of “sport” because Solara is nothing sporty at all, just like the Camry is based on. After Toyota [...]

Short review of 2004 Toyota RAV4
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Price as tested: CDN$33650
The single biggest criticism of RAV4 has always been power, of therefore, lack of. Toyota finally addressed this issue by giving RAV4 the power it desperately needs. Its the same 2.4L VVT-i DOHC 16-valver engine as in Camry, Solara and Highlander. 161hp and 165 lb/ft of [...]

Vehicle: 2004 Lincoln LS-V8 Ultimate with rear heated seats and safety & parking pkg
Price as tested: CDN$60030
Performance: LS is motivated by 1 of 2 engines. A Duratec-based 232hp 3.0L V6 and the one in our tester, 3.9L V8 DOHC 32-valver that gives out 280hp and 286 lb/ft of torque. While the numbers look “powerful” given [...]

Short review of 2004 VW Passat TDI PD
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Price as tested: CDN$36780
Passat’s TDI PD with 247 lb/ft of torque @ 1900 rpm really needs an ESP for accelerating off-the-line. That’s primarily because it got enough torque to burn rubber during acceleration. It got so much torque that it can outrun any V6 gassers on the market. [...]

Vehicles: 2004 Saab 9-3 2.0T Arc with sports wheel pkg with 5-speed stick and Aero with 6-speed stick
Price as tested: CDN$43450 (Arc) CDN$43900 (Aero)
Performance: Both the 9-3 Arc and Aero are powered by Saab’s venerable high-pressure turbo that has 210hp and 221 lb/ft of torque. This powerplant feels more peppy and responsive than the [...]

Vehicle: 2004 Toyota Highlander V6 4WD with pkg B
Price as tested: CDN$47264
Performance: Highlander is powered by 1 of 2 engines, a 2.4L 4-cylinder with 160hp or 3.3L V6 with 230hp as in our tester. This 3.3L is a replacement for the 3.0L version. The extra 3 liter really gives Highlander the power it needed in [...]

Vehicle: 2004 Mercedes S430 SWB with Active Body Control, Bi-Xenon headlights with washers, Parktronic and power assisted door & trunk closer
Price as tested: CDN$107935
Performance: S-Class is powered by 1 of 4 engines, ranging from “base” 4.3L V8 to the flagship 6.0L V12 Biturbo in S600. Our particular tester, however, is the “entry-level” version [...]

Vehicle: 2004 Mercedes CLK320 coupe with heated front seats, multicontour left & right front seats, Bi-Xenon headlights with washers and sunroof
Price as tested: CDN$68925
Performance: CLK is powered by 1 of 3 engines. A 215hp 3.2L V6, a 302hp 5.0L V8 and an awesome 362hp AMG-tuned 5.5L V8. Our tester is equipped with the base motor [...]

Short review of 2002 VW GTI 1.8T 180hp Tiptronic
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180hp + manumatic has given this car a nice boost in terms of performance. However, it still got let down by its somewhat softly sprung tuning even with sports suspension. The overall packaging still feels very good even if this model has entered 4th year of life [...]

Short review of 2002 Saab 9-5 2.3t Arc sedan
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Based on the best SAAB ever produced, the base engine finally got previous car’s Aero suspension. The Aero suspension provides enough stiffness without sacificing the ride comfort of what an upscale SAAB A6/E-Class/5-Series supposed to be, it also addressed many people’s complaint of base suspension’s floatiness through [...]